The Benefits of Being an Online Student

As online learning continues to grow and expand, the benefits of being an online student also continue to expand.  Theological online education at Southern Seminary and Boyce College seeks to fulfill the same mission as on-campus theological on-campus education: “training, educating, and preparing ministers of the gospel for more faithful service.” Though there are some unique challenges of online learning, there are multiple intangible benefits of online theological training compared to the traditional on-campus learning experience.

Flexibility

Online learning provides you with the flexibility to pursue further studies across multiple different stages and spaces in life. These options can be the driving forces for students deciding to pursue further education.

Online classes provide you with the flexibility to complete coursework whenever you can. You have the opportunity to learn, study, and prepare at any hour of the day (or night). Southern Online and Boyce Online’s combination of synchronous (through LiveSyncs and assignment due dates) and asynchronous learning (through readings and recorded lectures) provides the flexibility to complete work throughout the week based on your schedule. 

Online learning also provides you with the flexibility to complete coursework wherever you are.  Find the means and methods of studying that work for you. Some prefer the consistent hum of a coffee shop, while others prefer the silence and solitude of a personal office. Online learning provides you with the power to complete your coursework based on your preferences. You may work full-time during the day, so commuting to an on-campus class is not sustainable for work or family life.

Most importantly, though, online learning provides you with the flexibility to continue in or begin ministry opportunities in places beyond Louisville, Kentucky. Where on-campus learning may require you to pause and/or leave your current ministry context to earn a degree, online learning enables you to continue on in your education journey from wherever you are. Rather than simply studying from the comfort of your home, you can now take classes from anywhere across the globe, whether in your native country or out on the mission field. This flexibility ensures that you can receive the best possible education while not disrupting or sacrificing current or future ministry opportunities.

Application of Knowledge

Some of the tangible benefits of online learning are seen in the practical application of the knowledge learned throughout the coursework. As you are serving in various ministry opportunities in your local church or community (pastoring, counseling, church planting, teaching, directing, volunteering, etc.), the classes that you take online will be immediately applicable to your situation and ministry. For example, classes like Introduction to Missiology (32960WW) or Introduction to Christian Missions (MS101WW) will prepare you to interact with their city or region with the Gospel. 

While preparing for this macro-level work, you will also prepare for the micro-level work in your local community. Courses like Southern Baptist Heritage and Mission (26200WW) or Religion in the Public Square (PH321WW) will help you understand the cultural moment in which you live and provide clarity and answers when addressing difficult questions and topics with your neighbors.

As current or future church members or leaders, you will take courses that prepare you for professional or volunteer ministry. Courses like Biblical Hermeneutics (22100WW) or Introduction to Biblical Counseling (CN101WW) will provide you with the important facts and information necessary to begin to properly apply the biblical principles taught to your local contexts. These courses are an important training ground for learning the ins and outs of ministry, which may take a long time to learn on your own.

On a more personal level, courses like Personal Spiritual Disciplines (40150WW) or Marriage and the Family (PS221WW) will prepare you for a lifetime walk with Christ and in the body of Christ through the local church. These formative courses help prepare your heart and mind to walk faithfully as Christians working to minister in your local congregation, local community, or local city or region. These personal-level classes are the beginning stages of the application that creates a foundation for ministry in whatever context you find yourself.

Through online education, you are able to practically apply these courses to your own life and ministry without first leaving to pursue studies.