A Truly Apostolic Seminary

Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines a "seminary" as, “an environment in which something originates and from which it is propagated,” and also as, “an institution for the training of candidates for the priesthood, ministry or rabbinate.” The English word "seminary" comes from Middle English for “a seedbed, nursery, seminary,” deriving from the Latin word “semen or seed.” In the parable of the sower Jesus explained to His disciples that "the seed" of the sower is “the word of the Kingdom” (Matthew 13:17). Jesus was speaking of the authentic Gospel of the Kingdom (i.e. the message that the New Testament calls the kerygma) or "the Word of the faith", which the first apostles would proclaim (i.e. kerussomen) throughout the Roman Empire. Some years later Peter wrote a letter to the sons and daughters of the Kingdom who had been born of the Spirit and the Word of the Kingdom that Peter and the others had faithfully proclaimed throughout the Roman world boldly declaring, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and abiding word of God.” (I Peter 1:23) Ern Baxter taught, “There are two kinds of Kingdom seed. First, there is the Word of the Kingdom , the Gospel preached by the apostles in the First Century. This is the seed or DNA of the Kingdom. Second, there are the sons of the Kingdom; those begotten by the Spirit of God through the Word or Gospel of the Kingdom.” He also often declared, “If we preach the Kingdom we will get the Church, the demonstration and body or instrument of His Kingdom purpose.” Therefore an authentic “apostles seminary” must by its definition and of necessity be a “seedbed, an environment, or an institution” where the “Word” or “Seed of the Kingdom” that was entrusted to and proclaimed by the original apostles is not only accurately studied and taught, but also where those called to fivefold ministry are trained to faithfully propagate or herald that Word. The original “apostles seminary” was actually the mobile seminary headed by the Lord Jesus Himself. For three and a half years Jesus taught the twelve the mysteries and secrets of His Messianic Kingdom and prepared them to proclaim the message of His Kingdom, gather the sons and daughters of His Kingdom and build His Church. After Christ's ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost the twelve apostles of the Lamb together with numerous ascension-gift apostles like Barnabas and Paul proclaimed or heralded the Word of the Kingdom, gathered the sons and daughters of the Kingdom, and built Christ's Church (made up of the believing remnant of Jews and the first fruits of the Gentile nations) throughout the Roman Empire. As they went about their labors throughout the Roman world, they continued Christ's mobile seminary, training fivefold ministers in the Word that they had received, and ordaining bishops or elders in every place. Throughout the Church's long history many seminaries have been established to serve various movements or sects that have arisen: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Presbyterian, Anabaptist, Baptist, Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Charismatic. While these seminaries have much to commend them and do some good, it must be remembered that ultimately they exist for the purpose of training ministers in a particular theological viewpoint (seed) of a particular sect or denomination, thus equipping them to propagate that particular viewpoint and perpetuate that sect, ultimately undermining the unity and the effectiveness of the Church of Jesus Christ. As mentioned the mandate of the Apostles Theological Seminary is twofold: First, it is to rediscover or recover the authentic "Seed" or "Word" of the Kingdom, entrusted by Jesus to the original apostles. Second, it is to partner with others of like faith and passion to raise-up and train a radical new generation of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to proclaim the Word, equip the saints, restore apostolic foundations and reform the church, and to transform cities and nations until the whole earth is filled with the glory of the sons and daughters of the Kingdom of God. Hence the name, the Apostles Theological Seminary. In order to fulfill our mandate, ATS offers the Masters and the Doctors Degrees in Apostolic And Prophetic Studies. (For degree requirements and course schedules see Areas of Study)