The programs at Richmont follow through on their promise. The classes live up to the hype. The professors are examples of the authenticity and transparency the school professes. If you want a program that you will actually use every day instead of just a degree for your wall or resume, Richmont Graduate University is your school.
Over the past several years that I have been in ministry it became evident that the Lord had a place for me as a pastor. With this calling on my life I came to realize my need for some further training in ministry. As I considered what options were open to me I saw three problems prohibiting me from pursuing more formalized ministry training. First, everyone I spoke to in the ministry hated their seminary experience but said it was necessary. This felt off to me. If I pursued coursework I really wanted to find all the classes valuable. Second, I did not want to go into debt especially when preparing for a career in ministry. Third, I would have to find a way to create time to study. I was already working a full-time secular job and a part-time ministry job and was worried about what investment of time classes would require of me. I just prayed that God would make all of these things happen if He wanted me to go to school.
The first issue dissolved when I spoke with the School of Ministry’s Founding Dean, Dr. Leland Eliason. He explained the focus on Knowing, Being and Doing how it is unique to the Master of Arts in Ministry. Thanks to our time together, I could see how pursuing courses at Richmont would offer me a functional education. Within a few months, God opened up my available time as I received an offer for a full-time ministry position. This also paved the way for me to financially attend Richmont. Watching the Lord provide for each thing that I thought was blocking me created a deep confidence that I was in the right place.
Right from the start, one of the most meaningful aspects of the ministry degree program was the opportunity to address changing and challenging church dynamics such as the number of pastors dropping out of ministry due to moral failures, the lack of true discipleship in the church, and the need for great leadership in the modern world. Richmont’s program addressed all of these factors. In fact, it was truly amazing how quickly elements of leadership, spiritual formation and Biblical understanding could be incorporated in my ministry or everyday life.
Now that my Master’s in Ministry is complete I am using everything I learned at Richmont in my role as Discipleship Pastor at Vertical Life Church in Dallas, Georgia. I have a lot of new connections from my cohort and we are already sharing in ministry together. We have spoken at gatherings, led weekends and even gone on mission trips together. I am excited to be part of a church that wants to emphasize discipleship at their very core! God only knows exactly what the future holds, but I could one day see myself directing a new church plant, developing a community center for college age folks, or even working overseas in missions. I’m very grateful for my time at Richmont. The programs follow through on their promises. The classes live up to the hype. The professors are examples of the authenticity and transparency the school professes. I’m glad to have a degree that not only hangs on my wall and enhances my resume, but is one that informs the way I love the Lord and serve others every single day.