Summer at GBTS is anything but slow. As students press to finish their courses and our faculty and staff turn toward the fall semester, we are also preparing to host our accrediting body this October — all on the heels of our first-ever Head & Heart Conference and a full summer intensive. This month we introduce you to a new member of our staff, restate the core value that anchors everything we do, and invite you to pray, visit, and give.
Full Speed Ahead
Life at GBTS is as busy as ever. Our students are working hard to finish their summer courses, our faculty and staff are preparing for the fall semester, and plans are in full swing to host the annual meeting of the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS), our accrediting organization, this October. All of this comes just after a successful inaugural Head & Heart Conference and summer intensive.
We are grateful for your prayerful and financial support as we continue to train pastors, missionaries, and church planters to serve the Lord throughout the world and to participate in advancing His kingdom for His glory.
Staff Spotlight: T.J. James, Media Director
We are glad to introduce Teddy (T.J.) James, GBTS’s new Media Director. T.J. spent ten years with American Family Radio, writing their newsletter and co-hosting a weekly radio program focused on worldview issues. He then joined Media Gratia as a videographer and editor, working on projects such as The Church: Pillar and Ground of the Truth. T.J. and his wife, Allison, have six children. He has quickly become a vital and cherished member of our staff.
A Core Value Restated: Equipping Pastors
Each month we set one of GBTS’s core values plainly before you. This month it is the fifth: equipping pastors — the conviction that shapes whom we admit, who teaches them, and how.
Thesis. GBTS educates and equips the next generation of pastors, church planters, and missionaries to see churches established and strengthened across the globe.
Affirmations. The New Testament clearly shows that first-century churches were led by men referred to as pastors (Eph 4:11), elders (Titus 1:5), overseers (Phil 1:1), or stewards (Titus 1:7). These designations are used together in several passages to refer to the same office (Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5–9; 1 Peter 5:1–5), with the same character qualifications required for the men who serve in that office (1 Tim 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9). Men who will serve as pastors of local churches and missionaries across the globe must be trained for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim 4:7), so that they demonstrate their calling as pastors by living in accordance with the biblical qualifications for pastors and elders. They must be equipped to shepherd the flock of God (Acts 20:28), to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4), and to entrust other faithful men with what they have been taught (2 Tim 2:2). Pastors must labor to preach and teach well (1 Tim 5:17), and Scripture alone is sufficient for training and equipping men for the good work (2 Tim 3:16–17) of shepherding God’s flock through the ministry of the word.
Denials. We firmly deny the need for psychological models of spiritual soul care, corporate models of leadership, or worldly models of wisdom in equipping pastors for the work of ministry. While we affirm the worth, value, and roles of women in our families and churches, we deny that women may serve in the office of pastor. And we deny that students should reduce their involvement in their local church in order to pursue pastoral ministry training.
Purpose & Implementation. At GBTS, pastors train pastors. All of our professors have pastoral experience and help students apply each academic discipline to pastoral ministry in the local church. Because we are committed to training pastors, we only admit male students who are pursuing or currently engaged in pastoral ministry and have been affirmed in this pursuit by their local church. Scripture requires that pastors meet character standards, so our faculty and staff actively pursue the spiritual formation of each student through classroom instruction, personal relationships, our advising program, and the modeling of Christ-like character.
How You Can Support GBTS
Pray. Would you lift these requests before the Lord with us?
- For our students to grow in their love for Christ as they pursue their academic studies.
- For our faculty and staff to exalt Christ and seek God’s glory in all that we do.
- For our donor base to increase. God provides all we need to accomplish what He has called us to do, and He often does so through generous supporters.
Visit. We love when GBTS supporters visit our campus. Let us know when your next trip brings you through central Arkansas — it will be our joy to meet you and give you a tour.
Give. Become a regular donor to our General Fund. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us continue our mission to train future and current pastors. You can also give to our residential scholarship fund — whether you would like to support one student for a class, a semester, or an entire degree, we would love to hear from you.
Church-based. Pastor-focused. Missions-minded.
Contact us: info@gbtseminary.org
The corporation shall not discriminate against applicants, employees, students, volunteers, and others on the basis of race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin; however, as a religious institution, the corporation reserves the right to deny or terminate employment or to deny or terminate any other status of persons whose lifestyle, words, actions or otherwise do not align with the corporation’s Statement of Faith, standard of conduct, or other policies of this organization.