All three of Central Christian College of the Bible’s locations will use the Russell School of Ministry name for the school’s growing graduate program. Until now, RSM—named for Bob and John Russell—had been used only at the school’s Cincinnati-area location.
The change coincides with the introduction this year of CCCB’s second graduate degree. This fall, the school will begin offering a Master of Arts in Preaching. This degree joins the Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership that CCCB began offering in 2020.
CCCB’s locations include its historic campus in Moberly, Mo., the Cincinnati location in Northern Kentucky (which started soon after the closure of Cincinnati Christian University in late 2019), and the St. Louis location (which started in Westport, Mo., after CCCB’s merger with St. Louis Christian College in 2022).
The change will serve to clarify how Russell School of Ministry and Central Christian College of the Bible relate to one another, according to CCCB president David Fincher. It also will present a clear identity for prospective graduate students.
The RSM name initially was associated with Cincinnati Christian University. When CCU closed at the end of 2019, CCCB stepped up to help continue three important ministries that were part of that school—Russell School of Ministry, the George Mark Elliott Library, and the Center for Church Leadership (since renamed the Christian Church Leadership Network, or CCL Network). These legacy ministries were relocated to a site in Florence, Ky., just south of Cincinnati, called the CCL Center. (Learn more here.)
The revamped Russell School of Ministry in 2020 started as a two-year certificate program with a new cohort of students each term. For 2021, RSM received accreditation as a ministry education extension site. CCCB’s graduate-level courses also are taught there. Students at RSM/Cincinnati also took CCCB online courses, “which has created confusion as to how RSM and CCCB related to each other,” according to CCCB’s Torch newsletter. With this change, “those undergraduate students [in Cincinnati] will continue to be served and given a plan to complete their degrees through Central Christian College of the Bible.”
“Cincinnati students currently enrolled in undergraduate courses will take both onsite and online courses through the end of July,” Fincher said via email. “Starting in Fall 2023, their academic progress will continue exclusively through courses in Central’s accredited online education program at the same cost and time to completion as expected.”
Two leadership changes also have (or will) occur with respect to Russell School of Ministry.
Dr. Billy Strother has transitioned from his position as inaugural dean of graduate studies at CCCB to focus on his undergraduate and graduate teaching responsibilities. CCCB is currently accepting applications for the graduate dean of Russell School of Ministry.
Also, Micah Odor will transition from his current role as campus dean of Russell School of Ministry to become Central’s new vice president of church services, which will include leading the CCL Network. In addition to overseeing the many available church services, he will teach practical ministry courses for students and church leaders.
Just my opinion, but it all sounds very confusing to me. I think one name for the entire program/school would serve the brotherhood much better.