Thursday, March 26, 2009 // Posted in Meet A Rockbridge Seminary Online Student

Meet Rockbridge Seminary Student Tom Wideman

Name: Tom Wideman
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Academic Program: MDiv
My family: wife: Sally, grown daughter: Jolee Miller, grown son: Andrew Wideman, grandson: Kaden Miller
My church: First Baptist Church Ellisville
My ministry: Minister of Worship and Celebrate Recovery
One word that describes me: humorous
In my spare time: I am currently writing a novel. Love spending time with family and friends, going to movies and out to eat.
Favorite Bible verse: But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13
Spiritual hero: Moses
Vision: To help encourage Christ followers to stop going to church and start being the church. To emphasize “go and tell” instead of “come and hear.” To help grow disciples who discover their spiritual gifts and passions, instead of attracting spectators who enjoy consuming spiritual entertainment.
Why I applied to Rockbridge Seminary: After being in the music ministry for almost 30 years, I have felt that God was preparing me for a new phase of ministry. I want to expand my ministry horizon and be ready for whatever God has in store for me in the future. There was so much about the Bible I didn’t learn in my first seminary experience.
What I like most about Rockbridge Seminary: I have learned so much about the Bible. I grew up in the church. My dad was a pastor. I received a Masters in Music degree at a well-known seminary and have been in ministry for nearly 30 years. But it hasn’t been until I took these courses at Rockbridge that I truly understood God’s Word, how it came to be written and learned how to interpret it for my life today. It has caused me to want to teach this material to all my church members.
I’ve also enjoyed the practicality of each class. I have learned so much practical information that I have been able to use in my ministry. Every class has been great, and it has been evident how timely God has ordained each class in my experience. After taking a class on Recovery Ministry, I was approached by my pastor to consider starting Celebrate Recovery in my church. That class gave me the tools to take on such an awesome responsibility.