Mission Statement
As a Pentecostal community of scholarship, the mission of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary is to form servants who lead, equip the church, and reach the world for Christ.
Guiding Propositions
- As the national seminary for the General Council of the Assemblies of God USA (GCAG), AGTS steadfastly aligns with and actively promotes the doctrinal commitments of the Council’s Statement of Fundamental Truths.
- As the GCAG’s national seminary, our primary mission is to the pastors, teachers, evangelists, chaplains, missionaries, and to the fields of ministry they serve nationally and internationally. AGTS commits to the resourcing of our students from pre-admission, through graduation, and into their fields of ministry.
- Grounded in Pentecostalism’s historic emphasis on holy and righteous living, AGTS commits to the formation of its students through a whole-life discipleship approach which emphasizes personal wholeness, spiritual formation, theological reflection, relational integrity, vocational clarity, and the call to create flourishing communities.
- With a strong commitment to the local church, AGTS strives to produce students fully equipped to serve the church according to their vocational callings. Additionally, AGTS provides biblical/theological/practical resources for the church through its various ministry centers, multi-cultural initiatives, and the individual ministries of our administration, faculty, staff, and students.
- Since the Assemblies of God was founded upon a Spirit-commissioned call to global missions, AGTS exists to equip, empower, and resource those we serve to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- As a fully Bible-based, Christocentric Pentecostal seminary, AGTS upholds the Acts 2 emphasis by Peter quoting Joel 2 that the Spirit would be poured out on “all flesh” highlighting the Spirit’s empowerment for global ministry by and to all cultural (and linguistic) expressions, women and men, multi-generationally, and to and from every economic status level. We are affirming this in belief and practice individually and corporately in all aspects of the Christian life embodied in the AGTS Spirit-enabled community of learning.
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, Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies, Master of Arts 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 Divinity 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
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
Paul W. Lewis, PhD
Academic Chair/Director, PhD in Biblical Interpretation and Theology
Professor of Historical Theology and Intercultural Studies
Bob Eby, PhD
Director, Cordas C. Burnett Center for Biblical Preaching
Associate Professor of Biblical Exposition and Preaching
Lisa Millen, PhD
Assistant Professor of Church History
Charles E. Self, PhD
Visiting Professor of Church History
Rick Wadholm, PhD
Associate Professor of Old Testament
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
Academic Chair/Director of Intercultural Doctoral Studies
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies
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
Academic Chair/Director, Doctor of Ministry Program
Professor of Practical Theology
Bob Eby, PhD
Director, Cordas C. Burnett Center for Biblical Preaching
Associate Professor of Biblical Exposition and Preaching
Wade Mumm, PhD
Vice President for AGTS
Professor of Leadership and Communication
Sergio Navarette, DMin
Director, AGTS Hispanic Initiatives
Professor of Leadership and Hispanic Ministries
Cory Shipley, DMin
Project Coordinator, Doctor of Ministry Program
Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
Randy Walls, DMin
Academic Director
Professor of Pastoral Leadership