What is Seminary Without Walls?
Our vision is to see a disciple-making movement start from the ground up with godly, equipped men and women. Seminary is where church leaders often go to receive formal training. We want to bring a similar level of training, although abbreviated, to the people of God on the front lines of ministry. Through SWW (Seminary Without Walls), we seek to form an entire person (head, heart, hands) around the Gospel to lead in their spheres of influence. SWW is for anyone who wants to grow as a follower of Jesus and influence others for Christ. SWW will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible and theology, develop practical ministry skills, and mature in character. As a result, you will be better equipped to serve those outside the church and in various roles within the church (group leaders, kids/students volunteers, elders, deacons, worship leaders, etc). SWW was started in Annapolis. We are excited to start a chapter in Harford County. The main site can be found here.
Once-A-Month
SWW Harford County meets once-a-month for 4 hours for 12 months. Jesus taught and discipled in community, and we believe we should too. We encourage participants from other churches and ministries, and we build in times for connection, dialog, and community within each session.
Preparatory Work
As part of the training process, we assign prep work prior to each session. Participants are expected to read, watch videos, and exegete Scripture related to the topic prior to coming to the group session meeting. This gives us a shared context for greater dialog and discussion during the meeting, rather than being 'talked at' for four hours. Each session has a time of teaching, space to ask questions, encouraged dialog, and break-outs for group interaction.
Three Focuses
Gospel Centered Theology (Head)
We train on 28 core theological doctrines along with a survey of the Old Testament and New Testament. Participants read theological works, exegete Scripture, outline books of the Bible, engage in a learning cohort, and demonstrate sound theological coherence with Gospel-centricity. The goal is to equip leaders with a coherent and Scripture-driven theological framework in which to practice ministry. The first couple units will provide a survey of the Old and New Testaments. This will be followed by units on Theology Proper (Doctrine of God), Christology (Doctrine of Christ), Pneumatology (Doctrine of the Holy Spirit), Imago Dei (Image of God), Missio Dei (Mission of God), Hamartiology (Theology of Sin), Soteriology (Theology of Salvation), Ecclesiology (Theology of the Church), Eschatology (Theology of Last Days).
Practical Ministry Skills (Hands)
We facilitate environments to learn teaching skills, specifically focusing on translating the Gospel into practical, real-life scenarios. The goal is to equip leaders with reproducible tools to do the everyday work of ministry with excellence and simplicity.
Formed Character (Heart)
We assess areas of character growth and provide practical resources including a personal development plan. Throughout the cohort, mentoring relationships are facilitated and the required assignments test faithfulness, integrity, and accountability. The goal is to equip leaders to continue forming their heart character to become more like Jesus in the everyday of life
We train on 28 core theological doctrines along with a survey of the Old Testament and New Testament. Participants read theological works, exegete Scripture, outline books of the Bible, engage in a learning cohort, and demonstrate sound theological coherence with Gospel-centricity. The goal is to equip leaders with a coherent and Scripture-driven theological framework in which to practice ministry. The first couple units will provide a survey of the Old and New Testaments. This will be followed by units on Theology Proper (Doctrine of God), Christology (Doctrine of Christ), Pneumatology (Doctrine of the Holy Spirit), Imago Dei (Image of God), Missio Dei (Mission of God), Hamartiology (Theology of Sin), Soteriology (Theology of Salvation), Ecclesiology (Theology of the Church), Eschatology (Theology of Last Days).
Practical Ministry Skills (Hands)
We facilitate environments to learn teaching skills, specifically focusing on translating the Gospel into practical, real-life scenarios. The goal is to equip leaders with reproducible tools to do the everyday work of ministry with excellence and simplicity.
Formed Character (Heart)
We assess areas of character growth and provide practical resources including a personal development plan. Throughout the cohort, mentoring relationships are facilitated and the required assignments test faithfulness, integrity, and accountability. The goal is to equip leaders to continue forming their heart character to become more like Jesus in the everyday of life
Schedule
Introduction Class: September 29, 2024
Old Testament Survey: October 27, 2024
New Testament Survey: November 17, 2024
Christology (Doctrine of Christ): December 8, 2024
Pneumatology (Doctrine of The Holy Spirit): January 26, 2025
Missio Dei (Mission of God): February 23, 2025
God The Father: March 30, 2025
Anthropology (Doctrine of Man) & Hamartiology (Doctrine of Sin): April 27, 2025
Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation): May 18, 2025
Worship: June 29, 2025
Ecclesiology (Doctrine of the Church): July 20, 2025
Eschatology (Doctrine of Last Things/End Times): August 24, 2025
Old Testament Survey: October 27, 2024
New Testament Survey: November 17, 2024
Christology (Doctrine of Christ): December 8, 2024
Pneumatology (Doctrine of The Holy Spirit): January 26, 2025
Missio Dei (Mission of God): February 23, 2025
God The Father: March 30, 2025
Anthropology (Doctrine of Man) & Hamartiology (Doctrine of Sin): April 27, 2025
Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation): May 18, 2025
Worship: June 29, 2025
Ecclesiology (Doctrine of the Church): July 20, 2025
Eschatology (Doctrine of Last Things/End Times): August 24, 2025
Application
While Seminary Without Walls is open to anyone, it involves a commitment. So we ask that you fill out this application to express your interest and willingness to commit to the program.
QUESTIONS?
Is this class only for people who want to be pastors or elders?
Absolutely not! SWW is for ANYONE that wants to reach and disciple others. We pray that if you are not already serving in a leadership capacity, this class will prepare and equip you to better serve in ministry roles and reach out to those outside the church.
I am under 18. Am I still able to participate?
We would love to have our youth join us in SWW! We just want to make sure that you understand the commitment to attendance and the homework requirements.
What if I miss a class?
We understand that committing to a full year of classes is tough on the calendar, but we ask that you prioritize your schedule so as to not miss any classes if possible. We certainly understand if there is illness or emergency. We cannot guarantee that the class will be recorded.
Is this class accredited or do I receive a certificate?
SWW is not accredited or certified by any governing organization. If you need a certificate of completion for a resume or other similar record, we can offer that.
Am I allowed to invite people from other churches?
One of the aims of SWW is to build unity in the body of Christ across multiple churches. So we would love for you to invite a friend that attends another church. The only difference is that we ask students from other churches to submit a letter of recommendation from their Pastor. Letters of recommendation can be emailed to tiffany@epiccommunitychurch.org
What is the doctrinal approach?
Again, one of the designs of SWW is to bring Christians together from various church backgrounds. With that being said, our teaching is protestant and rooted in the tradition and theology of the Reformation. One of the main resources will be Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology which is used by many evangelical seminaries. The curriculum is shaped by the Bible which we believe to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God. In addition, our curriculum is Gospel-centered and missional.