# London Reformed Baptist Seminary?



## reaganmarsh (Oct 3, 2011)

PB brethren, 

I am curious to know your thoughts about London Reformed Baptist Seminary. 

London Reformed Baptist Seminary (LRBS) at the Metropolitan Tabernacle

Did a search of the PB and didn't really find any opinions...I'm interested as to your input.

Thanks in advance.


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## bug (Oct 3, 2011)

I did the course and found it very helpful, and there are others on PB that have been through it too. However you must bear in mind it is not a 'seminary' in the sense many Americans think of one. There is no acreditation so the certificate is not a degree, or even a diploma. The course works well as a suppliment to an apprenticship under your pastor, but you will only get out of it what you put into it!

Why do you ask? I could perhaps shed more light on the matter if I knew more about where you are coming from


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## reaganmarsh (Oct 3, 2011)

I ask because I am presently pastoring full-time and our church is very small (therefore cannot cover the tuition for continuing education). I completed an M.A. in theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2008 and am presently 5 classes shy of completing an M.Div. there, but it will cost far more than my salary can afford. I really want to continue studying, I'd love to think that perhaps someday I could pursue the Th.M. at Puritan Reformed (that's been a dream for several years now). A deacon at our church made me aware of LRBS and I thought, "This might be an opportunity to continue studies and become a better pastor and more useful for the Kingdom." So -- I figured I would ask the brethren here.

I've always been a focused student so I'm not concerned about that (I was a schoolteacher for several years). 

If it factors in, I am the sole pastor of our church; we have no elders (only deacons) at present. 

Thanks for your response!


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## Josh Williamson (Oct 4, 2011)

I've completed my B-Min and am currently studying my MA -Th, but I'm also starting the distance education course at LRBS. At the end of four years you get a diploma (not really worth anything), but it'll be good to study from a reformed perspective. LRBS seems to be designed for those who are pastoring and want a reformed baptist education.


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## bug (Oct 4, 2011)

reaganmarsh said:


> I ask because I am presently pastoring full-time and our church is very small (therefore cannot cover the tuition for continuing education). I completed an M.A. in theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2008 and am presently 5 classes shy of completing an M.Div. there, but it will cost far more than my salary can afford. I really want to continue studying, I'd love to think that perhaps someday I could pursue the Th.M. at Puritan Reformed (that's been a dream for several years now). A deacon at our church made me aware of LRBS and I thought, "This might be an opportunity to continue studies and become a better pastor and more useful for the Kingdom." So -- I figured I would ask the brethren here.



It would certainly do that, here is a link to the seminars;

London Reformed Baptist Seminary (LRBS) at the Metropolitan Tabernacle

and here is a link to the reading material;

London Reformed Baptist Seminary (LRBS) - Reading List

I cannot say how it works (or even if it works) as purely distance learning. For me the great benefit of the course was that it was run by pastors rather then acedemics and we would discuss preaching through the bible book by book. However I would put the material at level somewhat below the typical English BA. 



> I've always been a focused student so I'm not concerned about that (I was a schoolteacher for several years).



That helps 



> If it factors in, I am the sole pastor of our church; we have no elders (only deacons) at present.



Thanks for your response![/QUOTE]

I guess the other point to make is the teaching relies heavily up[on the puritans, there is not a great deal of modern scholarish and their are some gaps in the material, but with everything else you have done that shouldn't be a problem.


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## Stephen L Smith (Oct 4, 2011)

Have you considered the London Theological Seminary? London Theological Seminary i think you would get a more broad-based education there.


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## JonathanHunt (Oct 4, 2011)

Stephen L Smith said:


> Have you considered the London Theological Seminary? London Theological Seminary i think you would get a more broad-based education there.



Quite true. But you won't get a distinctively reformed baptist education. And they don't do distance.

I do wonder, Reagan, if you are better educated than you think you are. I am sure there would be benefit in completing the course, but youi may find some of it rather basic. However, those who have successfully used the course have had all levels of education, from none up to PhD and beyond.

I hold my hand up and plead guilty to having never completed the LRBS course. I did all the reading and attended four full years of seminars, but I didn't get enough assignments done - too busy with church, preaching, family, my 'other' degree, etc.


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## reaganmarsh (Oct 4, 2011)

I appreciate your responses, gentlemen. 

Stephen, due to the lack of a distance option, LTS doesn't appear to be a possibility at this time. But I thank you for the suggestion. 

Josh, Jonathan and Jonathan, I appreciate your detailed responses. I learned a lot at SBTS and treasured my time there. Certainly I don't begrudge or belittle the studies in either degree program there. The Puritan-focused/going through books of the Bible for preaching is the "draw" to me. I was guessing that it wouldn't be "academic," but more "pastoral." And as I looked over the reading list I've already read several of the textbooks. I'm just really desiring to continue studying, and since we simply don't have the funds to complete the MDiv, this would allow some form of ongoing study. SBTS was wonderful for its confessional reformed focus, truly a dream come true to study there. What it lacked was an opportunity to study the Puritans in-depth...there were classes on Jonathan Edwards or Calvin or the like, and they were great. I took all of them that I could. 

But to have the coursework relying heavily on the Puritans is quite attractive, given my assessment that their absence has been the major deficiency in my theological training up to this point. Thus, LRBS is intriguing to me (and PRTS, at some point down the road, D.V.)


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## bug (Oct 5, 2011)

Glad to be of help, brother :d


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## reaganmarsh (Oct 8, 2011)

JonathanHunt said:


> but I didn't get enough assignments done



Jonathan -- would you give me an idea of the typical assignments? I believe they request 5 per year to be completed. Perhaps you might post or message me a sample syllabus or a sample assignment? 

I appreciate your time!


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