Forming women and men for ministry

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MISSION & PURPOSE

The Mission of Western Theological Seminary

By God’s grace, Western Theological Seminary forms women and men for faithful Christian ministry and participation in the Triune God’s ongoing redemptive work in the world.

Average Class Size

Student to Faculty Ratio

Degree Programs

Denominations Served

“Regardless of where God has called you, you will be ready to go”

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Dr. Felix Theonugraha

President of Western Theological Seminary

The Commons Online

News, stories, and resources from the WTS community to the Church. 

Sabbath and Surrender

Sabbath and Surrender

Scripture: Exodus 16 “What’s Your Excuse?” The manna story in Exodus 16 is a story about God’s...

From the Commons

DO WE STILL NEED SEMINARY?

In the age of Google, where seemingly endless content is at our fingertips, why is formal theological education still important?

WHY SEMINARY?

The Commons Online

WHO WE ARE

MEET THE FACULTY

WTS faculty are always available to guide and support students as they pursue their education.  As importantly, our professors are deeply involved in congregational ministry and several offer the unique perspectives of having served as pastors.

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Dr. Kristen Deede Johnson

Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs
G.W. and Edna Haworth Professor of Educational Ministries and Leadership

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Dr. Alberto La Rosa Rojas

Interim Director of the Hispanic Ministry Program, Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics

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Dr. Benjamin T. Conner

Professor of Practical Theology, Director of the Center for Disability and Ministry

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Dr. Chuck DeGroat

Professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality, Interim Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program, Executive Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

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Dr. David Komline

Professor of Church History, Coordinator for Strategic International Initiatives, Director of the Masters of Theology (ThM) Program

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Dr. David L. Stubbs

Professor of Ethics and Theology, Co-Director of the Hope-Western Prison Education Program

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Dr. Elizabeth Pennock

Director of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, Associate Professor of Counseling

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Dr. Han-Luen Kantzer Komline

Marvin and Jerene DeWitt Professor of Theology and Church History

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Dr. J. Todd Billings

Gordon H. Girod Research Professor of Reformed Theology

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Dr. John Brogan

Associate Academic Dean, Professor of New Testament, Director of the MDiv and MA Programs

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Dr. Keith Starkenburg

Director of the Vita Scholars Program
Interim Associate Dean

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Dr. L.S. Carlos A. Thompson

Assistant Professor of Christian Ministry and Disability Theology and Director of the Friendship House, and Student Accessibility Coordinator

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Dr. Madison N. Pierce

Associate Professor of New Testament

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Dr. Ron Rienstra

Professor of Preaching and Worship Arts, Director of Worship Life

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Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst

Richard C. Oudersluys Associate Professor of World Christianity

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Dr. Sue A. Rozeboom

Professor of Liturgical Theology

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Dr. Suzanne McDonald

Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology

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Dr. Tim Basselin

Director of Field Education and Student Life

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Dr. Travis West

Associate Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament

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Dr. Wesley Hill

Associate Professor of New Testament

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Dr. Winn Collier

Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Christian Imagination, Director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination

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Rev. Dr. Carol Bechtel

Professor of the Old Testament

@WesternTheologicalSeminary

One week from today, Western Theological Seminary will host its annual Stoutemire Lecture in Multicultural Ministry on Monday, March 25, from 3:00–4:30 PM. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Micah McCreary, President of New Brunswick Theological Seminary (@nbts1784), as this year’s lecture speaker.

Dr. McCreary will present a lecture titled “The Impact of Spirituality on Stress, Trauma, and Socio-Race.” The lecture will be available on livestream and in person at Western Theological Seminary. Visit the link in our bio for more event details.
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Day of Giving is one week away! Your support and generosity on Day of Giving will directly impact the lives of students who are being formed and equipped for ministry at Western Theological Seminary.

To make a gift today, visit wtsem.info/dayofgiving or head to the link in our bio.
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Are you a pastor serving in your first call or entering a new call? Offered through the Churches in Mission project at WTS, these cohorts of 6-8 pastors are designed to help you build your leadership style and connect you with colleagues for the journey.

Through monthly virtual coaching sessions, you will focus on learning your context, leading your congregation, creating action plans, and fostering your culture of curiosity and listening.

To learn more or to register today, visit wtsem.info/cim or head to the link in our bio.
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It’s not too late to register for the 2024 Western Showcase on Friday, March 22!

During your campus visit, you’ll have the opportunity to attend chapel, meet current students and faculty, and get a feel for what it’s like to be a student at WTS.

Register today by visiting wtsem.info/westernshowcase or head to the link in our bio. We look forward to welcoming you to campus!
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Formation is at the heart of Western Theological Seminary’s learning experience. In this video, President Dr. Felix Theonugraha shares a glimpse into the vision behind the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, which seeks to equip students to be hopeful practitioners as ambassadors of God’s shalom in a broken world.

Applications are now open for the first cohort, beginning classes this fall. Interested in learning more or applying today? Visit counseling.westernsem.edu or head to the link in our bio.
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What does the Cross reveal to us about who God is? How can we know him more intimately through contemplating Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection?

Journey to the Cross is a 12-day reading plan that invites you to prepare your heart for Easter as you journey toward the Cross, reflect on the events of Holy Week, and celebrate the Resurrection.

Dr. Wesley Hill and Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst are both contributing authors to this reading plan by Christianity Today.

Read an excerpt or learn more by visiting the link in our bio.
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Are you a pastor serving in your first call or entering a new call? The Churches in Mission project at WTS is offering two cohorts to help build your leadership style and connect you with colleagues for the journey.

Certified ICF Coach Hannah Stevens will facilitate monthly Zoom conversations throughout six months focused on learning your context, leading your congregation, creating action plans, and fostering your culture of curiosity and listening.

To learn more or to register today, visit wtsem.info/cim or head to the link in our bio.
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“Lent is a 40-day season in the church calendar that calls us to name all the ways we wander, some obvious, some subtle. Then, to turn towards the God who loves us and has been eagerly waiting for our return.”

Sam Gutierrez, Associate Director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination, is the author of “The Reason Love Reaches: Poems for Lent.”

The Reason Love Reaches is a collection of forty poems for the season of Lent. These poems are meditations on scripture that serve to steady your footsteps as you journey your way home.

To read an excerpt or to learn more, visit the link in our bio.
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Western Theological Seminary is pleased to welcome Dr. Micah McCreary, President of New Brunswick Theological Seminary (@nbts1784), as the speaker of the 2024 Leonard F. Stoutemire Lecture in Multicultural Ministry. Dr. McCreary will present a lecture on Monday, March 25, from 3:00-4:30 PM.

The lecture will be available via livestream and in person at Western Theological Seminary and is open to the public. Visit the link in our bio to learn more.
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The 2024 Western Showcase is just one month away! Interested in learning more about becoming a student at Western Theological Seminary? Join us for a campus visit on Friday, March 22.

Register today by visiting the link in our bio. We look forward to welcoming you to campus!
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“Lent is an invitation back to ourselves, back to the ground of our being as image-bearers, created ‘very good’ even in our creaturely limitations. We are ‘enough’ precisely because we’re God-breathed and God-imaged.”

Dr. @chuckdegroat, Professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality, is the author of “Falling into Goodness: Daily Readings for Lent.”

Whether they are used for Lent or another season of your life, these reflections are designed to invite you into the goodness of your life in Christ. Each week offers a unique theme that serves as a challenge for growth during Lent.

To read an excerpt of the book or to learn more, visit the link in our bio.
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