distinctives of the biblical theological seminary of St. Petersburg

Rooted in the Word

The SRS seminary and the SRS churches of Eurasia strive to be rooted in the Word of God. To do this we

• Model and require the elders/pastors to read through the whole Bible
• Have each church preach through one Gospel every year
• Teach every section of the Bible in the seminary
• Require the men to memorize the Navigator Topical Memory System
• Conduct regular quizzes to promote Bible knowledge
• Require graduates who receive ministry support take professional development courses each year

Moral Accountablity

We endeavor to maintain the standards for church leaders as outlined in 1 Peter 5, 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1. To do this we

• Use Ezra 7:9-10 and Psalm 1 as a template for our training.  We encourage intimacy with Christ which produces a life of character that overflows into a godly family life and ministry
• Help men become qualified to meet the scriptural standards for elders and do not accept them as leaders of the church until they meet these standards
• Exercise pastoral discipline if necessary
• Conduct monthly prayer meetings where we promote accountability, share our lives and ministry and pray for each other

Family-Focused

The current state of the family in the countries of the former Soviet Union is tragic.  We encourage our men to model healthy family relationships. To do this we

• Model families where the father leads in regular devotions and the parents together exercise responsibility for guiding their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord
• Counsel the husband-wife teams during periods of stress or conflict
• Conduct seminary courses and seminars on homeschooling/Christian schooling, husband-wife relationships, childrearing and discipline