Are you ready for Advanced Theological Training (aka ATT)?
When Job was suffering, God satisfied and filled His servant's heart by simply giving Job a clearer view of Himself. God confronted Job with the bold realities of His sovereign power as Creator and Ruler of the creation, and that vision brought Job to his knees in repentance, faith, and worship.
Knowing God more clearly and accurately is the design behind our Advanced Theological Training (ATT) course, a two-year exploration of the Bible and theology. We spend thirty-two class sessions studying the following areas of theology:
Doctrine of the Word of God (Bibliology)
Doctrine of God (Theology Proper)
Doctrine of Man (Anthropology)
Doctrine of Christ (Christology)
Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)
Doctrine of the Application of Redemption (Soteriology)
Doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology)
Doctrine of the Future (Eschatology)
Doctrine of Angelic and Demonic Beings (Angelology and Demonology)
ATT may not be for everybody, but is it for you?
Seven Good Reasons to take Advanced Theological Training
To glorify God by worshiping Him in spirit and in truth as you learn more about the faith once delivered to the saints (John 4:24).
To learn theology at an advanced level simply because a better knowledge of God is its own reward (John 17:3). God's truth transforms us (2 Corinthians 3:18).
To develop and enhance your discernment, so that you can identify and reject error when you hear it (Galatians 1:8).
To add to your abilities to assist your brothers and sisters as they grow in Christ. It is the Word that God uses to sanctify His people (John 17:17). ATT will add to your understanding of the Bible.
To gain deep loyalty to the notion that doctrine is important, practical, and life-changing. Think, for instance, of how understanding God's sovereignty is necessary for applying Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28, or 1 Corinthians 10:13 to your daily life situations.
To develop a profound humility by recognizing how much more there is to know about God when compared with how much we do know. ATT is partly designed to open our eyes to our own ignorance of God's Word. Exposure to doctrine at this level will help us be more guarded and humble in our opinions. Job's confession in Job 42:1-6 is instructive.
To provide training for future Elders at BFC. However, remember that most ATT students are not on an Elder track.
Is ATT accredited? Can I get college credit, or continuing education credits for it?
A.
No. ATT is not recognized by any accrediting agency or any academic body. It will not fulfill requirements for continuing education credits, or for any degrees or certifications. Some have used ATT to prepare them for the theology portion of the NANC examination.
Q.
Who teaches ATT, and are they qualified?
A.
Chris Cobb and Robb Kensinger are the ATT instructors. Chris earned a Master of Arts in Religion at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. Robb earned a Master of Divinity degree at The Master's Seminary in Sun Valley, CA. Both men are pastors at BFC.
Q.
Is there a fee or tuition charge?
A.
There is a $25 non-refundable registration fee to cover materials, due with your registration. There are also several required textbooks. There are no other fees or tuition expenses. The first four classes are harder, and are designed to weed out those who are not serious about the course. Textbooks purchases are not required until the fourth class.
Q.
Is ATT ecumenical? Does it diminish doctrinal distinctives?
A.
No. We teach doctrine with the sharp edges left on it. Both Chris and Robb believe in the doctrines of grace and are dispensational in their approach to eschatology. We certainly respect differences, and in our teaching encourage a respect and humility towards those who differ, but we teach the Bible the way we see it.
Q.
Is it necessary to attend BFC in order to participate in ATT?
A.
No. People from other churches are welcome to register and come.
Q.
Can women participate?
A.
Certainly. We have a men's section and a women's section. We separate the men's and women's sections in order to encourage discussion. (NOTE: If class sizes warrant it, we will combine the men's and women's sections.)
Q.
How often do you meet, for how long, and when?
A.
ATT consists of 16 class sessions per year for two years. Each class period lasts two hours. We meet on scheduled Sunday afternoons in two different sections. The women's section meets from 2-4 PM, the men's section meets from 4-6 PM. We do allow jumping between sections as necessary to meet the demands of your schedule. It is expected that students will attend every session. Skipping sessions is expected to be the rare exception. (Note: If warranted by small class sizes, we will combine the men and the women into a single section, meeting from 3:30-5:30 PM.)
Q.
What is the homework load like?
A.
The homework consists of reading assignments and questions based on the readings. There are no papers, tests or quizzes. The maximum number of assigned pages of reading per session, spread over at least two weeks, is 120 pages. Most sessions will involve 90 pages or less. Each assignment comes with questions designed to help the student interact with the reading. Although it is not required, most students write out their answers to the reading questions for their own benefit and as preparation for class discussion.
Q.
What is a class session like?
A.
Most class sessions consist of the instructors asking questions of each student in turn, from the readings. Classroom participation is required for all students. Occasionally the instructor will briefly lecture on some point in the material. Discussion is encouraged, and often additional questions will be brought up by the students.
Q.
Who would benefit from ATT?
A.
You don't need to be involved in teaching or leading to benefit from ATT. If you have a desire to learn more about God and His Word, you probably would enjoy it. The only necessary requirement for the class is that you must be willing to do the reading and to participate in class. You also ought to have good reading comprehension. It is not necessary to have any education beyond high school, as long as you are a good reader.
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