W. Wilbert Welch

Walter Wilbert Welch (born 7 Feb 1918), the Chancellor of Cornerstone University, has been actively involved with that institution since 1941, when he served as teaching faculty. He was offered the position of college president four times before he finally accepted.

Cornerstone University

As a Ph.D.-holding pastor, he initially found the prospect of leading a small college meeting in a church basement unappealing. Once he did take the reins, however, he worked to turn Cornerstone into the kind of school he dreamed of leading, buying a 64-acre (26 hectares) cornfield and building it into an accredited 4-year Christian liberal arts college. Welch spoke often of the Divine/human cooperative, believing that people of faith should take on all they can, trusting in God to accomplish it. [ [http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:OWIzhg5oigUJ:westcannon.org/sunday/new/files/notes/200408292.pdf+%22Wilbert+Welch%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=42&client=firefox-a] ]

Cornerstone University citation:

In 1959, with an enrollment of only 148 students, Dr. W. Wilbert Welch became the fifth president, a position he held until 1983. Under his leadership, the Bible Institute finally became a state-approved Bible college in 1963. In its new form, “Grand Rapids Baptist College and Seminary” was thus chartered to offer the Bachelor of Religious Education and Bachelor of Music degrees on the college side. Both programs incorporated the general education of the pre-seminary course, and with the added six liberal arts concentrations to its curriculum, GRBC became a four-year college with a two-year general education base and a major in Bible. Also in 1963, the state approved the seminary to offer the Bachelor of Divinity degree, equivalent to the Master of Divinity today. [Cornerstone University Faculty Handbook, p. 4.]

The university's new clock tower is being named in his honor, to the announcement of which Welch's response was, "I appreciate it, but I don't need it. Maybe the shock of it will kill me."

Ministry

*1990-91 Interim Pastor: Calvary Baptist Church, Covington, Kentucky (Warren W. Wiersbe's church)
*1931-1942 Senior Pastor: Evanston Avenue Baptist Church, Muskegon, Michigan [http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:FDv-snntsVUJ:www.evanstonavenuebaptist.com/75th_Anniversary_Page2.htm+%22Wilbert+Welch%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=77&client=firefox-a]
*Biblical Evangelism boardmember [http://biblicalevangelist.org/index.php?id=309&view=Off+the+Cuff!]

Legacy

* [http://www.wzzm13.com/news/grmetro_article.aspx?storyid=45157 W. Wilbert Welch Clock Tower article at WZZM-TV13 site]
* [http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:BmNrJyAvCZIJ:www.mlive.com/printer/printer.ssf%3F/base/news-25/1128698110258580.xml+%22Wilbert+Welch%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=29&client=firefox-a W. Wilbert Welch Clock Tower article at Grand Rapids Press]

Published works

Books

*"The Man Your Church Should Know" (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004) ISBN 0-8254-3941-8
*"Theolog '67" (Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, Spring 1967), editor and contributing author
*"Theolog '66" (Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, Fall 1966), editor and contributing author

Radio Messages on Cassette

"on file at Cedarville College"
*Christ's Imminent Return (1982)
*The Great Tribulation (1982)
*Just Reminiscing (1981)
*The Loss of Spiritual Power (1980)
*Neo-Evangelism: Parts I, II, III (1980)
*The Importance of Stones (1977)
*Training Soul-Winners (1973)
*By Faith, We Understand (1964)
*Touched to Build (1962)

Booklets and Pamphlets

*"A Charge to Keep: The Book of First Timothy" (Regular Baptist Press, 1982)
*"The Christian Mission and Fundamentalism"
*"Conduct Becoming Saints – The Book of 1 Corinthians", Part 1, Chapters 1-8 (Regular Baptist Press, 1978)
*"Conduct Becoming Saints – The Book of 1 Corinthians", Part 2, Chapters 9-16 (Regular Baptist Press, 1978)
*"Decisions, Decisions, Will Someone Help Me?"
*"Developing a Biblical Perspective Concerning Believers, Demons and Exorcism"
*"Does Biblical Separation Destroy Christian Unity?"
*"The Early Church - Problems and Progress: Book of Acts", Chapters 1-13 (Regular Baptist Press, 1976)
*"The Early Church - Problems and Progress: Book of Acts", Chapters 14-28 (Regular Baptist Press, 1976)
*"The Fine Art of Being a Pastor"
*"The Trial of Your Faith: The Epistle of First Peter"

Articles

"on file at the Cornerstone University Archives, Miller Library"
*The Word of God in Our Society
*Growing Old Isn’t All Bad
*Programming For Progress
*The Authority of the Word of God
*Attractive Churches
*Enjoyable Years for Senior Citizens
*God’s Creative Wisdom for the Body or “Beautifying the Bones”
*These Men Called Deacons—Who Are They, and Why?
*Consideration For Seeking Balance
*God’s Provisions for His Church
*The Divine Human Cooperative—How Does God Work?
*Yes, Christians Do Split Churches
*God’s Prescription for an Enjoyable Ministry
*It Is Time To Refocus On The Sunday School
*Understanding And Resolving Conflict
*The Man Your Church Should Know
*To Resign or Not to Resign-That is the Question
*Church Problems – Normal But Not Necessary
*Yes, Your Church Can Grow!
*The Word of God in our Society
*Christian Education and Evangelism
*Position Paper Accreditation and Christian Colleges
*The Pastor and Church Administration
*New Testament Evangelism
*Position Paper Two, Grand Rapids Baptist College and Seminary and Changing Standards
*Baptist Holiness
*The Divine Directive
*The One Who Works in You
*The Fundamentalists’ Hour
*Let’s Have Some Demonstrations
*Position Paper: Creative Days of Genesis
*Position Paper: The Use of Translations (green folder)
*The Rapture of the Church
*The Two Judgments
*The Final Destination of the Righteous and Wicked
*Let’s Talk About the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
*Is the Bible the Word of God?
*Heaven
*What is Hell like?
*The Two Resurrections
*Radio Bible Class

Online publications

* [http://biblicalevangelist.org/index.php?id=319&view=Sermons Biblical Evangelist (March/April 2006)]

Quotes

“ [Paul’s] instruction that the women of the church ‘adorn’ themselves modestly is not part of an ‘anti-attractive’ campaign. In fact, he said they should ‘adorn themselves,’ not detract. Their apparel was to be modest. There was to be no extravagance or undue emphasis placed on a woman’s physical attractiveness.” ("A Charge to Keep", pg. 43 RBP, 1982)

Roles at Cornerstone University

*1941: Teaching Faculty
*1959-1983: President
*1983-present: Chancellor
*1991: Interim President

References