What makes Carroll different?
We exist to serve Christ and his church through the worldwide provision of affordable, high-quality, accessible and accredited theological education. Wherever there is Internet access, there is a classroom.
Our Purpose
We exist to serve Christ and his church through the worldwide provision of affordable, high-quality, accessible and accredited theological education. Wherever there is Internet access, there is a classroom. Whether global or local, we equip students through the teaching of dedicated professors who are academically well-qualified, experienced in the diverse ministries of the church, and missions-minded.
Your calling.
Because God calls his servants from many different walks of life, we’ve constructed certificate, master’s, and doctoral-level programs which help servant leaders pursue their calling and interests where they live, work and serve. Is your calling to serve as a pastor, music minister, children’s minister, young adult minister, youth minister, Christian counselor, professor, parachurch leader, or military, hospice or hospital chaplain? Whatever your calling, let us help you pursue it.
Your path.
Unlike most seminaries, we’re not tied to one location and use a variety of course delivery methods. Our flexibility has allowed us to keep costs low—about one-third the cost of most institutions—and you can obtain your degree at your own pace and in familiar surroundings. Our eight-week terms and 2-credit hour courses also allow you to complete a master’s degree in as little as two years. We also offer week-long intensives in selected subjects to speed up the process.
His kingdom.
Our core faculty is made up of biblically-faithful men and women who possess more than 300 years of collective seminary teaching experience and who have pledged their lives to kingdom service. This service is deeply rooted in our DNA at Carroll. We do what we do to bring glory and honor to the One who saved us from our sins, and who holds the only hope for the salvation of humanity—Jesus, the crucified, risen and reigning Christ.
Our
Faculty & Staff
Meet the President
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Faculty
Administrative Staff
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Our
Accreditation
B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary is accredited to award master’s and doctoral degrees by:
Fast Facts
- On average, Carroll students spend 53% less than a residential seminary on their degrees.
- Approximately 80% of tuition costs are paid through the generosity of donors.
- Our theological education is biblically based and practically oriented.
- Carroll’s faculty is highly credentialed; all faculty hold a terminal degree in their field (sometimes two of them).
- Our model is flexible, offering instruction online in eight-week terms and summer intensives.
- Courses offered online are either synchronous, asynchronous, or blended.
- Carroll provides theological education to students in multiple countries, including the U.S., Canada, Cuba, Vietnam, China, and multiple countries in Europe.
Discover Your Path
“My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” Psalm 17:5
The first step in reaching a destination is to know where you’re going. Next, you’ll need to determine your course. In today’s world, there are a number of tools which can help you do that. For instance, you hold in your hand in your cell phone more technological power than existed when NASA landed the first astronauts on the moon. That phone can help you navigate any interstate highway in our nation.
In a way, we’re like the map you now hold in your hand. With God’s direction, you will decide where and how you will need to serve. We will help you reach that destination. So whether you desire to serve as a pastor, education minister, counselor, missionary, administrator, youth minister, or professor, we’ll help guide you through your seminary education, all the while equipping you with the tools you’ll need to navigate the next steps in your journey in service to God’s kingdom.
Do I really need theological education?
We believe so. God calls all of us to minister and all of us to “run in such a way as to win the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). For those called to full-time ministry, the need to equip and prepare is even greater!
Books, conferences, blogs and fellowship are all great things, but pastors and church leaders need more. They need a proven training program and coaching.
Why do some people say they don’t need seminary?
Those called to serve God in a part-time or full-time vocational capacity typically give two reasons why they don’t want or need seminary training. Let’s take a candid look at both of these arguments.
“Seminary squelches the Spirit. If I go to seminary then all of that dry academic, theological rhetoric will squeeze the Spirit out of me. God has already given me all I need to serve Him.”
Yes, seminary language and academics can become substitutes for an authentic relationship with God—but so can the lingo and methods of your favorite author, speaker, or peer group. If you are already aware of this possibility, you are positioned to pursue truth in the context of a community of faith and learning and to be coached by a mentor and professor who can equip you for ministry while deepening your relationship with God. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
“Seminary is impractical and irrelevant. The stuff they teach at seminary is not the real world. I need ministry training and a way of doing church that is practical and will work.”
Too many “real world” ways of doing church are “cutting edge” and not proven over time and in multiple contexts. What is spoken of at the largest conferences and in the best-selling books and videos does not guarantee its lasting effectiveness, or that it will work where you serve. Will big city methods work in a small town? Will megachurch techniques work in a congregation of 50? Will the latest means for evangelizing Americans work among those on Asian frontiers? Why not learn how people have tried to do and be the church globally and historically and apply some of that to where you serve? Carroll’s model allows you to learn where you live and serve. The application of what you learn can be immediate in the ministry to which you have been called. You can still go to Orlando for that conference and speaker you like.
What are the real reasons for avoiding seminary?
The real reasons people don’t want to go to seminary can range from fear and insecurity, to money, to the hard work involved. We have equally candid answers here.
“I just don’t think I’m adequate. Besides, I am afraid I’ll fail.”
The only person never to fail in life died for you—Jesus Christ. Everyone else has. The Apostles Peter and Paul. St. Augustine. Martin Luther. Every professor of theological education ever to serve in a seminary. We all fail because we’re all imperfect. Seminary isn’t about perfect people teaching imperfect people. It’s about learning from well-experienced and knowledgeable men and women who offer lifetimes of insight into the ministry of the church. We know many feel threatened by the idea of coming under the mentorship of another, of training and disciplining oneself under the authority of another, but such a practice has always been necessary. We all need guidance. In depth theological will build you up in the faith. It might even challenge presuppositions and push you out of your comfort zone.
“I just don’t think I can afford it.”
Money is often used as a reason for not following what we feel is God’s call on our lives. But those whom He calls He equips through hard work, the support of churches, and the generous gifts of others who share the vision for theological education. Most seminary degrees are not cheap, but B. H. Carroll’s degrees are roughly one-third the cost of most other schools—precisely because of the generosity of our donors.
“I’m not sure I have the endurance to complete a degree.”
Seminary graduate study requires hard work, determination and the ability to integrate your training into your life of family, work, and hobbies. Like adding marathon training to your already busy schedule, you will have to make a commitment and find the time for the things important to you. The first step in the process is to get moving. Our gracious God will assist all those who make such commitments.
Carroll is different for a reason.
Carroll reinvented seminary by making it affordable, making it available where you live and serve right now, and making it real and applicable to your current ministry, right now! At Carroll, our mission is to fulfill the Great Commission by equipping God-called, Spirit-filled missional leaders—people like you! Our goal is to see God’s kingdom grow by returning a deeper understanding and knowledge of God’s Word back to the people in the local church.
What We Believe
The foundation for all of Carroll’s teaching and ministry as a seminary is built upon the Bible and the core theological beliefs revealed in it.
Mission, Vision, and Values
B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary is a graduate-level community of faith and learning which equips men and women called to serve Christ in the diverse and global ministries of His church.
Steps to Apply
- Begin Online Application
- Order Your Transcripts
- Request Recommendation(s)
- Request Church Endorsement
- Submit Personal Statements & Digital Photo
- Submit Completed Application