Betzer Scholarship Initiative

Rev. Dan Betzer is senior pastor of First AG, Ft. Myers, Florida, and a member of the Executive Presbytery of the AG.

Scholarships Make the Difference Higher education costs play a major role in a student’s decision to pursue graduate theological education. Students are finding it increasingly difficult to enter full-time ministry upon graduation due to the burden of repaying school loans. Graduate students borrow, on average, $31,700, according to the National Loan Survey. Average percentage of monthly income that goes toward student loan payments has increased 72% since 1997. The average monthly loan payment for graduate school is $273. Unfortunately, significant education debt can inhibit a graduate’s ability to follow God’s call into missions, church planting or inner-city ministries. With your help, we can remove these barriers to ministry!

Dear friend of AGTS,

I have recently learned that AGTS still has a mortgage debt in the amount of $458,000.

I thought we had long since liquidated this debt. However, when the AGTS building was constructed and our Fellowship sent in good offerings for its completion, we fell just short of the need. As a result, it costs AGTS $63,000 annually to service the mortgage repayment. Can AGTS handle this? Yes...but! If the seminary did not have this debt, it could release that $63,000 into scholarship funds!

This year, the Executive Presbytery placed the repayment schedule on hold, resulting in a savings to AGTS of $63,331.80. This amount was used for scholarships, which ultimately assisted 15 additional students! Most of these 15 students could not have come to AGTS without these funds. With front-line workers desperately needed in God’s work today, doesn’t it make more sense to you that, rather than bowing to debt service of $63,000, we give that amount each year in scholarships?

For every dollar given to retire debt, AGTS is able to release one dollar to scholarships! That means that in the next seven years, instead of paying for bricks and mortar, nearly a half million dollars would be released to assist students who are preparing for God’s call to areas such as missions or church planting ministries!

How can you help?

Would you prayerfully consider two things today?

1. Will you join my wife and me in personally giving $1,000 or more for this grand purpose? (You should know that some of the AG Executive Presbytery and Board of Administration have already made this commitment.)
2. Will you share this great need with at least five other people in your network of pastors, friends and business associates?

I believe this is an eternal matter—an investment of gold, silver and precious stones of 1 Corinthians 3! Would you please contact AGTS right now (417-268-1012)? Together, by the grace of God, you and I can help win this incredible victory for the Kingdom! Let’s do it for Jesus’ sake!

Your friend,