Archived BSSM Updates on COVID-19
Online Graduation Ceremonies
April 29, 2020
All graduation ceremonies for First, Second, and Third Year 2020 will be held online. Families and friends will be able to stream online from around the world to celebrate our amazing students and honor all that the Lord has done this year. We look forward to this special time together!
Also, we will be doing a “drive-through certificate handout” at our College View campus so students can safely pick up their certificates and so we can see them a final time. This will be happening in small groups between Monday, May 4 and Thursday, May 7. To continue to honor the social distancing guidelines that are in place, we will do contactless handoffs of the graduation certificates through the students’ car door window. We are thankful for this opportunity to celebrate and bless our students for all that God has done in their lives this year.
Watch BSSM Graduation
We will be streaming our graduation ceremonies on YouTube. Click below to join us!
- First Year Graduation | Tuesday, May 5 at 2:00pm PDT
- Second Year Graduation | Wednesday, May 6 at 6:00pm PDT
- Third Year Graduation | Thursday, May 7 at 2:00pm PDT
Update from BSSM Leadership
March 18, 2020
In the midst of navigating the impact of COVID-19, we have been praying for all our students and their families, and for those around the world who have been affected by the virus. Our hope remains steadfast in the nature of Jesus as we continue to look to Him in all things. We are in this together!
BSSM’s Leadership Team has been prayerfully considering our response to the Coronavirus and has been working closely with local and state officials to ensure the safety and health of not only our students, but also the greater North State region. We have implemented the following measures:
- As of March 10, 2020, BSSM has canceled all student missions and ministry trips, both domestic and international, between now and graduation in May, 2020.
- As of March 16, 2020, BSSM has decided to transition fully to online school sessions. All in-person classes and gatherings at all campuses are postponed until further notice.
If you are applying to attend BSSM in the fall, please know that as of now, our school schedule has not changed for the 2020-2021 academic school year. We are looking forward to being with you soon and experiencing all that God has for us in school! Of course, please reach out to your Admissions Advisor (click on their contact info at the top of your MyBSSM profile) with any questions or concerns you may have.
During this time, we encourage you to stay close to the Lord and remain connected to one another virtually. We are expectant to see how God moves as we take school online, and believe that only good things are to come!
To read Bethel Church’s response to the Coronavirus, please visit: https://www.bethel.com/coronavirus/
Information For Current Students & Parents
March 18, 2020
The School Year Is Not Over
School sessions have been fully moved to a new online platform, including worship, main sessions, Bible classes, advanced ministry training classes (AMTs), and Revival Group meetings. We are excited to see what the Lord is going to do as we use technology to our advantage in this season.
Students Going Home
We know that some students are considering going home to be with family during this time. This is a complex decision, especially for our international students. In the process of making this decision, we encourage students to listen to the Lord, their families, government recommendations, and spiritual leadership, and then make the best decision they can. We also ask students to include their Revival Group Pastor/Mentor in this decision so we can stay connected to you and support you in this process. If any students decide to go home, we are excited for them to finish the school year online with the rest of their classmates. As long as they stay connected and manage their online attendance, they can still graduate!
Graduation Ceremony
We are hoping things will be back to normal by the beginning of May, but it’s our priority to follow guidelines given by the CDC and our local and state government. As things progress in the next few weeks, we will be updating our students about graduation festivities. If we are able to have an in-person graduation ceremony, students who finish school online are more than welcome to come back and attend the ceremony in person.
BSSM Missions 2020
Letter from Dann Farrelly, BSSM Dean
March 12, 2020
We have some disappointing news: As of March 10, 2020, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) has canceled all student missions and ministry trips between now and graduation, both domestic and international.
The global community is currently experiencing a health concern with the Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Bethel’s Senior Leadership Team has been prayerfully considering what the best next steps should be as we have been preparing to send over 2,000 students all over the world. As you can imagine, this has been a complex process.
Mission trips are one of the high points of our year, as our students and leaders joyfully represent Christ and His kingdom in 60 countries around the world. For 20 years, we have been sending 500 to 2,000 students out annually to live and preach the Good News that God sent Jesus into the world because He loves humanity and is calling them to relationship with Him through Christ.
There are so many stakeholders impacted by this decision: Our amazing students and leaders, our fellow citizens in the city, the donors who gave so generously, and the host countries that were looking forward to our ministry. We delayed in making this decision to see if the situation would change for the better, but it hasn’t yet. After consulting with our leadership teams, local public health officials, and our church board, we feel the best way to serve and honor our local community is by canceling our ministry travel. Every penny of the funds donated for missions will stay designated to missions. Though a significant portion may be lost due to canceled airline tickets and accommodations, we still felt this was the best decision.
Public health officials in Shasta County recommended that we cancel all trips not deemed as essential travel. We appreciate and deeply value the efforts of our government leaders to do the best they can to lead with wisdom and the positive impact that science and the medical community have on all of our lives. These groups are a blessing, and we benefit from their leadership and want to cooperate with their efforts, even while loving and operating in the power of prayer and healing. We do not believe that we would be operating out of that love and respect if we chose to take risks that could negatively impact our region.
There are so many nuanced circumstances and variables that amount to this exceptionally big decision. But God is very creative, and this isn’t the end of the story. We will have further opportunities to partner with Him and serve His purposes in the present and the future. We hope and believe that a breakthrough against this virus will come quickly, and society will be able to safely and confidently travel again soon. Please continue to pray with us for health and healing to come to those affected, and for the medical professionals who are working with the ill and seeking solutions to help people recover.