Bristol Baptist College

• Age of students: from 17 years
• Hotel Area: United Kingdom
• Institution Type: University Church College
• Language of instruction: English
• Type: collaborative.

Bristol Baptist College is a college that is ideal for those interested in preparing to serve in Baptist or other churches, youth and children's ministry, serving as a lay pastor, preacher and teacher, who seek to study theology for personal growth and development at the undergraduate and graduate level.

In active collaboration with BMS World Mission, Urban Expression and dozens of innovative local churches and projects, the world's oldest Baptist college aims to be part of the new world. The College has these dynamic traits – the formation of ministers, children's, youth and family ministries, theological education, social training, new research and training centers.

The institution strives to achieve this by allowing its disciples to be disciples of Jesus Christ who love God, love and understand Scripture, the Church, and the Christian faith. They are helped to live in such a way as to sincerely express this love and understanding. Disciples can communicate their love for God in the church and beyond; they are able to observe and sustain the discipleship of others; they are team players capable of offering leadership to churches and society as a whole; they can participate in and direct the tasks of the mission. They are able to do this in churches of any tradition, but experience a special love, sympathy, closeness and understanding of the Baptist tradition expressed in the churches, associations and colleges of the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

College students study full-time at the college, earning a bachelor's degree in 3 years along with a ministerial education program. Students who already have a degree in theology have the opportunity to combine a ministry program with a master's degree in theology, ministry, and mission. Students with a good degree in another subject can earn a diploma of higher education plus a master's degree. For the most capable students, there is an opportunity to move on to a research degree.

College students can fully benefit from the progressive learning and consistency built into the course: they have the opportunity to read a lot on topics that interest them, a wider choice of modules to choose from. College education is best suited for those who want to learn Bible languages above the basic level. Short-term internships in churches and public spaces provide an opportunity to integrate classroom instruction with practice.

Students based in the congregation combine their ministry with pastoral ministry in a Baptist church, where a "minister-trainee" is invited and welcomed. This placement lasts 3-4 years and is conducted alongside academic qualifications in theology, ministry, and mission. The Intern Minister comes to the College either on Tuesdays/Wednesdays or Wednesdays/Thursdays each week, depending on which modules he is studying. The accommodation church usually provides half of the standard stipend, accommodation, six weeks of annual leave, and covers the cost of ministry.

Meeting-based learning provides opportunities to combine classroom instruction with practice in context, allowing students to gain hands-on service experience from the start with the support of an external counselor and college professor.

Intern ministers seeking accreditation must complete training up to diploma level in theology, ministry, and mission, including modules in four areas:

1. Biblical Studies,
2. Christian theology, doctrine and history,
3. Ministry and Mission,
4. Theological reflection and reflective practice,

Module options include:

• Community development and church,
• Elements of service and mission in context,
• Mission and evangelism,
• Familiarity with theological reflections,
• Basic skills and practice of working with young people,
• Peacekeeping: The Christian Faith and the Environment,
• Introduction to Human Theology and Development in Childhood and Adolescence,
• Mission "Entrepreneurship",
• Mission and apologetics in contemporary culture,
• Creative Communication in Evangelism (ILCP),
• Reflective practice in context,
• Advanced Project on Theology, Ministry and Mission,
• Further reflective practice in context,
• Advanced Theory and Method of Practical Theology,
• Chaplaincy and Christian Mission,
• Reflective Practice: Mission and Evangelism.

Currently, the College has three training centers that exist to promote and encourage research and research in certain areas:

1. Anabaptist studies,
2. The Bible and The Rejection of Violence,
3. Constant ministerial development.

The educational institution constantly organizes various events - for example, the annual conference "Day of Heart and Mind": this is a great event for Baptist ministers who can come, present or listen to reports in a friendly supportive environment.

• Spirituality – here attention is paid to the development of relations with God, the Father, the Son and the Spirit through prayer and the Holy Scriptures. Spiritual disciplines are part of learning. The institution has daily prayers, weekly communion, semester retreat days, regular days of prayer and fasting, a Bible reading program.
• Radical Discipleship – Students never forget the traditional disciplines of church membership: attendance, prayer, Bible reading, and ministry.
• Missionary commitment: This is one of the roles of disciples to help others follow Jesus. The other is to accept and live in the justice and peace that belongs to the kingdom of heaven that Jesus taught and embodied. This means that students pay a lot of attention to the mission.
• Academic Excellence – Academic programs, however significant, are not an end in themselves, but are an integral part of preparing people for mission and service.

The main advantage of the college is a huge rich library, which contains more than 35,000 books and other materials for ministers, theologians, students studying children's and youth ministries, for work in doctoral studies.

The library also houses a significant collection relating to the history and practice of anabaptists, which supports the work of the Center for Anabaptist Studies.

Specialized collections include manuscript and historical printed collections on Baptist and broader history of dissent, college archives dating back to the time of its foundation. Of particular importance are materials showing the nature of early learning, records of the library and its use. Artifacts that complement documentary records include portraits of former employees, items associated with significant Baptist figures, and communion plates.

The college has the status of a highly trusted sponsor and can offer places to students from outside the UK that meet the requirements of universities and the UK Border Control Agency.

The courses are fully approved by British universities. They have strict English language requirements for international students. If a student has not previously studied in the UK, he needs to reach the appropriate standard in the approved test in English as a foreign language. It is recommended that you take the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) exam, available at local British Council offices.

Undergraduate courses must be studied full-time; Postgraduate courses can be studied part-time or full-time.

Also needed:

• Completed college form,
• Passport
• Certificate/diploma.

Full scholarships are not provided, but all students enrolled in bachelor's and master's programs are assigned a personal mentor who, if necessary, can provide support and advice. Students meet regularly with their mentors individually or in groups. Students use the virtual online learning environment and take introductory classes on how to use it.

Students who have been assessed as having special learning needs or other needs may receive additional support. All university-approved programs are designed to receive disability benefits.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision