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Online College suggestions

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Jeff99, Jul 7, 2011.

  1. Jeff99

    Jeff99 New Member

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    Hi,

    I graduated high school and went off to bible college a few years ago (Jan 2005). I went there for 3 semesters (Spring 05. Fall 05. Spring 06). Well my grades were not the best that I could do and I really decided to do something else. Go my own way, do what I wanted to do and not God. Before I left (spring of 06) a friend of mine lead me to the lord.

    I had to come home, because of the grades and such. Since than I've worked in the music business, and join forces to co-own a business, BUT my heart is burden to finish what I started. Everything I pray about it I feel like it's my calling.

    I've looking for good Baptist College's that might have an online program. (YES i know about Liberty U), but just looking at all my other options.

    Thanks
    Jeff99
     
  2. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    What do you want to major in?
     
  3. RG2

    RG2 Member
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    I don't know if there is too many regionally accredited Baptist schools that have programs online. There's probably a bunch that are accredited but not regionally out there but depending on what you want to do that might not be a good option.

    In addition to Liberty, I know Dallas Baptist University has some programs online. Though I have to say even though I live about 45 minutes away from DBU, I'm actually taking classes from Liberty because it is significantly less expensive.
     
  4. Jeff99

    Jeff99 New Member

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    I want to become a pastor/youth pastor.

    I've check out DBU as well and Liberty would be above them for my choices because of the money.

    Jeff99
     
  5. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    I have four degrees from Liberty, but I would not recommend them for ministry (though, I believe they are one of the better online business degrees). While conservative, I think the academics may be slightly lacking.

    To be frank, (well, I am Derick, I can never be frank unless I change my name) I do not know of an accredited college that I would recommend their program through the Internet.
     
  6. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
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    Ruiz dear brother:

    We have had many'a conversations over the years. Coming from you, THIS IS HUGE!!! as George Costanza from Seinfeld would say.

    Can you say some more without bashing your alma mater?

    "That is all!" :smilewinkgrin:
     
  7. revmwc

    revmwc Well-Known Member

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    There are schools that have distance learning and many will accept your prvious studies. Many are not accredited by an agency recognized by the state so their accredidation to many is bogus.

    The most economical I found is Slidell Baptist Seminary, they have no english, math, science, history or base classes all bible course.
    Louisiana Baptist University as mentioned by others has an excellent distance learnig program but they are more expensive.
     
  8. PilgrimPastor

    PilgrimPastor Member
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    I've now heard this from two Liberty Graduates (I also have a handful of degrees from them) but I have experienced nothing like this and have heard nothing to back this up... How so and in what way??? I am thriving with a 4.0 in a D.Min. program so unless they are lacking as well, I was well equipped...
     
  9. michaelbowe

    michaelbowe Member

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    I too graduated from Liberty's Seminary. I began at a brick and mortar school, but because of some issues I needed to move away. Therefore, Liberty's distance program provided me the means to finish my M.Div, to which I am thankful. However, the academics were not as intense as the school I attended before. Liberty, because of its conservative stance imo, simply wanted to take what is considered "liberal" scholarship, and disregard it as a joke and call it liberal, instead of digging into it and seeing its flaws. It was a fairly good school, but the academics did not match my previous experience. Moreover, they do not require actual language studies, only language tools, which is a joke! Some people opt to go else where for the languages, which is a great idea. The school is cheap, and did furnish me with a gorgeous piece of paper that hangs on my wall, to which I am grateful. However, honest critique is that it wasn't up to par with my previous institution.
     
  10. PilgrimPastor

    PilgrimPastor Member
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    Fair enough. The language tools courses are not at the same standard as 12 or 18 credit hours in languages at TEDS or Moody or somewhere else of course. But this is the only limitation in the program that I experienced. I did undergraduate and M.A. / M.Div. through DLP and then online with them.

    Caner's courses were that way. A lot of hype and fake scholarship. He would say things like "I'm a Baptist in the Anabaptist tradition" and then talk about the WWE and how tough he was. Baffling.

    I think the school equipped me to do further research. I am well trained because of their foundation and my effort further. They only mentioned Karl Barth as a footnote, for example, but I purchased and have been studying his Church Dogmatics library. When they mentioned and then dismissed a certain scholar I always went straight to Amazon and Google and researched then purchased their most important works and read them.

    I get what you are saying completely. I once argued in favor of a certain theological position which had been brought up only to be dismissed and "hay-rhetical" and got a C on the paper, even the paper was very thorough and well researched. I figured out that game fast enough...

    I think you are selling them and your degree short to call it a paper on a wall dismissively, but I get what you are saying. However, I am much more well equipped because of their degrees, even with the limitations.

    When I complete the D.Min. and I am giving serious thought to a certificate in biblical languages with NOBTS through their distance learning program and a certificate in Islamic studies with SETS to make up for Caner's ridiculous instruction in apologetics in that area.
     
  11. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    I am not bashing my alma mater, I am just stating that I do not believe their academics in the Bible Department are as challenging as you would get at many of the other schools, and not even as challenging as they may be in other departments at Liberty. I have done work mostly at the school, but I have done work online too. I love Liberty in many ways and if a person was going to go there for Business, Nursing, or a few other majors, I would have a hard time recommending any other College. As for the Bible, while they are conservative, I think theologically their school is not as rigorous as you might get at other schools.

    If you want an example, my final semester for my 2nd Masters there I thought was very lax. One class (it was Greek) required a basic theological paper and I chose Romans 5. To me, the standards were so low that I really didn't study for the tests and was able to pass with an "A" and the paper required a minimum of Greek interaction.

    Their apologetics course, also in my last semester for my 2nd Masters, seemed very evidentialist (which is not a problem and this is the stand Liberty takes, so I have no problem with their stand) but when comparing it to the other apologetical philosophies I thought they often mischaracterized the other views in the classroom notes (though, the book for the class did a better job). Yet, when going through the notes in the class, I thought they did not represent people like John Frame (presuppositional) or William Lane Craig (classical). Rather, some of the objections raised, I believe Frame and Craig would also object if those were the real issues.

    These is not the only issue and I am NOT calling Liberty liberal, but they hold high the Word of God and there are some classes I had at Liberty I truly loved and respected how they were put together.

    However, I thought their academics needs to step it up a couple of notches. My hope is that the Seminary President to follow Townes, will be truly an Academic Scholar first.
     
  12. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    Michael,

    Your experience and my own differed on the liberal/conservative debate. Prior to attending Liberty I attended a secular school where I took classes in religion. I felt my "brick and mortar" education at Liberty provided me a solid rebuttal to what I was taught at my previous school. In fact, a couple of professors were excellent in addressing the liberal theological argumentation. Especially, their handling of JEDP theory was probably the best I have ever heard. When handling the Jesus Seminar they did not address it academically, mainly because it is hard to address this academically since the Seminar did not use an academic construct to build their decisions. As well, it only took most Academic liberals a couple of years before they renounced the Seminar as having no academic basis.

    Yet, I do agree with you, in many other areas I thought they were lacking.
     
  13. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    I don't now about Slidell, but there is a non-accredited programs I highly recommend. That is why I differentiated when I said that there is not an accredited program that I recommend.
     
  14. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    Pilgrim,

    See my previous notes. However, I do think there is not the rigorous academics nor challenging courses in their Bible department as even in other departments at Liberty. In my opinion, there is no comparison between the rigor between my MDiv and MBA. Both were at Liberty. I breezed through my MDiv oftentimes without studying. My MBA required countless hours of study, research, and reading (which was also much more than my MDiv) and still you were hoping to just make a "B" (You cannot make a "C" in the MBA program and graduate). In my academic career, I went to 4 different schools (two for undergraduate, two for post-graduate, and one just to take classes for a year for the fun of it). While Liberty was much better academically and in showing forth Christian Character than the other Seminary, I still think it lacked academically.
     
  15. michaelbowe

    michaelbowe Member

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    Thank you for your response. I was being a little tongue and cheek with my stating I have a beautiful piece of paper on the wall. I love what I learned from Liberty and am thankful for what it has provided me. However, I have stated my critique of the program I attended.
     
  16. michaelbowe

    michaelbowe Member

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    I am glad you had a different experience. My experience differed, anything brought up, via discussion boards, or papers, was dismissed as liberal. However, it is nice to know you had a different experience.
     
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