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< Previous9 Academic Catalog Contents MASTERS COURSES AT A GLANCE��148 DOCTORAL DEGREE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS��150 DOCTORAL COURSES AT A GLANCE��158 2025-2026 ACADEMIC CALENDAR��159 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS��161 FACULTY, BOARD, ADMINISTRATION, AND STAFF��167 EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION��168 STEPHEN D� DAVEY��168 THOMAS PITTMAN��168 ANDY BURGGRAFF��169 EWART HODGINS��169 JOHN C� RAY��169 RESIDENT FACULTY��170 JOSÉ ALONSO��170 DOUGLAS D� BOOKMAN��170 ANDY BURGGRAFF��170 DAVID L� BURGGRAFF��170 JIMMY CARTER��171 STEPHEN D� DAVEY��171 PETER GOEMAN��171 GARY HALLQUIST��171 LES LOFQUIST��172 THOMAS PITTMAN��172 ALAN POTTER��172 TITUS KENNEDY��172 STEPHEN PRITCHETT��173 CLAYTON SCHULTZ��173 W� ANDREW SMITH��173 AARON VALDIZAN��173 MICHAEL VLACH��174 BOARD OF DIRECTORS��174 BOARD OF REFERENCE��174 ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF��17510 2024-2025 Academic CatalogGETTING TO KNOW SHEPHERDS12 2024-2025 Academic Catalog A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT The church has always mattered—perhaps even more so in recent generations. I’m referring to a textually driven church; to shepherds committed to the exposition of Scripture; to faithful ministry leaders fully committed to pleasing Christ. We’re living in a transitional age, to say the least. Seismic cultural changes are rapidly altering ancient boundaries. From the belief of a historical Adam to the increasing approval of trajectory theology and theistic evolution, the landmarks are being redeﬁned and even eliminated. Frankly, there has never been a better time for a church leader to hold fast to the faithful Word . . . “so that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). Mr. Gallup once opined, “There has never been a time in American history when the church has made so many inroads, while at the same time, made so little difference.” Perhaps that’s because the church is more interested in being invited to the table of secular opinion and receiving a nod of polite appreciation, than it is in telling the truth. Instead of taking advantage of open doors and opportune times, the church has softened its message and, in the words of Tozer, has begun to offer suggestions rather than ultimatums. Shepherds Theological Seminary is poised to make a greater difference than ever. At Shepherds we begin with the text of Scripture, interpreting everything in our cultural landscape to the plumb line of revealed truth. Only then can the church provide spiritual insight and direction. Offering our culture anything less than God’s Word would be like offering dying people medicine bottles ﬁlled with tap water. People don’t need bottled water; they need God’s Word. Let me invite you to join our growing student body, led by a dedicated and learned faculty, and prepare together to become faithful dispensers of healing truth. For today for Christ’s glory, Stephen Davey President13 Getting To Know Shepherds DISTINCTIVES Shepherds Theological Seminary (STS) is committed to theologically conservative academic excellence. Our faculty members are not only academically minded, they are experienced shepherds committed to training men and women for ministry. Student education is enhanced by the intimate connection to a vibrant local church. STS is devoted to advanced academic training that is tested and reﬁned through mentored relationships, allowing students to apply their studies in the laboratory of local church life and ministry. PURPOSE STATEMENT Shepherds Theological Seminary exists to impact the world for Christ by equipping servant leaders for life and ministry by strategically shaping both intellect and character through biblical scholarship and personal mentoring. CORE VALUES The STS purpose statement reﬂects the following three core values to which the Seminary is committed: Servant Leadership— “Shepherds Theological Seminary exists to equip servant leaders for life and ministry . . .” Therefore, we are committed to a Spirit-led life and ministry modeled after the servant leadership of Jesus Christ. Biblical Scholarship— “. . . by strategically shaping both intellect and character through biblical scholarship . . .” Therefore, we are committed to teaching an integrated body of truth as expressed in our doctrinal statement. Personal Discipleship— “. . . and personal mentoring.” Therefore, we are committed to helping students grow in Christ and identify God- given abilities by personal interaction within the seminary community. SCHOLARSHIP Knowledge “Head” DISCIPLESHIP Character “Heart” LEADERSHIP Skills “Hands”14 2024-2025 Academic Catalog EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY Shepherds Theological Seminary exists to glorify God and honor our Lord Jesus Christ. We base our philosophy of education on the theological certainty that the one true triune God has self-attestingly revealed Himself to mankind in the Christian Scriptures. This God of the Bible has many attributes—several of these are foundational for education. God is the Creator of the universe, and everything that exists, including all knowledge, is ultimately sourced in God. God is able to communicate His knowledge to mankind because man is made in God’s likeness. Though mankind rebelled against God, God has graciously provided redemption, including the regeneration of the mind, through the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Thus, the omniscient God who knows all things shares some of what He knows with His creatures in human knowledge. What man as a creature can know never invades the sphere of knowledge of the Creator, but reﬂects God’s knowledge analogically, even as man as a being made in God’s image reﬂects God’s being analogically. Moreover, a reasonable mind has been given to man so that he is able to receive knowledge from God, to apply the teaching of God to life, and to communicate God’s truth to others. Furthermore, God is a God of truth in that His knowledge eternally conforms to His being. Truth for His creatures is therefore that which is an expression of the mind of God. Since all truth is sourced in the nature and mind of God, truth is absolute, eternal, and unchangeable because God Himself is immutable. God has revealed knowledge that is foundational for all of life and eternity in the Bible, and thus Scripture is the center and core of all learning at STS. Because God’s Word is truth, we believe that the content of Scripture must be enunciated clearly and authoritatively. All courses, including theology, church ministries, and counseling are understood and taught in relation to the infallible Word of God. Theological education is not simply a transfer of biblical knowledge, but an ongoing transformation of the whole person. STS intentionally and strategically endeavors to shape Christian intellect, character, and spiritual awareness according to the model of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We prayerfully strive to equip students to communicate and to apply the Christian faith throughout their daily lives. To express our educational philosophy to our students, STS offers courses in three main areas: (1) Exegetical Theology, composed of courses in Bible Exposition, Old Testament, New Testament, and Biblical Languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, etc.); (2) Theology, composed of courses in Systematic Theology and Historical Theology; and (3) Practical Theology, composed of courses in Pastoral Theology, Missions and Evangelism, Christian Education, and Biblical Counseling. 15 Getting To Know Shepherds SERVANT LEADERSHIP A servant leader is one who has built his life on a ﬁrm biblical foundation and has developed character traits and skills using Jesus as the model. As such, he seeks to understand the needs of others and to help them meet those needs as they also commit to imitate Jesus. KEY SCRIPTURES But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted (Matthew 23:11–12). Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selﬁshness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:1–8). So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them" (John 13:12–17). Our conviction is that Shepherds Theological Seminary belongs to Jesus Christ. We believe that faculty members and all students, whether preparing for ministry in counseling, the pastorate, missions, or education, should seek to imitate our Lord’s model of servant leadership. Servant leadership certainly includes: •Respect for others •Sensitive and careful communication •Commitment both to truth and love •Desire to give wise and helpful counsel •Graciousness of actions16 2024-2025 Academic Catalog DOCTRINAL STATEMENT THE SCRIPTURES Shepherds Theological Seminary holds to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. We believe that all the words and all the parts of the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are the only inspired Word of God. The Bible is the product of men controlled by the Holy Spirit, and in the original manuscripts it is truth without any mixture of error. God, in His providential care, has also kept these Scriptures authentic and trustworthy from the time of their composition until the present time. The Bible is the center of true Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human life and conduct will be evaluated and judged (2 Timothy 3:15–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21). GOD We believe that there is one and only one living and true God, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. God is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, conﬁdence, and love. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious ofﬁces in the great work of redemption (Exodus 20:2–3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11). GOD THE FATHER We believe that God the Father, the ﬁrst Person of the Trinity, orders and accomplishes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8–9; 1 Corinthians 8:6). As the only absolute and omnipotent Ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator, He is Father to all humanity (Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (Ephesians 1:4–6). He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. He adopts as His own all those who come to Him, and He becomes, through adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5–9). GOD THE SON We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was not created but is the Second Person of the Trinity. He came into this world as foretold in the Scriptures to manifest God to mankind and to be the Redeemer of the sinful world. Jesus took upon Himself human ﬂesh and a sinless human nature through the supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit in a virgin, Mary. Jesus was both fully God and fully man, and His earthly life sometimes 17 Getting To Know Shepherds functioned in the realm of the humanly and at other times in the realm of the divine. He came to die for the sin of the world—the just for the unjust. Jesus Christ alone is the full and complete propitiation for sin—the full satisfaction of the Father’s justice regarding sin. He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures, retaining the same body, though gloriﬁed. His bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven, where He now serves as the High Priest for the redeemed of God and head over the Church, gives proof to the fact that His sacriﬁcial death was fully acceptable to the Father for sin (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 53:1; Micah 5:2; Luke 1:30–35; 24:34–39; John 1:1–2; 20:20; Acts 2:22–6; Romans 3:25–26; Colossians 1:16–17; Hebrews 1:3; 2:17; 4:14–15; 7:25; 10:1–14). GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature. He was active in the creation. He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulﬁlled. He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, and He is the agent in the new birth. He seals, guides, teaches witnesses, sanctiﬁes, and helps the believer (Genesis 1:1–3; Matthew 28:19; John 14:16–17, 26; 16:8–11; Hebrews 9:14). The Holy Spirit gives gifts to the Church through which the members serve one another and the world. Some of those gifts were temporary and are no longer given today. Some revelatory gifts such as word of knowledge, tongues, and interpretation were critical when the Church was without the written New Testament. Other foundational gifts, such as healing and raising from the dead, were used to conﬁrm and validate the ministry of the apostles as the authentic founders of the Church (Hebrews 2:1–4; Acts 2:22; Mark 16:14–18; Matthew 10:8; 1 Corinthians 13:8). CREATION We believe that the creation of the universe from nothing is neither allegory nor myth but a literal, historical event. The existence of all things is the result of the direct, immediate, creative acts of the triune God over six literal days (Genesis 1). Humanity—body and soul/spirit—was created by a direct work of God. Humans did not evolve from previously existing forms of life. The entire human race descended from the historical Adam and Eve, the ﬁrst parents of the entire human race (Genesis 1–2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16–17). SPIRIT BEINGS ANGELS We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings. Although they are a higher order of creation than humanity, they were created to serve God and to worship Him (Luke 2:9–14; Hebrews 1:6–7, 14; 2:6–7; Revelation 5:11–14; 19:10; 22:9).18 2024-2025 Academic Catalog FALLEN ANGELS AND SATAN We believe that Satan is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator, by taking numerous angels with him in his fall, and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve. He is the open and declared enemy of God and mankind. He is the prince of this world, who was defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and he will be eternally punished in the lake of ﬁre (Genesis 3:1–15; Isaiah 14:12–17; Ezekiel 28:11–19; Matthew 4:1–11; 25:41; 2 Corinthians 4:3–4; Revelation 12:1–14; 20:10). MANKIND We believe that Adam and Eve were created in innocence under the laws of their Maker, but by voluntary transgression, Adam fell from his sinless and happy estate. Adam represented all humanity and all humanity sinned in Adam. As a result, all men and women are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct and, therefore, are under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Genesis 3:1–6, 24; Romans 1:18–32; 3:10–19; 5:12, 19). SALVATION We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be born again. The new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus. Salvation is instantaneous and not a process. In the new birth, someone who is dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life. Salvation is the free gift of God’s grace, based entirely on the merit of Christ’s shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works. Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone is the only condition for salvation (John 1:12; 3:3–7; Acts 16:30–33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:7; 2:1, 5, 8–10; 1 Peter 1:18–19; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1). REGENERATION We believe that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given to men and women. It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God when the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation (John 3:3–7; 5:24; Titus 3:5). ELECTION We believe that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctiﬁes (Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 1:4–11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 3:4–7; 1 Peter 1:1–2). Sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of men and women to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:18– 19, 36; 5:40; Romans 9:22–23; 10:9–13; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12; Revelation 22:17).Next >