News

“The fellowship was exceptional.”  “We enjoyed hearing from the exciting ministries that are happening.”  These are some of the comments we receive from those who attended the 2019 European Vision Workshop.

SIBI will begin classes on August 10th but in a modified way. We encourage you to watch this video from SIBI's president, Tim Burow, who gives the rationale for where our upcoming classes are meeting.

You Are Invited to a Live Stream Memorial Service For Ms. Bobbie Paden Saturday, August 15th, 2:00 p.m.
Click here or return to this page.

Ms. Bobbie left this world to be with her Lord and with Gerald on April 30th, 2020. Because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions her memorial service was delayed. Truitt Adair & Tim Burow, along with Ms. Bobbie’s children, will lead the live stream service from the Sunset Church of Christ Flagroom, which was very significant in the life and ministry of both Gerald and Ms. Bobbie. In person attendance will be “family only” due to current Covid restrictions. The obituary can be viewed on the Combest Family Funeral Homes website at combestfamilyfuneralhomes.com or type/click the following link to go directly to Ms. Bobbie’s Obituary page. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Ms. Bobbie’s memory to Sunset International Bible Institute.

In 2005, Chris and Brenda Swinford returned to Lubbock as Chris received the mantle of leadership from Truman Scott as dean of International Studies at Sunset. Truman worked for many years to develop a network of schools that used the Sunset material as a model to help teach ministers within their own culture around the world. This model of training was one with which Chris was very familiar, as he had previously worked in one of these first schools, the Ukrainian Bible Institute. Chris worked tirelessly over the next few years to develop relationships with more and more schools around the world. He traveled most months of the year and found schools where Sunset could assist in training and helped to spread the gospel internationally. 

After building up the number of international schools to over 40 in 2009, Chris was invited to lead Sunset in a new way--in development. To replace him as Dean of International Studies, Chris invited his fellow missionary from Ukraine, Tim Burow. Chris changed the name of the department from Development to Advancement. He believed that beyond fundraising, the department would advance the mission and purpose of the school around the world. Over the next 11 years, Chris represented the school in countless churches across the country and around the world and also at workshops and lectureships. There was never a venue too big or too small for Chris. One of his favorite activities was to just go and say thank you to a congregation or individual who had faithfully given to support the school in some way. He often remembered the faithful Christians who had given him as little as five dollars to help feed faculty who were training gospel preachers. Chris always strove to represent the school with faithfulness and honesty. He believed that the integrity of the organization would bring more blessing than anything else he did.