Ozark Christian College Receives $1 Million Lilly Grant
Ozark Christian College has been awarded a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fund Lincoln Seminary's Lifelong Leaders Initiative.
Ozark Christian College has been awarded a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fund Lincoln Seminary's Lifelong Leaders Initiative.
In a world where traditional Bible colleges and universities face many challenges, what options (and opportunities) are emerging for theological and ministry training . . . and how do they stack up?
June 22, 2019
By Michael C. Mack I read Robert Coleman’s book The Master Plan of Evangelism as a seminary student in 1989, when it was in only its 45th printing, with more than 925,000 copies sold. It has now sold more than 3.5 million copies and been translated into 105 languages. I’ve read the book many times over the years. It’s hard to find a page that doesn’t contain highlighting, underlining, asterisks, exclamation points, and notes in the margins. I’ve read his follow-up, The Master Plan of Discipleship, based on the book of Acts, many times as well. These books formed my
By Josh Tandy I am a statistical anomaly. I am a young minister who went to seminary almost immediately after receiving my undergraduate degree. More and more, people like me are opting to bypass seminary and go directly into full-time ministry. Some of these individuals have been spectacularly successful. The incredible stories of new churches being planted and existing ones becoming vibrant again make me think about the time, effort, and resources spent on a seminary degree, and I wonder: Was it worth it? Has a world of blogs, conferences, and books made a seminary degree obsolete? It doesn”t take
By Jennifer Taylor Last month, Emmanuel Christian Seminary (Johnson City, TN) began offering a new independent study course called “Current Trends in Theological Education” to help students complete unfinished degrees. The online course is designed for previous Emmanuel students who have been absent from course work for more than five years and have completed every degree requirement except the thesis. The new course covers each of the five academic areas studied at ECS””Old Testament, New Testament, church history, doctrine, and Christian ministries. In each area students will complete about 400 pages of reading, review lectures by various faculty members, and
November 9, 2008
Brian Jones reflects on an early ministry internship and explains why local church leaders need both practical effectiveness and serious theological depth.
As larger churches add specialized ministry roles, many are hiring proven volunteers from within their own congregations. Paul Boatman explores the benefits, risks, and the need for strong partnerships between local churches and theological education.
Why does scholarship matter to the church? Robert F. Hull Jr. argues that faithful scholarship supports Bible translation, global mission, congregational health, and training future leaders—showing why “Athens and Jerusalem” need each other.
Hiring church staff from within can bring big benefits, but it also raises concerns about experience and theological grounding. Chuck Sackett outlines practical safeguards to equip internal hires for faithful, biblically informed ministry.