Top Three Seminaries

An extensive study of Baptist and Evangelical seminaries has been conducted over the last 54 years. This study has been conducted by none other than David R. Brumbelow of Gulf Coast Pastor. He speaks for himself and probably a half dozen other pastors out there. I would argue, however, that my results would be affirmed by a sizable number of believers, Southern Baptist and otherwise.

There are many good, solid seminaries out there. And many poor seminaries. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I would be happy to recommend to anyone the seminaries listed below.

1. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 22000, Fort Worth, Texas USA 76122. 800/SWBTS-01; 817/923-1921. swbts.edu
Extension campuses in Houston, TX; San Antonio, TX; Shawnee, Oklahoma; etc.

I’m a graduate of SWBTS, but please don’t hold that against them. Southwestern is one of the largest and most influential seminaries in the world. It’s graduates serve, and have served throughout America and the world. Founded by the famous B. H. Carroll in 1908, it was the first seminary to include a Chair of Evangelism, also called the Chair of Fire. This Evangelism Chair was begun by pastor and evangelist L. R. Scarborough, who became the second president of SWBTS.

Today it is led by president Paige Patterson, a scholar, writer, and evangelist. Dr. Patterson is one of the well-known leaders of the Conservative Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention, the movement that brought the SBC back to its commitment to the inerrancy of the Bible.

Each year SWBTS students go throughout the United States conducting Revivals and winning folks to the Lord. Recently they have led over 200 to the Lord in the area right around the Fort Worth campus. SWBTS is accredited, conservative, scholarly, and evangelistic. Whether you want to study evangelism, music, missions, Bible, theology, religious education, biblical languages, archaeology, history, pastoral ministry, this is a great place to enroll.

2. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 3939 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana 70126. 800/662-8701; 504/282-4455. nobts.edu

Even back in the moderate days of the SBC (pre 1979), NOBTS, along with SWBTS and GGBTS, was known as one of the more conservative SBC seminaries. It’s graduates have included Jerry Vines, Adrian Rogers, and Paige Patterson. It is led by Dr. Chuck Kelley, who has served as a vocational evangelist. Kelley is a graduate of Baylor and NOBTS. Prior to being elected as president, Dr. Kelley served NOBTS for 13 years as evangelism professor.

NOBTS was founded in 1917 by the Southern Baptist Convention. It has extensions in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida. They subscribe to the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Most all of what was said about SWBTS can also be said about NOBTS. It’s a great seminary.

3. Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary, 2095 Appling Road, Cordova, Tennessee 38016, United States. 901/751-8453; 800/968-4508. mabts.edu

Founded in 1971, MABTS states, “We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, wholly without error as originally given by God, and is sufficient as our only infallible rule of faith and practice. We deny that other books are inspired by God in the same way as the Bible.” 

MABTS also says,
“Every faculty member accepts the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible.
Every faculty member is a faithful witness for Jesus Christ.
Every faculty member is an active member of a cooperating Southern Baptist church.
Every faculty member in the theological and educational field holds an earned doctorate.
Every faculty member is available for counseling with students.”

Dr. Michael R. Spradlin serves as president and teaches in Evangelism. The seminary’s founder and first president was Dr. Gray Allison. Mid America now meets on 35 acres of land given to them by Bellevue Baptist Church. Adrian Rogers was a strong supporter of MABTS. It is an “independent” Southern Baptist seminary and supportive of the SBC. It does not receive Cooperative Program funds, but supports the CP. Mid America was a conservative influential school during the SBC Conservative Resurgence. They have an extension in Schenectady, New York.

All three of these schools are accredited, conservative, scholarly, evangelistic, and believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. They uphold the fundamental, basic doctrines of our Christian faith. So if you've been called to the ministry and are looking for a seminary, these are three that I would strongly recommend.

Note: These three seminaries are listed / linked in the margin to the right under Sites I Mainly Agree With.

-David R. Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor, July 5, AD 2011.