Theological Training Rooted in the Local Church
We believe that the local church is the primary context of the Spirit’s renewing work, including the equipping and affirmation of aspiring leaders. God has called the church in Opelika and Auburn, Alabama to equip those he is calling and sending out. We endeavor to be "of, by, and for the church" in our community. Therefore we strive to ensure that our training process is truly rooted in the local church. We do so in the following ways:
Local Church Partnerships
Institutional Partnerships
We enjoy a formal partnership with Metro Atlanta Seminary in Atlanta, GA. By rebalancing the emphases of seminary education to reflect a more holistic approach, MAS’s innovation lies in employing the age-old apprenticeship model to the present day. Their model provides a helpful critique of the Enlightenment’s shaping influence on theological education by giving serious attention not only to the transfer of knowledge but also to the development of ministry competencies and, most importantly, to the transformation of the heart by the gospel.
In addition to providing theological education in the Atlanta area, MAS had a vision to plant other seminaries through a 3-5 year affiliate program. We launched in 2021 as a branch campus of MAS which allowed us to begin with an accredited program through the Association of Reformed Theological Schools (ARTS). Our first two cohorts (class of 2024 and 2025) have been fully under the academic authority of MAS and administered by CORS.
With MAS’s support and blessing, however, and in line with our plan to mature as an independent institution, CORS assumed the full responsibility for our third cohort (class of 2026). This cohort and all subsequent cohorts will not be under MAS. The MDiv program we are currently providing for these cohorts is therefore not yet accredited.
We enjoy an informal partnership with the Missional Training Center in Phoenix, AZ which is a program of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Similar to MAS, MTC’s approach represents a critique of the Enlightenment worldview and resulting pedagogy.
Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Goheen, MTC applies the insights of 20th century missiologists such as Lesslie Newbigin, David Bosch, and Harvie Conn to pioneer a theological curriculum framed by the Scriptures’ witness to the mission of God.
MTC has helped us unify our program around a robust missional theology.