Overview

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Mission Statement

The purpose of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) is to train men and women to fulfill the mission of the church as taught in Scripture—Shaping servant leaders with knowledge, skill and passion to revitalize the church and evangelize the world in the power of the Spirit.

As a graduate-level educational institution within the evangelical and Pentecostal tradition, the Seminary affirms the Bible as God’s written Word, the inspired, infallible and authoritative rule for faith and conduct.

To accomplish its purpose, the Seminary, as a center for instruction and spiritual formation, seeks to achieve the following objectives:

  1. To lead every student into a growing knowledge of God, based upon the redemptive work of Christ and the baptizing power of the Holy Spirit.
  2. To perpetuate the distinctive Pentecostal proclamation of the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to restore the people of God to the New Testament model of vitality and witness.
  3. To create an environment in which men and women, who have been called and gifted for Christian service, may be nurtured as servant-leaders of sterling Christian character.
  4. To seek excellence in all of its programs, believing that a rigorous quest for truth, effectiveness and relevance should characterize theological reflection and professional training.
  5. To provide training in the professional skills necessary for the practice of ministry in a changing world, focusing on the preparation of pastors, missionaries, evangelists, military and institutional chaplains, teachers, and others.
  6. To foster an evangelistic and missionary emphasis with a global and multi-cultural perspective in order to equip men and women to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ at home and abroad.
  7. To encourage constructive engagement with society guided by the prophetic and redemptive words and deeds of Jesus Christ.
  8. To serve as a scholarly resource for the AG, Pentecostal-Charismatic communities worldwide and the larger body of Christ.
  9. To utilize technology and distance-education methodologies in the extension of its educational mission to Christian leaders unable to attend a resident campus.

Statement of Faith

The Seminary adheres to the Statement of Fundamental Truths of the AG as indicated in Article V of the Constitutions and Bylaws. In summary, we believe:

.....the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God

.....there is only one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

.....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, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule a thousand years

.....in the Blessed Hope - the Rapture of the Church at Christ's coming

.....the only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ.

.....regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation

.....the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human body in answer to believing prayer 

.....the baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 2:4, is given to believers who ask for it

.....in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life

.....in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation 

Pentecostal Distinctives 

The Assemblies of God grew out of the global revival at the turn of the twentieth century. Dedicated to the full gospel message, the Assemblies have grown to become the dynamic element of what is called the Third Force of Christianity—the Pentecostals.

The commitment to the Pentecostal dimension of Christianity is what distinguishes the Assemblies of God from other groups within Evangelical Christianity. Since AGTS is the denominational seminary for the Assemblies of God, the Pentecostal distinctives are central to each of its degrees and course offerings. This background and heritage enable them to present biblical and theological truths, educational and missiological strategies and methods and pastoral care and practice within the context of the Pentecostal ministry.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center

For the study of the AG and Pentecostalism, AGTS students benefit from the museum and resources housed at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center in the National Leadership and Resource Center of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri. The holdings focus on the history of the AG, but also include related materials on the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Evangelical traditions. The available correspondence, reports, published and unpublished histories, periodicals, news clips, personal papers, diaries, photographs, audiovisual materials, committee notes and minutes, memorabilia and other items make it one of the foremost archives for the study of Pentecostalism in North America.

Accreditation

AGTS is accredited by The Association of Theological Studies in the United States and Canada, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburg, PA 15275-1103, phone (412)788-6505, fax (412)788-6510, www.ats.edu

The following degree programs are approved by ATS: Master of Divinity, Master of Leadership and Ministry, MA in Intercultural Studies, MA in Theological Studies, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies, PhD in Intercultural Studies and PhD in Biblical Interpretation and Theology. ATS has also approved AGTS to offer a comprehensive distance education program, which provides the Seminary an opportunity to offer unlimited distance learning (online) courses in any of its authorized degree programs. In light of this approval, AGTS has chosen to offer all Master degree programs online.

Because of its embedded status in Evangel University, the Seminary is also regionally accredited with The Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1413, phone (800) 621-7400, http://hlcommission.org/. 

Statement of Educational Effectiveness

The AGTS accrediting bodies require the publishing of a statement regarding educational effectiveness. For example, accreditation Standard 3, for The Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) states, “Assessment of student learning requires schools to be able to demonstrate the extent to which students have achieved the various goals of the degree programs they have completed as well as indicators of program effectiveness, such as the percentage of students who complete the program and the percentage of graduates who find placement appropriate to their vocational intention and theological education."

All degree programs at AGTS have evaluative processes to measure student learning, which are assessed on an annual basis. Most students who enroll in degree programs at AGTS graduate within five years of beginning their studies.

Endorsements, Approvals and Memberships

Since its inception in 1972, AGTS has consistently demonstrated its concern for excellence and accountability as evidenced by the endorsement, approval or membership in the following agencies:

  • Endorsed by The Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education
  • Approved by the Assemblies of God Chaplaincy Department. The Seminary's resident Master of Devinity program satisfies the academic requirements for the chaplaincy
  • Listed in the U.S. Higher Education Directory
  • Approved by the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service to enroll non-immigrant alien students
  • Authorized by the Missouri State Department of Education to grant scholastic degrees
  • Approved by the Veterans Administration for the education of veterans under the G.I. Bill of Rights

The Seminary retains memberships in many organizations, including the American Theological Library Association, Missouri Library Network Corporation, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Missouri Library Association

Exchange Program

To better facilitate its global and multicultural mission, the Seminary maintains fraternal or exchange agreements with certain schools nationally and internationally.

 

AGTS Departments

Bible and Theology Department

The Bible is the ultimate authority for evangelical Christians to judge doctrine, experience and practice. Therefore, the study of Scripture occupies a strategic place in the curriculum of the Seminary. At the core of the Bible offerings are the biblical theology and biblical exegesis courses which enable students of the Bible at the graduate level to enhance their interpretative skills and to draw out principles applicable to their lives and ministries today.

Systematic and historical theology courses provide the context necessary for developing a truly balanced Pentecostal and Charismatic ministry of the Word.

The Bible and Theology Department seeks to equip both practitioners and academicians to properly handle the Scripture and theology, using all the best tools and resources under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Faculty

Bob Eby, PhD 
Director, Cordas C. Burnett Center for Biblical Preaching
Associate Professor of Biblical Exposition and Preaching

Paul W. Lewis, PhD
Director, PhD in Biblical Interpretation and Theology Program 
Professor of Historical Theology and Intercultural Studies 

Lisa Millen, PhD
Associate Professor of Church History

Charles E. Self, PhD
Visiting Professor of Church History

 

Global Missions Department

The Global Missions Department offers personal and professional preparation for intercultural ministry. The goal of the curriculum is to equip the intercultural minister to meet the challenges of missions in the modern world. Studies within the department keep the student current with contemporary developments in the discipline of missiology. Courses are practical in orientation and emphasize the Pentecostal contribution to Christian missions. Interdisciplinary studies in the department include courses in the following fields: missions history and theology, cultural studies and religion, intercultural communication, and missions strategy. An important component in the curriculum is a required practicum that provides the student an opportunity for intercultural ministry.

Faculty

J. Michael McAteer, DAIS
Department Chair
Director of Intercultural Doctoral Studies Programs

Robert D. Braswell, PhD
Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies Project Coordinator
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies

John L. Easter, PhD
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies

A. Elizabeth Grant, PhD
Associate Professor of Intercultural Education

A. Johnson, PhD
Associate Professor of Anthropology

Anita L. Koeshall, PhD
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies

Paul W. Lewis, PhD
Professor of Historical Theology and Intercultural Studies

DeLonn L. Rance, PhD
Professor of Intercultural Studies

Ivan Satyavrata, PhD
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies

Practical Theology Department

The practical application of the Gospel to a wide spectrum of human needs is indispensable to ministerial preparation. Future Christian leaders must be equipped not only with theological knowledge but also the requisite professional skills to minister effectively in the modern world.

The Practical Theology Department offers courses and programs for facilitating this objective. Preaching and Christian education provide adequate opportunity for giving a strong real-life emphasis to the preparation of future Christian leader.

Faculty

John A. Battaglia, DMin
Department Chair
Director, Doctor of Ministry Program
Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Leadership

Bob Eby, PhD
Director, Cordas C. Burnett Center for Biblical Preaching
Associate Professor of Biblical Exposition and Preaching

Cory Shipley, DMin
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology

Randy C. Walls, DMin
Professor of Pastoral Leadership