Journal: Maranatha Baptist Theological Journal
Volume: MBTJ 01:1 (Spring 2011)
Article: Introduction
Author: Larry R. Oats

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MBTJ 1:1 (Spring 2011) p. 1

Introduction

Larry R. Oats

Editor

Welcome to the first edition of the Maranatha Baptist Theological Journal. This peer-reviewed journal is the product of Maranatha Baptist Bible College and Seminary. The purpose of the Maranatha Baptist Theological Journal is to promote biblical scholarship from a Baptist, dispensational, and conservative theological position. Articles will be academic and practical, biblical and theological, focused on the needs of the pastor and church leader, and, above all, faithful to God’s Word.

Maranatha Baptist Seminary and Maranatha Baptist Bible College educate men for pastoral and related ministries and women for ministry opportunities in cross-cultural studies, counseling, and other biblically-based ministries.

Maranatha seeks to strike a balance between the necessary academic studies suitable for an advanced education with the practical experiential needs of the fulltime minister. Therefore, Maranatha Baptist Seminary has chosen to hire men as fulltime professors in the academic areas of biblical studies, theology, history, and languages. Professors in pastoral studies and cross-cultural studies are adjuncts who are currently involved in the area of ministry in which they teach; in this way, our students will be learning from current practitioners in the arenas of practical theology.

MBTJ 1:1 (Spring 2011) p. 2

Maranatha also seeks to assist men and women who desire to remain where they are, while still obtaining some biblical education. Some of these may already be in a ministry they do not want to leave. Others are not in fulltime ministry and have no call to be, but they may want to enhance their ability to serve in a volunteer capacity in their churches. Still others are interested in entering ministry, but are unsure of God’s call on their lives and are not yet ready to uproot their families and move to begin their seminary education. Toward these ends, Maranatha Baptist Bible College offers an online Bible Certificate program, consisting of our undergraduate Bible core and an online Masters of Arts in Bible. This allows those who wish to remain in their current location to actively pursue formal education. Maranatha Seminary also offers virtual classes; these are our traditional semester-based classes offered through the internet, using technology on the Seminary site that allows the student to see and hear both the professor and the students, to view the class notes, PowerPoints, and other materials the professor uses, and to ask questions and participate in the discussion in real time. Maranatha Baptist Seminary also offers one-week modules in January, May, and June.

Maranatha believes that a Christian servant is most eff...

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