“What about us?”
Over the past several years, we have received numerous inquiries from friends who love the vision, theology, and faculty of Bethlehem College & Seminary but could not enroll in our flagship M.Div. program that focuses on training men for vocational eldership. Associate pastors and non-staff elders, women’s ministry leaders, missionaries, and others who desire formal theological education have asked, “What about us?” The school’s faculty and leadership have heard these requests and have approved another graduate-level program: Master of Arts in Exegesis and Theology. Our new M.A. is a 2-year, graduate-level degree offered in the evenings for qualified women and men in a variety of life stages and callings, who desire further training in Greek exegesis and sound theology. This degree is a 42-credit-hour masters and will be offered on Monday evenings from 6:00–10:00pm. We plan to matriculate our first cohort in August 2018.
More information about the M.A. in Exegesis and Theology is available at our website under “Evening Degrees.” Still, let me tell you just a bit here in this prayer letter.
- The tuition rate is $350/hour, with a total program cost of $14,700. The M.A. tuition cost is not subsidized by the Serious Joy Scholarship that students in our traditional programs receive. Even so, this program is extraordinarily affordable compared to the tuition costs of M.A. programs at other institutions in the Twin Cities. Keeping costs as low as possible for all our students is very important to us.
- Each cohort will take the same classes together: four semesters of 9-hours each, with a 6-hour summer semester in between years. You can see the full class list here.
- Classes will be taught by many of our seminary faculty, including Dr. Andy Naselli, Rev. Dr. Jason DeRouchie, and myself.
- Applications are now being accepted (apply here).
We are grateful to God for this next-step that he has allowed us and eager to see the men and women God appoints to this first cohort.
Rick Shenk
Director of Non-Traditional Programs
Prayer Requests:
- Join us in praising God for allowing Bethlehem College & Seminary to offer this new M.A. which serves women, those already in church leadership, non-vocational elders, those who have full-time jobs, and others who want to study with us.
- Pray that God will continue to provide resources for Bethlehem College & Seminary, including finances, staff, faculty, and students, so that we can do the work of spreading a passion for the glory of Jesus Christ.
- Pray for Dr. Tim Tomlinson, Dr. Tom Steller, Dr. Brian Tabb, Rick Segal, and Jason Abell as they lead us.
- Pray for the professors who will teach this first M.A. cohort.
- Pray for Daniel Kleven, Director of Admissions, and for those who will serve on the admissions team, who are God’s means to discern the composition of our first M.A. cohort.
- Pray for God’s wisdom and provision for those who are considering applying and those who have applied.
- Please also pray for me, serving in my first year full-time at Bethlehem College & Seminary, as I learn to serve the students in our Degree Completion program (B.Th.) and our new M.A. in Exegesis and Theology, and also as I also serve the leaders and faculty who labor to make this degree possible.