Academics
Should I Go To Seminary?
Am I Called to Ministry
Do you sense God calling you to Christian leadership? Choosing seminary is a life-defining decision.
Fall semester are due by May 30 for scholarship consideration. Qualifying students admitted prior to February 15 will be invited to apply for the Trustee Scholarship and the Girod Fellowship. See our complete list of application and submission dates.
Accredited Degrees
Southern Theological Institute of Biblical Studies is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. The M.Div., D.Min., M.A. and Th.M. degrees are approved by the ATS. WTS is approved for a Comprehensive Distance Education Program.
Copies of the ATS standards and the accreditation process are available for review at the registrar’s office. A copy of Western’s current accreditation certification is also available for review at the registrar’s office
Bachelor’s of Arts in Christian Counseling
This course is designed to teach Christians how they can effectively disciple others by using the truths of God’s Word to lead people into a proper and holy relationship with the Lord. This course is built upon the foundational pre-supposition that God’s Word is the highest and sole authority on the human soul. This course will also seek to examine and expose the basic errors of secular psychology and why it is that Christians should not attempt to “integrate” secular psychological views with the Bible. This approach to counseling which uses the Bible alone is called “Biblical Counseling” and often times is also called by the label “Nouthetic Counseling” (coming from the Greek verb noutheteo: to admonish, counsel).
This course is an introductory survey of the scientific study of human behavior and cognitive functions, including developmental psychology, neuroscience, learning, personality, memory, perception, psychopathology, and social behavior.
This course serves as an introduction to biblical counseling and helping ministry with special attention given to tough issues that pain today’s generations, the modern-day search for answers, and the biblical basis for a counseling ministry.
This course offers formal counseling and technical guidelines in dealing with ethical issues, concerns and accountability. It reviews legal requirements and examples of proper practice. Prerequisite: Must have ET 120.
It is virtually impossible to fight an effective warfare without knowing who the enemy is as well as having the ablity to defensively and offensively engage that enemy using proper strategies and weapons. This course endeavors to educate the believer about the rudiments of our warfare.
Presents an historical review of the attitudes toward mental illness; reviews roles and functions of professionals working with individuals with emotional, behavioral, addiction, and/or social problems, studies various treatment procedures used in the mental health/human services field, and investigates different facilities where treatment and services are available.
This course is designed to consider the practical application of the principles of biblical counseling and the various methodological aspects of the counseling process. This course will include student participation in counseling as counselors, counselees, and observers. These activities will form the basis of seminar discussions where counseling will be analyzed from a biblical perspective. The goal of these courses is to help the student learn, evaluate, and sharpen practical counseling. Prerequisites: Completed all of the required courses for Christian Counseling
Bachelor’s of Arts in Biblical Studies
A historical survey of the Old Testament. Special attention will be given to the cultural background, to the theological and contextual perspectives, as well as to the practical application of Major Old Testament themes.
An examination of the New Testament and of the historical, social, economic and religious background out of which christianity arose and their contribution to God’s redemptive storyline, and their significance for Christian thought and practice
This course examines the principles and practices of biblical interpretation, as well as the primary tools for biblical research. Students will become acquainted with the history of interpretation and a defense of the literal-historical-grammatical approach. Hermeneutical strategies will be used to interpret various literary genres, examine historical and literary contexts, analyze structural relationships, perform word studies, and develop principles for practical application. Prerequisite: Must have Old and New Testament Survey.
This course is designed to give a full and practical introduction to the craft of preaching. This will involve an examination of what preaching is and why we do it, how we use the Bible in preaching, outline construction, principles of sermon construction, as well as a preaching lab involving the delivery of sermons in a class setting.
This course is designed to assist the student in evaluating and developing a life of prayer. It will explore various approaches to prayer that have been described in Scripture and by Christian leaders.
A comprehensive study, both thematically and chronologically, of the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, this course will help students interpret correctly and discover the practical application of key events and discourses. Prerequisite: Must have OT and NT Survey.
An exploration of how Christians can make and enact good, wise, and faithful ethical choices and develop moral character and community in the midst of a complex world. The course will examine: (1) the foundations of Christian Ethics, especially in Holy Scripture; (2) the contexts of contemporary ethical issues; (3) the methods of moral discernment and decision-making; and (4) the relationship of Christian ethics to that of the surrounding culture and society. Lectures, case studies, and discussion will be employed in an attempt to gain wisdom, understanding, character, and a prophetic voice relative to the moral issues in church and society. Lectures, case studies, and discussion will be employed in an attempt to gain wisdom, understanding, character, and a prophetic voice relative to the moral issues in church and society.
Students with little or no prior knowledge of Greek study the basic grammar and vocabulary of New Testament Greek. Course comprises plenary lectures, smaller sectional meetings, translation of selected New Testament passages, tutorials, and computer assisted instruction.
This course is a study in basic bible doctrine. We explore the ground, method, and the nature of doctrine in biblical perspective. We will learn the basic, historical, Christian beliefs concerning the doctrine of the Kingdom. The student will be introduced to the history of doctrine formulation, various church traditions, contemporary issues, and “hereses”. Finally; the student will be challenged to formulate his or her own doctrinal positions through consideration of the various evangelical Christian perspectives.
Students work with readings that stretch them intellectually; readings may be challenging, or may be in genres with which they are less familiar. Generally, readings center on intellectual challenges and questions—that is, they are written to respond to and extend the conversations in academic communities of various kinds. While English 101 is a primarily a writing course, it is also a course in rhetorical reading. Students learn how to engage with a variety of texts, how to understand a writer’s argument, and how to actively critique and respond to the ideas of others. The course will cover all fundamental principles of writing , and will stress the three stages of the writing process (prewriting, writing , and rewriting).
The primary thrust of this course is to help students develop a practical approach and skills which will enable them to function as servants in various ministry settings. Lectures are devoted to emphasizing a team orientation to the organization and administration of pastoral nurturing. This course is a prerequisite for all other pastoral care classes.
The History of Global Pentecostalism is birthed by the advent of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Acts 2:1-21. The context is in fulfillment of the promise by our Lord, Jesus Christ, that another Comforter would be coming to be a guide into all truth (John 16:12). Also, the immediate context of this movement which, from its very beginning, was determined to be global. Therefore; this course will trace the events that developed in the history of Pentecostalism in its positive and negative manifestations.
Masters In Pastoral Care and Counseling
Basic preparation for the complex task of pastoral care and counseling. The focus is upon the pastor in the congregational setting.
The goal of this course is to introduce the student to all relevant and basic aspects of suicide prevention for professional caregivers including counselors, chaplains and pastors. The emphasis is on helping the student develop understanding and skills needed to help suicidal individuals, individuals who have attempted suicide and their family members, and the family members and a faith community following a suicide death. Special emphasis will also be on the importance of self-care for the professional caregiver. Specific aspects of suicide prevention that will be emphasized will include the unique role of pastoral caregivers in suicide prevention and the development of a theology of suicide.
This is a course designed to discuss issues related to identification, intervention, and treatment of both victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse. The approach and model is a comprehensive one, including: physical, emotional, cognitive, relational, and spiritual factors. The method of instruction is an interactive, adult learning model.
Independent study, any session by petition. See Student Handbook for information on project courses.
Independent study, any session by petition. See Student Handbook for information on reading and research courses.
Independent study, any session by petition. See Student Handbook for information on reading and research courses.
Masters In Christian Counseling
The theological, ethical, moral, and practical considerations important in counseling those who are chemically dependent and those who are codependent.
This course is a study to explore the dynamics of family relationships,particularly from the viewpoint of family counseling and therapy. The course focuses on knowledge and skills such as the lessons of marriage and the family, problems of divorce and remarriage, courtship and mate selection. You will also understand theory and techniques of family therapy.
A study to acquaint the student with the nature and dynamics of crisis situations. Emphasis is placed upon intervention principles and procedures in the context situational crises. The approach includes the concept of training laymen for basic crisis intervention. Prequisite: Must complete the Bachelor of Christian Counseling Program.
This course examines three aspects of counseling within the Christian context: (1) a theological foundation for Christian counseling (2) communication and relationship building skills necessary for being an effective helper, and (3) helping theories and their application for the Christian counselor. Prerequisite: Intro to Christian Counseling
An introduction to basic concepts and procedures of biblical counseling. Its purpose is to acquaint the student with a biblically oriented approach to people helping. The knowledge and skills gained may then be integrated into the student’s personal counseling style.
Doctorate In Ministry
The purpose of the course of study leading to the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree is to enhance the practice of ministry for persons holding the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree or its equivalent, and who are currently engaged in positions of Christian leadership. The program is practical in nature and is designed to increase professional competency. Students will be equipped at a more advanced level of theological reflection, critical thinking, communication skills, and leadership formation than that achieved in the foundational work of the M.Div. A program assumption is that the ministry of a local congregation of Christian ministry setting will provide the context for the course of study.
Outcomes for D.Min. Graduates
1. The graduate will investigate and reflect on critical ministry challenges and theological issues with a cogent biblical worldview.
2. The graduate will manifest growth in achieving personal, spiritual, and professional formation.
3. The graduate will contribute new insights to the body of ministerial practice through quantitative and qualitative research during an intensive field research process based on her/his ministry context.
This seminar explores historic and emerging mission models to discover methods and paradigms that can be applied by Christian leaders today in global and inter-church contexts. Students examind and evaluate strategies recommended by missionaries , evangelists, and church planting leaders for their effectiveness in diverse cultural contexts. Emphasis is placed upon discovering current global mission trends and developing effective models to advance gospel causes around the world today. Prerequisite: Must be accepted into the Doctoral Program
This course is an introduction to the skills necessary for competent graduate work. These skills include theological and professional library competency, the use of electronic research media, the execution of research design, and graduate writing development. The course also prepares students for ministry success by equipping them for family and education balance, avoiding burnout, and pursuing intentional spiritual formation.
The student will devise a plan for incorporating his or her spouse/family/ministry into the education and ministry preparation throughout his or her educational/ministerial endeavors. If the student is married, this assignment must be created in conjuncture with his or her spouse. If the student is not married, this assignment must be created in conjuncture with a family member, mentor, or friend.
This course will focus on the role of evangelism, missions, and growth in the education ministry of the church. It will include a study of church growth principles and their application in education ministry.
First part of the D.Min. culminating experience to demonstrate integration of class materials into personal and professional life. Submission of a written mid-course exam to illustrate personal and professional transformation as a basis for oral examination by the dissertation chairperson. Pre-Requisite: all coursework completed. Pass/No Pass.
Dissertation that incorporates original study and research using historical, critical, biblical and theological tools and analysis. Focuses on a research-based solution to a problem in ministry. product for such program. Student allowed choosing their own research topic and getting it approved by the Dissertation Review Board. Upon the approval of the research topic, a proposal containing the first three chapters, table of content and partial bibliography must be submitted to The Dissertation Review Board. A fee of three hundred ($300.00) dollars must be submitted with the proposal. Proposal will not be reviewed without this fee. The Review Board will review the research proposal. The board will either approve it, approve it with recommendations, or denied it. If the dissertation is denied, a separate fee will be required for revisions. Students are solely responsible to present the research project as required the first time to avoid any denial proposal and extra fee. Upon the final review and grading of the final research project, the student will submit two bound copies to the school. One will be graded, endorse, and return to the student and one copy will remain the property of the school.
Doctorate In Christian Counseling
The theological, ethical, moral, and practical considerations important in counseling those who are chemically dependent and those who are codependent.
This course is a study to explore the dynamics of family relationships, particularly from the viewpoint of family counseling and therapy. The course focuses on knowledge and skills such as the lessons of marriage and the family, problems of divorce and remarriage, courtship and mate selection. You will also understand theory and techniques of family therapy.
A study to acquaint the student with the nature and dynamics of crisis situations. Emphasis is placed upon intervention principles and procedures in the context situational crises. The approach includes the concept of training laymen for basic crisis intervention.
Prequisite: Must complete the Bachelor of Christian Counseling Program.
This course examines three aspects of counseling within the Christian context: (1) a theological foundation for Christian counseling (2) communication and relationship building skills necessary for being an effective helper, and (3) helping theories and their application for the Christian counselor. Prerequisite: Intro to Christian Counseling.
An introduction to basic concepts and procedures of biblical counseling. Its purpose is to acquaint the student with a biblically oriented approach to people helping. The knowledge and skills gained may then be integrated into the student’s personal counseling style.
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