Weekly Email: April 7, 2025

First, congrats to Joel Blevins for winning the giveaway and thank you to everyone that filled out the survey. Your feedback helps us continue improving the online program here at Southern.

Student Tip: One thing at a time

As this next term begins, I want to encourage you to focus on prioritizing and staying present with whatever task is in front of you. When life gets busy, it’s easy to fall into the habit of doing multiple things at once. Maybe you’re trying to help your kids, cook dinner, and squeeze in schoolwork all at the same time.

I know that when I get busy, I default to trying to do too many things at once. In the end, I don’t make the progress I want to make, my relationships aren’t as engaging, and my brain feels frazzled.

That might sound like an extreme example, but it’s more common than we think. The problem is that when we try to multitask, each thing suffers. It actually takes more time and results in lower-quality work.

So when it’s time to work on school, do your best to focus only on that. Put your phone away. Be fully present. Talk with your spouse, kids, or roommates and let them know you need some time to focus so you can finish your work well.

You’ll likely find that when you give your full attention to your schoolwork, it takes less time than if you tried to do it while juggling other things. The goal is not to spend more time on school but to be focused and efficient so you can give the rest of your time to your family, your church, and the other priorities in your life.

So when you’re doing one thing, do that one thing well. Then move on to the next. Splitting your attention rarely leads to better results, no matter how much it feels like you’re managing it.

Program News: Cooperative Program Course

All Southern Seminary degree-seeking students are required to complete the Cooperative Program course (42490) within their first year of study. This course is self-paced, completed fully online, and takes approximately 2.5 hours to finish. It includes four short units with lectures and an associated quiz after each one.

Although it appears as a “Main Campus” course (without a WW designation), no in-person or live sessions are required. There is no cost, no textbooks, and no required readings.

For more information or to register, visit inside.sbts.edu/cpcourse.

If you have questions, contact Academic Advising at academicadvising@sbts.edu.

Student to Student Advice

This week, I want to share two great insights from fellow students.

The first comes from Ryan H.:

“Block out study time for early in the weekday mornings. It frees up your evenings for family, rest, and other responsibilities. It also helps you stay disciplined.”

This advice resonates deeply with me because I’m naturally a morning person. But I also realize that’s not true for everyone. The core idea here, regardless of when you choose to study, is to intentionally set aside dedicated time. In this season of school, intentionality often requires sacrifices. Protecting your time for focused study helps ensure you’re available for family, rest, and ministry later.

The second piece of advice is from Nathan P.:

“Your goal is to learn, not make good grades. You will make good grades as you learn well.”

Nathan’s reminder is important because grades can easily become our primary focus. While good grades matter, they’re ultimately not the point of your theological education. Seminary is about transformation into the likeness of Christ, becoming better equipped as a leader, teacher, and minister of the gospel. There will be weeks or even entire terms when life’s burdens feel heavy and you can’t give school your full attention. Remember, that’s okay. Give yourself grace. God’s grace is sufficient, and he will use your faithful efforts, big or small, to continue shaping you for the ministry he’s called you to.