Graduation 2011
Mission
Rockbridge Seminary is a degree-granting institution of higher learning that exists to develop servant leaders for Christian ministry through learning experiences that allow them to study and practice without leaving their ministry field.
Statement of Beliefs
We believe the Bible is God’s word to all people. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error and the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.” (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160; Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
We believe there is only one God, who is creator and ruler of the universe. He is eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1,26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. (Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1;1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13)
We believe that for the salvation of sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1)
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1)
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of damnation. (John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 1 John 5:11-12; Matthew 25:31-46)
We believe all believers are members of the body of Christ; the one true church universal. Spiritual unity is to be expressed among Christians by acceptance and love of one another across ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, national, generational, gender, and denominational lines. We believe diversity of thought can exist in the Kingdom among those who seriously seek His truth. (John 17:21; Acts 11:26; Romans 12:5; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 4:13; 1 Peter 4:16; 1 John 1:7)
Core Values
Christ Honoring
We affirm the ancient proclamation, “Christ is Lord.” We seek to honor Him in everything we do.
Biblical Instruction
We are dedicated to a biblically-based education that enables students to integrate faith and practice. We treasure the Bible and are devoted to correctly handling the word of truth.
Global Strategy
We covenant to train spiritual leaders who will share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world. Evangelism and missions are the heartbeat of our seminary. Our strategy includes the training of persons from every national, ethnic, and cultural background for a variety of ministries.
Church Supportive
We value the Church as God’s primary strategy for redeeming the world. Our goal is to help churches become all that God intends them to be through the five purposes of the church: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. We expect students, faculty, and staff to be active participants in the life of the local church.
Godly Character
We believe the basis of true leadership is character. We are consecrated to a life of spiritual growth and moral integrity. Christian values such as obedience, faithfulness, perseverance, service, and humility are shared and modeled by faculty, staff, and students.
Authentic Relationships
We believe relationships are essential for spiritual growth and effective ministry. We are committed to a community of faith in which mutually supportive relationships exist among students and faculty. We desire to model servant leadership that communicates love and compassion to all people.
Professional Excellence
God’s call to ministry is worthy of our best. We are dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and writing. We seek to provide the environment as well as the encouragement to enable students to discover and utilize their spiritual gifts. We expect students to perform with excellence in their studies and fields of ministry. We want our students to be known for personal discipline and innovation in ministering to a changing world.
Lifelong Learning
We believe ministerial training is a lifelong process. We commit to provide learning experiences for ministers to update their ministry skills.
Goals and Objectives
An effective servant leader in Christian ministry will demonstrate proficiency in the purposes for which God made us: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. Therefore, the goals of the seminary are directed toward the fulfillment of those purposes. The learning objectives are representative of the skills required for ministry. This is not an attempt to specify all of the competencies required of all ministers in all situations. Church expectations differ according to culture, size, and location of church. For example, some ministers may not be expected to conduct a church business meeting or lead congregational singing. Other church leaders may be expected to do the full range of these competencies. Specific ministry assignments are often the result of the recognition of a person’s spiritual gifts by church and ministry leaders.
The institutional learning objectives are based on observable behaviors. The curriculum plan stresses higher levels of learning in the cognitive domain. We also recognize that certain attitudes are important for effective ministry. This will be addressed in the curriculum. Since affective objectives are by their very nature voluntary, the curriculum plan will identify representative types of responses for attitudes, convictions, and beliefs.
The student demonstrates understanding of personal and community worship by doing such things as:
- Leads and/or works with other people in planning and facilitating worship.
- Performs baptisms, weddings, funerals and other ordinances of the church in an appropriate manner.
- Designs creative worship experiences that involve music, media, and the arts.
- Educates the congregation in personal, family, and corporate worship.
- Communicates Scripture in a way that leads an intended audience to worship and to experience life transformation.
- Leads a congregation in prayer and a prayer ministry.
- Practices and leads the church in practicing worship through stewardship of life and resources.
The student understands the role of biblical community in the Body of Christ by doing such things as:
- Builds and maintains healthy relationships with others.
- Sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.
- Develops relationships within and external to the ministry organization for
- accountability and personal support.
- Functions effectively with professional staff and church members and works with others in resolving conflict in the body of Christ.
- Listens and responds in ways that let people know they have been heard.
- Develops small groups and leads them to birth new groups.
- Leads the church in developing a process for connecting new members into the life and purposes of the church.
The student demonstrates understanding of the Bible and how to help others grow in Christ by doing such things as:
- Interprets the biblical text and applies its truth to life situations.
- Effectively employs Bible study tools and basic biblical language skills for personal Bible study and Bible teaching.
- Evaluates current ministry programs and issues in light of church history and theology.
- Leads the church in planning, conducting, and evaluating a comprehensive program of discipleship and Christian maturity.
- Demonstrates a vibrant spiritual life through the implementation of spiritual disciplines including prayer, Bible study, holiness of life and communion with God.
- Models the role of an effective teacher and communicator.
- Leads in developing, evaluating, and administering curriculum plans; functions as resource person in discipleship curriculum.
The student demonstrates understanding of how to minister to others in Jesus name by doing such things as:
- Exercises the administrative skills of strategic planning, organizing, leading and evaluating the work of ministry that leads to achievement of defined goals and the mission of the New Testament church.
- Provides spiritual guidance in helping others analyze how God has shaped them for ministry through spiritual gifts, heart for ministry, abilities, personality, and experiences.
- Recruits, trains, and supervises individuals to fulfill the purposes of the church.
- Assesses the needs of the ministry community, designs appropriate actions to meet those needs, and effectively markets the church’s ministry in the community.
- Develops and administers budgets for ministry programs and organizations; reads and prepares financial reports.
- Provides pastoral care and counseling for the sick, hurting, and grieving, and makes appropriate referrals to other sources of professional help.
- Demonstrates godly humility and sacrificial love for those in the church.
The student demonstrates understanding of approaches to missions and evangelism by doing such things as:
- Communicates biblical truth through preaching, personal witness, teaching, speaking, writing, music, and other ways as may be appropriate to fulfill the Great Commission.
- Leads the church in an effective program of evangelism; plans and conducts a program of community witness.
- Leads the church in planning and conducting cross-cultural missions.
- Builds relationships with unbelievers that lead to opportunities to share the gospel.
- Interprets the culture and plans appropriate strategies for sharing the gospel in that culture.
- Respects persons of different cultural, social and religious backgrounds.
- Articulates the Christian message and contrasts that message with other worldviews and major world religions.
Review the admissions requirements or see what degrees we offer.