Initiative 1: Focus Core Curriculum on Baptist Theology
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The Baptist Institute has established a new curriculum of courses which can be taken for credit for transfer to a partner seminary. These courses include:
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Initiative 2: Reduce Tuition to Make Courses Accessible
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The mission of the Baptist Institute is to serve the Baptist and like-minded communities of western Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. Seminary students may take classes for credit to transfer toward a degree if accepted by their home institution, but any member of the community may take classes on a non-credit (audit) basis for personal and spiritual enrichment. To further this effort, the Board of Directors set the following tuition rates for 2019-2020:
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Initiative 3: Establish Well-Equipped Permanent Location
For the first four years, the Institute taught classes in space borrowed from local churches. This arrangement works well for traditional instructor-led classes, but student demand indicates a need for more flexible scheduling options. The board established the Institute's permanent home in the former parsonage of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Homestead, our current address. This early 20th-century, three-story, 11-room mansion provides ample classroom, library, recording studio, office space, and off-street parking with room for expansion according to our needs.
Our administrative office has been established and classroom space is being renovated and prepared for use. We were also awarded a $10,000 grant from the Southwestern PA Baptist Association to build recording studio to deliver instruction in online and reverse classroom format.
Our administrative office has been established and classroom space is being renovated and prepared for use. We were also awarded a $10,000 grant from the Southwestern PA Baptist Association to build recording studio to deliver instruction in online and reverse classroom format.
Initiative 4: Explore Expansion and Accreditation Options
"Baptists need their own seminary!" President Brian Hart and members of the Board of Directors have heard this cry all too frequently. Establishing a seminary is no easy process, but one that could take many years. For this reason, the Baptist Institute was set up to partner with the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS). Students can earn an accredited degree at RPTS and study Baptist theology, which RPTS does not teach, at the Institute. In addition to RPTS, the Institute has agreements with The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Ashland (Ohio) Theological Seminary.
The partnership arrangements have been well received, but demand remains high for a local Baptist seminary offering accredited graduate degrees. At its May 23 meeting, the Board approved investigating all available options and opportunities to fill this void. Please pray for the Lord's blessing upon this effort.
The partnership arrangements have been well received, but demand remains high for a local Baptist seminary offering accredited graduate degrees. At its May 23 meeting, the Board approved investigating all available options and opportunities to fill this void. Please pray for the Lord's blessing upon this effort.
