Top Six Reasons to Come to Preview Conference

McAfee School of Theology’s Spring Preview Conference (February 26-27, 2012) is intentionally designed with you in mind.  Here are the top six reasons for attending this semester’s conference.

1. We help you engage your calling.  We are very intentional about creating space for you to talk about where God is leading you and what you think you need in order to get there.  In the midst of that conversation, we help showcase how McAfee intersects with that calling by helping make you a more informed, compassionate, and prepared minister of the gospel.

2.  You get to meet current students who come from similar life situations, worldviews, social locations, etc. and talk to them about their experiences at McAfee.  Meeting others who have gone before you helps ease the anxiety about moving to a new place and staring at at a new school.

3. It’s an opportunity to interview for merit-based scholarships.  If you have a 3.25 GPA, are either a senior or college graduate from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution and have completed your application for admissions, then you are eligible to interview for a full tuition merit-based scholarship.

4.  You realize the opportunities awaiting you as you learn, network and experience Atlanta.  The nature of McAfee being in Atlanta allows for incredible resources, network opportunities and experiences to become available to you.  McAfee is proud to say we are “well connected.”  If you are looking to enter congregational, nonprofit, NGO, Para-church, or counseling ministries, then McAfee/Atlanta is the places for you.  As a student, you meet the people in the vocation you are interested in pursuing.  These opportunities become invaluable.

5. You get the chance to feel the presence of God for yourself.  There’s nothing like stepping onto campus and knowing in your heart this is where God wants you to be.  You don’t get that from just looking at our website.

6.  Immediately following the conference, Brian McLaren is speaking at our William L. Self Preaching Lectures.  You are invited to stay for free!

So if you are a college student or already a graduate, we invite you and your spouse or guest to join us. McAfee School of Theology provides lodging and meals during the conference.  There is also some travel assistance available.

Pastoral Care Track

McAfee School of Theology offers a track in Pastoral Care. This track is designed to develop the student’s skills, knowledge and self-awareness related to the ministries of pastoral care. Students whose vocational plans include pastoral care in a local church setting or chaplaincy (in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, mental health facilities, and other agencies) would benefit from this track.

Through the Clinical Pastoral Education component, all students receive supervised experience and training as a pastoral care giver, as well as the opportunity to reflect upon their pastoral identity, concerns, and places with a competent and compassionate mentor. Students whose goals include professional certification in Chaplaincy may enter this track as preparation for their work toward certification with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education or the Association for Professional Chaplains.

Students who wish to become certified as a Pastoral Counselor with the American Association for Pastoral Counseling may enter this track as preparation for their work toward certification. The track in Pastoral Care does not offer courses that prepare students for a state license as a counselor. Students who want to be both certified and licensed are advised to enroll in the joint degree in Master of Divinity and Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

For more information, please contact our Admissions Office at theoadmiss@mercer.edu or 678.547.6474.

Here is a breakdown of what a three year, full time program in Pastoral Care could look like:

Course Name	Credit Hours	Course Name	Credit Hours
Year 1 – Fall Semester		Year 1 – Spring Semester
Hebrew Exegesis I (OTH 603)	3	Pastoral Care (PAC 671)	3
Spiritual Formation (SPF 701)	2	Spiritual Formation II (SPF 702)	2
Old Testament I (OTH 604)	3	Old Testament II (OTH 605)	3
Church History I (CHH 621)	3	Church History II (CHH 622)	3
Evangelism and Mission I (EVM 661)	3	Elective in Pastoral Care	3
Total for semester:	14	Total for semester:	14
Year 1 – J-Terms
CPE (PAC 872)	6
Total for semester:	6
Year 2 – Fall Semester		Year 2 – Spring Semester
Jesus and the Gospels (NTG 611)	3	Paul and the Early Church (NTG 612)	3
Greek Exegesis I (NTG 613)	3	Elective in Pastoral Care	3
Preaching (PRC 651) or Worship (PRC 652)	3	Preaching (PRC 651) or Worship (PRC 652)	3
Theology/Philosophy I (THP 631)	3	Theology/Philosophy II (THP 632)	3
Faith Development (CRE 682)	3	Elective	3
Total for semester:	15	Total for semester:	15
Year 2 – J-Terms
Elective	3
Total for semester:	3
Year 3 – Fall Semester		Year 3 – Spring Semester
Mentoring I (MIN 901)	3	Elective	3
Ethics (ETH 641)	3	Elective	3
Baptist Heritage (CHH 623)	2	Capstone (MIN 903)	3
Elective in Pastoral Care	3	Elective in Pastoral Care	3
Total for semester:	11	Total for semester:	12
		Total Required & Elective Hours	90

What’s the Deal with Scholarships?

McAfee School of Theology is in a unique position (thanks to supportive donors and denominational bodies like the CBF) to offer full tuition merit-based scholarships.

We understand that most college students graduate with significant debt. We know living expenses are high.  We, therefore, choose to help offset the cost of seminary and living expenses by awarding merit-based scholarships.

In order to qualify you must have a grade point average of 3.25 or higher from an regionally accredited undergraduate institution.  To be awarded a scholarship, you must interview with faculty and staff.  To maintain your scholarship once you’re a student, you must complete (at a minimum) 30 credit hours a calendar year and graduate within three years.

The majority of our interviews are conducted at the Fall and Spring Preview Conferences.  We do understand, however, these dates do not work for everyone.  If this is you then please call us and we’ll work out something based on your individual needs.

One sticking point is you have to complete the admissions application before any interview can take place.

If you would like more information regarding merit-based scholarships, Preview Conferences, McAfee School of Theology, or the admissions process then please call us at 678.547.6474 or email us at theoadmiss@mercer.edu.

Surviving the Admission Interview

The final part of the admissions process at McAfee is an interview.  These interviews are done by a faculty/staff person.  The purpose of the interview is twofold.  First, we want to meet you.  Your personhood, life story, and intricacies matter to us.  We are in the business of equipping and training ministers for a lifetime in Christian service and feel it to be in our best interest to know who we are teaching.  This interview is a chance for us to get to know you. Secondly, we want to see if you dialogue on a masters level.  Part of the seminary journey is to think critically about your faith, personhood, spirituality, and denominational heritage.  We, therefore, ask questions that fit into these categories during the interview.

So, as you prepare for the interview, here are a few thoughts that may help you survive the interview.

1. We want you to begin to think critically about who you are and what you believe.  Saying, “I’m not sure about a theological stance.” is an ok answer, but adding, “I’m excited to learn” makes it even better.
2. Have a couple of theologians you’ve been reading at the forefront of your mind.
3. When asked, “What good books are you reading?” don’t respond with “none.”
4. Don’t be afraid to ask us questions about future vocational options, work load, class schedules, etc.  Asking questions shows you are engaging in the interview and have thought about it beforehand.
5. We don’t judge you by what you look like or wear, but we do want you to feel collected, comfortable, and ready to engage in dialogue.  Whatever that looks like for you — do that.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask how we compare to other schools you are looking to attend.  Having a working knowledge of other educational institutions shows you’ve done your homework and are still interested in us.
7. Know a little bit about who we are.  We are a Baptist institution that affirms both women and men in ministry.   Not acting surprised about this goes a long way.

I promise the interview is not meant to be intimidating or scary.  It is meant for us to get to know you and to see if you can engage critically about your faith.  This can be an uplifting experience if you find yourself prepared for it.

Fall Preview Conference October 23-24, 2011

Our conference occurs during the regular course of the semester offering you the opportunity to explore your sense of call by: 

• Engaging Faculty and Students
• Experiencing a Variety of Classes
• Joining us for Community Worship
• Learning About Academic Programs & Financial Aid
• Explore Your Sense of Call
• Interviewing for Merit-based Scholarships

Please contact the Admissions office in order to register.  If you are a college student or already a graduate, we invite you and your spouse or guest to join us. McAfee School of Theology provides lodging and meals during the conference.  There is also some travel assistance available.  Below is an outline of the itinerary.  If you have any questions regarding this event please don’t hesitate to email or call us at theoadmiss@mercer.edu or 678.547.6474.

Registration

Please preregister by contacting Becky Nelson at 678.547.6474 or Register Now!

Sunday Schedule

Time	Event	Place
2-3:30pm	Registration and Check-in at Hotel	Hotel
4:30pm	Campus Tours and Interviews with Faculty	Start in Student Lounge
5:30pm	The Story of McAfee School of Theology and Dinner	Trustee Dining Room
7:00pm	Professor Round-table Discussion	Classrooms at McAfee
8:30pm	Dessert Fellowship (Optional)	Lobby of Hotel

Monday Schedule

8:30am	Morning Devotion and Prayer	Day Hall
8:45am	Lecture: Engaging Your Call by Dr. Loyd Allen	Day Hall
9:50am	Break
10:00am	Class Options	TBA
11:00am	Morning Options: Campus Tour, Academic Advising, Fellowship in Student Lounge, Scholarship Interview
12:05pm	Lunch	Trustees Dining Room
12:45pm	Student Panel Discussion
1:25pm	Wrap Up
2:00pm	Afternoon Class Options	TBA

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The Seminary Journey

Joseph Campbell is well known for his work in dissecting myths across cultures.  He travels the world tracing stories, legends, fables, myths (especially in the religious arena) and charts his findings.  In doing so, he’s found an overwhelmingly consistent theme.

He calls this theme the “Heroes Journey.”

He says heroes experience a call, cross a threshold (point of no return), battle conflicts and opposing forces, and immerse themselves in life changing sagas that inevitably change the course of history.

Along the way they meet helpers – ones that assist at a moment’s notice. Then the hero approaches the climactic moment in the journey. It is the last battle, the last stand, where good meets evil, where fates are decided.

And after the scene passes, the hero crosses back over the threshold and lands back home – the place where it all started. The hero is the same, but different.

Hollywood plays off this journey motif perfectly.

Take Star Wars for example. Luke Skywalker is a peasant at best. He gets called to become a Jedi. Meets helpful people along the way, finds himself in hardships, overcomes unparalleled odds, and returns home a changed and renewed person.

These storylines are even in scripture.  Abraham is just a nomadic herdsman.  But God calls him to do more. Moses is nothing more than a homeless, stuttering, murderer that gives up a life of luxury in Egypt, yet God calls him to do more.

All heroes have a call story.  And I argue that these story lines are true for seminary students too.

They cross a threshold (a point of no return) coming to seminary only to find friends and helpers, face trials and tribulations, only to cross back over the threshold and return home – the same but different.

At McAfee we teach that God calls us over the tumult.  God calls us into a world in which needs restoring.  When we accept this call, we choose to act in the same world as God to help bring healing to the oppressed, sight to the blind, the ministry of release to all that we come into contact with. When we engage our call, we cross over into a world that needs our fortitude, care, and transfigured love.  This is the journey we’ve been called to take.

To learn more about contact our admissions office at 678.547.6474 or email us at theoadmiss@mercer.edu.

Global Christianity

Students who are seeking to serve overseas, working with international groups in the U.S., or simply desiring to enrich their theological education with a global perspective can specialize the Master of Divinity degree with a track in Global Christianity. This track seeks to address several critical aspects of Christianity’s “shift southward” in the twenty-first century.

First, Christianity must be understood as a multi-cultural and global movement, an enduring theological tradition that finds new life in the lived realities of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Second, the dramatic growth of world Christianity begs for analysis of the missionary dimension in all churches, as initiators rather than receptors of mission outreach.

Third, growing churches are in need of theologically trained leaders, ranging from seminary professors, to grassroots leaders of indigenous churches. And finally, persons being educated to lead religious communities need to incorporate the understanding of these realities into their ministry and outreach.

The Global Christianity concentration includes, but is not limited to overseas study. Overseas mission services are facilitated through Student.Go, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship mission program.  This program includes studies in cultural anthropology and holistic evangelism focusing on Christianity’s response to social justice.