Seminary

What better place to prepare for vocational eldership than in the life of a local church?

Graduate degree programs offer men a unique opportunity to pursue deep, Bible-saturated, theological and language studies while concurrently serving and worshipping alongside the pastors and saints of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Think of it as at-the-church training for pastoral ministry, missionary service, and future academic ministry and elder-level leadership.

BCS_Seminary-Intro

Each graduating class is comprised of a cohort of 15-18 men who share all four years of academic, church, vocational, and family life, together. Students in the cohort study in close relationship with pastor-professors who are as engaged in their spiritual growth as they are with their academic performance.

Marriage and family life are celebrated, encouraged, and lovingly supported in this unique church-based environment where there are many programs, activities, small groups, and ministries throughout the year to engage students, as well as their wives and children. Many students are employed, during their courses of study, in part-time jobs either in the church or the local community.

“I am most grateful for a place and a people who loved us enough to always remind us that study serves worship.”

Dave Zuleger M.Div. ’14

The Master of Divinity is the foundational four-year program for those called to vocational ministry as pastors, missionaries, or other full-time Christian workers at the elder level. The program’s emphasis is intense, whole-Bible exegesis in the original languages with a special focus on the unfolding of God’s sovereign plan throughout all of redemptive history.

Program Objectives

  • Students will demonstrate broad-based graduate-level skills in inquiry, interpretation, reflection, and oral and written communication.
  • Students will demonstrate a mature biblical worldview for analyzing and synthesizing biblical, historical, and theological material.
  • Students will demonstrate competence in biblical Greek exegesis.
  • Students will provide evidence of a significant equipping for leadership in ministry.
  • Students will exhibit evidence of deep Christian formation.
  • Students will demonstrate competence in Hebrew exegesis (excluding Worship Pastor concentration)
Year 1Credits
Intermediate Greek4
Old Testament Background & Message I3
Principles of Biblical Interpretation I2
Theology of Worship3
Mentored Ministry0
Topics in Practical Theology I1
Greek Exegesis: Epistle4
Old Testament Background & Message II3
Principles of Biblical Interpretation II2
Missions and the Local Church3
Mentored Ministry0
Missions Practicum1
Year 2Credits
Beginning Hebrew I4
New Testament Background & Message3
Counseling & the Local Church I3
Preaching as Worship I2
Mentored Ministry0
Topics in Practical Theology II1
Greek Exegesis4
Counseling & the Local Church II2
Preaching as Worship II2
Beginning Hebrew II4
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
Year 3Credits
Church History I3
Intermediate Hebrew4
Intro to the Thought of Jonathan Edwards2
Counseling & the Local Church III2
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
Systematic Theology I3
Church History II3
Biblical Eldership2
Hebrew Exegesis4
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
Year 4Credits
Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament2
Systematic Theology II3
Biblical Ethics2
Pastoral Internship I2
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
Biblical Theology: The History of Redemption4
Systematic Theology III3
Pastoral Internship II2
Mentored Ministry0
+ Year 1
Year 1Credits
Intermediate Greek4
Old Testament Background & Message I3
Principles of Biblical Interpretation I2
Theology of Worship3
Mentored Ministry0
Topics in Practical Theology I1
Greek Exegesis: Epistle4
Old Testament Background & Message II3
Principles of Biblical Interpretation II2
Missions and the Local Church3
Mentored Ministry0
Missions Practicum1
+ Year 2
Year 2Credits
Beginning Hebrew I4
New Testament Background & Message3
Counseling & the Local Church I3
Preaching as Worship I2
Mentored Ministry0
Topics in Practical Theology II1
Greek Exegesis4
Counseling & the Local Church II2
Preaching as Worship II2
Beginning Hebrew II4
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
+ Year 3
Year 3Credits
Church History I3
Intermediate Hebrew4
Intro to the Thought of Jonathan Edwards2
Counseling & the Local Church III2
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
Systematic Theology I3
Church History II3
Biblical Eldership2
Hebrew Exegesis4
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
+ Year 4
Year 4Credits
Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament2
Systematic Theology II3
Biblical Ethics2
Pastoral Internship I2
Mentored Ministry0
Elective2
Biblical Theology: The History of Redemption4
Systematic Theology III3
Pastoral Internship II2
Mentored Ministry0
Concentration 1

Church Planting & Revitalization

The goal of this concentration is to provide biblical foundations and practical training for those sensing God’s call to be pastors, particularly of new churches or churches needing revitalization.

Students in the concentration take three specialized courses as electives. Also, the student completes a two-semester internship in the context of a church plant. Courses unique to the Church Planting and Revitalization concentration are:

CORE COURSESCREDITS
The Gospel and Personal Evangelism2
Church Planting and Revitalization2
Church Growth and Renewal2
Church Planting Internship I2
Church Planting Internship II2
Concentration 2

Worship Pastor

This concentration is designed to equip men who are gifted in worship leadership and sense that this is how God is leading them to use their pastoral and artistic gifting. Courses unique to the Worship Pastor concentration are:

CORE COURSESCREDITS
Worship Pastor Internship I2
Worship Pastor Internship II2
The Heart and Role of the Worship Pastor3
The Worshiping Church: A Historical Survey of the Development of Christian Worship2
Worship and Culture: The Local/Global Church Worships Together3
Liturgy and Song2
Worship Design and Leadership3
Hebrew Tools4

The Master of Theology is offered for student who desire to sharpen their expertise in a specific topic of theological learning. Students may work on the M.Div. and Th.M. degrees concurrently or may complete the 20 credit Th.M. in approximately one year following the M.Div. Master of Theology candidates author a thesis during their final year under the supervision of a Bethlehem College & Seminary professor.

Note: Students are only considered for the Master of Theology degree after they have already enrolled at Bethlehem College & Seminary. The application is made available during their second year of study.
Core CoursesYear 3Year 4
Research Seminar
Thesis Proposal
Thesis Independent Study