Are you preparing to serve overseas with the International Mission Board?

Do you still need to fulfill your education requirements?

We have a program designed just for you!

At $25 a class, you can’t pass up this opportunity! 

Please look at the information below and email us at womenslife@sebts.edu if you have any questions.

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Announcing a new International Missions program 

through the 

Biblical Women’s Institute

The BWI now offers a Certificate in 

Women’s Studies 

with International Missions.

If you have a heart for missions and plan on serving over-seas this program is built specifically for you. The program can be completed in 2-3 years. The program meets the IMB requirements for spouses.

Course Requirements

2 courses – Old Testament Survey 1 & 2

2 courses – New Testament Survey 1 & 2

2 courses – Biblical or Systematic Theology

      WST0130 Christian Doctrine

      WST0250 Biblical Theology of Womanhood

2 courses – Elective courses

     BWI offers several elective courses that will benefit women who are preparing to go overseas. For example, 

     courses such as Preparing for Missions, Introduction to Missions, Church Planting I and/or II, Women and 

     Evangelism, Spiritual Disciplines, Counseling Women, and Biblical Foundations for the Minister’s Wife.

For more information, please contact the Women’s Life Office 

(919) 761-2340 

womenslife@sebts.edu 

www.sebts.edu

Ladies, the new semester starts NEXT WEEK!  Have you registered for your BWI classes? Check out the list of course descriptions below if you are still trying to decide what to take.  But HURRY!  Time is running out and classes are filling up!

What is your favorite class that you've taken so far? Let us know in the comments!

Thursday in chapel, we will be honoring the incredible ladies who completed one of the four BWI tracks this semester. Join us as we congratulate them!

Spring classes for the Biblical Women's Institute are now available, too! Be sure to check out the course list below and register today.

Spring 2014 Course Descriptions

Term 3: January 20^th  through March 13^th

WST0130: Christian Doctrine

Carrie Gilliam, Saturday, February 15^th & Saturday, March 8^th 8am-5pm

This class is designed to introduce the student to the broad concepts of systematic theology. This will be accomplished through weekly required reading in the text book, and through weekly lectures designed to provide a summary of the general areas of systematic theology. Also offered online.

WST0400: Church Planting I  

Dr. George Robinson, Thursday Afternoons, 3:30-6:20pm

This course is a basic orientation to the biblical, theological, sociological, and practical dimensions of starting new churches.

WST0310:  Counseling Women

Kathy King, Tuesday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

This course will examine life’s problems and solutions through a biblical worldview while addressing specific women’s issues. The class will help the student to understand the nature and importance of “biblical counseling” and how it is distinct from all other counseling. The student will also become familiar with biblical counseling resources that are available.

WST0120: New Testament Survey I

Dave Kerr, Thursday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

Together, New Testament 1 & 2 are designed to be an overview of the books of the New Testament. NT 1 will serve as an introduction to the Second Temple period, the New Testament world, the four gospels, and the life of Christ. Also offered online.

WST0210:  Old Testament Book Study

Zach Mullis, Thursday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

This will be a study of the book of Jonah.

WST0230: Women and Evangelism 

Debbie Stephenson, Saturday February 8^th & Saturday February 22^nd 8am-5pm

This course will prepare women to share their faith with other women. The apologetics part of the course is designed to assist women heading to the mission field by helping them learn how to evangelize people from other worldviews and religions. The majority of our time together in the apologetics portion will focus on covering apologetics in general.

Also offered online.

WST0520:  Worldviews:  Apologetics & Philosophy

Rion Bell, Tuesday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

This course is designed to equip the Christian with fundamental knowledge of a range of worldviews and religions. The goal of the course is to gain conversational ability with some basic Christian doctrine, as well as that of other worldviews, keeping the aim of evangelism in view.

Term 4: March 17^th through May 9^th

WST0410: Church Planting II

Dr. George Robinson, Thursday Afternoons, 3:30-6:20pm

This course is a continuation of Church Planting I.

WST0260: Family Life

Dr. Daniel Akin, Friday, April 4^th 6-9pm & Saturday, April 5^th 9am-12pm

This course will help students understand Biblical standards for marriage and how to apply these standards in their own marriage and family life.

WST0370:  Intro to Biblical Languages

Instructor to be determined, Tuesday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

This course is designed to provide an overview of language, concentrating on the biblical languages of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. The course will compare and contrast the biblical languages to English with a focus on understanding basic linguistic ideas such as grammar, syntax, style, genre, and others. The course will also address issues in translation and introduce students to tools for study in the original languages.

WST0550:  Living on a Limited Income

Instructor to be determined, Thursday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

WST0160:  Ministering to Women in the Local Church

Chris Adams/Denise O’Donoghue, Saturday, March 22^nd 8am-5pm and Saturday, April 26^th 8am-5pm

This course is designed to provide you with an overview of God’s design and purpose for women’s ministries in the local church as demonstrated throughout Scripture.  Both Old and New Testament teachings will form the basis for our study models. Application will be made to the church setting, and will be practical in nature. Class sessions will include lectures on the theology of women’s ministry as well as providing ideas and plans for women’s ministry.

Also offered online.

WST0122: New Testament Survey II

Dave Kerr, Thursday Evenings, 7pm-9pm

Together, New Testament 1 & 2 are designed to be an overview of the books of the New Testament. NT 2 is a continuation of WST0120 and includes the biblical history of the Apostolic period, Apostolic epistolary literature, and the Apocalypse.

Also offered online.

BWI Term 2 will start  Tuesday October 15, 2013!

If you are not yet a BWI student, 

please fill out the application 

here 

in order to register for classes this term.

What classes are you interested in? 

Comment below to let us know! 

About Me 

Hi! I'm Hope Hoge and I am a student in the Biblical Women's Institute here at Southeastern. I am 24 years old and I have been married to the most Godly man I know for almost 2 years now! I am from Alabama where I finished college with a degree in Elementary Education. I was a kindergarten teacher for one year until we moved here to North Carolina last August! I now work as a nanny for the sweetest 2-year-old little boy and most adorable 4-month-old little girl! We are covenant members at Imago Dei Church. My husband is here getting an M.Div in International Church Planting and we hope to be serving on the field by May of 2015! While we are in the process of getting to that goal, we enjoy leading a local outreach ministry here in Wake Forest. We love the Lord and we are trying to be obedient to Him, which is what brought us here to SEBTS!

When my husband and I moved to North Carolina, I was planning to take seminary classes at night while working during the day.  Yet after doing our budget and realizing that I would be working until 6pm through the week I was not sure how I could work, take classes, take care of my home, make time for my husband, friends, etc. I found out shortly after moving here that in order to go overseas, as the spouse, I had to take 4 seminary classes or obtain a certificate through the Biblical Women's Institute (BWI). After doing some research I found that the BWI just announced a new International Missions Program that offered a Certificate in Women's Studies with International Missions, which requires 8 half-semester classes.  After visiting with the ladies in the Women's Life Office I found out more about the Biblical Women’s Institute (BWI), which offers non-degree certificates to women in the community.  The certificates can be completed through night and weekend classes for ladies at an affordable price. I thought this had to be too good to be true! I was completely wrong!!

 I decided to try out the free class that Dr. Akin and his wife teach, Biblical Foundations for the Minister's Wife. (For more information on this class, please click here.) I am not sure what I was expecting, but I left the first night of class with a complete overview of Theology. I was overwhelmed with new and exciting information that I had never taken the time to learn or study. Dr. Akin did not cut the ladies any slack. He taught the class just like he was teaching a seminary class, which was very encouraging to me. I came home explaining to my husband things like "How our Bible came to us and the necessity of theology." Immediately, I realized that these classes were a true gift from God! There were other guest speakers throughout Dr. Akin and his wife’s class who spoke on topics such as orphan care, human-trafficking, hospitality, counseling women, marriage, raising children, the Great Commission, evangelism, and much more.

Since then, I have taken Old Testament I and II, which has helped me so much in my daily quiet time. For example, I enjoy reading the Old Testament, but I sometimes struggle wondering how to apply it to my life and how it relates to Jesus. One of my professors challenged our class to read Psalms as if we had never read it before and walked us through the steps of reading as if we are trying to find how each passage of scripture points to Jesus. This has been a great application to me for my Bible reading.

When I finish my degree, my husband and I will be selling all of our belongings and packing what we need to serve overseas for 3 years. The Biblical Women's Institute has played an important role in my life to help make this possible. If I were to give advice to someone who was thinking of pursuing a certificate through this program, I would definitely say go for it! If you have children or a busy schedule like me, but you are interested in learning more about the Bible and being challenged in your faith then this is definitely a great option for you. The classes are offered in half-semester terms, so you can take one class for three months and another class for the next three months. Weekend classes are also available.  For weekend classes, most of the work is done at home, but you still get the opportunity to meet with your professor on campus two Saturdays for 8 hours to hear the lectures, do hands-on learning, and have a time to ask questions.

The classes are very informative and cover a lot of information, but usually require a smaller workload than a full semester seminary course. I am so thankful for the BWI, which allows me to save money, work, and obtain a higher education that will prepare me for the mission field and facilitate spiritual growth in my life and in my walk with the Lord. I have been blessed to be able to learn, prepare for the mission field, meet some amazing ladies, and be a part of a truly wonderful program that was designed for women just like me. I have learned so much already in my short time taking classes.

Welcome to August, SEBTS girls!  Can you believe it's here already??

With the start of a new school year comes the start of new events, deadlines, & ministry opportunities from Women's Life.  For those of you who are new and for those who are returning...we're glad you're here & can't wait to minister to you and with you this school year!  

Here's what you need to know for the Month of August:

1.    Classes begin August 19^th!!! We can't wait to see you gals on campus again!

  
2.  New Student Orientation begins this Friday, August 9^th for College At Southeastern (C@SE) students. Women's Life is planning a “Pinterest Party” for the new girls on Saturday, August 10^th at 8:00pm.  We hear it'll involve fabric, ribbon, paint and maybe some glitter.  You new girls won't want to miss it!!  If you're a returning girl & would like to help out at the event, contact Carrie at cgilliam@sebts.edu.  The Women’s Life Office will also have an “Open House” on August 15^th, from 3:30pm-4:30pm.  All you new ladies, stop by & see us!!       

3.       If you are interested in taking classes in the Biblical Women’s Institute, we are currently accepting applications. If you're new, let us know if we can help you get started.  For our returning students, don't forget to register for you classes as soon as possible.

4.   Connecting Point will start back up very soon and we're super excited about the events we have planned for this year.  Our date reminders are being shipped to us as we type...but until they get here, you can go ahead & mark your calendars for September 6th at 7 pm. 

 5.   It's official…Beth Moore is coming to SEBTS!  Well, sort of...we're "officially" hosting her Living Proof Live Simulcast on Saturday, September 14^th in Binkley Chapel.  

Please go to 

http://www.sebts.edu/news-resources/conferences/bethmoore_simulcast/default.aspx
for registration information.  Feel free to help us spread the word about this event as well!  We have free posters that you're welcome to take to your church or business.  We'd love for you to invite your friends, family and co-workers. Our hopes are the we'll have a packed house!  

 6.  If you're a returning student and have a heart for public speaking and teaching to women, we are also accepting applications for the LEAD program.  LEAD is a ministry of SEBTS Women's Life that partners with local churches to provide speakers and teachers for their women's events.  We'll do a feature post on this in a few weeks, but in the mean time, feel free to contact us if you're interested! 

7.  Every year, we have girls ask us about mentoring.  For those of you who are in churches that do not have mentoring programs, we offer opportunities to be mentored by SEBTS faculty wives and staff memebers through our Thrive Mentoring Program.  If mentoring is something you'd like to explore further, please let us know.  We'll be happy to talk with you about this. 

And…as always, please call or e-mail if you have any questions!  Welcome to the new school year!!

Women’s Life 919.761.2340

 

Today, we are going to hear from Linda McLaurin, a recent BWI graduate.  To read previous posts from this series, Thoughts from Graduates, click here to learn from a seminary graduate, and here to learn from a college graduate.

Graduation was not the true intent of my starting this program. I just wanted to become better equipped in serving the Lord. To lead those who were already Christians to develop a desire to know God more and develop a life where He took priority. I wanted to be able to answer questions about the Bible being true and God’s Word. So many lost today believe that the stories in the Bible are made up and I wanted to better defend my faith as I encountered opportunities to share with them.  I also wanted to become better equipped to serve the church. The diploma was a nice reward.

 I have been a pastor’s wife for thirty-five years and have often been called upon to assist my husband in his ministry. Through the years, I have listened to many confidences and people have come to me wanting counsel. I wanted to see if in those thirty-five years I was leading them the right way. Through this program, I learned that perhaps I have been on the right track, but because of the program, I believe that I am better equipped to continue in serving the church and assisting my husband with his ministry.

First of all the program offered by the Biblical Women’s Institute is such a blessing. I believe it serves as a real help to women who are ministering in their churches. Not all of us are called to get a degree in ministry, but the Biblical Women’s Institute opens the door for many women to become better prepared to serve in their homes and churches according to God’s plan.   BWI strengthens women to serve alongside their husband in ministry or, for those not married to a minister, to more effectively serve in their local church. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-12 is a call for the people of Israel to remember God’s commandments and what He has done for them.  I believe these verses apply to us today.  To hide His Word in our hearts and to remember what He has done for us through His Son’s death.  I see the BWI as an instrument in helping one obtain a better knowledge of God through His Word, understanding doctrine, church history, and Baptist history. I never thought knowing church history was that important.  I believed you just needed faith to help you show the world Christ.  I have learned that to reach today’s lost we must be able to answer the questions they have about our beliefs and faith. My mind is not as good at remembering things as when I was young, but I now have resources to help me respond to some of their difficult questions. 

I enjoyed and benefited from the classes. I loved getting to know some of the ladies in my classes. At first, I was a little intimidated because I was so old and was fearful of taking the classes.  As time wore on, I felt welcomed and became more relaxed. I was amazed at how hungry some of them were about learning more about God and how they could recall Scripture. I respected them greatly. I will miss getting to know more of these young ladies who work so hard to serve Christ, now that I have graduated.  There were also some older women in classes with me.  Several of them were women whose husbands were called to pastor later in life. I admired these women for the courage they had to return to school and become better prepared to serve alongside their husbands in ministry. 

I will miss the weekly trips to the campus and getting to know the teachers as well. Several teachers just had a heart and love for what they were teaching and made learning more desirable. 

You ask me what is a sixty year old going to do with a diploma. My answer is that I am going to use it to bring Christian women into a closer walk with God and use it to bring the lost to Christ. I hope to use what I have learned to serve our association and church in a better capacity. I pray I will use it to serve Him more faithfully and to the best of my ability for you see our work is never done. We are to live for Him each day and I pray I will use it to bring glory to His name. I could never have finished if He had not been with me.

I am the wife of an associational missionary.  I have to say my husband was supportive.  He drove me to class when he could and encouraged me to take the classes. I appreciate Southeastern for offering this program for women. I would encourage any woman and especially pastors’ wives to attend.

Linda is a native North Carolinian, growing up in Gastonia and living most of her adult life in Eastern North Carolina.  Linda has been married to Dougald McLaurin, Jr. for more than 40 years, and has served alongside him in ministry while he has pastored several churches in the area.  Linda attended Appalachian State University, received her degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College, and now her diploma from the Biblical Women’s Institute of Southeastern Theological Seminary.  After 31 ½ years with the North Carolina Educational System, Linda is currently retired and resides in Nashville, NC.  She is engaged with her husband in the ministries of the Tar River Baptist Association where he serves as Associational Missionary; the ministry of her local church, Ephesus Baptist Church in Spring Hope; and involved in women’s ministry in her church and community. 

Linda has two adult children.  Her daughter Lisa lives in Fayetteville, NC and her son Dougald III lives in Youngsville, NC and is on staff at Southeastern Theological Seminary.