Admissions

Working with the Local Church

As a “church-based ministerial academy,” RBS is committed to help pastors and churches train men who aspire after and show potential for the pastoral ministry (Eph. 4:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:2). For this reason, we assume that you are a member in good standing of an evangelical church and that your pastor(s) is supportive of your pursuit of theological training. If you already are a pastor, we assume your local church has already recognized your gifts and graces and is supportive of your pursuit of more training. If these assumptions are not the case, then you have other matters to tend to before pursuing a theological education. But if these assumptions are correct, RBS expects that you will work together with your pastor(s) and home church throughout the course of your training. Practically, this means humbly receiving the initial and ongoing assessment of your pastor(s) and church regarding your qualifications for the pastoral ministry. It also entails that you select one of your pastors to serve as your mentor-proctor. As such, he will provide you with guidance and input on your coursework, writing projects, preaching, and practical ministry. He will also be responsible to proctor your quizzes and exams. By working together with your pastor(s) and home church, you will not only be following the biblical pattern for ministerial training (Eph. 4:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:2), but you will more effectively commend yourself to the church (1 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:15), the world (1 Tim. 3:7), the Lord (1 Pet. 5:5), and your own conscience (Acts 24:16; Heb. 13:18).