Southern Philippines Seminary (SPBTS) in Davao is seeking to train tomorrow’s Christian innovators today by bringing educated pastors from Oklahoma to the school in the next three years to teach one week D.Min.-type courses to the M.Div. students. This is a bold move for a small school seeking to be more relevant.
These courses will be enough to bring many of the pastors in the southern province of Mindanao to their desired goal of an accredited degree. Credentialed teachers from the U.S. will also help the school in the accreditation process. Leaders here will be sharing their credibility as part of the school’s faculty. This is in line with the school’s faculty development plan, which is to develop more national /Filipino faculty.
Jeff Maclemore, a retired Oklahoma pastor, helped last year in a seminar on Spiritual Boot Camp, material written by the late Tommy Higle. SPBTS awarded Higle an honorary doctorate, based on his prolific writing ministry just three months before his death in 2018.
The students, with added homework, received one hour credit for the course. Maclemore teaches a Bible Study class at Oklahoma, City, Quail Springs. His class sponsors financial scholarships for the school.
Those wanting to help must have a doctorate from an accredited institution, be willing to design the course and sponsor the expenses of the trip (Most trips are less than $1,500 including travel, meals and lodging at the seminary). In some situations, teachers find donors to purchase the textbooks for the students.
“Courses currently needed are Biblical Backgrounds, Bible Book Studies, Ethics and Church Evangelism,” said Edgar Aungon, who is in his third year as SPBTS president. “If you are equipped in another subject, we are willing to consider including it in the curriculum.”
The seminary is currently working through The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma (BFO) to secure an endowment from expatriates and missionaries who served or graduated there.
“While serving as an International Mission Board (IMB) missionary in Mindanao, I worked closely with SPBTS and currently lend my support through the church I pastor,” said Neal Seaborn, pastor of Bagwell, Texas, Leesville, who is an Oklahoma native. “We have given our VBS offering through the BFO. SPBTS has good facilities built by IMB gifts through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. They seek to strengthen the academic offerings.”
Other churches that have sent teachers are Oklahoma City, Olivet; Ardmore, First; Marietta, First; Velma; Mustang, First; and Conway, Ark., First Calvary.
Each professor will teach approximately 20-25 M.Div. students and preach in two churches during this 10-day ministry. They will submit grades at the end of the semester, and students will be awarded three credit hours toward an M.Div. It is recommended to spend more than two Sundays there, if possible.
Those interested should email their resume to Aungon at aungoned@hotmail.com with the indication it is for the guest professor program. A representative in Oklahoma will call to answer questions concerning dates.