What Is EQUIP?
Empowering local churches and ministry organization to take an active role in the theological education of their students.
Dr. Al James, Coordinator
Southeastern Seminary believes that some theological education is best done in partnership with the local church. The EQUIP Network empowers churches and ministry organizations to offer accredited and accessible courses to students at the highest level of theological training. While EQUIP courses are compatible with any degree program, some programs better lend themselves to EQUIP courses. EQUIP courses can be offered any semester (spring, summer, fall) on the graduate or undergraduate levels. Students can potentially earn up to 36 credit hours towards their degree program under the oversight of qualified leaders. Furthermore, the EQUIP Network weds the seminary experience with real life ministry opportunities to provide students with the most integrative ministry training available through two types of courses:
Mentored Internship Courses: Field Mentors who possess a ministry-related Masters degree and have significant ministry experience are eligible to lead these courses. The Mentored Internship courses enable students to gain practical ministry experience in various areas of ministry under the supervision of a Field Mentor. The mentor and student work together to develop a “personalized” ministry experience, while allowing students to earn up to 9 credit hours towards a degree program.
Practicum Courses: Practicums are the field-based equivalent to courses offered on campus. Field Instructors who hold a post-M.Div. degree (Ph.D., D.Min., Ed.D., Th.M.) and have significant ministry experience are eligible to lead practicum courses. Instructors have the opportunity to equip students through a combination of classroom instruction, ministry-related experiences, and mentoring relationships. EQUIP provides Field Instructors with customizable syllabus templates for each course that allows them to utilize their own ministry experience to produce a robust training opportunity for their students. Students can earn up to 33 credit hours through EQUIP Practicums.
“The EQUIP Network has masterfully bridged the gap between the seminary and the local church as well as anything I’ve seen in my 40+ years of ministry. Some things can only be learned well in the refining fires of real life ministry, which makes EQUIP one of Southeastern’s most valuable means of training students to fulfill the Great Commission.”
Dr. Danny Akin, President