Bible schools began around the early‒mid 1900’s in our Mennonite circles because, as Anabaptist people, we place a high value on Scripture and knowing Scripture. Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute (SMBI) was started with the vision to provide a place of study for conservative Anabaptist young people in the eastern United States. There were other schools, but they were not as close to Lancaster, the hub of the Mennonite community in the east. There have been other Mennonite schools such as Hesston College and Goshen College, which also go back to the early 1900’s. However, colleges such as Hesston and Goshen moved away from their formerly held conservatism, becoming more liberal and conforming to mainstream culture. In contrast, SMBI has remained relatively unchanged in doctrine and practice for 40 years. I think that SMBI’s lack of accreditation has helped it to maintain its conservative position. The qualifications for our instructors are not solely based on educational background or degrees; an area where schools are sometimes forced to compromise on character or theological position to maintain an academic accreditation. Our primary qualifications at SMBI are the spiritual life and character of our faculty. The reason students attend Bible school is because they seek personal growth and enrichment. More of our young people are pursuing accredited degrees, but people don’t come to SMBI to get a degree for economic or career advancement. They are not looking to invest in a two-year degree or a four-year degree. SMBI doesn’t require a 2 year commitment; a student can come for anywhere from 6 to 24 weeks. We have five, six‒week sessions per year and students can come for any one or a combination of those five sessions. I first came to SMBI as a student in 1997 for a six‒week session. Then I came again in the fall of 1998 for another six‒week session. I started teaching here in the spring of 2000, taught for three years, and then became assistant administrator for three years. Later I became administrator and have remained so for the past 11 years. I decided to go to Bible school after hearing testimonies from other students who had gone, and I also knew a few of the faculty for whom I had a great deal of respect. What inspired me as a student was the interaction with other young people and the encouragement and spiritual depth of the student body. Students were there to think seriously and to study. Along with that was the variety of students that were represented from many different backgrounds and places. Within that diversity, the common goal and bonding together was what encouraged me the most.