InDepth – Reimagining Theological Education

Over the past few months we’ve been exploring various aspects of affordability and accessibility (we paused for a few weeks to share some exciting personnel announcements – you can read more about any of this on InDepth). Very often, you’ll find quality included as a third item. In fact, just a few years ago, Stephen...Read More

Dr. Mary Iiames has been serving as Winebrenner’s Interim Chief Academic Officer (CAO) since September 2023. We are all incredibly grateful for her contribution to Winebrenner during this season of transition. Upon the hiring of our new CAO (you can learn more about that announcement by clicking here) Mary will return to her role as...Read More

A few weeks ago Adam shared about Winebrenner’s commitment to equipping students who don’t have a completed bachelors degree. You can read that full post by clicking here. The following is a testimony from a student who directly benefits from this pathway to graduate education: Having multiple pathways to seminary education has been a tremendous...Read More

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing...Read More

Winebrenner Theological Seminary is continually experimenting with creative ways to fulfill our mission of equipping leaders for service in God’s kingdom. Rooted in a deep commitment to fulfilling Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19), we are eager to work with others to accomplish this kingdom mission! In that spirit, I am excited...Read More

When I think about the parable of the bags of gold (you can access the full passage by clicking here), my mind always comes back to the fact that the master praised his servants who invested the gold in order that the master could receive back with interest. Winebrenner Theological Seminary stands on those same...Read More

It is quite common to hear or read someone from Winebrenner exploring what it means to equip leaders for service in God’s kingdom. In addition to our mission we spend time talking about Winebrenner’s vision statement of helping Christ-focused servants transform the world. We also frequently discuss our strategic commitments of Stewardship, Discipleship, and Collaboration. All are very positive...Read More

Over the past few weeks I’ve shared some announcements about the upcoming arrivals of new staff members at Winebrenner Seminary (you can read those announcements by clicking here and here). There are many sides to working with other people – sometimes we are welcoming those who are joining us and other times we are feeling the...Read More

Small Church Week is a 5–day training event hosted by Fresh Expressions for pastors and church leaders from January 29th – February 2nd, and the best part; registration is free. Register by CLICKING HERE. And CLICK HERE for a conversation between Lance Finley, Executive Director of the Churches of God, General Conference, and Dr. Brent Sleasman on why Winebrenner decided to...Read More

I’m not sure why we call the term that starts in January the “Spring” trimester, but we do! Regardless of the history of the name, we have started a new term today (January 8)! For those who like numbers, here is a summary of how things look at the start of a new term: 184: Total...Read More

The primary way in which Winebrenner Seminary fulfills its mission of equipping leaders for service in God’s kingdom is through through our students. Over the past 12 months we’ve been able to share the stories of several students on InDepth. As we approach the end of the year, the following are a few stories that capture...Read More

Recently I was invited to travel to Cuba to assist in training a variety of house church leaders. I’ve spent considerable time in Haiti, so I am very familiar with the Caribbean climate this time of year (and, it makes my family very jealous that I was there in November while they were still in...Read More

Over the past weeks InDepth has provided insights about what we learned during our 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. You can access the summaries by clicking below: Strategic Recap: Our 2018-2023 “Strategic Plan” in Review Strategic Recap, Part 2: Creating Alternative Pathways to Graduate Theological Education Strategic Recap, Part 3: A Winebrenner Platform with Initiatives Strategic Recap,...Read More

As we continue our exploration about what we’ve learned over the past few years, we are turning our attention to “platform thinking.” You can read some previous posts on InDepth related to this by clicking the following: From Pipelines to Platforms: Shifting the Metaphor From Pipelines to Platforms: Key to Collaboration From Pipelines to Platforms: Examining Bachelor’s Equivalency From Pipelines to Platforms: Where do we go from...Read More

A few weeks ago I shared that Winebrenner Theological Seminary is creating a new position and will be hiring an Executive Director (you can access that post and learn more about that position by clicking here). In that announcement I made the point that Winebrenner, like all organizations, is continually organizing and reorganizing around mission...Read More

It is common practice for organizations to have some sort of “strategic plan” – in fact, Winebrenner’s accreditation requires that we go through a shared strategic planning process. One of our steps in planning for 2023-2028 is to reflect upon our past few years and identify strengths and weaknesses of our plans for 2018-2023. The...Read More

As we start the 2023-2024 academic year, there is another important statistic to highlight that encompasses the mission and vision of Winebrenner Theological Seminary. Key pillars for seminary education at Winebrenner are affordability, accessibility, and quality. On many of our promotional materials you will see these outlined. Affordability By lowering our tuition to $300/month doors...Read More

In the ever-evolving world of education, Winebrenner Theological Seminary is not just keeping pace; it’s thriving. The seminary has been experiencing a remarkable surge in enrollment since the summer of 2019. A common point of discussion in the past few months is what discipleship looks like in theological education. As a first touch point for students,...Read More

I’ve said on many occasions that organizations are continually organizing and re-organizing around mission and strategy. Some times these occurrences are expected and sometimes they are unexpected. What remains central in the midst of seemingly rapid change is the anchor of an organization mission and purpose. Even “strategic planning” can become a hindrance if it...Read More

In December 2022 we shared some updates about financial policies that would be implemented in the fall 2023 term (you can read that post by clicking here). It’s hard to believe that we’re now at the start of the fall term! In fact, classes start today, Monday, August 28. We’ll be sharing more in the...Read More

Last year I used the phrase “organizational truth telling” to describe Winebrenner’s commitment to honesty and what some refer to as “transparency” (you can read the full post by clicking here). Winebrenner has a responsibility to provide evidence of how we are being faithful to God’s provision and stewarding the resources He has provided for...Read More

Sandy was faced with a choice to continue in her nursing career…or was there something more. “I came to Winebrenner from a calling from God. Many years ago, when I graduated High School, I worked in the behavioral health field and became a certified mental health specialist working with at risk youth, cognitively disabled population, criminally...Read More

You can read an article written by Winebrenner’s President and recently published in the magazine of the In Trust Center for Theological Schools. Access the article by clicking here: https://intrust.org/Magazine/Issues/Summer-2023/Changing-tuition-modelsRead More

This is a repost from the Churches of God, General Conference site. The article is written by Jacob Clagg, Winebrenner graduate, and focuses upon the McMechen Church of God, pastored by Mitch Johnston, MDiv, 1993. The Ground Breaking Church at McMechen In the early morning hours of June 3rd, 2017, The First Church of God...Read More

In the coming weeks InDepth will be providing some updates on our efforts to continue to be creative in how we approach theological education and discipleship. As an organization dedicated to following Jesus in a thoughtful manner, we remain open to various ways to engage in our mission. Stay tuned as we move forward together!...Read More

I was recently invited to write an article for the Global Advocate, a publication of the Churches of God, General Conference. In that article I explore various aspects of Winebrenner’s organizational culture: You can access the full issue of the Global Advocate by clicking here.Read More

You previously met Adam in August, as our new Coordinator of Development. He is currently moving into a new role as the Coordinator of New Student Engagement. In addition to his work at Winebrenner, Adam brings with him a diverse background in non-profit, ministry, education, and mental health experience. He is from Findlay and attended...Read More

In previous eras, organizations would spend significant time developing a “strategic plan” that would establish the main areas of focus for the next five to ten years. That approach seemed to work much better when there was a bit more predictability in terms of organization life. While it’s worth considering if life was ever as...Read More

Like many organizations, Winebrenner Seminary is constantly organizing and re-organizing around mission and strategy. I was speaking with a colleague recently when she used the phrase “form follows function” as another way to illustrate this concept – the form of our organizations should be decided upon after we determine its function. Winebrenner Seminary exists to...Read More

A very simple way to define discipleship is to become more like Jesus in every aspect of our lives (Dallas Willard’s work provides a great resource for working through a definition like this). Over the past few weeks on InDepth we’ve explored how discipleship benefits most from: a rhythm of invitation and challenge a deeper...Read More

As noted previously, discipleship is a cornerstone of Kingdom culture. Last week we explored the rhythm of invitation and challenge found in healthy organizations focused on discipleship. This week we are exploring another aspect of discipleship – activation of the gifts given to us by Jesus. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11-13 “So Christ himself gave the...Read More

Healthy organizational practices emerge from healthy organizational cultures. This idea was introduced on InDepth in a previous post titled Shifting Focus: From Operational to Cultural Priorities. The first cornerstone of kingdom culture that was explored was Winebrenner’s deep commitment to stewardship (you can read the first post in that series by clicking here). As we...Read More

Paul Steeger, 2022 Master of Arts in Practical Theology graduate, shares, “Without hesitation, I will say my experience at Winebrenner was enjoyable and life-altering. Friendships have been established that I would have thought would not be possible. The instructors were always helpful, relational, and eager to see our success! I now continue in my journey...Read More

Over the past weeks we’ve been reflecting upon various aspects of stewardship. Demonstrating that stewardship is a key component of Winebrenner’s culture requires some kind of evidence, so these posts have included several updates about changes to Winebrenner Seminary’s approach to financial policies. These changes reflect our deepening commitment to the belief that our core...Read More

Perhaps you’ve heard some variation of the phrase “God equips those he calls.” Since the mission of Winebrenner is to equip leaders for service in God’s kingdom, we should pay special attention to those who fit within either category – the called or the equipped! When seminary is part of a person’s call, every person...Read More

The invitation to approach theological education as discipleship is accompanied by the challenge to align our daily activities and decisions with those of Jesus. Of all his challenging words and stories, one that many find provocative is the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard recorded in Matthew 20:1-16. The opening line of the parable...Read More

Since becoming President of Winebrenner Seminary in December 2015, much of my time has been spent on day to day items required for operating a seminary. All of these items are guided by our mission and strategy and serve the greater purposes of God’s kingdom. Focusing on operational items has made sense in light of...Read More

Any healthy organization will have a strong commitment to telling the truth. This includes both a commitment to being open handed with information as well as making sure the information that is shared is accurate. Many organizations share a “Dashboard” that summarizes key metrics and data points. A dashboard has the potential to: shift benchmarks...Read More

Over the past few weeks we’ve been sharing updates at the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. You can follow these links to learn more about finances and enrollment. Before moving on to a new topic next week, I want to provide one additional update for our current year related to how much it costs...Read More

I continue to be humbled and amazed by the variety and number of students who are being led to continue their education at Winebrenner. Winebrenner exists to equip leaders for service in God’s Kingdom and as we move into another year of record enrollment I have been asked to reflect on this continual growth for...Read More

Winebrenner would like to welcome Adam Willford as our new Coordinator of Development. Adam brings with him a diverse background in non-profit, ministry, education, and mental health experience. He is from Findlay and attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee; it is there that he met his wife, Crystal. In October, they will be celebrating 14...Read More

As Dr. Coats noted in last week’s post, Winebrenner’s graduation was a few weeks ago. Each Academic Year consists of three 12-week trimesters. At the conclusion of the third trimester – either in late July or early August – we have our annual graduation ceremony. This milestone provides a great opportunity to share some updates...Read More

Last week I was a delegate at the triennial General Conference sessions of the Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC). The theme for the week was “Reimagine” and provided a great opportunity to connect with many students, partners, and givers. As a bit of a pre-conference, on Monday, July 25, we gathered in a room...Read More

I was at a gathering of seminary leaders last month and very often the conversation turns to the lack of resources instead of recognizing God’s abundance. This is a recurring theme. As I was preparing to write this post I found what I wrote a few years ago: The other day I was in an...Read More

In the previous series I introduced the idea of “faithful activity” as a way to fulfill our mission of equipping leaders for service in God’s kingdom. In the coming weeks we’ll be exploring that concept in the context of Development at Winebrenner Seminary. Stay tuned! – Dr. Brent Sleasman, President, Winebrenner Theological SeminaryRead More

For the past few weeks we’ve been exploring Matthew 25 and the “Parable of the Talents.” A second version of this parable is found in Luke 19:11-27. One significant difference between these two accounts is found in Luke 19:13 where the landowner called ten of his servants together and gave each their resources to steward....Read More

Winebrenner exists to equip leaders for service in God’s kingdom. Since this is our commitment, it makes sense to explore what that kingdom is like! There are multiple times when Jesus begins with the words “The kingdom of heaven is like…” and then proceeds to tell a story about workers in a vineyard or a...Read More

In the first few chapters of the Old Testament book of Genesis, God creates. As he creates he recognizes his own handiwork as “good” and proceeds to the next new creation. We are surrounded by people, animals, plants, and nature uniquely created by God and designed to intentionally to fulfill his purposes. Created in his...Read More

The education offered by Winebrenner Seminary has always played a role in the Christian discipleship process. However, over the past few years we’ve made an intentional shift to approach theological education as discipleship.  As a learning organization we are committed to growing in our understanding of our own commitments. Over the past few weeks we’ve...Read More

The Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) program offered at Winebrenner Theological Seminary is specifically designed for Christians with deep compassion for people, and who feel “called” to the counseling profession. Students who enroll in this program typically desire to serve their community as professionally trained, licensed counselors. The program aims to prepare students...Read More

Recently, I walked along an oceanfront beach and studied the shells. At first, I picked up the more perfect shapes but gradually, my eye was drawn to a particular shell that had been well tumbled by the waves. The original form was still present. A curving spiral still recognizable but with its sharp protective points...Read More

What does it mean to refer to theological education as discipleship? Based upon several years worth of conversations it seems like the answer depends upon from which side of the conversation someone is approaching the question. For those anchored in the local church, the answer often challenges assumptions about education related to unnecessary difficulty and...Read More

One of the ongoing stories that we’ve been chronicling through these InDepth posts is Winebrenner’s continued enrollment growth over the past few years. If we mark the summer 2019 as the “low point” in enrollment, we’ve been seeing a steady increase in the number of students each term. You can read more about the first...Read More

Anytime I hear someone use the phrase “no money, no mission” I find myself getting frustrated. Typically, this is stated by someone suggesting that if a particular organization “doesn’t raise enough money” then their unique mission will cease and the organization risks closure. However, I’ve been in settings in which Chris Meinzer, Senior Director and...Read More

The theme in this series has been innovation as Winebrenner Theological Seminary works to equip leaders for service in God’s Kingdom. As a team, we’ve worked to be more flexible and to remove obstacles toward fulfilling our mission. A key component to reimagining finances in theological education involved lowering the cost for students so one...Read More

There are a variety of ways to innovate theological education. The desired outcome for all such innovation is the same across the landscape of most seminaries and universities. Innovation seeks to bring a greater educational impact to an increasing number of future ministers in a way that expands God’s kingdom. While there may be more...Read More

Like many families during the “stay at home” phase of COVID-19, we looked at the walls in our house and eventually took on a home improvement project – in our case it was stripping the wallpaper and repainting our kitchen. Taking the time to prepare and prime the walls was an essential step for the...Read More

Like many in the Churches of God, General Conference, I was familiar with Dick Kern’s name from seeing his book about John Winebrenner, but never met him in person. My first direct interaction with him was in the mid-90’s when I was his student at the University of Findlay in a course he co-taught with...Read More

We are continuing our journey through various expressions of what it means to bring about “kingdom transformation” in local ministry contexts. Again, the premise of this series is that by following God’s kingdom priorities as laid out in the New Testament, our communities and churches become a greater reflection of God’s kingdom. Thus, making us...Read More

Jesus was a master story teller. The Gospel of Matthew shares one of Jesus’ stories in which a rich man leaves his wealth with his servants while he goes away on a journey (25:14-30).  You may already be familiar with the story. When the rich man returns, the first servant (who was originally given five...Read More

Over the past few weeks InDepth has featured ways in which Winebrenner is prioritizing the stewardship of financial resources (click to read part one or part two).  This week’s post considers ways in which students are being invited into a culture that encourages sound financial decisions regarding their own educational expenses.  Winebrenner’s commitment to making...Read More

When this InDepth blog launched in April 2019 we envisioned a site that would provide some “behind the scenes” insights into Winebrenner Theological Seminary and our collaborative partners.  Over the past two and a half years the site has provided a deeper and broader perspective about the mission and work of Winebrenner. Many of the...Read More

Over the past few weeks I’ve been exploring our new digital platform, Co-Mission.  This week’s post helps place Co-Mission into the larger organizational framework at Winebrenner Seminary.  I’ve written about the transition from “pipelines to platforms” previously and you can access those posts by clicking on any of the following:      From Pipelines to Platforms: Shifting the...Read More

Last week I introduced Winebrenner’s new digital platform, Co-Mission, which exists for the purpose of reframing the conversations about discipleship and theological education in the Church and Academy. Over the past few weeks I’ve had the privilege of sharing the Co-Mission site with students, pastors, Trustees, and donors.  Once we go through the “how does it work?”...Read More

In the early season of COVID-19 I was struggling to reconcile the balance between change, innovation, and creativity.  Many hours were invested in reading, researching, talking about, and praying about how these three items intersect.  The fruit of that struggle was a brief series with the title “Creativity Precedes Innovation.”   If I would write these...Read More

I am already a pastor (20 years!) but have always felt that my counseling skills were sub-par. I’m in the Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling (MACC) program so my experience in ministry plus the additional licensure in counseling will allow me to serve the people God loves in new and needed ways. How God...Read More

The Winebrenner Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, in collaboration with faculty, staff, and students, has made the decision to shift library resources. Effective Fall 2021, we now collaborate with the Digital Theological Library for research resources. For the last several years, Winebrenner Seminary has been collecting data on library usage through course evaluations. Because of...Read More

In addition to serving as President of Winebrenner Theological Seminary I also have one year remaining in my time as a member of the Board of Trustees for Emmaus University located near Cap Haitien, Haiti, and this year I am concluding my term as Chair of the Board. While a member of the Board, and...Read More

As you read the first few words of the title of this post you may have concluded the phrase “everything starts with” either with “mission” or even “Jesus’ Great Commission.” However, in an organization like Winebrenner (legally, a non-profit entity) all items start with our Board of Trustees, or our Governance. The Board is responsible...Read More

Like many organizations, Winebrenner Seminary is slowly emerging from some of the challenges and restrictions that were present over the past year. Others have written about how COVID-19 impacted their lives and/or ministries. As we reflect upon the past year, it’s worth examining how COVID-19 changed things. One of the most helpful ways that I’ve...Read More

In the midst of a recent planning meeting the conversation shifted to ways we tend to think about changes within organizations. Very often when we are confronted with change we assume that in order for something to be different we will have to remove and replace what was previously done (think about this as “substitutional...Read More

We are shifting our focus of attention toward key partnerships in order to explore the level of organizational interdependency required to make a business model “work.”  The authors of Business Model Generation suggest that “it is illogical for a company to own all of the resources or perform every activity by itself.”  Various types of...Read More

I was talking with another seminary president recently about Winebrenner’s 2018 decision to sell our building facility to The University of Findlay. While, on the surface, that decision may seem strictly financial, it has greatly enhanced our ability to carry out the entirety of our mission. In business terminology, we’ve been able to leverage the...Read More

Like many seminaries accredited by the Association for Theological Schools (ATS) Winebrenner Theological Seminary submitted a request to the Lilly Endowment for Phase One of the “Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.” Winebrenner’s request is for the creation of a “digital platform” that will accompany our $300/month tuition recently approved by the Board of Trustees. Each organization...Read More

It’s becoming more and more common to hear “we need to change our business model” when discussing theological education.  What, exactly, does that mean? One of the earliest references introducing the “business model canvas” to theological education was Robert Landrebe’s article “To create the future, selectively abandon the past” from a 2014 issue of In...Read More

Every decision at a seminary is based upon certain assumptions about finances and economics. Every decision at a seminary has implications for finances and the larger economic context. This is not to say that our financial and economic models are the most important aspect of what we do; I affirm the mission of discipleship as...Read More

This post continues exploring a shift from external to internal markers and benchmarks. For those who read our Shifting Tuition posts (you can access the first in the series by clicking here) you are aware that Winebrenner Seminary is making a shift toward a recurrent/subscription payment model. During our most recent Quarterly Planning meeting we...Read More

When envisioning the future of an organization, leaders often begin with some ideal or framework to guide decisions. These “mental models” (a term used by Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline) are based upon certain assumptions about how the world works. For example, I was recently in a meeting of denominational leaders when the topic...Read More

All decisions and initiatives at Winebrenner Theological Seminary emerge from our unique mission and strategic priorities. Tuition pricing is no different. In last week’s post I outlined the first two phases of our shift from what I would term market-based tuition to a mission-based approach (you can read that post by clicking here). The following...Read More

The InDepth blog is written for two primary audiences. First, there are those internal to Winebrenner Seminary who can read this and step back and reflect upon where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are heading as an organization. This “internal” audience includes Board members, faculty, administration, students, alumni, and members of the...Read More

At Winebrenner, COVID-19 has certainly served as an accelerator. Many ideas we’ve talked about in the past are moving ahead more rapidly than they would have without COVID-19. At the same time, Winebrenner’s foundational relationships have not decreased or taken a back seat as a result of COVID-19. Our relationships with our donors are a...Read More

The “operating system” that I’ve been developing over the past few posts exists within the larger context of a theological education system that includes certain assumptions about the economics of higher education. Jumping to the conclusion, the current economic assumptions that many seminaries are built upon is unsustainable over the long-term (this belief has been...Read More

Recently, I was invited into a meeting about curricular redesign when I suggested that our philosophy of education may actually be more important than the way we deliver our education. I followed this statement by suggesting that we consider more flexibility and customizability for students. The response and challenge to what I proposed in that...Read More

Over the past few posts we’ve explored how our mission guides our overall purpose and approach to how we carry out our day to day activities.  There are so many ways in which we can go about “equipping leaders for service in God’s kingdom” that it’s helpful to prioritize some activities over others.  Those priorities...Read More

Winebrenner Theological Seminary sits at the intersection of theological higher education and the Church. We have both a commitment to quality educational practice as well as the discipleship ministry of the church. My belief is that our unique mission allows us to provide a fresh expression of a theological seminary in 2020 and beyond. Winebrenner’s...Read More

As I mentioned in my previous post, I serve on a Board for a university in Haiti. As part of my role on that Board, I was tasked with researching collaborative models between different seminaries and universities. The following provides a summary of what I found most helpful for collaborative partners. First, it is possible...Read More

In June, Winebrenner Seminary’s president, Dr. Brent Sleasman, led a webinar for the In Trust Center for Theological Schools, exploring some of the challenges for seminaries that identify as “free-standing.” Like many seminaries, Winebrenner has identified “Collaborative Relationships” as a strategic priority. The session (link below) invites conversation about an alternative to merging with or...Read More

Since the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020, I have been saying that while we are surprised, we’re not unprepared to deal with this moment. Over the next few weeks I will share some specifics that allow me to say we’re not caught unprepared. This week, I’m focusing on the steps we’ve taken over the...Read More

Over the few weeks I shared some thoughts about how we conceptualize and engage in collaborative relationships.  Primarily, we’ve explored shifting our primary metaphor from pipelines to platforms.  A great resource to think more deeply about platforms is Platform Revolution: How Networked Markets Are Transforming the Economy and How to Make Them Work for You. The...Read More

Winebrenner Seminary’s current Strategic Plan highlights collaborative relationships as one of three strategic priorities for 2018-2023. This internal commitment combined with the external challenges facing higher education in our current climate serve as an invitation to rethink how we seek alignment with our educational partners. As we consider our collaborative partnerships, it’s helpful to consider whether these are progressing...Read More

If creativity truly precedes innovation, then it’s worth asking “Where is creative energy being invested today?” as a way to predict where the next innovation could emerge. Here are three brief highlights to provide insight into where creative energy is being focused right now at Winebrenner: Bachelor Equivalency In our ongoing efforts to reach the...Read More

This past week I was talking to a pastor who feels strongly that a loosely affiliated “network” is a better way to organize like-minded churches than a denominational structure. Of the many reasons for this viewpoint, the one that resonated most with me is his belief that a network of churches allows for more flexibility...Read More

I write this entry from Embu, Kenya, while sitting in a class on leadership taught by Pastor Dale Miller, Winebrenner graduate and pastor in the Eastern Region of the Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC). Other courses include a study of the book of James (taught by Winebrenner graduate, Tom Myers), OT Wisdom Literature, Finance,...Read More

During the fall 2019 trimester, Winebrenner Seminary entered into a partnership with the Kingwood Church of God, in southwestern Pennsylvania, to offer a course in Ministerial Person taught by Dr. John Nissley. The project was made possible through the generosity of the Allegheny Region Foundation and the Kingwood Church of God. Several weeks ago, I...Read More

As a mission-centric organization, we are constantly evaluating and assessing our ability to carry out our mission of equipping leaders for service in God’s kingdom. In this spirit, our Seminary hosted a gathering on October 8, 2019 titled “Pathways to Graduate Theological Education.” An introduction to this event, along with extensive content, can be found...Read More

Winebrenner Theological Seminary is actively working to remove obstacles for prospective students by focusing on education that is affordable, accessible, and of high quality.  We have clarified three specific areas for potential collaboration with kingdom-oriented seminaries and ministries to create pathways for students to experience seminary-level education: Advanced Standing We have criteria for students from non-degree/non-accredited institutes (both church-based and...Read More

On Tuesday, October 8, Winebrenner Theological Seminary convened an intentionally selected group of like-minded seminaries and educational agencies to assist in finding a solution to further the educational experience of those who have partial undergraduate education.  We called this event Pathways to Graduate Theological Education and were able to meet, in part, due to the...Read More

Communities of learners develop in many ways, though every community has obstacles. Even when students are not all in the same location, participants find new pathways to form bonds as a community of learners (Richardson, Huyah, and Sotto 2019). Even through Zoom (teleconference app), students bond together. Sometimes those bonds run deep. Several months ago,...Read More

Cross-cultural communities of learning in a seminary are rooted in the cross. Ephesians 2:14 tells us that Christ brought peace among various groups. “In his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.” His body was broken for us all. The same passage further explains that the various...Read More

God’s timing is always perfect and often brings about unexpected results. As I wrote in Part 1, I believe that community is best experienced at Winebrenner Theological Seminary when we focus upon being a community of learners. When we posted that article I was unaware that I would sit in a worship celebration over the...Read More

Are you one of the estimated 46 million Americans who have some college education, but not a completed undergraduate degree?* Have you also spent time or are currently serving in a ministerial or pastoral context? Do you feel God’s call and desire a seminary education, but are uncertain you are educationally qualified? If you answered...Read More

Upon leaving Bible College in 1991, some of my classmates moved to various locations to attend seminary. I went to San Antonio, TX as a youth pastor. Fast forward fifteen years when God started directing me to seminary education. There were no evangelical seminaries in Milwaukee and I was in a ministry position and unable...Read More

I graduated from Winebrenner Theological Seminary in 1999 with a Master of Divinity degree. My educational experience consisted of morning and afternoon courses (all in person), weekly chapel, monthly Student Fellowship meals, and evenings spent either studying or spending time with friends (many were other seminary students). During the summer between our second and third...Read More

When I travel for business or leisure, I’m a review reader. My phone has an entire tile filled with travel apps like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google maps for quick access to Google reviews. You see, before I spend my money on a meal or an attraction, I want to know what I can expect. Two-star...Read More