An Introduction to Reformed Baptist Education

The Reformed Baptist movement seems to be growing these days. I’m guessing there’s plenty of articles in mainstream Christian media that have explained why this is the case better than I ever could.

But in my experience, the movement satisfies what so many Christians are looking for in this day and age: a balance between the piety strands of Protestantism and the hard-core doctrinal strands. That is, holding practical theology and theology proper in balance (orthodoxy + praxis = “orthopraxis“), so to speak. Just in the past several years, I’ve seen a number of folks leave Reformed churches to go to mainline Baptist churches (SBC, GBC, NABC) because their old Reformed churches were “just too dead. There’s no life. No growth. No passion.” Likewise, I’ve seen even more people leave the mainstream Bible and Baptist churches to go to Presbyterian and Reformed churches, saying, “I want meat. I’m sick of the fluff.” Reformed Baptist churches seem to strike the proper emphases, stressing pastoral and cultural application while also maintaining purity in the pulpit, mind, and home.

Of course, maybe all of this is irrelevant. After all, I’m a “Reformed Baptist” because the Second London (1689) Confession of Faith is the most accurate confessional expression of what I believe; I know virtually nothing of Reformed Baptist history. But, I do believe at this point in American religious history, there is a great opportunity for the growth of genuine Christianity as manifested by the Reformed Baptist tradition.

If one defines “Reformed Baptist” as one who holds to the Second London (1689) Confession of Faith, there are a few American seminary-level projects/institutions that are coming into the spotlight:

Midwest Center for Theological Studies (“Informed Scholarship with a Pastor’s Heart”)

Location: Owensboro, KY
Faculty: Sam Waldron, Richard Barcellos, Robert Gonzalez (adjunct), Tom Ascol (ajunct), Tom Nettles (adjunct), etc. (All faculty have Ph.Ds)
Learning Method: Distance and Residential
Academic offerings (coursework categories): systematic theology, biblical theology, historic theology, exegetical theology, original languages, practical theology, etc.
Academic offerings (degrees): Non-degree “tracks.” Track 1 prepares students to be elders (pastors), while track 2 is for non-vocational students.
Cost:$150/credit

Reformed Baptist Seminary (“A Church-centered ministerial Academy”)

Location: Taylors, SC
Faculty: Robert Gonzalez (dean), Sam Waldron, Richard Barcellos, Tedd Tripp, etc.
Learning Method: Distance and Residential
Academic offerings (degrees): B.Div., M.Div., M.T.S., D.T.S., C.T.S.
Academic offerings (coursework categories): systematic theology, biblical theology, historic theology, exegetical theology, original languages, practical theology, etc.
Cost: $60/credit

The Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies

Location: Escondido, CA
Faculty: James Renihan (“Fellows” include James R. White, Tom Ascol, etc.)
Learning Method: Residential
Academic offerings (degrees): Part of accredited degree at Westminster West
Academic offerings (coursework categories): Reformed Baptist theology/distinctives

Cost: $350/unit (same as WSCAL)

If one defines “Reformed-Baptist” as “Baptists who are Calvinists,” there are a few seminary-level projects/institutions that are also gaining traction:

Bethlehem Baptist Institute

Location: Minneapolis, MN
Faculty: John Piper, other Bethlehem Baptist Church elders
Learning Method: Primarily Residential
Academic offerings (coursework categories): systematic theology, biblical theology, historic theology, original languages, practical theology, etc.
Academic offerings (degrees): Non-degree certificate  or diploma of Leadership Training Program
Cost:$60/credit ($90/couple)

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Location: Louisville, KY
Faculty: Tom Nettles, Thomas Schreiner, Albert Mohler Jr., Bruce Ware, etc.
Learning Method: Distance and Residential
Academic offerings (coursework categories): systematic theology, biblical theology, historic theology, original languages, exegetical theology, practical theology, etc.
Academic offerings (degrees): M.Div, M.A., Th.M., D.Min., Ph.D.
Cost:$418/credit, $209/credit if Southern Baptist

Of course, this last one is a bit controversial. No one could possibly say with certainty that everyone at SBTS is “Reformed.” But, it does not seem inappropriate to list it as largely a Baptist institution that recognizes the truth of Calvinism, or at least that a great portion of the faculty and students there approve of their proudly Calvinist President.

Whatever the case, hopefully this list will help some to get a grip on what’s out there.