about
Our Philosophy
Summary
Explore our philosophy of graduate education to understand more about how we teach.
Philosophy of
Graduate Education
Our philosophy of graduate education is rooted in the belief that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God. Therefore, it provides the coordinating center for all degree programs, and the standard for evaluating all truth claims.
We believe that truth must be loved and lived to be truly learned.
As a result, we seek to design our graduate degrees to enable and encourage the integration of learning and life.
We also believe that God is more glorified and His church is better served by:
- Christlike servant-leaders whose knowledge of God and His word has been deepened, and
- whose ministries have been enhanced by advanced study and skills development.
Therefore, we seek to provide a context in which such learning is developed together with Christlike humility and others-oriented service.
Approach to Learning, Loving and Living the Truth
It is well known that graduate theological education is often heavy on knowledge acquisition, light on actual personal and ecclesial application, and lacking attention to the development of proper affection for the truth.
Scripture teaches that truth is not merely theoretical. It must be lived (Psa. 86:11; 2 John 1:4). And to be lived effectively, it must be loved (Zech. 8:19; 2 Thess. 2:10).
We are committed to pursuing the integration of learning, loving, and living the truth.
Course-Level Approaches. In our information-oriented classes, students are given assignments that incorporate reflection on and, at times, implementation of practical applications of the truths learned.
Such reflections seek to engage students in pondering how their affections are manifested in their life, how love for truth is measured and developed, and how the learning, loving, and living the truth interrelate.
Application involves personal engagement with the truth (John 3:21; 1 John 1:6), interaction with fellow Body members for edification purposes (Rom. 14:19), and engagement with the world in doing good to all men (Gal. 6:10).
Program-Level Approach. To facilitate living the truth, our students are required to be actively engaged in ministry throughout their entire program.
Beyond taking the practical theology courses embedded in each degree, students are required to reflect in written form on the application of their coursework to their ministries and to interact with a graduate mentor of their choice regarding how they are integrating their learning with life.