Brigid Theological Seminary
Mission: The mission of Brigid Theological Seminary is to adequately equip ministers, lay members, and churches for a lifetime of service in ministry. In alignment with the overall vision of the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches, the primary goal of the seminary is to fulfill the second of the three mission goals of the organization: To equip the s
aints for building up the Body of Christ. Theme Verse: “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3). The students who attend are like stars who shine brightly because they will be training others in righteousness. The sword represents the Word of God. The scroll represents the knowledge associated with learning. The light that shines from the middle of the sword indicates the brightness of the light that will come from those who are trained in righteousness and will shine like stars. Affiliation with the WFICC
In alignment with the overall vision of the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches, the primary goal of the seminary is to fulfill the second of the three mission goals of the organization: To equip the saints for building up the Body of Christ. Core Value of Education
Brigid Theological Seminary seeks to provide an environment of teaching and learning that empowers ministers, lay members, and churches to become more equipped for ministry. By providing professors who are knowledgeable in their respective areas of study, it seeks to expand their understanding of scripture, provide practical wisdom for ministry and to provide an environment where inner transformational growth can take place as the Spirit of God intersects with their studies. Brigid Theological Seminary is a private Christian seminary operated by the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches. First Distinctive:
The Unique Goals of Theological Education BTS seeks to fulfill include: 1) Bridging the gap in making theological education more accessible and affordable to groups of people who otherwise would never have this opportunity. 2) Providing ministers living in different countries with a theological education that engages their own culture, race and church history. 3) Providing women and men ministers with the missing resources and knowledge of the biblical foundations and history of women in church leadership. Second Distinctive:
BTS has the strategic mission of providing theological education to the ministers, chaplains, pastors and bishops of the WFICC and thereby fulfilling the second mission of the WFICC: to equip the saints for building up the Body of Christ. How does this inform the practical experience and context for BTS? 1) The 7 core values and doctrine of the WFICC remain guideposts in shaping our learning environment. 2) The spiritual authority retained in the episcopacy rather than the academy governs the spiritual guidance, doctrine and vitality of the seminary. Third Distinctive:
How can we answer questions when we do not know the questions to ask? How can we sustain ministers for a lifetime of ministry if we do not know why they are leaving? The close affiliation Brigid Theological Seminary has with the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches positions the seminary to be in a continuous state of listening and ruminating on the needs of the church that can be addressed in the heart of theological education. Though much curriculum can remain as unchanging as the foundations of our faith, there is no substitute for actively listening to the live reports and themes that arise from the oversight of churches around the globe. Those who attend BTS will not only acquire skills in biblical scholarship but will be given what is needed to be prepared for a lifetime of faithful ministry in an ever-changing globe. Four Distinctive:
Brigid Theological Seminary positions students to have a seamless transition in moving from the books to the field. There are a host of relationships and fond memories that can be made at one’s place of training. The mentorship and leadership enjoyed during this season can be difficult to let go. Fortunately, as a bishop-led seminary, there is also an integrated relationship between the overseeing of the seminary and the overseeing of ministries. Rather than seeing graduation as a permanent exit from one chapter of life, students can find a spiritual home where they can stay for years to come in a faith community. Students do not have to wrestle with finding a different church organization which aligns with their training or values if they are already aligned with the WFICC. Brigid Theological Seminary positions students to have a seamless transition in moving from the books to the field. Fifth Distinctive:
Have you ever attended a church history lecture and wondered, “Where are all of the women? Do we even exist?” Many men and women have lacked training in the biblical foundations for women in church leadership. This has resulted in a plethora of distorted theological constructs in congregations. Despite the thousands of women attending seminary, two different studies of women clergy expressed that they were not adequately trained on the subject of women in church leadership. One of the core purposes that Theological Seminary came into existence was to rectify the glaring omission of women clergy as a field of study in theological education.
