Check the weekly bulletin on the Homepage for course descriptions.

If you have questions, please contact Alan Lemmond through the church office.

BACKGROUND

   Christian Renewal School of Theology was founded in July 1995 and is an off-campus satellite

school for Christian Life School of Theology. The international office for CLST is in Columbus, Georgia.

CLST is accredited through the Southern Accrediting Association of Bible Institutes and Bible Colleges

in Atlanta, GA. SAABC was founded and has operated continuously since 1952. SAABC is not, and does

not seek to be recognized by the U. S. Department of Education.

   As such, CLST IS NOT A FULLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION; that is, the U.S. Department of Education

does not recognize its accreditation. Various seminaries, accredited Christian colleges and secular

accredited colleges throughout the United States have accepted transfer students, credits and degrees

from privately accredited institutions such as Christian Life School of Theology.

   There is no guarantee that students completing CLST courses can transfer them into fully accredited

universities. If one is studying for a field other than Christian ministry, CLST recommends a school that

belongs to an accrediting association registered by the U. S. Department of Education.

   IF ONE'S PURPOSE IN SEEKING AN EDUCATION IS FOR A RELATED FIELD WITHIN CHRISTIAN

MINISTRY, SECULAR ACCREDITATION IS USUALLY NOT NECESSARY OR REQUIRED. All Christian

churches accept quality Christian education regardless of which accrediting group (if any) the school is

associated.

   Dr. Ronald E. Cottle, President and Founder of CLST states "Christian Life School of Theology is a

school for the Church! Our primary commitment is to serve the local church and its leadership by enabling

them to educate and train their members for Kingdom service. Our product, therefore, is a Christian man

or woman educated and trained to be capable of serving Christ in an exemplary and effective manner in

any walk of life in today's world. To this end we are willing to bring the Bible Institution, its curriculum and

faculty to the local church to be shepherded by the pastor because we believe that the proper setting for

preparing people for kingdom living and service is the local church."

   Carl F. George, director of the Charles E. Fuller Institute, nationally recognized author and church

consultant, makes this gripping observation about the future of theological education. "Seminaries, along

with perhaps other parachurch institutions, will design new curriculum for in-service practicums. This

approach to leadership development will become, in effect, the new Christian-education organization-

development paradigm for the future. perhaps these "virtual seminary" churches will bring the professors

on-site to the host church."

THE VISION

   Here at Christian Renewal Church, the vision has always been on leadership training.

William T. Ligon, Sr., Pastor of Christian Renewal Church, has always held that every believer is a potential

leader and therefore should be given every opportunity to grow into the minister that God has ordained them

to be. He believes that the role of the five-fold ministry gifts is to "equip the saints for the work of service."

One of the vehicles used to accomplish that is our Bible school. Students can take courses for credit in

order to obtain a degree or sit in as an observer and receive a wonderful teaching that is sure to enhance

their Christian life. Either way, the benefits are unlimited to the individual student, the Body of Christ and

to the world at large.

   In the summer of 1993 the Lord Jesus Christ began visiting our church in a wonderful way. As a result

of the initial and continual outpouring of His love, grace and power many people responded to what they

believed to be a call of God upon their lives. Others realized that they had a deep yearning to study the Bible

in a more in-depth way. In response to these desires Christian Renewal Church began to search out a way

that believers could receive quality training to augment the anointing that they were experiencing. After a

careful search and prayer, we elected to network with Dr. Ron Cottle in Columbus, Georgia. Dr. Cottle's

reputation as a theologian and Bible teacher convinced us that his plan for training the Body of Christ was

the correct way to go. The CLST concept fit neatly into the mold that we believed would be the proper way

to train our own members as well as others who elected to be a part of what God was doing in Southeast

Georgia.

   In July 1995, Christian Renewal School of Theology was birthed. Since its inception, there have been

four students who have received their B.Th. degree and are continuing to work toward a M.Th. degree.

Presently there are several that are within a few courses of receiving their B.Th. degrees.

DEGREES OFFERED

Currently, a student taking ten courses per year (thirty credit hours) can expect to complete the

following degree programs in the time frame indicated:

Diploma in Theology - (Dip.Th.) 1 year - 30 units

Associate of Theology - (A.Th.) 2 years - 60 units

Bachelor of Theology - (B.Th.) 4 years - 126 units

Master of Theology -  (M.Th.) 6 years - 171 units

Master of Divinity - (M.Div.) 7 years - 216 units

Doctor of Ministry - (D.Min.) 8 years - 261 units

The typical CLST school offers ten courses per year. At Christian Renewal we offer twelve. The reason

for this is so that a person could miss two courses and still stay on track in pursuing a degree.