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Theological Education for Elders
and Deacons
The
quality of the ministry of a Ruling Elder or
a Deacon depends on his personal
devotion to the Lord, his knowledge of the
Word of God, his understanding of the
biblical form of church government, and his
specific function within that system of
government. Therefore, the proper training
for an elder or deacon or for a candidate
for those positions is of great importance
to the church.
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The Master of Ministry for
Ruling Elders and Master of Ministry for
Deacons programs at Greenville Seminary
include training in personal piety,
knowledge of the Bible, understanding of the
Presbyterian form of church government, and
the role of the elder and deacon in the
church. The M.M.R.E. program is designed to
help the Ruling Elder function not only at
the local church level, but at presbytery
and General Assembly level as well. The
M.M.D. program is designed to help the
Deacon see his role not only in terms of the
local church, but in the wider church as
well.
The Curriculum
The curriculum is divided
into two segments. Segment 1 gives the
candidate a solid grounding in Bible
knowledge and basic Reformed doctrine.
Segment 2 grounds the student in the
practice of ministry and its relation to the
broader work of the church.
See the list of
courses here.
Residency and Degree
Requirements
M.M.R.E./M.M.D. courses
are offered in the Fall and Spring
semesters, and during the Winter term. The
requirements of the M.M.R.E. and M.M.D.
program may be completed in as little as two
years of full-time study at GPTS. The degree
may also be completed under the
Mentor-supervised Distance Education program
(see here). However, the Seminary cautions
against any active Ruling Elder
overextending himself by rushing through the
program. Therefore the candidate may take up
to five years to complete his program of
study. This time limit may be extended by
faculty vote.
Admission
Admission to the M.M.R.E. program
is restricted to ordained Ruling
Elders/Deacons, or other men, who have
been recommended by their church
leadership to enter the program.
Applicants seeking the M.M.R.E./M.M.D.
degree must hold a B.A. degree or its
equivalent. Applicants without a B.A.
will be admitted to the program but will
receive a Certificate in Ministry
for Ruling Elders or Deacons. All
interested men who meet the above
qualifications are invited to
apply.
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President Pipa Ministers in Nigeria
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Greenville Seminary President Dr. Joseph A.
Pipa Jr. received a warm and extensive welcome
in Nigeria during mid-March as he ministered to
large groups of Tiv tribal members eager
to hear Reformed preaching and teaching.
On Sunday, March 13, he preached to a crowd
numbering more than 1,000 at church events
and services
organized by a long-time friend, Rev. Dr.
Karugh Antiev, a leader of the NKST, a
Reformed denomination with a century-long
history. Dr.
Pipa baptized 17 children, officiated at a
marriage, and served communion to some 600
people. He was invited to preach on
radio, as well. In all, he ministered to an
estimated 5,000 people.
The extent of his welcome was also evident
as organizers conducted a public parade in
his honor and distributed shirts with Dr. Pipa's picture, much to
his amusement.
The NKST came into existence as a result of
missionary work by South African Reformed
churches in the early 1900s. It later became
affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church of
North America, which also pioneered missions in
northern Nigeria in the 1920s. The church's
ministry is centered in the south part of
Nigeria, which is predominately Christian, as
opposed to the mostly Muslim northern part of
the country. NKST stands for the "Nongu u
Kristu u ken Sudan hen Tiv" (Church of
Christ of Sudan among the Tiv; the term "Sudan"
originally applied to the entire region of
Africa south of the Sahara and north of the
equator). The church has its headquarters in
Benue state but has spread all over Nigeria. The
members are predominantly the Tiv-speaking
tribe but other tribes in Nigeria belong to this
church. The church has five institutions of
higher learning: 1.The Reformed Theological
Seminary Mkar, 2.Reformed Bible College Harga,
3.School of Nursing Mkar, 4.College of Health
Technology Mkar, 5. School of Laboratory
Sciences Mkar, and 6. more recently, The
University of Mkar. The current and pioneer Vice
Chancellor of the university is a renowned
academic, Professor (Mrs.) Nancy Ngunan Agbe.
Until her appointment, she was a professor at
Benue State University, Makurdi. The NKST has
about 20 different departments, including Media,
Mission, Education, Agriculture, Works, Diaconal
Ministry, Sunday School, Choir, etc., which are
headed by dedicated Christians. The church is
currently revising the Tiv Bible. It has also
recently started a mission station near
Abeoukuta in Ogun State with the aim of reaching
the Yoruba tribe with the Reformed Faith.
Dr. Pipa and Dr. Antiev began their
association during their mutual time at
Westminster Seminary in California. Dr. Pipa
asks for prayers for the NKST works and also for
the upcoming election in Nigeria. Pray that the
election will result in a more favorable climate
of freedom for evangelical Christian work and
worship, which now operates under a cloud of
potential opposition. Pray also that
Greenville Seminary will be able to play an
increasing role in the training of leaders for
the Reformed churches of Nigeria.
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The Issue of Accreditation:
GPTS & ARTS
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In order to guarantee complete freedom for
Greenville Seminary to operate under the Lord of
the church, without subjection to outside
influences, the Seminary does not seek accreditation with any of the regional or
national agencies. The Seminary is committed to
maintaining academic standards equal to or
higher than those set by accrediting agencies.
Accreditation cannot guarantee that any
school indeed provides a quality education. To a
great extent, the quality of education delivered
by a school depends on
intangibles -
things that cannot be measured, such as the
teaching ability of the professors, their
dedication to their task, and the commitment of
the students to profit from the education they
are offered. Accreditation, however, depends on
measurability - such things as the
percentage of professors with an earned
doctorate in their field; the number of books
and journals housed in the library; the
availability of computers to the students.
After reviewing the academic programs of
Greenville Seminary, the Presbyterian Church in
America (PCA) has recognized its M.Div.
curriculum as being in compliance with the PCA’s
Uniform Curriculum without exception, and at
least one Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC)
presbytery has consented to enter into an
oversight relationship with the Seminary. After
several campus visits by a reviewing committee,
the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS)
denomination has put Greenville Seminary on its
list of approved seminaries. It is the
conviction of the Seminary that, as her
graduates receive acceptance with the church,
this is the ultimate accreditation for a
seminary.
The Seminary receives regular accrediting
visits by Ruling and Teaching Elders sent by
their presbyteries and sessions. The purpose of
the visitation is to examine the Seminary as to
how faithful she has been in achieving her
stated goals. The visitation committees have
full access to all Seminary records and may
interview any member of the faculty, staff, or
student body.
Association of
Reformed Theological Seminaries
Greenville Seminary is a charter member of the
Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries
(A.R.T.S.), a private association of Reformed
schools of theology. The purpose of this
organization is to provide for the kind of
mutual accountability that Christian brethren
ought properly to provide one another. That is,
the association serves to make sure that each
member school continues to accomplish what it
promises.
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The Association of Reformed Theological
Seminaries was created to help meet a growing
need in theological education for an accrediting
agency that understands and is dedicated to the
mission of Reformed theological education. Over
the years, institutions for pastoral and
theological training which have had their roots
in the Christian community, even in the reformed
tradition, have struggled to maintain the
vision, mission, and distinctives with which
their founders endowed them. While this is in
part due to the general secular and liberal
drift in America over the past two-and-a-half
centuries, it is at least conceivable that the
existence of an organization involving a group
of like-minded institutions and committed to the
reformed faith as expressed in historic creeds,
might have been able to arrest that drift, or,
at least, impede that drift, thus allowing the
reformed faith to flourish more than is
currently the case.
The Association of Reformed Theological
Seminaries, taking its stand on the historic
reformed creeds of the Church, is committed to
the preservation and promotion of the reformed
faith and the progress of the Kingdom of God
throughout the world. We welcome institutions
throughout the world who share this vision and
invite them to unite with us in this important
calling.
For more information about A.R.T.S., please
visit their website:
www.artseminaries.org.
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Summer Institute and
Theology Course
Registrations
are now open for the 2011
Summer Institute on "Creation" Aug. 1-5,
and the Summer Theology Course on
"Studies in Southern Presbyterian
Theology," July 25-29. For complete
information,
click on the banner below.
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Alumni News
New Alumni Officers Elected
New
officers for the GPTS Alumni Association were
elected during the group's annual meeting in
March.
The new president is Rev. Matthew Holst,
pastor of Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church in
Woodstock, Georgia. He replaces Pastor Ryan
McGraw of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA),
Conway, South Carolina.
Elected to serve as the association
representative to the GPTS Board of Trustees was
Rev. Daniel Jarstfer. He is the pastor of both
Dickinson First PCA and Big Ridge PCA in
Haysi,Virginia. He replaces Pastor Douglas
Watson of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (OPC) in
Pearl City, Hawaii.
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Visit our new Amazon.com Seminary Bookstore |
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Financial Report
We praise God that with the first three
quarters of our fiscal year now behind us, we
stand $109,246 ahead of budget in total income
and $60,941 ahead of budget in net income. Your
faithfulness has made this possible. Actual
income has exceeded expenses so far this fiscal
year by $64,257. However, expenses continue to
rise, leaving us in a deficit trend for the past
two months. This trend is of special concern as
we enter our FY's fourth quarter, just ahead of
the summer months which traditionally manifest a
slowdown in cash flow. We ask you to prayerfully
consider helping us during this critical period.
Visit our
web site for ways you can respond quickly
and conveniently or click the button below to
make an immediate donation.
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General Fund for March 2011 |
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March
Budget |
March
Actual |
March
Actual v. Budget |
| Expenses |
$73,103 |
$87,468
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- $14,383
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Donation
Income |
$56,192
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$53,288 |
- $2,904
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| Other
Income |
$17,285
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$15,566 |
- $1,719
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| Total
Income |
$73,477
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$68,854 |
- $4,623
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| Net Income |
$374
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- $18,614 |
-$18,240 |
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Fiscal Year
to Date Budget |
Fiscal Year
to Date Actual |
Fiscal Year
to Date Actual v. Budget |
| Expenses |
$657,958 |
$706,263 |
- $48,305 |
Donation
Income |
$505,724 |
$602,866 |
$97,142 |
| Other
Income |
$155,550 |
$167,654 |
$12,104 |
| Total
Income |
$661,274 |
$770,520 |
$109,246 |
| Net Income |
$3,316 |
$64,257 |
$60,941 |
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Capital Fund Update |
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Goal |
$3,500,000 |
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Received |
$2,455,366 |
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Outstanding Pledges |
$736,754 |
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New Income Needed |
$307,880 |
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Outstanding Bills |
$37,000 |
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Monthly Note |
$6,700 |
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Remaining Mortgage |
$1,103,795 |
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