God has called you to serve as a leader in the church of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you are sensing a call to pastoral leadership, the chaplaincy, a specialized ministry, or as a lay professional. Whatever your calling, the choice of a seminary is one of the most important decisions you will make on this incredible faith journey. In seminary, you will not only learn but you will be shaped as a spiritual leader.
Our 13 United Methodist seminaries in the United States have educated outstanding preachers and teachers, evangelists and missionaries, chaplains, and lay leaders who have led the church and changed the world in the name of Jesus Christ.
At a United Methodist seminary, you will:
- Study with United Methodist scholars: At these seminaries, you will get to know the writers whose books are read on other campuses, and you will study with the people who are shaping the future of our church.
- Participate in the United Methodist connection: Our seminaries are vital parts of the United Methodist connection. On these campuses, you will have frequent opportunities to meet bishops, superintendents, pastors, and denominational executives. Additionally, the seminaries’ close cooperation with the annual conference Boards of Ordained Ministry will assist you as a candidate for ordination, and frequent visits from conference leaders will keep you connected to your home conference.
- Gain a global vision: In faithfulness to John Wesley’s conviction that “the world is [our] parish,” our United Methodist seminaries are committed to the global dimensions of the gospel. The presence of international students and linkages with seminaries in other nations will expand your vision of the church in the world. The United Methodist seminaries are committed to ethnic diversity and ecumenical understanding with a broadly inclusive student body and faculty to equip you to serve today’s multicultural, global church.
- Touch the tradition: Our United Methodist seminaries carry on the heritage and tradition of our denomination. These 13 schools take pride in their historic ties with the church and will ground you in the United Methodist tradition.
- Practice what you preach: Our seminaries provide a clear focus on the practice of ministry, as well as thoughtful theological reflection. Active participation by faculty in local congregations keeps them in touch with the practice of ministry. Theological study at a United Methodist seminary is always related to the practice of ministry and its context today.
- Exercise your intellect: Your intellect will be challenged, and your mind will be stretched to become, in the words of theologian and philosopher John Cobb, a “thinking Christian.” Our faculties are committed to rigorous study and lively debate in an environment that is both academically challenging and spiritually enriching.
