MBTS announces 100% tuition scholarships for 100 new students
By Lucas Hahn/MBTS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP) – Residential masters students admitted into Midwestern Seminary’s For the Church Cohorts will receive a 100 percent tuition scholarship for the first year of their master’s degree beginning in the fall of 2024.
The full-tuition scholarship includes tuition costs for up to 18 credit hours of residential or practicum courses during the academic year. Additionally, those in the Fusion Master’s Cohort will receive an additional $3,000 scholarship to cover a portion of their overseas costs.
“I am thrilled about our expanded FTC Cohorts and the fact that we can now offer a full tuition scholarship for 100 new, incoming residential students,” said President Jason Allen. “Theological education is always best done in community. With FTC Cohorts, these students will get quality time and mentorship with our world class faculty. I cannot think of a better way to receive robust theological education for the church.
“Over the past couple of years, God has called several generous supporters to come alongside our work at Midwestern Seminary and make these scholarships possible. The donors’ intent aligns perfectly with the seminary’s desire to more deeply invest in those called to local church service. I wish I had such an opportunity when I pursued my MDiv two decades ago.”
FTC Cohorts is a one-year training program designed to equip like-minded seminary students through enhanced discipleship, focused study, and intentional community.
The cohorts exist for first year graduate-level students who desire to enhance their academic studies through hands-on ministry experience in one of seven areas of focus: Shepherds Fellowship, Biblical Counseling, Fusion Masters, Women in Scholarship, Spurgeon Fellows, Biblical Studies, and Theological Studies.
Each week, cohorts gather on Midwestern Seminary’s campus for fellowship, presentations and discussions on topics related to their ministry fields, and to learn from world-class faculty and ministry leaders. Moreover, participants gain invaluable experience in serving local churches while helping plan and manage events.
Midwestern Seminary believes ministry preparation is best done in community. Having recently added cohort options at their undergraduate arm, Spurgeon College, the seminary’s full-tuition scholarship opportunity cements its commitment to residential theological education.
Jordan Wilbanks, director of church partnerships, said of the cohorts, “We believe this is the best way to train for ministry. The level of community-building, faculty investment, and institutional buy-in toward the student experience at Midwestern Seminary is extraordinary. This means that participants in each cohort will be known by their faculty leaders, will have an immediate avenue to genuine and long-lasting friendships, and will have invaluable opportunities to learn and grow as a leader.”
Each cohort will be led by local experts in the field and focus on a particular area of interest for residential graduate students.
Texas church group visits SWBTS classroom the church sponsored
By James Dugger/SWBTS
FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) – A group of 29 adults from the 55-plus ministry at Sagemont Church in Houston, toured the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary on Oct. 23. Part of the group’s tour included a visit to the John D. Morgan classroom in Mathena Hall, which the church donated and named in honor of its founding pastor.
“It is so good to see you and we are happy to have you on campus here at Southwestern Seminary,” said President David S. Dockery. “We are grateful for the friendship with Sagemont Church through the years and for your faithful giving to Southwestern through the Cooperative Program.”
The group met in the Riley Center and were led on a tour by John Mann, assistant to the president for constituent relations and associate professor of business and theology at Texas Baptist College. On the tour, they were able to view Mathena Hall and see the room their church helped establish in honor of John D. Morgan, a 1966 Bachelor of Divinity graduate of Southwestern Seminary. Morgan started Sagemont Church that same year and served as the senior pastor until his retirement in 2019.
“It just blows you away,” said John Mark Benson, director of the 55-plus ministry at Sagemont Church. “We were all part of what went into making that room happen and were part of the giving, but to actually see it – it is a very emotional moment.”
Benson said that the group takes many trips throughout the year to keep people involved and having fun, but they like to do things that are educational and theologically based as well.
“When we first thought about coming to campus here, it was because we were thinking about going to the creation museum in Dallas,” Benson recounted. “I told them, ‘If we are coming to Dallas, we have to go see Southwestern,’ and it worked out that we could do it. I am very glad that we did this.”
Benson added that being on the campus of Southwestern feels like a “beautiful and special place” and that knowing the history of the institution caused many of those on the tour to become emotional.
While touring the campus, the group was also able to visit the Lotte Moon exhibit in the main lobby of Mathena Hall.
“I think that the lobby and exhibit of Lottie Moon was very interesting,” said Sagemont member Steve Brown. “I also liked the room with all of the pictures of significant pastors and evangelists. It is cool to see all of these great preachers and significant people who played major roles in our great awakenings.”
