There are some of you reading this who the Lord is calling into the ministry. However, the thought of quitting your job and relocating your family to pursue an MDiv is daunting, but I can tell you, 50 years from now, after you have been faithfully ministering the word, you will be glad you did. I know because the Lord called my father to preach when he was in his 30s. He left a well-paying job in Las Vegas, NV at the Sands Hotel and Casino, packed up his family, and headed to seminary to become the man God called him to be. He turns 85 this month, and he is still pastoring. If you ask any of his five kids, we will all tell you, though it was not easy for him, it was the best thing he could have done. We are still reaping the spiritual rewards of his decision. He did that in the early 70s. Thankfully, there are more options today when it comes to biblical and pastoral education.
If you have considered going to seminary, you know the biggest struggle is finding a school rooted in biblical truth that does not require you to relocate and allows you to maintain your current job and family obligations while fulfilling your training. A place where you can engage in the most current theological thought without abandoning the historic Christian faith. Often, the most appealing schools are too far away, and the schools that work logistically are uninspiring. Over the past several years, more online MDiv programs have popped up, but only a few are from great schools. That is why I was excited to hear the recent announcement out of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). Starting in fall 2021, you can earn your Master of Divinity degree entirely online. Of course, on-campus classes are still available if that is what you would prefer.
I am going to be upfront here. I am biased. I have worked for Trinity’s Law School for almost 20 years. My commitment to the school runs deep. In all the years I have blogged, I do not think I have written an openly promotional post about one of our schools, and they did not ask me to write this one either. Over the 20 years of working at a Christian law school, I have seen the biblical and theological knowledge of incoming Christian students decline dramatically. There are students who are wonderful exceptions to this general decline, but if there is anything we need now, it is more Godly pastors trained to rightly divide the word of truth. We need more workers in the field in church and parachurch organizations ready to make disciples who are fully equipped to bring the word of God to our culture. Now that TEDS MDiv is online, serious theological training is more assessable than ever, so I wanted to get the word out.
If you are not familiar with TEDS, a shortlist of some of the incredible professors include D.A. Carson, Kevin Vanhoozer, Donald Guthrie, and John Woodbridge, among others. Trinity’s professors know that one of the most important aspects of attending seminary is a close relationship with your professors and fellow students. As part of the online program, TEDS faculty go to great lengths to make sure you are part of an academic community. It is not just you and the computer. They, along with your fellow students, will be with you along the way; it will be rigorous but also supportive.
The program is a total of 87 credit hours. Here is how they break down.
Scripture and Interpretation: 35 hours
- Biblical Theology and Interpretation
- Greek Exegesis I
- Greek Exegesis II
- Exegesis for Preaching
- Interpreting the Synoptics and Acts
- Interpreting Paul and General Epistles
- Interpreting Johannine Literature
- Elementary Hebrew I
- Elementary Hebrew II
- Hebrew Exegesis
- Interpreting the Pentateuch and Former Prophets
- Interpreting the Latter Prophets
- Interpreting the Writings
Theology and Tradition: 18 hours
- History of Christianity I
- History of Christianity II (or) American Church History
- Theology I: The God of the Gospel
- Theology II: The Gospel of God
- Theological Ethics
- One More Advanced Theological Course (Elective)
Worldview and Culture: 8 Hours
- Foundations of Christian Mission
- Foundations of Evangelism
- Christian Faith and Contemporary Challenges
- Understanding the Social and Cultural Contexts of Ministry
Ministries and Practice: 17 Hours
- Spiritual Formation for Ministry
- Intro to Counseling Ministries
- Issues in Counseling Ministries
- Leadership and Educational Ministry
- Theology and Methodology of Biblical Preaching/Lab
- Christian Worship and Pastoral Practices
- Preaching the Old Testament
- Internship I
Degree Tracks: 9 Hours (Students will Choose one of the following tracks for the final nine units)
- Church and Parachurch Ministry
- Academic Ministry
Scholarships are available, and for on-campus students, rent-free housing is available for first-year MDiv students.
If you would like more information, email teds@tiu.edu and a copy of your email will come to my personal inbox.
You can also begin your application here.
-D. Eaton
The Fight of Faith 