Weekly Email: March 30, 2026
This past Thursday and Friday, we had over 300 people on campus for the Boyce College Spring Preview Day. Young men and women passionate about the gospel, exploring what it looks like to study here and prepare for wherever God leads them next. I had conversations that left me encouraged, not to mention the excitement. It was also great to see several of you, parents, bring your kids here to check out the college.
In this email:
- Student Tip: You're Already in It
- Program News: A Complete Guide to Your Course Options as an Online Student
Student Tip: You're Already in It
One thing I often say when people ask me about the difference between residential and online education is this: when you come to campus, you're preparing to go out. When you're online, you're equipping yourself where you already are. But I know that you already know this even better than I do.
And of course, one thing you know better than I do, the equipping that you're doing right now? It's not a lesser thing…and in many ways it's the harder thing. When you started seminary, likely not much in your life changed. Your church, living arrangement, Sunday school, running the kids around, newborns, grandkids, and everything in between. It's all the same. Oh, plus, on top of all that, this thing called seminary that you're called to, that's been added to your life as well.
You're not sitting in a classroom imagining what ministry will look like someday. You're already in it. The counseling conversations, the teaching, the late nights with someone in your small group who's struggling, those are happening now. Your studies are sharpening the tools you're already using.
So why point out a bunch of things that you already know? Because your why is going to keep you going, week after week.
There's an old story I read about in Angela Duckworth's book Grit, about three bricklayers who are each asked what they're doing. The first says he's laying bricks. The second says he's building a church. The third says he's building the house of God. Same work. Same bricks. Completely different experience, because the third person understood what the work was actually for.
How you see your work matters, in many ways, more than the work itself. When you're reading a dense theology text at 10:30 at night after the kids are in bed, it can feel like you're just laying bricks. But you're not. Every book you read, every paper you write, every idea you wrestle with is being woven into who you are as a counselor, a teacher, a parent, a pastor. You may not see the thread clearly right now. You will later.
One of you emailed me this past week, wondering about the pace of seminary. He felt that he was going slow, taking a class when finances were available, taking breaks when life was busy, but ultimately being faithful to his calling. As an administrator here at the school, I want to say take as many classes as you can, because that's good for the school! But the reality is, we're here to come alongside you, support you, equip you, and further you for gospel ministry.
Anyways, the pace of your studies is going to vary widely, and that's fine. Some of you are taking two or three classes at a time. Others are doing one class a term, fitting it in around everything else. Completing a degree is not a race. There's no award for finishing fastest. What matters is that you're faithful with the season you're in and the capacity God has given you in it. And for some that is three classes a year and for others its ten. Either is okay.
When the workload feels heavy and the schedule feels impossible, remember what you actually are. You're someone in the middle of meaningful kingdom work who decided to go deeper. That decision costs you something every week. Every time you choose to push through a difficult reading instead of putting it off, every time you sit down and do the work when it would be easier not to, you're casting a vote on the kind of person you're becoming. The one who keeps showing up.
You're already in it. Keep going.
Program News: A Complete Guide to Your Course Options as an Online Student
I thought it would be helpful to give you a full rundown of every type of course available to you as a Southern Online student. When you're registering on MySBTS, you'll see different letter codes next to course sections. Here's what each one means and what to expect.
You can find a PDF of the information below here.
Eight-Week Online Courses MySBTS Label: WW
These are the standard courses for the majority of your program. Asynchronous, with about five or six live sync sessions and assignments due each week. Most of the courses you take will follow this format.
16-Week Online Courses MySBTS Label: WW
Some courses are always 16 weeks:
- Practicums (Christian Teaching, Preaching, Biblical Counseling)
- Beginning languages (Beginning Greek, Intro to Greek Exegesis: John, Beginning Hebrew, Intro to Hebrew Exegesis: Ruth)
In addition, we now offer 16-week versions of select core courses. These are the exact same content as the eight-week version, just expanded so each week becomes two weeks. The course schedule follows the eight-week term calendar, so if there's a break week between terms, there's a break week in the course.
Why we created these: Some of you hit a particularly busy season and need a slower pace but still want to keep making progress. Others are already taking a fall one and fall two course and could handle one more, just not at the eight-week pace. A 16-week course gives you that flexibility. These will rotate throughout the year and are limited to core courses.
Traditional Modular Courses MySBTS Label: MD
Seven weeks of online content plus one weekend on campus. The weekend varies by term, but the format is consistent:
- Friday, 12:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Some content you'd normally cover online will be delivered in person during that weekend. You are responsible for your own lodging, travel, and meals.
Experiential Modular Courses (XMD)
A more holistic, immersive version of our modular format, designed exclusively for online students. You'll spend Monday through Wednesday on campus with in-person class sessions, catered meals together with other online students, chapel, a late-night event, guest speakers, and dedicated time for community.
Your hotel lodging at the Legacy Hotel and all meals are completely covered. The only thing you pay for is getting here.
The consistent feedback from every survey is that every online student should take at least one.
Register for these at our experiential modular page instead of MySBTS so we can track lodging, dietary needs, and other details.
Conference Courses MySBTS Label: CT
A limited number of courses offered throughout the year, tied to specific conferences and workshops. Examples include:
- The Duck and Goose Conference
- SBC annual meeting
- Preaching and biblical counseling workshops with visiting speakers
These require attending the conference or workshop, and you'll have assignments and coursework that count toward an elective or core requirement. Availability varies, so check our conference courses page for current offerings.
Ministry Apprenticeship Program MySBTS Course Numbers: 44790, 44915, 44936 (no special course code)
Southern recently launched a new Church Partnerships initiative designed to come alongside the training already happening in local churches. If you're serving in a ministry role at your church, whether that's an internship, residency, or staff position, our Ministry Apprenticeship Program lets that supervised ministry experience count for academic credit toward your degree.
Each MAP course is 6 credit hours. You can take up to 18 hours total. Credit can be applied as elective or, in some cases, substituted for certain core courses.
Visit our Church Partnerships page for more information, or fill out an inquiry form and our Director of Church and Alumni Engagement, Blake Burris (bburris@sbts.edu), will be in contact.
Live Seminary Courses MySBTS Label: LS
These follow the eight-week format, but the instruction is primarily live and synchronous. Instead of five or six supplemental live syncs, you'll have dedicated live meetings each week where the content is delivered in real time.
What to know:
- You are required to attend every session
- The schedule will be posted when you register so you know the commitment upfront
- There may be some supplemental lecture content, but the majority is synchronous
- These are limited offerings throughout the year, not a path for your entire degree
We are not reducing our standard eight-week offerings. Think of these as an additional option if your schedule allows it.
On-Campus Courses
As an online student, you always have the option of taking an on-campus course if you're in the area or able to travel. A few common options:
- Evening MDiv classes (Course Code: E) meet six times throughout the on-campus semester (Monday or Tuesday from 6-10 pm). Most content is delivered in person with some supplemental online lectures in the off weeks. These follow the on-campus semester calendar, which runs on a slightly different schedule than the online terms.
- Winter and spring intensives meet Monday through Friday, approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., for one full week. Fully on-campus, no online content. Usually 2-3 of these are offered per year. You are responsible for your own lodging and meals.
- Traditional semester-long courses are also available if the travel and logistics work for your situation. These follow the standard on-campus semester schedule.
Quick Reference of Upcoming Term Dates:
- Current Week: Spring 2, Week 1 (April 6-13)
- Summer Term Begins: June 1-July 26
- Fall 1 Term Begins: August 3, 2026
Register for Courses →
Registration for Fall Experiential Modulars opens March 31
