World Mission at Covenant Seminary
World Mission Emphasis
"Behold, I am making all things new." (Rev. 21:5)
Covenant Seminary's purpose is to train servants of the triune God for a lifetime of ministry. That grace-driven ministry of the Word involves leading God's people as they participate in His mission to redeem the cosmos, to make all things new. The triune God graciously works among all peoples to grant faith in Jesus Christ, maturing of the Church, and foretastes of the heavenly city.
Covenant Seminary's emphasis and training in World Mission is to integrate this type of mission mindset throughout the curriculum and seminary community. Because communication of the Gospel across cultures is an essential aspect of Christian world mission, World Mission instruction seeks to cultivate an understanding of each student's own culture, as well as that of others.
Additionally, the World Mission emphasis at Covenant Seminary includes opportunities for practical experience in cross-cultural ministry to equip students for lifelong participation in God's mission to the world. These opportunities include unique internships under the direct guidance of Presbyterian Mission International (PMI) missionaries who are serving in their own (or similar) countries. Internships with Mission to the World (MTW) and other mission organizations are also available.
World Mission concentrations are available for students who desire to focus their studies on cross-cultural and multi-cultural ministry. For more information, contact the World Mission office.
See a list of World Mission classes available at Covenant Seminary.
Faculty Leadership in World Mission
The map below shows the many areas of the world where Covenant Seminary faculty members have been or continue to be directly involved internationally. These involvements take many different forms, from teaching to research to encouraging Covenant Seminary graduates.
Latin America
South America
Africa
Europe
Eastern Europe
Asia
Middle East
Pacific Rim
North AmericaDr. Nelson Jennings, professor of world mission, has brought a wealth of experience, resources, vision, and connections, to Covenant Seminary since he joined the faculty in 1999. Dr. Jennings served for 13 years with the Presbyterian Church in America's Mission to the World in Japan, where he was involved with both church-planting and theological education. He currently serves as president of Presbyterian Mission International. His ongoing involvement in worldwide Christianity informs his courses on the global mission of the Church and related activities, including the many cross-cultural trips that the World Mission department sponsors. His particular focus has been the embodiment of the Christian faith in relation to language, culture, and other religious traditions.
Also bringing valuable cross-cultural perspectives to the classroom are Professor Jerram Barrs and Dr. Richard Winter, both of whom were raised in Great Britain and spent many years working with L'Abri Fellowship in Greatham, England. Likewise, Dr. Hans Bayer is a native of Germany where he formerly served as a church planter and seminary instructor. Dr. David Calhoun has served as pastor and teacher in the Caribbean. Others have shared God's grace together with those in the Bahamas, Uganda, the Netherlands, Ukraine, India, Korea, Australia, and other countries.
In addition to our permanent faculty, each semester Covenant Seminary brings to campus experienced mission and church leaders from North America and around the world.
Student Opportunities in World Mission
Each year the Seminary offers ample opportunities for student involvement in mission-minded activities and events, including on-campus student organizations, an annual mission conference, and a variety of short-term mission trips. For more information contact the World Mission office.
Read more about Student Opportunities in World Mission (PDF format).
Learn more about Upcoming World Mission Events.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Participation in God's world mission means cooperating with others. Covenant Seminary's World Mission office cooperates with a wide range of evangelical mission agencies, academic societies, and churches to foster a greater awareness among our students of mission activities and mission training and internship opportunities.
Read more about Covenant Seminary's Mission-Sending Partnerships and Collaborations
(PDF format).
Find out more about Mission to the World (MTW), the mission agency of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).
Learn more about Presbyterian Mission International (PMI) and the internships available to serve under the guidance of PMI missionaries around the world.
Contact the World Mission office for the latest information on international partnerships and collaborations.
Resources for World Mission
For a helpful overview of the changing realities faced by Christians involved in mission activities, download and read Dr. Nelson Jennings' World Mission article "Christianity in a New World-Historical Situation" (PDF format).
For more information on a variety of world mission topics, download our list of useful print and audio Resources for World Mission (PDF format).
For a quick reference, see our Top 10 Recommended Resources on World Mission (PDF format).
World Mission Feature Article: "Incarnation and Money" by current Covenant Seminary student Julie Murphy (MATS '08) offers helpful insights on how to break down the socioeconomic barriers that can hamper our efforts at missionary evangelism.
Find other mission-related resources by searching our Ministry Resources.
Featured World Mission Resource of the Month
Geiko Muller-Fahrenholz, America's Battle for God: A European Looks at Civil Religion (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007).
This book offers a perceptive analysis of the challenges facing American Christians seeking to navigate the morass of idolatrous pulls of post-9/11 nationalism.
NOTE: Dr. Nelson Jennings' latest book, God the Real Superpower, (P&R, 2007) is now available through the Seminary bookstore. This insightful book navigates the potent undertow of our inherited assumptions about missions, pointing U.S. Christians toward constructive perspectives about God, ourselves, and others.
