Written by Heather Town

Is Biola a bubble or a greenhouse? Well, that depends on your perspective and attitude, because in essence a greenhouse is a bubble with a purpose. This leads me to ask what the purpose of a greenhouse is. It is a place of cultivation that is safe from outside harm and allows the sun’s rays and heat to create a controlled atmosphere for growth.

I submit to you that Biola is a greenhouse, rather than a bubble, and serves as a place for Christ to grow us for a season. But God did not call us to a life of safety and comfort. How do we reconcile our call to go out as lights in a dark world with our time in the shelter of the greenhouse?

As I examine the scriptures, I realize there are many examples of God preparing his people with the full intent that they would be transplanted into the world to be fruitful and multiply.

Adam and Eve had Eden, Moses and the Israelites had forty years in the desert, David spent years as a shepherd before he faced Goliath, Jesus waited 30 years before he started his ministry, and the disciples spent three years with Christ before they were sent out.

These waiting periods were not idle, but had a purpose and were full of trials that were refining each character into the image of Christ, preparing them for the tasks ahead. When they went out, they remained in fellowship with other believers and were guided by the Holy Spirit.

So how does this apply to us in the Biola greenhouse? First of all, we have been put here for a season with a purpose to grow, mature, heal from wounds, question, develop intimate relationships and be prepared to be transplanted into a world that is overgrown with weeds and desperately starved for truth.

We are being equipped by learning tools and developing gifts that should be practiced here and taken with us when we depart. Another aspect of a greenhouse that is applicable to Biola is that its walls are transparent to intensify the effects of the sun. In this safe environment we can embrace being transparent and vulnerable with each other and invite our neighbors to look in and see God at work.

I struggled with this greenhouse idea because there is a danger of becoming complacent and isolated – ingrown, rather than outward focused. It’s easy to develop a critical attitude of complaining and even feel false guilt for taking time and money to invest in education when we could be out “doing God’s work.”

These are not the intent of Biola or God, but we need to keep a clear perspective of the bigger picture of God’s purpose.

As I approach graduation in December, I’m thankful for this preparation time where I have been stretched and nurtured through chapels, professors, ministries, classmates, retreats, clubs, books and most of all by the gardener who has been healing, pruning and fertilizing me in this special greenhouse.

As I prepare to go into the jungles and deserts of the world, I know that I will still be under his watchful eye and am comforted to know that he will continue to provide fellowship with believers.