I was trained in a very unique way. No one else has done what I have done in the history of my Bible College. I was given an amazing opportunity to see the big picture. Tania and I were informed that in order to join Wycliffe and become Bible translators, we needed Bible College training. David Cummings, Wycliffe’s leader at the time, thought two years would be sufficient given our previous background. So we went off to find a suitable Bible College. I went to where I felt I could best fit and they said “No, you need more than we can give you.” They suggested where to go to get the best training in Hebrew, Greek and exegesis. So we went there for an interview. When I said I felt that we were to be “there” for two years, I was told by Alan Knight, the registrar that as a man with a degree I should look to doing the degree course which would take four years given the way the course was structured. I told him I wasn’t interested in the piece of paper at the end, I just wanted the ability and the skills to become a good Bible translator. But I felt that we were do two years. He scoffed and told me I couldn’t do that. That the Hebrew course was structured so that Hebrew I and Hebrew III were offered in the same year and Hebrew II in the alternate year so you would have to do four years here Ian to achieve what you want because next year Hebrew II is scheduled.
As soon as he said that the phone rang. It was Bill Osborne, the Hebrew professor ringing to ask about the availability of a classroom in the summer holidays during which he would cover the first year Hebrew in an intensive course for 6 weeks for some people heading overseas. The registrar’s mouth dropped open in surprise and he said he had someone in the office right then who was a potential candidate for such a course. “Could he do the intensive course as well? “It seems that God has opened the door for you, Ian” he said when his conversation with the Bill had concluded. Yes and He has been opening doors ever since.
Oh the grace and glory of God’s providence and favour.
I spent the two years at Bible College following after one professor. In my first year it was the Old Testament and Hebrew professor, Bill Osbourne. I followed Bill everywhere. I did first year and second year and third year all in the same year. So all the bits connected at the same time. In my second year I did the same thing, only with Basil Brown, who had come as a guest lecturer for that year only. I followed Basil around to every class he taught, New Testament I, II and III and NT Greek as well as third year Greek Exegesis, combining all three years in one. Again I saw the overview at the same time I was learning about the details. No one has ever done that before in the history of the Bible College. I had a unique opportunity. At the end of the time they said “Ian, we can’t give you an MTh but we will give you a Diploma of Biblical Languages, with only one recipient ever, me.