Students cite numerous reasons why they chose Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary & College, SBC, to prepare for a lifetime of Christian ministry. Here are 10 reasons to choose Midwestern as you follow God’s call into vocational ministry:
Biblical
Simply put, everything Midwestern does is founded upon the Word of God. Midwestern’s mission statement reads, “Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary biblically educates God-called men and women to be and to make
disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the world.”
“Every word of God is flawless,” said MBTS President Dr. R. Philip Roberts, affirming that
the Bible is the inerrant, infallible, and inspired Word of God. “God moved human writers to
write exactly what He wanted to say without error.“Thus, we at Midwestern take our marching orders from the Bible,” Roberts added. “Everything we do, from our weekly street evangelism teams to chapel services and classes, is based, first and foremost, on the foundation of the Word of God.”
At Midwestern, be assured you’ll be taught the Word – unashamedly and proudly.
Evangelism and Missions
“There should be no doubt that Midwestern is an evangelistic and missions-minded seminary,” Roberts said. “From sharing the Gospel on the streets of Kansas City to ministering to tragedy-stricken victims in Paraquay, Midwestern students are taking the love and message of Jesus Christ to the nations.”
Among the Midwestern faculty, you’ll find a wealth of both home and international missionary experience from which to draw, as well as a passion for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
World-Class Faculty
Midwestern faculty hold a diversity of degrees from some of the most prestigious and academically rigorous seminaries and universities in the world.
“The depth of our faculty’s educational background provides our students with a broad perspective of ideas and influences, rather than from a faculty educated from just one or two institutions,” Roberts said. “Our faculty have trained and been educated throughout the world. This gives our students a vast exposure to knowledge, both culturally and biblically, from which to draw.”
At Midwestern, you’ll not only find professors with solid educational backgrounds, but also men who have real-world experience ministering to the lost and proclaiming the Word as pastors, missionaries, associational leaders and more. “Our professors have been in the trenches, whether sharing Christ in Tanzania, or right here in Missouri; they know what it’s like to be a God-called man in today’s world,” Roberts said.
At Midwestern, you’ll have an opportunity to be discipled and equipped by well-rounded men and women of God who have been where you’re going.
Personal Attention
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1, Midwestern is able to offer its students an opportunity for small classes and personal attention by the faculty.
“One of the reasons I came to Midwestern was that it was more one-on-one,” said former MBTS student Ken Posey, a native of Louisiana. “Some other seminaries have huge classes. At Midwestern, I knew I would be considered an actual student rather than a number.”
Affordability and Value
Southern Baptist students pay only $175* per credit hour at Midwestern Seminary, and $190* per credit hour at Midwestern Baptist College, SBC. You’ll find that these are some of the best buys in theological education today. According to the Association of Theological Schools, the median annual tuition for Master of Divinity programs in seminaries across the United States in 2006 was $11,160. Comparatively, Midwestern’s is approximately $3,000.*
“Through Cooperative Program funding, Midwestern students are able to get an academically excellent, biblically-based education at a fraction of what it would normally cost them,” said Dr. David McAlpin, Vice President of Student Development. “For the God-called man or woman, Midwestern is not just an outstanding academic choice, but a wise financial one as well.”
*Figures accurate as of the Fall of 2009. Check Tuition and Fees for the latest figures.
Degree Options
Midwestern offers a wide range of degree options for the God-called man or woman to be trained and equipped for a lifetime of Christian service.
With the recent establishment of Midwestern Baptist College, SBC, the undergraduate school of the seminary, students can begin work on biblically-centered baccalaureate degrees straight out of high school. Currently the College offers several Associate degrees with majors in Biblical Studies, Christian Education, and Music. Each course of study is designed to prepare students for vocational ministry. Additionally, each degree includes training for students to acquire basic biblical and theological knowledge.
A new, 126-hour, fully accredited Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies is now available in two formats: Traditional and Accelerated.
The Seminary offers three types of master’s degrees, including the ever-popular Master of Divinity degree with numerous concentrations available. Concentrations include Christian Education, Collegiate Ministries, International Church Planting, North American Church Planting, Urban Ministry, Worship Leadership, and Youth Ministry.
Other master’s degrees include a professional Master of Arts degree in Christian Education, Church Music, Counseling (which also offers state licensure); as well as an academic Master of Arts degree in Biblical Languages.
Midwestern’s doctoral program offers two ministry-related degrees: the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree and Doctor of Educational Ministry (D.Ed.Min.) degree. Both degrees are designed to equip persons seeking a high level of competence in the practice of ministry. Students may specialize by choosing elective seminars in one or more of the following areas: Proclamation, Care, Leadership, and/or Church Planting emphases.
Additionally, Midwestern offers the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, a research degree designed to prepare the graduate for a collegiate or seminary-level teaching career, research and writing, or key denominational leadership roles.
Baptist
Midwestern is not only distinctively Baptist, but proudly Southern Baptist. Owned by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and supported through the Cooperative Program, Midwestern is guided by a board of trustees elected by the Convention in its annual sessions. The trustees, in turn, elect faculty members and administrative officers.
Midwestern professors are members of Southern Baptist churches, with many serving as interim pastors, teachers, or deacons. Each professor subscribes to the Baptist Faith & Message, adopted by the SBC in 2000.
Midwestern graduates serve in a variety of positions in Southern Baptist life. From Kansas City to the ends of the earth, Midwestern graduates are contributing to Southern Baptist work here and abroad, helping to “be and make disciples throughout the world.”
Located in the Heartland
Centrally located in the heartland of America, Midwestern is within approximately 1,900 miles of any location in the continental United States. With its excellent geographic location, Midwestern is within a day’s drive of several of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas:
(Distances are approximate. Source of data: VisitKC.com)
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
Nicknamed the “City of Fountains,” more than 2 million people live in the Kansas City metropolitan area. More than 100 Southern Baptist churches alone are within a 20-mile radius of the seminary, providing ample opportunities for membership and service. A good job market in Kansas City also provides opportunities for work while attending seminary classes. Part-time opportunities around the seminary include Sam’s Club, UPS, OfficeMax, Lowe’s and more.
In the Kansas City metro area you’ll find:
Beautiful Campus
One of the first things guests mention after a visit to Midwestern is its beautiful campus — a 220-plus acre greenbelt in north Kansas City. Deer, fox, turkey, geese, squirrels and other wildlife make their home on the
seminary campus, as well as more than 400 students and family members in 123 dorm and apartment units. Additionally, the seminary’s north campus – the Koehn-Myers Center for World Evangelism – was once a retreat resort for a large company and includes a two-acre lake.
Midwestern’s unique spire, a 65-foot architectural pinnacle, points up toward the heavens, indicating the driving purpose behind the seminary – that everything it does would be for the ultimate glory of God.