What does an astronaut on the NASA space programme, an orthopaedic surgeon in Beijing, a troubleshooter travelling the world for the Disney Corporation and a missionary living a fifteen-hour walk from the nearest road in the Himalayas of Nepal have in common? They are all past students of Capernwray Bible School.

Along with around 8,500 other students over the last 47 years, these have sat behind desks for five hours of teaching a day enabling them to grow in their understanding of the Scriptures and in an experiential knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, equipping them for whatever plans God has in mind for them.

Although Capernwray Hall was purchased in 1946 and opened to guests in 1947, the first Bible School took place over the winter of 1949/50, attended primarily by a small group of just over twenty German and Dutch students, initially as a single one-off event. Proving successful, it was repeated, and today, as for many years, the Bible School occupies 30 weeks of each year and is a major part of Capernwray's annual programme.

Our objectives are that students know the written Word of God as the means of knowing the Living Word of God. This does not invalidate specialised training for particular service, and we frequently recommend students for that, but we avoid too hard a distinction between those anticipating "full-time Christian service" and those going into "secular" work, for we believe every Christian is full-time in the service of God. He has plans for bus drivers as well as missionaries, for school teachers as well as evangelists.

We regularly have almost 200 students from 25 to 30 nations represented in the School. We would love to see more British attending, but we trust God to send the right people to us. We offer three study options. The Winter Bible School last for 22 weeks from September to March, the Spring Bible School for 8 weeks from mid April to June, or the Full Bible School programme incorporating both for 30 weeks.

We are thankful to God for the privilege of participation in the lives of so many people. In many we see significant changes take place, but it is sometimes only years after they have left that things heard in the classroom become life to others. God's timing is always right.