What kind of Degree do you offer?

We offer several Degrees

We offer a degree of common sense that is greatly lacking in this world today.  We offer a degree of practical experience that is second to none.  We even offer a degree of friendship and partnership in the Gospel for a lifetime. However, we do not offer an Academic Degree.

W e have come to realize that’s really not what most churches are looking for today.  We are looking for people with servant hearts that are willing to go to small town and rural communities where the salary they are able to offer wouldn’t make the payments on an Seminary Grad student's loans. 

In the case of larger congregations, we are looking for parishioners who see that their full time pastor could use some regular help but realize your congregation can only afford one full time pastor.

In each of these cases you don’t need an academic degree…. You simply need a heart for Jesus.

 In our National Association, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), we are committed to promoting the priesthood of ALL believers. Therefore, our congregations are free to call whomever they desire to serve as their pastor…even Great-Aunt Gertrude if they think she preaches a great sermon!  We at BTRA believe that every Christian is ordained in their baptism and called to a lifetime of unique ministry based on their personal Spiritual Gifts. Now that’s not to say just anyone can be a pastor.  There are some specialized skills that you should acquire and practice. We believe in Seminary education. That’s why all of us went to Seminary. However, we have come to believe that such advanced education may have become an unaffordable luxury for many. That’s why we created this program. Now, those of you who are sensing a desire to move into the office of public parish ministry may now answer that call without depleting your 401K or selling your house.  We think that is worth more than a bunch of letters after your name.  If that is really important to you there are a number of wonderful seminaries in this country. They will be happy to charge you 20x our tuition in exchange for those letters. But they won’t give you any more opportunity to do ministry.