Baptist Theological Seminary
Oaxaca Mexico
Brief History
Next to the Baptist Theological Seminary in Mexico City (Lomas Verdes Suburb), the seminary in Oaxaca has been instrumental in training large numbers of persons for Christian ministry. Located in the Southwestern part of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca is known for its indigenous peoples (the Zapotecs and Mixtecs being the largest groups). Numbering 3.5 million, the majority of these groups practice a syncretistic religion blending Catholicism and their traditional religions. Under the leadership of their president, David Tamez, a Southwestern Graduate, this seminary has a variety of theological degree plans. One of these plans consists of an agreement with a university whereby the graduates of this seminary can take additional courses at the university and obtain a Teaching Degree that is recognized by the Mexican government. This opens the door for the seminary students with this degree to go as public school teachers in the tribal villages and share the good news of salvation as they train students and win their parents to Christ.Church, this Institute could once again become a Seminary in a few short years.
Projects Involving a Champion Church/Partner
The pastor of the Champion Church could go to Mexico to teach intensive (week-long) courses and or workshops in areas of studies that are greatly needed in Oaxaca today.
Members of the Champion Church could go and participate along with the students of the Seminary in missions projects related to evangelism, discipleship, ministry, VBS, etc.
Key members of Champion Church could assist the Oaxaca Seminary with expertise and practical help in such activities such as the maintenance of a server, the operation of their online courses, etc.
Projects Related to the Facult
As stated previously, the faculty members are pastors and church staff members who are doing the best they can to teach the students that are enrolling in their seminary.
Scholarships provided by the Champion Church for faculty members would be of inestimable value. Seeking to address this need, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has designed the following degree programs
a. Master of Theological Studies —Totally in Spanish and Totally on line. Available at an incredible cost of$3,000 for the entire degree which will consist of 12 courses which professors can take without leaving their teaching posts in Oxaca.
b. PhD in World Christian Studies which requires only 3 weeks a year at the Southwestern campus. Southwestern is in a position to offer this degree program in Spanish assigning Spanish-speaking professors as academic advisors to the PhD candidates.
Projects Related to Students
In light of their extremely limited financial resources some key students with high potential for leadership in ministries in the Mexican Convention could benefit tremendously from scholarships provided by the Champion Church.
Church Planting Projects involving Seminary students in collaboration with the Mexican Baptist Convention and volunteers from the Champion Church.
Projects Related to the Seminary Extensions
The Oxaca Seminary has sacrificially staffed extensions in other cities to enable students who cannot come to the central campus to obtain a theological education. One of these extensions is with an indigenous groups that speaks its own language.
At this point funding is needed to provide for the travel, lodging and meals of the professors who go from the central campus to teach in these extensions.
The Oaxaca Seminary is poised to start many more extensions in highly strategic areas but it needs financial resources to be able to accomplish this.
Projects Related to the Campus
Expand their very limited library (for printed as well as digital books)
Set up a computer lab (with 6 computers) so students can do their research and writing
In collaboration with Southwestern Seminary, Trinity Academic can make available to this Seminary an electronic portal that will enable the seminary to offer online courses, virtual courses and an untold number of library resources to the students. A Champion Church can assist by providing the initial cost of installing this system and the very affordable cost to maintain thus saving the Seminary thousands of dollars in equipment and local personnel to maintain it.
David Tamez
President
Email: lacy.director@gmail.com