Prominent seminaries in Alabama and other areas of the country offer important and much-needed instruction in the area of theology and pastoral training, but one barrier remains — the fact that many Christians simply can’t afford to attend seminary.
Samford University in Birmingham is seeking to change that. Samford is addressing the financial barrier head-on by providing quality instruction to individual believers, church leaders and pastors through its Ministry Training Institute, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2022.
Scott Bush, pastor of Southcrest Baptist Church in Bessemer, leads one of over 40 MTI locations or centers across the Southeast.
“Ours, the Shelby/Helena center, began in the first fall term of 2022,” Bush said. “Our mission is to provide a high-quality biblical studies experience for adult learners to equip them to make disciples in their respective ministry contexts. Our students at Shelby/Helena MTI are bivocational pastors, church staff members, Sunday School teachers, small group leaders and dedicated church members who are interested in becoming more effective students and teachers of Scripture.”
Bush added that in the relatively short time this MTI center has been operating, it has already seen an impact on ministry in the churches where its students serve.
“We regularly hear how the information is enriching and enhancing their own study and their teaching in groups they lead,” he said.
Same goal today
A history of the institute provided by Bush and compiled by Kevin Blackwell, executive director of MTI, stated that in 1946, “Howard College President Harwell G. ‘Major’ Davis proposed to the board of trustees that a statewide extension program be established.
In an effort to reconnect the university with Alabama Baptists, the extension program would target local associations, churches and Baptists all across Alabama. The Howard Extension Division officially launched on January 1, 1947.” The goal of the institute 75 years ago remains the same today — to provide solid biblical training to Christians in churches across the state for the purpose of growing and strengthening the body of Christ and equipping them for service.
Bush added that his church is in partnership with two others, which has strengthened the work in the area.
“The partnership between Southcrest Baptist Church, Community Baptist Church and The Church at Old Town Helena has really added value to the program,” he said. “Our congregations are close together, but we serve different communities out of different histories and in different styles. The three pastors (all teachers in our program) are just as diverse in experience, education and background, and yet we’re seeing wonderful friendships develop across the class and the potential for an even stronger partnership in ministry.”
Josh Knierim, pastor of The Church at Old Town in Helena, said that although this is his first year partnering with MTI, he has already seen the blessings that a partnership can offer.
“Having multiple teachers available and being able to reach folks in multiple churches has increased our reach and impact,” he commented. “There is a growing passion in our churches for deeper scriptural understanding and intentional equipping for ministry. The testimony of the MTI participants is that they have been able to learn these things in an environment that is still pastoral and is connected to their ministries in their local church. As we look to the future, I am excited to be able to offer these classes to our own folks who are new to the faith.”
According to Bush, the MTI center at Shelby/Helena has led the program in enrollments for two quarters and interest is still growing.
Tailored to community
“Not all of our students are from the host churches and not all are from Southern Baptist churches,” he explained. “We hope that as the group grows we will be able to offer even more courses tailored to the interests and needs of the community.”
Samford will award diplomas to its MTI students who complete eight courses (and subsequent diplomas for continuing work), and the first group at the Shelby/Helena center should reach that in May 2024, said Bush.
“We can’t wait to see them graduate, but even more we can’t wait to see the fruit that comes from their faithful study and ministry of the Word,” he said.
For more information about Samford University’s Ministry Training Institute, go online to samford.edu/programs/ministry-training-institute/.
Click below to learn about a new MTI class focused on Baptist Faith and Message.
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