Here at Asbury Theological Seminary, there has been much cause for celebration! A new academic year is under way, and students are busily applying their minds, hearts, and bodies in the work of learning and growing in Christ for the sake of the world. We here at ATS are enjoying something a lot of seminaries are praying for right now – growth! In a time when church attendance in America is at an all-time low, while many seminaries are scaling back and even in danger of closing their doors, Asbury Theological Seminary is thriving!
This year’s incoming class consists of 504 new students, 67 of which are international students, continuing our four-year high in regard to international students. This incoming class also contained a significant number of female students, raising their attendance by 7.4%. The Fall 2018 incoming class is the largest class ever to enroll at Asbury Theological Seminary. This brings our total student body to 1,710 students! That is a 5% increase from enrollment totals just last year!Our Florida campus welcomed 69 new students this fall, bringing their total headcount to 226, which is a 6% increase from last year.
Due to the hard work of our faculty, staff, and administrators, we have also seen a 4% rise in our retention rate, which means 4% more students will complete their studies and earn at least one degree. Many will earn dual degrees, and many will go on to pursue their DMin or PhD.
We believe that it is our commitment to our students and the culture here that contributes most strongly to this growth we see. We believe that our love and support for our Asbury community as well as our emphasis on living a Spirit-filled life of holiness has most greatly impacted our ability to thrive as a community. Thank you for all your faithful prayers and generosity that have helped us be the strong training ground we are!
I thank God for what he is doing on your campus, both spiritually and numerically. I’m especially grateful that there is a renewed emphasis upon the Spirit-filled life. There are two reasons for that piqued interest. One is that I sense a lack of focus in the church in general upon the “Forgotten God”, as Francis Chan calls Him. The second is that I will be privileged to teach on The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit at the Free Methodist Bible College in Port au Prince, Haiti from mid-October to mid-November.
It’s been 48 years since I graduated, but I cherish that time at Asbury, and I praise God that the school is remaining true to its mission.
What are the Orlando Campus Stats?
My prayers continue for both campuses.