Since its founding in 1987, Greenville Seminary has been known for several things. We have the reputation of being committed to a transparent and full adherence to our confessional standards; we are known for being committed to the personal piety of the men who study here; we are committed to primarily training pastors — men who will serve the church in ordained ministry.

All of these emphases are vital. We cannot lose or minimize any of them. But for our founders, there was another animating concern. They endeavored to establish a seminary that required men to study. They took care to see that the best books from the past were required in the curriculum, that the study of Greek and Hebrew was emphasized, and that men were trained to preach using all the tools and resources available. The object was to train men for the church who loved Christ, loved our confessional standards, and who had their minds well-trained for the work of gospel ministry.

When our founders met, they looked to the 1645 Westminster Directory for Public Worship, which states: “It is presupposed, that the minister of Christ is in some measure gifted for so weighty a service, by his skill in the original languages, and in such arts and sciences as are handmaids unto divinity; by his knowledge of the whole body of theology, but most of all in the holy scriptures.” They also looked to the best examples from American seminary education. Archibald Alexander wrote, “Without learning the ministry will sink into contempt.” His colleague, Samuel Miller, wrote: “…it is evident that an able and faithful ministry, next to the sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit, is the greatest benefit that can be conferred upon a people.” Years of study, if at all possible, are essential to the future health of the church.

Our duty to train men remains the same as ever. Greenville Seminary has always emphasized study and learning in pastoral preparation, even as it continues to run counter to the conventional wisdom of our day. We need to provide resources and space for our men to study. This is why we are planning to renovate our library space. It is not peripheral to our mission. Rather, study and learning — along with growth in personal piety and commitment to our doctrinal standards — is precisely what the church has charged us with undertaking. By God’s grace, we pray that our labor might be used for the great benefit of God’s people, as men undertake the weighty task of preparing to be ministers of Jesus Christ.