Seminary Options for Rural Pastors
Len Flack on May 13, 2008 at 6:45 pm
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV):
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
I am a graduate of Davis College in Johnson City, NY. I earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Bible (while the school was called Practical Bible College) and a Bachelor of Religious Education degree in Theology and Church Ministries. Since graduating in 2005, I have continued to study independently, always seeking to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. In some ways, I have grown more during this period of non-matriculated study than I did in the years I spent in college.
However, like many pastors, I do truly value formal education. I originally planned to attend seminary about a year after I graduated from college, but that plan didn’t mesh up with what God had in store for my family and I.
God has given my wife and I two incredible blessings in the form of our kids, Elijah and Moriah. He has also chosen to use me as a pastor at North Country Fellowship Church, and I currently split my work time between the church and a secular job in the healthcare field.
I still very much want to complete an MDiv, but if I do so, I don’t think it would be possible for me to do so as a full time resident student given my family responsibilities. Also, since God has called me to service at NCF, I doubt I’ll be able to enroll in a regular residential program. As far as I can tell, that leaves the following options:
The first option is to find a commuter program. There are a handful of seminaries within a couple hundred miles of my location. MidAmerica Baptist (Northeast Branch), Nyack, Northeastern, and Rochester Colgate are all here in NY. Baptist Bible Seminary is just over the border in Clarks Summit, PA. Theoretically, I could commute to one of those schools if they had an appropriate commuter study program (such as MidAmerica and Northeastern do). However, depending on the school, I may not be a good cultural or theological fit. Also, with the hazardous travel conditions of our harsh winters and the rising cost of gasoline up here, it may not be feasible.
The second option is a distance-learning program. There are a number of online seminary programs, however many are simply unaccredited degree-mills. Liberty has an online MDiv program that looks interesting, however, Ergun Caner’s rhetoric does bother me, and I am still concerned with the degree being perceived as less quality than a more traditional degree. Regardless, it’s an accessible and affordable option.
The third option is a hybrid program. Bethel and Western both offer InMinistry programs for pastors who are just that: in ministry. Both are ATS accredited, and involve online and in-person coursework, generally completed through on-campus intensives. Western looks especially interesting, as it is missional in its approach, is affiliated with CBAmerica (offering scholarships to CB pastors like myself), and recently graduated one of my heroes, Mark Driscoll, with an MA in Exegetical Theology.
So, the question is, given my circumstances, do I put off (or perhaps never engage in) traditional seminary education, or do I get further equipped by availing myself of some of these atypical options?
Better yet, does anyone know of a conservative missional seminary campus or extension site opening up in Syracuse in the next few years?
Filed in Bible, Scholarship, Thoughts |
I’m in a similar situation. I got a BA in music business from Belmont University in Nashville. Now I’m running my own business for a living, and serving as an elder and youth pastor in the church. I’m interested in theology and have read quite a bit and continue to learn. I’ve learning a lot under the discipleship of our teaching elder (what an odd term!) who has a PhD from Gordon-Conwell, but now I’m considering seminary.
With the recent birth of my first child, Hadassah, and my continuing commitment to my clients and the church, I don’t feel like I can pick up and move to attend seminary. I’m considering, and praying about, Reformed Theological Seminary. They have a branch in Charlotte, NC. That’s 3 hours from here. Their distance learning program offers a degree similar to Driscoll’s (that’s where I got the idea for getting a degree), and MA in theology.
I would only have to attend campus twice for one week each time. Everything else can be done via the virtual campus online.
My wife and I are praying about it. We’ll pray for you as you struggle with a similar decision.
Congratulations on fatherhood. I’m a daddy to two cute babies, and they have changed my life in amazing ways. You’ll love it!
RTS looks pretty interesting. I did see their online MA program at one point a while back. I’ve considered it a bit, but probably should look at it again. I’ve been pretty focused in on MDiv programs, because I want to go on for a DMin in the future, and the MDiv fulfills the requirements without more masters-level work before the doctoral work.
Of course, I have seen a trend among many of our reformed brethren to scoff at the DMin, prefering PhDs and ThDs, which an MA would more easily work into… I donno.