# What of Gateway Seminary?



## Greg Hitt (Apr 30, 2019)

Hey everyone! I live in Colorado Springs and options for seminary training are sli . We have NGTS, but it's unaccredited. There's Denver Seminary, but it leans libera . We also have the rocky mountain campus of Gateway Seminary. 

Does anyone on here know anything about Gateway Seminary? Are they reformed friendly? Are they solid theologically? Or would it be better to go to another institution via hybrid online with some campus trips?

Appreciate any insigh .


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## Peter Bell (Apr 30, 2019)

Greg,

Do absolutely whatever you can to _move _to a campus (or near the campus) of a solidly confessional reformed seminary. Hybrid programs are convenient, but I wouldn't trade personal interaction, fellowship, nights of hanging out, library visits for the world.

I've contacted just about every hybrid program available, and ended up enrolling and will move to Escondido this July to attend Westminster Seminary California.

It's an incredible sacrifice for the next 3-4 years, but the next 50 years of ministry (Lord-willing) is worth it!

PM me if you have any questions whatsoever.


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## Edward (Apr 30, 2019)

Are you seeking to become a military chaplain or some other calling that requires an accredited degree?
@Greg Hitt


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## NaphtaliPress (May 1, 2019)

Welcome to the PB Greg. This question comes up often here and you should get solid feedback. Please fix your signature; see the link in mine for the instructions.


Greg Hitt said:


> Hey everyone! I live in Colorado Springs and options for seminary training are sli . We have NGTS, but it's unaccredited. There's Denver Seminary, but it leans libera . We also have the rocky mountain campus of Gateway Seminary.
> 
> Does anyone on here know anything about Gateway Seminary? Are they reformed friendly? Are they solid theologically? Or would it be better to go to another institution via hybrid online with some campus trips?
> 
> Appreciate any insigh .


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## Greg Hitt (May 1, 2019)

Peter Bell said:


> Greg,
> 
> Do absolutely whatever you can to _move _to a campus (or near the campus) of a solidly confessional reformed seminary. Hybrid programs are convenient, but I wouldn't trade personal interaction, fellowship, nights of hanging out, library visits for the world.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately, I can't move from where I'm at. Family, house, and job.


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## Peter Bell (May 1, 2019)

Greg Hitt said:


> Unfortunately, I can't move from where I'm at. Family, house, and job.



100% understood. Those were the big three for me as well. What ultimately convinced me is God's word in salvation shown through his word. He calls us to leave comfort and prepare for his ministry.

Trust in the Lord, he will provide.

I left a job, my wife left a job, we moved away from family, and are living on campus at WSC. It's the hardest thing we've ever done, but the Lord will use it mightily. We still don't quite know where the money is coming from, and I have some debt still from my undergrad.

Please, pray to the Lord, see how he answers and provides for you.


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## Greg Hitt (May 1, 2019)

Edward said:


> Are you seeking to become a military chaplain or some other calling that requires an accredited degree?
> @Greg Hitt


I would like to, but being already in the military and too far along in where I'm at in my career, I can't become a chaplain. I'd have to break service and then re-ente . 

As much as I know there are good seminaries out there that are not accredited, being accredited carries forth more opportunitie . I would love to go to New Geneva up the street, but they are no longer accredite . Gateway Seminary is in the Denver area. I was just wondering if they are even worth considering and if they are reformed friendl .


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## Greg Hitt (May 1, 2019)

Peter Bell said:


> 100% understood. Those were the big three for me as well. What ultimately convinced me is God's word in salvation shown through his word. He calls us to leave comfort and prepare for his ministry.
> 
> Trust in the Lord, he will provide.
> 
> ...


I wish. I'm in the military and my wife, kids are just about done moving. We'll see what God has in store.


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## TheInquirer (May 1, 2019)

@Peter Bell - You've got to realize that moving and getting the on campus experience, while a great choice for you, is not a great choice for everyone. As I have said elsewhere on this board, I had a fantastic experience with RTS Global while staying in my local church. Yet I would never say it is the choice for everyone. 

To tell a guy he should move and just trust in the Lord to me is not sound advice. (I had a pastor try that with me once, thought he knew my life and situation better than I did). 

What is nice is there are a lot of options these days from TNARS to hybrid to 100% online. Realize that God is raising up these opportunities to bless people who cannot, or should not, move.


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## Edward (May 1, 2019)

Greg Hitt said:


> Gateway Seminary is in the Denver area.



I'll blame it on my age. I didn't know that "Gateway" was the current name for "Golden Gate" of which I was aware. I really haven't heard much about it one way or the other since Dr. Pollard left. At that time I don't recall it being identified with the Reformed movement. The reformed Southern Baptists seem to gravitate toward SBTS and New Orleans.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Peter Bell (May 1, 2019)

TheInquirer said:


> @Peter Bell - You've got to realize that moving and getting the on campus experience, while a great choice for you, is not a great choice for everyone. As I have said elsewhere on this board, I had a fantastic experience with RTS Global while staying in my local church. Yet I would never say it is the choice for everyone.
> 
> To tell a guy he should move and just trust in the Lord to me is not sound advice. (I had a pastor try that with me once, thought he knew my life and situation better than I did).
> 
> What is nice is there are a lot of options these days from TNARS to hybrid to 100% online. Realize that God is raising up these opportunities to bless people who cannot, or should not, move.



I understand what you’re saying. Pastoral training is done best under the direct guidance of a seasoned and extensively trained pastor/theologian.

I know technology has done a lot for us, but to substitute in person or in class training by world class faculties, I believe is to a loss of the student.

R Scott Clark’s analogy of surgical training is spot on.


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## Peter Bell (May 1, 2019)

TheInquirer said:


> @Peter Bell - You've got to realize that moving and getting the on campus experience, while a great choice for you, is not a great choice for everyone. As I have said elsewhere on this board, I had a fantastic experience with RTS Global while staying in my local church. Yet I would never say it is the choice for everyone.
> 
> To tell a guy he should move and just trust in the Lord to me is not sound advice. (I had a pastor try that with me once, thought he knew my life and situation better than I did).
> 
> What is nice is there are a lot of options these days from TNARS to hybrid to 100% online. Realize that God is raising up these opportunities to bless people who cannot, or should not, move.



God calls, in his timing, and will provide how he sees fit to assure his ministers are trained in his revelatory word.


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## ArminianOnceWas (May 2, 2019)

Hello and welcome.

I'm not sure this has been asked/answered but your goals are important:
1. I assume you are intending to prepare for vocational ministry?
2. Are you a member of and intending ministry Presbyterian, Baptist or another denominational setting?
3. You are unwilling to move, is this for seminary or would this apply to vocational ministry as well (if that is your intent)?
4. Have you discussed this with your pastor are you getting good support from your congregation's leaders?

A strong local mentoring process can substitute for residential seminary, therefore online programs will give you much more flexibility and options.

From my observations, if you are Baptist or PCA, where you go to seminary seems to be less significant to a presbytery and local church, this may be the coast in your area as well. However, if you are intending ministry within a denomination such as the OPC, then the seminary you select will likely play a more prominent role in opportunity. However, given your location, it's difficult for me to be able to speak much to the condition.


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## Greg Hitt (May 2, 2019)

ArminianOnceWas said:


> Hello and welcome.
> 
> I'm not sure this has been asked/answered but your goals are important:
> 1. I assume you are intending to prepare for vocational ministry?
> ...


1. Greatly considering it. 
2. Baptist 
3. Mostly for seminary and vocatio . I talked it over with the wife and, at least for now, she is willing, and so am I, that at some point in the future we could move for seminary and ministry if that is what God wills. 
4. I have not yet discussed anything with my pastor. Not sure how to go about it. In still fairly new in the fait . I haven't been in my current church that long, mostly due to deploymen . It's hard to build relationships with my church elders and hey more ingrained in the church.


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## Edward (May 2, 2019)

Greg Hitt said:


> Baptist



That would indicate that a Southern Baptist seminary should probably be high on your list of options. And since you are currently tied to the Colorado Springs area, I'd suggest you consider contacting the seminary you'd like to get your degree from, ask them what their transfer policies are and how long your courses would last to be eligible for transfer. Then, counting back from there to when you thing you'd be able to relocate, take some basic courses from the seminary formerly known as Golden Gate (get the languages out of the way, etc.) 

You probably should also touch base with Gateway and see if they are tolerant of reformed men.


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## ArminianOnceWas (May 3, 2019)

Greg Hitt said:


> 4. I have not yet discussed anything with my pastor. Not sure how to go about it. In still fairly new in the fait . I haven't been in my current church that long, mostly due to deploymen . It's hard to build relationships with my church elders and hey more ingrained in the church.



I'd start by setting up an appointment to speak to the pastor, that is if you consider the church you are in to be your stable ecclesiastical home. The pastor should be able to advise you regarding Baptist circles in your region. 

Is this a Reformed Baptist congregation you are worshipping with? 
You say you are new to the faith, how new?

I know that if you have been in the military and moved around several times and on top of that are new to the faith, then it may come with a greater challenge to experience and perhaps realize the importance of the local church in this process but I encourage you to consider this more deeply.

Additionally, in the 14 years since I have become a convinced Calvinist, I have seen many men come and drift away from our theological particulars. It's almost like the parable of the sower, some hear the words with joy but are eventually scorched, choked or plucked up, and given your young faith, church support is going to be a tremendous help, otherwise seminary may threaten your theology.

Lastly, given the financial investment and perhaps burden that seminary will require, it makes financial sense to weigh all of this as well. I often grieve when I see men in debt 50K for seminary only to find out that the vocation they ended up with was within Starbucks or the like.


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## Greg Hitt (May 3, 2019)

ArminianOnceWas said:


> I'd start by setting up an appointment to speak to the pastor, that is if you consider the church you are in to be your stable ecclesiastical home. The pastor should be able to advise you regarding Baptist circles in your region.
> 
> Is this a Reformed Baptist congregation you are worshipping with?
> You say you are new to the faith, how new?
> ...


I'm part of an independent reformed(ish) church (mix of covenantal, NCT, and a few dispensational). They have their own statement of beliefs and state they highly recognize and respect the reformation confessions like the 1689.

I was raised in the church, but never had an assurance of faith until my conversion about a couple years ago. A lot of (at least assumed) my theological discoveries came from when I went to Missouri Baptist University. I ran into reformed theology as some of my professors were a mix between reformed Baptist and Presbyteria . I struggled not only with the faith, but a lot of sin that carried with me into the military and into my marriage. when i converted, i revisited the reformed faith, initially through the sermons of Paul Washer, John MacArthur, and, most of all (remembered him from taking a philosophy class with one of his books) RC Sproul. A while after my conversion, I ran into 1689 federalism and became more intrigued in reformed theology. Today, I've become a more convinced reformed Baptist. I've tested my beliefs quite often, did a lot of research. Now I see things in a much different light than I did growing up. I've even helped my mom and wife start to see things from the reformed perspective. 

Today, I'm in the reserves on active orders and about to close in on a house. We will be in Springs for a while (as God wills). Until otherwise the Lord leadeth, my options for seminary are limited. Depending on what my pastor and elders guide me with, whatever comes about I'm sure the Lord will make clear and provide.


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## Timotheos (May 3, 2019)

Greg Hitt said:


> Hey everyone! I live in Colorado Springs and options for seminary training are sli . We have NGTS, but it's unaccredited. There's Denver Seminary, but it leans libera . We also have the rocky mountain campus of Gateway Seminary.
> 
> Does anyone on here know anything about Gateway Seminary? Are they reformed friendly? Are they solid theologically? Or would it be better to go to another institution via hybrid online with some campus trips?
> 
> Appreciate any insigh .


If you're serious about seminary... don't give all your time and thoughts here. Go to the horse's mouth. Call them!


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## ArminianOnceWas (May 3, 2019)

Greg Hitt said:


> Depending on what my pastor and elders guide me with, whatever comes about I'm sure the Lord will make clear and provide.



I'm sure any seminary will require a recommendation from your pastor, so it's good to go to that oversight.

Also, I'm curious why you say Denver Seminary is liberal? I can't imagine how far to the theological right one would be to call the institution liberal? Is it because of female professors? Otherwise, the seminary is pretty Evangelical.


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## Greg Hitt (May 3, 2019)

ArminianOnceWas said:


> I'm sure any seminary will require a recommendation from your pastor, so it's good to go to that oversight.
> 
> Also, I'm curious why you say Denver Seminary is liberal? I can't imagine how far to the theological right one would be to call the institution liberal? Is it because of female professors? Otherwise, the seminary is pretty Evangelical.


I don't know much about Denver. I've heard they're fairly dispensational. Do they sort female pastors? Not sure about them.


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## Bill The Baptist (May 3, 2019)

Edward said:


> I'll blame it on my age. I didn't know that "Gateway" was the current name for "Golden Gate" of which I was aware. I really haven't heard much about it one way or the other since Dr. Pollard left. At that time I don't recall it being identified with the Reformed movement. The reformed Southern Baptists seem to gravitate toward SBTS and New Orleans.



They used to have a beautiful campus right on the coast in the Bay Area, but they sold it for 60 million, built a new facility for 20 million, and put the other 40 million into their endowment. Since they are now closer to L.A., Golden Gate didn’t seem all that appropriate anymore.


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