“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (NKJV) Proverbs 3:5-6.

Contact Information

Sheffield-Thompson Building
Phone: (843) 863-7972
Fax: (843) 863-7971

Meet the Faculty
Major Areas of Study
Minor Areas of Study
Mission Statement
Vision Statement
General Purpose
Specific Goals
What can I do with a Christian Studies Major?
Related Links
Activities

MEET THE FACULTY

	Dr. Earl Kellett Chair, Christian Studies Associate Professor of Christian Studies Office: Sheffield-Thompson, 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7472 Email: ekellett@shorter.edu
	Dr. John S. Connell Professor of Christian Studies Director of the Hugh Davis Center Office: Sheffield-Thompson, 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7821 Cell:706-844-3569 Fax: 706-233-7516 Email: jsconnell@shorter.edu
Photo Not Available	Dr. Randy Douglass Assistant Professor of Christian Studies Office: Sheffield-Thompson, 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7493 Fax: 706-233-7516 Email: rdouglass@shorter.edu
	Dr. Don Dowless President, Shorter University Professor of Christian Studies Office: Sheffield-Thompson (ST-101) Phone: 706-233-7201 Email: chimes@shorter.edu Faculty profile
	Dr. Alan Hix Associate Professor of Christian Studies Associate Director of the Excavations at Kursi Office: Sheffield-Thompson, 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7257 Fax: 706-233-7516 Email: ahix@shorter.edu
	Dr. Donald Martin Executive Vice President / Provost Professor of Christian Studies Office: Sheffield-Thompson (ST-105) Phone: 706-233-7203 Fax: 706-233-7381 Email: dmartin@shorter.edu Faculty profile

MAJOR AREAS OF STUDY

Christian Studies

Christian Studies - Curriculum
Bachelor of Arts, Christian Studies - Course List
Bachelor of Science, Christian Studies - Course List

Youth Ministry

Bachelor of Arts, Youth Ministry - Course List
Bachelor of Science, Youth Ministry - Course List

MINOR AREAS OF STUDY

Christian Studies
Biblical Languages
Christian Apologetics and Philosophy
Christian Leadership
Christian Missions
Christian Worship

Course list for all minors

MISSION STATEMENT

The School of Christian Studies exists to train servant leaders for worldwide ministry through biblical scholarship, evangelism, spiritual growth, and Christian service in order to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).

VISION STATEMENT

Our desire is to be on mission with God in order to bring all peoples of the world to saving faith in Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 1:8).

Our purpose is to evangelize those who do not yet know Christ, to equip those who do know Christ to become effective leaders who can articulate and demonstrate the absolute importance of a biblical worldview, to edify believers by encouraging personal spiritual growth, and to expand the ministry horizons of believers to global proportions.

SPECIFIC GOALS

The School of Christian Studies plays a pivotal role in the life of Shorter University and seeks to reinforce the mission of the university through the accomplishment of five major goals:

1. To equip students who desire to enter Christian ministry with a scholarly study of the various aspects of the Christian faith.  The curriculum is biblically-based and courses are taught from a distinctively Christian perspective.
   
   
   
2. To provide the necessary preparation for those students who will enter seminary or other graduate programs in Christian Studies/Religion.  Such preparation should help students to qualify for advanced standing in many graduate degree programs in the seminaries.
   
   
   
3. To offer students majoring or minoring in our area of study the academic training and practical experience essential for effective ministry in local churches, denominational institutions, and any other sphere of Christian service.
   
   
   
4. To provide a thorough training for those who will directly enter the ministry upon graduation, thus ending their formal educational preparation.  Students will be afforded a balanced program to train them for multi-faceted ministry.
   
   
   
5. To give basic Christian instruction to all students in the university through the required survey courses.  Careful attention will be given to the biblical perspective of God’s purposes in the world with relation to the nature and destiny of humanity.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A CHRISTIAN STUDIES MAJOR?

While many local churches, denominational organizations, and missionary agencies require a seminary degree beyond the bachelors program in Christian Studies or Youth Ministry for employment, others do not. Our Christian Studies and Youth Ministry programs are designed primarily to provide a foundation for ministry and a stepping stone to specialization at the seminary / graduate level.

Many of the areas of service listed below will necessitate ministerial training beyond the college experience, although some may be entered immediately upon graduation from our program. Moreover, having a double major could enhance a student’s knowledge and prepare him or her for a special field of service (for example, a double major in Christian Studies and Business Administration would be beneficial for those desiring to serve as a Church Administrator or wishing to work in the business office of a denominational agency).  Students should contact particular agencies, institutions, and churches in order to obtain the specific prerequisites for employment within these organizations. 

The following lists offer a sampling of possibilities in the area of Christian service, and certainly are not intended to be exhaustive in nature.

If you have any questions regarding career choices or ministerial calling, please contact one of the members of our School of Christian Studies.

RELATED LINKS

Southern Baptist Convention
International Mission Board
North American Mission Board
Georgia Baptist Convention
The Christian Index
Baptist Press
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

ACTIVITIES

Israel Study Abroad Trip - Spring 2012

MIDEAST STUDY ABROAD 2009

Dr. Alan Hix, Associate Professor of Christian Studies, and Dr. Jim Scarry led the Summer 2009 Mideast Study abroad program to Israel. For two weeks the group participation in an archaeological excavation at Bethsaida under the direction of Dr. Rami Arav. The highlighted find was an 8 th century B.C. carved basalt bowl discovered by Brayden Huskey. After completing work on the excavation, the Shorter group spent two weeks touring the land exploring both the archaeological history and the modern political landscape of the Holy Land.

Brayden with 8th Cent. B.C. bowl

Shorter students meet the students of Mar Elias School in Ibilin

Shorter group with Dr. Rami Arav (front left) and Dr. Paul McCracken (front right) of the Jerusalem Institute for Biblical Exploration

Shorter’s excavations at Bethsaida

Shorter group at the Dome of the Rock

In the summer of 2010, Dr. Alan Hix, Associate Professor of Christian Studies, worked as an Area Supervisor for the University of South Florida’s excavations at Sepphoris in Israel. Sepphoris was the Galilean capital for both Herod the Great and Herod Antipas. Only four miles from Nazareth, it was a major Greco-Roman city with a large marketplace and a theater. The Univ. of South Florida has been excavating the market place in 1988. Dr. Hix’s key find was a unique pottery vessel that the Israel Antiquities Authority had not cataloged before. It is current under study and restoration in Jerusalem.

Dr. Hix with excavation team from USF

Dr. Hix identifies one of the 34 coins found

Dr. Hix with the mystery ceramic vessel

Pottery reading with Dr. Jim Strange of USF and Dr. James Strange of Samford University

Sepphoris Marketplace from the 1 st Cent. A.D.

October 31 to November 1, 2008
Mission trip to Helen, Georgia

Many Christians struggle with how to approach Halloween. A group of Shorter religion students took advantage of the holiday to share the love of Christ with others. These students enrolled in the class Special Topics in Christian Ministry taught by Dr. Richard E. Bray, Assistant Professor of Christian Ministry. As a part of the requirements for the class, the students had to plan, implement, and evaluate a mission project. Keith Ivy, Director of Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries, agreed to help the students complete their ministry assignment. Corey Barnes, Ward Bearden, Chris Brown, Matt Clark, Jeremy Kirby, April Morrison, and Jennifer Warren scheduled and planned the mission trip which took place in Helen, Georgia.

The students decided to paint a mountain scene and take pictures of people as they stood in front of that scene. After taking the pictures, the students printed them and glued them to a card with a preprinted gospel presentation which was written by the students. These cards were presented to the people as a souvenir. The students gave out seventy to eighty photos.

While people were waiting to have their pictures made and waiting for the pictures to print, the students engaged them in conversation. Some partnered with personnel from Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries to make balloon animals. A local church provided candy for visitors.

On Saturday morning the students went to Neal’s Gap, one of the mountain passes on the Appalachian Trail, and cooked hamburgers for hikers, bikers and others. These hamburgers were free to anyone who asked. While some cooked others engaged people in conversation and were able to share the love of Christ. One student commented, “the trip was a great chance to share the love and the glory of God with a community.”

Students having their photo taken in front of the moutain scene they painted.

Cooking burgers for hikers, bikers and others at Neal's Gap.