Trying to make a decision on seminary: WTS, CTS, or CTS

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All I can say is that my 3 years at WTS Philly were a real blessing to me and I would definitely recommend that school. Plus there is now a WTS branch in Dallas called Redeemer Seminary. Wow a Reformed seminary in the heart of Dispensational country.
 
Note: seminary is not responsible for evangelizing the community it is in, however you would think its professors, staff, and students would be doing that voluntarily. JR have you been evangelizing to your neighbors?

A seminary is to prepare a man for Pastoral Ministry. Though some practical theology can be taught at a seminary, the best practical theology is going to be taught in the Church you are a member of and serving at. Seminary is to train your mind. To be a good Pastor, one needs to be able to preach from the Word of God. To best do this, you need to learn the Original languages. JR, by the time you graduate seminary, if you have never had languages before seminary, and if you don't continue studying them, you will essentially be at a 3rd grade level in Hebrew and Greek (that is a rough estimate). Seminary gives you the beginning tools...a guide which should be being shaped by the Church...and which should be shaped more by personal study for the rest of your life. I think your outlook on seminary is faulty and a dangerous.

Now as to whether RTS Jackson is a good seminary or not, it all depends on what you do with what you are given.

Also, on a side note, I wonder what your problem with the PT department is having gone to RTS Jackson myself.


FINALLY: Jonathan, go to WTS.
 
With the exception of J.R., who has made his opinion quite clear, would you gentlemen that have been to RTS Jackson no longer recommend that one go there?

I have been praying for some time about whether the Lord would have me enter the ministry, and RTS is at the top of my list, mainly for family and financial reasons--my parents and my wife's parents live within an hour's drive of RTS, and my parents own my late great aunt and uncle's home in Brandon (those of you that know the area know where that is), where we could live rent-free while in school. I have to admit, though, that all of the recent departures are troubling. Are they not making any efforts to replace these men, or is finding men willing to move to Jackson and work in the area where RTS is the problem? (As has been noted here frequently, it is in a scary part of town.)

As a side note, FPC Columbia is in for a treat. My wife and I normally visit FPC Jackson when visiting family in the area, and have been especially blessed by Dr. Thomas's preaching. It will be disappointing to not be able to study with him, if the Lord wills that we go to seminary at all.
 
Micah Everett said:
With the exception of J.R., who has made his opinion quite clear, would you gentlemen that have been to RTS Jackson no longer recommend that one go there?

I have been praying for some time about whether the Lord would have me enter the ministry, and RTS is at the top of my list, mainly for family and financial reasons--my parents and my wife's parents live within an hour's drive of RTS, and my parents own my late great aunt and uncle's home in Brandon (those of you that know the area know where that is), where we could live rent-free while in school. I have to admit, though, that all of the recent departures are troubling. Are they not making any efforts to replace these men, or is finding men willing to move to Jackson and work in the area where RTS is the problem? (As has been noted here frequently, it is in a scary part of town.)

As a side note, FPC Columbia is in for a treat. My wife and I normally visit FPC Jackson when visiting family in the area, and have been especially blessed by Dr. Thomas's preaching. It will be disappointing to not be able to study with him, if the Lord wills that we go to seminary at all.
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I am very concerned about RTS Jackson because of so many departures. I don't think that the departures were a result of professors fleeing RTS, but rather many men seeking a different pastoral call that took them from Jackson. I have great respect for Miles Van Pelt's ability with the languages, and I think Dennis Ireland is one of the most under-rated and under-appreciated scholars at Reformed seminaries.

I do think that replacing men is difficult, both in trying to find Confessional and pastoral men, and in finding men willing to relocate to Jackson. I think you need to do some research, but in my mind financial considerations are important as well. I would not advise a man to go to a different seminary, even if it was objectively somewhat better, if that meant having $40,000 in debt (and I have heard many such stories). That kind of debt is in my opinion, crippling to ministry.
 
fredtgreco said:
I think you need to do some research, but in my mind financial considerations are important as well. I would not advise a man to go to a different seminary, even if it was objectively somewhat better, if that meant having $40,000 in debt (and I have heard many such stories). That kind of debt is in my opinion, crippling to ministry.
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Thanks for your response; this is my thinking as well. All things being equal, I would probably go to PRTS. (Referring back to the OP, Jonathan, I wouldn't write them off just yet!) I did one of their 18-credit certificates via distance-learning and absolutely loved everything about it (except that it was distance learning--Scott Clark is correct regarding DL's disadvantages, and when I started that program I really wasn't thinking too much about full-time ministry). Joel Beeke matches warm piety and thorough scholarship better than just about anyone I have ever seen. But, all things are not equal, and with the free rent and other family support available in the Jackson area (such as free babysitting), that situation will be hard to beat. Additionally, I have a feeling that a degree from RTS will be better received in the PCA than one from PRTS, though I might be mistaken about that.

In any case, the current situation at RTS gives me much to think about, and makes the case for choosing Jackson, in spite of all of the advantages I would enjoy there, not quite so "open and shut" as it might otherwise be. I still am not sure whether or not the Lord would have me go to seminary at all, at least not right now, due to some minor health concerns, so I am content to take my time watching and praying over this.

My apologies for hijacking the thread. Carry on.
 
fredtgreco said:
I think you need to do some research, but in my mind financial considerations are important as well. I would not advise a man to go to a different seminary, even if it was objectively somewhat better, if that meant having $40,000 in debt (and I have heard many such stories). That kind of debt is in my opinion, crippling to ministry.
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I have been trying to keep this in mind too. WTS sounds awesome, but cost of living is ~$4000 more than CovTS, per year. I have About $11k saved up, and will probably accumulate another 2k by the time I quit/move. This is actually about 3-4k less than I thought I would have saved up by now. But while I plan to work part time and take small student loans, I am hoping that after a 2 year program I will not have more than $5,000 in debt. (Maybe) this is unreasonable, but I really want to avoid loans as much as possible. I have never taken a loan out in college. Meanwhile, I don't know if I'll have any financial aid given me outside of loans.

Romans922 said:
FINALLY: Jonathan, go to WTS.
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Thanks for your input.

Micah Everett said:
My apologies for hijacking the thread. Carry on.
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No worries :)


And finally, does anyone have a beef against Covenant? I thought they were pretty good. Heck, ESV has many people from Covenant who contributed. But I have heard a couple voices dissenting. I just wonder. They a good school after all?
 
I have beef with CTS but I will leave it for now for other guys. Mine is all based on what I have heard, and some/many of the men (not all) who come out of there and Pastor churches. If cost is a concern, I would recommend trying to do the distance courses through GPTS and you could transfer to WTS and finish or finish at GPTS directly. Just a thought.
 
Jonathan, I have heard some negative things about Cov. but none of it is verifiable with the content that is taught here. I have sat in on many lectures including those by Mike Williams(who some have called into question) and found nothing he said to be outside of the bounds of classic reformed position. I am starting cov. in the spring of 2012 and have multiple friends who go here and have zero issues with what is taught here. I would say that picking Cov. is a great choice for you to make. It is a great place to live and there are many good churches to choose from. If you decide to move here and make STL your home I would love to connect with you and show you around. Grace and Peace
 
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