Pre-seminary program info sheet

PRE-SEMINARY PROGRAM

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The Dordt Difference God calls all of his people, in all professions, to live as faithful disciples in all areas of their lives. One of those professions is minister of the gospel, serving in congregations and other church ministries.

When the gospel is faithfully preached in power as God’s people are gathered for worship, all followers of Christ are equipped for and challenged to faithfulness in the other areas of their lives.

At Dordt College you will be prepared for seminary by professors who are experts in biblical studies, who have a deep-seated understanding of the theological issues of the past and of today, and who love the church of Jesus Christ and have a passion for the church’s ministries. Our professors are committed to the authority of Scripture and its relevance for today. They are also committed to giving you a solid knowledge of biblical languages, enabling you to do in-depth biblical studies that will help you know the Bible and faithfully present the gospel in power.

IN THE FIELD Dordt College helped me understand what it means to love God with my mind, as well as with my heart and soul, and at Dordt, I learned the importance of following God’s call to serve him. As a history major, I learned the importance of reading a text closely and carefully, a skill that has served me well.

Daniel Vos (’99), has an M.Div. and Th.M. from Calvin Theological Seminary. He has been a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church and hopes to pursue a doctorate in Old Testament studies.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT “Dordt’s pre-seminary program enabled me to thrive in seminary and provided the foundation for further theological study. In particular, its strong emphasis on New Testament Greek allowed me to excel in my seminary language classes.”

Nevada De Lapp (’04) recently completed his Ph.D. in Old Testament studies at Texas Christian University.

THE PROGRAM How do you prepare for church ministry?

Different seminaries have different requirements. At Dordt College, we encourage students who plan to go to seminary to take courses in a wide range of areas: history, English, philosophy, psychology, the sciences, education, and, of course, theology. Theology courses help you gain an in-depth knowledge of the Bible, a clear sense of how the church over the centuries has come to understand and live out its faith in the Lord, familiarity with the practical issues facing the church and those in its leadership roles, and an understanding of the pressing theological issues of the past and today.

As a pre-seminary student at Dordt College, you will be assigned an advisor who will help you develop a program that meets the specific requirements of the theological seminary you hope to attend. Each seminary has its own requirements for admission. Your professors will work with you to shape a program that meets the needed requirements, ensuring that you have a solid foundation in biblical studies as well as in New Testament Greek.

Dr. Henry De Moor, vice-president of academic affairs at Calvin Theological Seminary, notes that students from Dordt College tend to have strong backgrounds in theology and philosophy.

Some of Calvin Seminary’s best scholarship awards have been presented to Dordt College graduates. Other theological seminaries that visit Dordt College each year looking for candidates for their program have offered similar testimonials.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH Pre-seminary students, theology majors, and others make up a rich community of people at Dordt who are interested in missions and evangelism, youth ministry, worship, historical and systematic theology, and biblical studies. As a pre-sem student, you’ll also be connected with local pastors and churches so that you can connect what you learn in the classroom to actual issues faced in the ministry.

Dordt College campus ministries programs offer more opportunities for testing, developing, and using your gifts as they relate to worship and ministry. You can participate in many of the following: All Campus Retreat • AMOR (A Mission OutReach) • Bible studies • Chapel • Christian concerts and theatre • ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger) agricultural missions conference in Florida • GIFT (Growing In Faith Together) • Justice Matters Club • Pastoral counseling • Praise and Worship • PLIA (Putting Love In Action) • Small groups • Women of Promise • Worship arts minor • Youth Ministry Club For more information about an exciting and enriching college experience, contact the pre-seminary advisor, Dr. Wayne A. Kobes, at Wayne.Kobes@dordt.edu.

August 2015