Comments on: 7) Seminary Offers Graduate Degrees On Line http://www.brigada.org/2009/09/20_2574 Resources, trends, and motivation to fulfill the Great Commission Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:07:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sam Simmons http://www.brigada.org/2009/09/20_2574/comment-page-1#comment-949 Sam Simmons Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:36:24 +0000 http://www.brigada.org/?p=2574#comment-949 Greg, I am very interested in what you wrote. Let me offer a different perspective. The beauty of online seminary education is that it allows a ministry leader to continue serving where he has mentors and accountability relationships already formed. Our experience is that that e-learning allows theological training to actually become more supportive of local church community and the spiritual growth of seminarians. The American seminary gave in to the pressures of the academy over 200 years ago, causing division between the seminary and church. In my view, online learning has the potential of reconnecting the church and seminary in a way that is good for the Kingdom. Sam Simmons Cofounder, E-Learning Designer Rockbridge Seminary Greg, I am very interested in what you wrote. Let me offer a different perspective.

The beauty of online seminary education is that it allows a ministry leader to continue serving where he has mentors and accountability relationships already formed. Our experience is that that e-learning allows theological training to actually become more supportive of local church community and the spiritual growth of seminarians. The American seminary gave in to the pressures of the academy over 200 years ago, causing division between the seminary and church. In my view, online learning has the potential of reconnecting the church and seminary in a way that is good for the Kingdom.

Sam Simmons
Cofounder, E-Learning Designer
Rockbridge Seminary

]]> By: Greg Snell http://www.brigada.org/2009/09/20_2574/comment-page-1#comment-939 Greg Snell Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:49:47 +0000 http://www.brigada.org/?p=2574#comment-939 It is a great sadness to me that we are using the internet to remove the most important aspect of the training of pastors and church leaders - discipleship. You can do education on the internet but discipleship takes place in community and relationship. What the church needs is not just educated leaders, but men and women who walk like Jesus. Theological training needs to become more personal, not less. I am so sorry to see so many of our schools giving in to the pressures of the world. It is a great sadness to me that we are using the internet to remove the most important aspect of the training of pastors and church leaders – discipleship. You can do education on the internet but discipleship takes place in community and relationship. What the church needs is not just educated leaders, but men and women who walk like Jesus. Theological training needs to become more personal, not less. I am so sorry to see so many of our schools giving in to the pressures of the world.

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