Robust partnerships, weekend conferences increase access to Biblical education in Billings

Dec 23, 2025

3 min read

1

23

0

At the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester, Montana Bible College (MBC) and Community Leadership Development Inc (CLDI) entered into a robust ministry partnership. Now, CLDI interns are able to receive a Certificate in Christian Leadership through Montana Bible College.

To accomplish this goal, every Tuesday, Professor Carter Knight teaches classes on Bible Study Methods, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, and Survey of Doctrine at CLDI’s office on the South Side of Billings. This will continue throughout CLDI’s 11-month internship until July 2026.

So far, this CLDI cohort has reported great encouragement!

In fact, the classes have been so well received that a full-time employee at CLDI has decided to join this learning cohort. Additionally, another student reports these weekly deep dives into Scripture help encourage her through the difficulties of ministry on the South Side. Yet another student has shared how uplifting it has been to discuss all that she is learning with her husband and mother.

"Taking MBC's classes is helping me form a way of thinking around the hardship I am seeing that is Biblical and true, when it would otherwise be so easy to fall into discouragement over the darkness in our world." ~CLDI intern Amaya V.

Kaylee Bradford, intern director for CLDI, has expressed great enthusiasm for this new partnership. It opens up significant opportunities for CLDI interns both now and in the future. One of the participants in this program has already expressed interest in finishing a bachelor's degree with MBC. Furthermore, this program is designed to expand partnership with CLDI as well as become multiplied into partnerships with other Christian non-profits and local churches.

However, not everyone will want to take multiple 3-credit classes with MBC. Therefore, we have also launched Equip Conferences. These are weekend conferences which focus on significant theological, biblical, or discipleship topics. This past semester, one of these conferences focused on discipling the next generation. There were twenty-five participants, and six local pastors contributed to make this event a success.

Twenty-five students deepen their understanding of how best to engage and disciple youth through relational discipleship at the Montana Bible College Nextgen Disciple-Makers Equip Conference held October 17-18, 2025 in Billings, MT.

Looking into the future, MBC plans to host five Equip Conferences this Spring semester. MBC will benefit from a variety of excellent teachers including:

Dr. Michael Neibauer, author of Virtuous Persuasion: A Theology of Christian Mission.
Billings’ own Dr. Eric Bayse and Colin Sauskojus will also present a conference on Unearthing Leadership.
President of Christian Communicators Worldwide, Jim Elliff, will present a biographical conference based on George Mueller and his practice of spiritual disciplines.
Professor Knight tentatively plans to present two conferences on The Missionary Letters of Peter and Paul as well as The Glory of Christ: A Biblical Theology of Christology.

These are exciting developments in MBC’s ministry presence in Billings. Each new initiative is designed to advance the glory of Christ, the growth of his church, and the good of this city. Throughout the coming years, MBC hopes to further deepen partnerships in the gospel with like-minded ministries who share this goal.

Carter Knight is Dean of Students & Discipleship and Adjunct Instructor in Biblical Studies at Montana Bible College. He holds a BS in Nursing from Montana State University and an M.Div. from Phoenix Seminary. Carter and his wife also serve kids in foster care as program directors for Haven Camp.