“This partnership combines the resources
and expertise of the university with the
wealth of knowledge of seasoned clergy
in order to offer a rich, comprehensive
practicum that’s designed to help you
continue advanced studies.”
Bishop T. D. Jakes
Founder & Senior Pastor of The Potter’s House
“Palmer Seminary exists for the church,
a church anointed by the Holy Spirit to
make salt and light. The Openseminary
was birthed in the minds and hearts of
God’s people in South Africa during
a time of unprecedented freedom and
change. Combining its practical wisdom
with that of The Potter’s House and
Eastern’s Palmer Seminary is a sacred
act that bodes well for today’s pastors
and their churches.”
Dr. David Black
President of Eastern University
Openseminary at a Glance
Openseminary is a groundbreaking model in the
delivery of theological education. A three-year,
part-time program, it is designed for students
who want to be challenged academically and are
passionate about the church’s ability to make a
difference in the world, but whose work or family
obligations prevent them from relocating. While
students interact regularly with their professors
and with one another, over the course of three
years, the program requires a total of just six
weeks of residency, three at The Potter’s House
and three at Palmer Seminary. Inaugural participants
in the program will be designated as T.D. Jakes
Scholars.
Program Design
The program consists of six modules, each
of which focuses on a specific ministry of the
church. Each module is 21 weeks long. Students
move through each module as part of a cohort—
a group of three to five students.
Weeks 1 through 12: Students engage in a guided
reading program during which they interact on-line
on with their professor for the module and with
other members of their cohort.
Week 13: Students gather for a one-week intensive
course team-taught by a Seminary faculty member
and an expert practitioner in the area of church
ministry that corresponds with the focus of the
module. The location alternates between The
Potter’s House and Palmer Seminary in Philadelphia.
Weeks 14 through 21: The focus shifts to
research. Students apply what they have learned in
order to develop theologically sound conclusions
that lead to pastoral commitments and church action.
Program Modules
Doing Theology in Context (Theologia) –
You will learn that theology does not exist
in a vacuum. You’ll learn to apply theological
principles in the context of your church’s
ministry.
Leading and Building Community
(Ecclesia) –
You will learn how to
become a leader in the effort to build
genuine community in your church.
Communicating the Gospel
(Kerygma) –
You will learn to
help your church become more
effective in its efforts to proclaim
the gospel message.
Leading People in the Presence
of God (Leitourgia) –
You will
develop skills for designing and
leading worship that truly speaks
to the hearts of the people in
your congregation.
Missional Service (Diakonia) –
You
will develop a vision for missional
service in your church, a vision
focusing on extending a loving hand
to those in need.
Spiritual Formation (Paideia) –
You will have
the opportunity to develop a plan for the
spiritual formation and spiritual growth of your
church community.
For more complete information contact:
Travis J. Simons, MDiv.
Director of Christian Education
The Potter’s House
email: openseminary@tdjakes.org
phone: 214.623.4050
L. Armstead Edwards, M.S.
Director of MTS Openseminary
Program Palmer Theological Seminary
email: aedward3@eastern.edu
phone: 484.384.2977
Download Openseminary Brochure
>> Press Release 06.29.2010
Program Partners
Palmer Seminary is part of Eastern University, which
offers programs in the U.S. and overseas ranging from
the Associate of Arts degree to the Ph.D.
Openseminary, in addition to the M.T.S. program at
Palmer, operates in Australia (M.A. in Church Practice
through Tabor College, Victoria) and in South Africa
(M.Phil. in Applied Theology through Cape Town Baptist
Seminary/University of Pretoria).
