New seminary degree program

The MABTS is one of the best programs we've come up with at PIU. It's designed around the needs of actual students with whom we already have relationships. And while it is rigorous, it is also highly relational and built on numerous mentoring relationships. That is, there is a lot of individual attention.

Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary is the graduate school of Pacific Islands University, headquartered on Guam. Prior to Arizona I was full time at the university and helped launch the seminary. I still teach online and through in person intensive classroom courses for PIU. My goal is to be on campus for a couple of weeks each semester.

Teaching at PIU is still one of the most fulfilling things I do and I want to thank everyone, including MasterPiece Church, who helps us financially so that I can continue to do this missionary work. This week we received a major gift that will cover the cost of my air travel to Guam in November -- a definite answer to prayer.

This fall I'll be teaching the Spiritual Foundations for Ministry class and an independent study theological readings class for the seminary. In November I'll be on campus in Guam for a few weeks to meet with individual students for spiritual direction/coaching consultations and to hold some classroom sessions.

Dave Owen, president of PIU, writes about the new degree on his blog:

This Fall 2014, PIU will be launching a NEW MA program. The Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies will offer a more in-depth course of study that focuses on, at the student's discretion, either Church Ministry (Pastoral, Christian Education, Missions) or Biblical Scholarship.

This program will provide theologically, exegetically and practically trained male and female leadership (we want to train couples together for ministry) to the churches of the Pacific Rim, including pastors, Bible translators, biblical counselors, and missionaries to the unreached people groups of Asia, who are trained in a relational, mentoring, practical environment that will serve as the model for future ministry.

Future plans for this program include an emphasis in Counseling and another in Bible Translation. PIU provides an affordable seminary option for islander students (tuition at the same rate as the undergraduate program) and a place where those who plan to do their ministry in a cross-cultural, missionary context can already be doing missions while they are training.