Dr. Eric Mason

2024 Commencement Speaker Dr. Eric Mason Encourages ‘Thinking and Living a Biblical Worldview’ Beyond the Classroom

For many years, Dr. Eric Mason has appreciated what sets Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School apart through his interactions with college leadership, alumni, faculty and staff. Years after forming a close relationship with LBC | Capital President Dr. Tommy Kiedis through ministry and church planting, Mason says every alumnus he meets is “a high caliber person in ministry and in practice.”

Mason, who is the founder and Senior Pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, Pa, delivered the 2024 commencement address for LBC | Capital’s 90th anniversary graduation ceremony on May 4. The event was one of unity that celebrated a milestone year, welcoming graduates from Lancaster, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and online to campus.

The author of several books, including his newest exposition commentary, “Exalting Jesus in 2 Corinthians,” emphasized that “it’s more important now than ever to help people be discipled in a Christian worldview. My encouragement is for believers to go into the world with a biblical grid to determine that which is of God and strain out that which is not of God.”

As both a pastor and parent, Mason also appreciates LBC | Capital’s biblical focus. His oldest son, Immanuel (’27), attends LBC as a Communication major on the Lancaster campus. “He’s flourishing while getting this education and being influenced by a Christian worldview,” Mason said. “He’s enjoying it, and it’s been good for him as part of his journey growing up.”

As a parent, Mason values the college’s educational approach, stating that a biblical worldview enables “people to have mind renewal in every sector of their craft and see life from a kingdom perspective. The impact that LBC has is encouraging to me. We need a plethora of people in the marketplace to operate on Christian values and honor the Lord.” He also notes that LBC | Capital is “one of the last schools in the region that is specifically committed to preparing people for ministry and the marketplace.”

Mason noted that several people at his church attend LBC | Capital, and the college’s influence and impact have “sharpened what they believe God has called them to do.”

Mason’s vision for his own congregation is the same as for the LBC | Capital Class of 2024: “Utilize where God has placed them in their specific assignments in the world to ultimately plug into God’s purpose and do what God has called all of us to do. It would be amazing if they would be those who sprinkle their light out there and spread the gospel through not only the Church but also their crafts and trades.”

At Epiphany Fellowship, Mason shared, “Our model is showing off the glory of Christ through Christ-centered commitment, conversions and culturally compelling community.

“We preach the whole gospel to create whole people in an urban center where there is complexity,” he continued. “In our urban context, there is art and reflections of beauty in business, commerce, development, medicine. All those different things are expressions of culture.”

Mason sharply focuses his attention on vision-creating for both communities and churches while also serving as the general editor of both volumes of “Urban Apologetics” and founder and president of Thriving, an urban ministry organization committed to training leaders for ministry in cities locally, nationally and internationally.

During his commencement address, Mason also encouraged recent graduates to represent Christ well. “People have expectations of Christians that don’t exist for other faith traditions. This expectation comes from a hunger [for truth]. Because of this, we need to renew our light and sprinkle a little bit more salt out there through whatever sphere God has called [us] to be in.”

The speaker, author and pastor additionally noted that pouring into the Church and the surrounding community works in perfect unison: “Discipleship and mission are two sides of the same coin. It is how we engage community through outreaches and investments in our city. We want to see healthy singles, families, youth, children and a healthy world. Health comes through us viewing ourselves as missionaries and worshippers, which is a reflection of our commitment to God and a rejection of idolatry. As missionaries, we represent our eternal emperor and should be the best representatives of His reign.”