NEO Seminary (2)

The NEO Extension Center of Southern Seminary

A world-class theological education in North East Ohio

The NEO Extension Center of Southern Seminary (NEO Seminary) provides an opportunity for persons to pursue a warm-hearted, forward-thinking, evangelistically-passionate, and theologically-sound education in NE Ohio. Through NEO Seminary the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) of Louisville, Kentucky offers courses at Cuyahoga Valley Church (CVC) leading to a variety of Masters level degrees. Students without an undergraduate degree can also work toward a diploma.

NEO Seminary seeks to train people who will impact others through leadership, communication, outreach/missions/church planting, and character development. NEO Seminary is committed to training and sending people into ministry as pastors, missionaries, and Christian workers. The goal is to target and train leaders in NE Ohio who will in turn equip the saints to help others grow to be passionate followers of Christ. NEO Seminary sends out leaders into the harvest in NE Ohio (our Jerusalem), in Ohio (our Judea), in America (our Samaria), and to the uttermost parts of the world. Our ultimate goal is that men, women, and children from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation might live for the praise of God’s glory in heart, soul, mind, and strength.

NEO Seminary will began this fall as one of the first Southern Seminary extension centers to utilize Compressed Interactive Video (CIV). NEO Seminary allows students from NE Ohio and surrounding areas to pursue a quality seminary education from one of the most prestigious theological seminaries in America while remaining in NE Ohio and ministering in their home contexts.

CIV is virtually like being in the room with the professor. The professors from Southern Seminary teach live and are projected on a big screen TV. While students look at and listen to the professors, the professors look at the classroom live via a camera in the classroom. If a student has a question, he or she can raise a hand and the camera will zoom in on the student. A microphone on the desk will pick up the voice as the question is asked. Students can dialogue live with the professors.

FULLY ACCREDITED
NEO Seminary offers a fully-accredited graduate level program for the Master of Divinity degree (the classic degree for ministry preparation). Southern Seminary is a member of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). That means that the NEO Extension Center meets the rigorous standards of ATS to ensure that graduates have a fully-accredited degree in the field of Christian ministry. With library partnerships in the region plus the growing number of online services directly from the SBTS library, students who study in Northeast Ohio have an academic experience parallel to those who study on the main campus in Louisville, KY.

REASONABLY PRICED
This graduate education is competitively priced when viewed alongside any comparable seminary program. This is especially true for students who serve/belong to a church family that is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. For those students the cost of the educational journey is partially funded by the Cooperative Program (CP). Tens of thousands of churches contribute to an on-going CP mission offering that supports missionaries as well as underwrites the cost of tuition for any student from a member Church. Tuition for 2009-2010 school year: $205 per credit hour for Southern Baptist students and $410 per credit hour for non-Southern Baptist students. (Members of a Southern Baptist church receive a tuition subsidy from the Southern Baptist Convention.)

ACCESSIBLE
Meeting at the Cuyahoga Valley Church (CVC) in Northeast Ohio, classes are easily accessed from I-77. CVC is located at 5055 E. Wallings Road, Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147. The location is just north of Ohio’s Turnpike, I-80, and just south of I-480. For directions, visit www.cuyahogavalleychurch.com.

RELEVANT
A primary motivation behind seminary education via extension is the equipping of leaders of NE Ohio in NE Ohio to serve churches of NE Ohio. Students study with colleagues who are preparing for similar roles with churches facing similar challenges. The curriculum is built around what are foundational areas of study to prepare God’s people for various roles of leadership in the local church.

SCHEDULE FRIENDLY
Students in extension sites have busy lives. Life is fast-paced in NE Ohio. Many students have 5-day-a-week jobs. Almost all play some leadership role in their church (from pastor to pastoral team member to Bible teacher to ministry leader). Many have families. All have neighbors and work associates to influence for Christ. So, classes have been developed for 5 week terms, meeting on Friday night and Saturday into the early afternoon. If a student goes full-time (3 classes each semester) he or she will be giving only 30 days over the course of a semester to class time. Some students take a class or two each semester and supplement that with an online class. Students are required to travel to the main campus in Louisville, KY for a few classes over the course of the entire degree program. Those classes on campus in Louisville have been developed into one-week formats.

NEO Seminary
An Extension Center of
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Louisville, KY

NEO SEMINARY CONTACT
Rev. Gary Nave
Director, NEO Extension Center of Southern Seminary
440-746-0404, ext. 219
gnave@cvconline.org

Classes are held at
Cuyahoga Valley Church
5055 E. Wallings Road
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147
440-746-0404

For general information about the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, contact the Admissions Office at 800-626-5525 (ext. 4617) or go online to www.sbts.edu.