Stories of a Community of Grace

Just as Jesus and his disciples lived and worked together in a close-knit community, so we at Covenant Seminary strive, by God's grace, to create a living, learning, worshiping community of grace that not only prepares future pastors and their families for ministry, but also molds their hearts and minds to the patterns of the gospel--and the heart of their Savior. Here are some of the stories of our covenant community and what God has done and is doing through it.

My wife and I can't imagine our development as followers and servants of Christ without Covenant Seminary. We were given more than the doctrines of grace; we were given models of it—a tone, an “incarnation”—proof of lived theology. And the benefit didn’t stop upon graduation. Covenant has continued to be a significant source of training and support at every stage of our ministry.”

— Rev. Glenn Hoburg, MDiv '97, Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC

The lessons that God has for you at Covenant are not always easy lessons. They often come with a lot of self-reflection, wrestling, and praying. The beauty is that at Covenant you are never alone; there is always someone who can wrestle alongside you or support you as you seek what God is teaching you, whether that occurs inside or outside of the classroom. The character of the students, faculty, and staff are all part of the education you receive at Covenant. The lessons you learn here are invaluable and prepare you for life as a Christian, which prepares you for your future work in ministry.

— Sarah Wright, MDiv/MAC ’12, student, wife of MDiv/MAC student Lee Wright. After graduation, Sarah hopes to serve the Lord as a conference speaker/teacher and through hospitality ministry.

The Covenant Distinctive: Christ-Centered Community, by Remargo Yancie

Before coming to Covenant Seminary, an acquaintance warned me that seminary is a place where you are changed forever. Though he was referring to a negative experience, I have been changed forever by the grace of God through professors who challenge us to study the Scriptures diligently and prayerfully because God’s Word leads us to Christ. Read more. (pdf, 97.4KB)

The Covenant Distinctive: Grace Foundation, by P. D. Mayfield

One of Covenant Seminary’s core values is a foundation of grace. As stated on the Seminary’s Web site, this means that: “We believe that the foundation for all that we do must be the gospel of grace––our absolute confidence in God’s acceptance of us provided through his redemptive work in Jesus Christ as the supreme motivation and enablement for love and holiness.” I have been at Covenant for almost three years, and I cannot imagine the Seminary functioning out of any other grid. Read more. (pdf, 544.62KB)

What Drew Us to Covenant Seminary, by Beth Ann Stein

What a blessing it has been to look back and reflect upon God’s goodness to us! It is hard to believe that it was 20 years ago when we were looking at seminaries while also planning our wedding. We narrowed our choice of seminaries down to two: one an hour from my family, and Covenant Seminary, which was six hours from Tom’s family and 18 hours from mine. We visited both schools, and the choice was obvious. Read more. (pdf, 161.74KB)

Ministry Matters: Practical Insights for Ministry Spouses, by Jackie Fogas

Wives of current seminary students often gaze at their future role as the spouse of a ministry leader with great hesitation—especially if their spouses are preparing for an ordained pastoral job in a church. Wives of many MDiv students often don’t fit their own preconceived notions of an ideal pastor’s wife. “One of the Enemy’s basic tactics is to get us alone and feeling isolated,” explains Rebecca Douglass, wife of Covenant Seminary professor Dr. Phil Douglass. “We don’t want that. We want to get these women connected.” Read more. (pdf, 976.38KB)

Making the Move, by Jackie Fogas

Let’s face it: when it’s 100 degrees outside, who wants to hear, “I’m moving. Can you help?” Even less appealing can be the thought of lugging boxes of books and heavy furniture for a total stranger. Yet every year, groups of Covenant Theological Seminary students willingly assist people they don’t know in this way to help new students and their families settle in and welcome them to the Seminary, giving them a foretaste of the communal life that exists here. Read more. (pdf, 4.82MB)

A Work of the Heart, by Jackie Fogas

An on-campus community garden draws families together to experiment creatively with and learn about God’s creation. The plot of land dedicated to the garden sits just outside the Seminary apartment that commemorates and honors Edith Schaeffer (wife of scholark pastor, and apologist Francis A. Schaeffer), whose legacy includes helping people discover the wonder of God’s creation and teaching them how to steward it well. Read more. (pdf, 3.31MB)