WESTMONT, IL — InterVarsity Press (IVP) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Seminary Now (www.seminarynow.com), a subscription-based educational platform that gives pastors and lay church leaders access to video courses and certification programs from leading teachers and seminaries. As a way to continue extending its reach into the higher education marketplace and create new forms of content to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers, IVP will be the premiere publishing partner for the platform, which is scheduled to launch in spring of 2020.
“Our vision for Seminary Now began after church and denominational leaders expressed the need for on-demand training for pastors and church leaders unable to attend seminary,” says William Shiell, president of Northern Seminary, which is the primary institution underwriting the new endeavor. “We value IVP’s partnership because of our mutual commitment to women in leadership, multiethnic ministries, academic training, and biblical justice.”
Jason Gile, the executive director of Seminary Now, added, “On-demand video courses present a unique opportunity for seminaries, publishers, and other organizations to collaborate in the shared mission to equip Christian leaders. By providing accessible and relevant theological teaching to Christians across the world, we believe Seminary Now has the potential for great impact on the church.”
IVP books will be featured in a significant number of the initial course offerings when the platform launches. Key authors and courses currently scheduled for the initial years of the program include:
- Roger Olson, professor of theology at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary (The Mosaic of Christian Belief)
- Tara Beth Leach, senior pastor of the First Nazarene Church in Pasadena, CA (Emboldened)
- John Walton, professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College (The Lost World of Genesis One)
- Brenda Salter McNeil, pastor and professor of reconciliation studies at Seattle Pacific University (Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0)
- Tremper Longman III, professor of biblical studies at Westmont College (Old Testament Essentials)
- Ruth Haley Barton, founding president, Transforming Center (course TBD)
- Sandra Maria Van Opstal, pastor of Grace and Peace Community in Chicago, IL (The Next Worship)
- James Choung, vice president of strategy and innovation at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (True Story)
- Dominique Gilliard, director of racial righteousness at Evangelical Covenant Church (Rethinking Incarceration)
- Mary Hulst, chaplain of Calvin College (A Little Handbook for Preachers)
- Jonathan Brooks, pastor of Canaan Community Church in Chicago, IL (Church Forsaken)
- Matthew Stanford, CEO of the Hope and Healing Center in Houston, TX (Grace for the Afflicted)
- Wayne Gordon, founding pastor, Lawndale Community Church, and John Perkins, founder, Christian Community Development Association (Making Neighborhoods Whole)
- David deSilva, professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary (An Introduction to the New Testament)
- Sarah Shin, author and speaker (Beyond Colorblind)
- Michael Bird, theology lecturer at Ridley College, Melbourne (Introducing Paul)
- Lucy Peppiatt, principal of Westminster Theological Centre (Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for Women)
“Christian higher education is changing at a dizzying speed, and the manner in which our content is utilized in those spaces is changing as well,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP’s publisher. “I’m grateful for the chance to partner with the team at Seminary Now as together and in concert with other like-minded organizations we create and deliver thoughtful Christian content to pastors, students, and others who want to deepen their understanding of theology, ecclesiology, biblical studies, social justice, spiritual formation, and many other disciplines.”
In addition to partnering with IVP, Seminary Now is developing relationships with a wide range of seminaries and organizations with similar theological convictions that will provide content to potential consumers of the platform, such as Missio Alliance, The Apprentice Institute, and the Christian Community Development Association.
Helen Lee, associate director of strategic partnerships and initiatives at IVP, will serve as the main liaison between Seminary Now and IVP. “We have always considered the church to be a key audience for us to reach, and our involvement with Seminary Now will give us another channel to serve pastors and lay leaders with our high-quality, thoughtful, and compelling content,” Lee said. “I have appreciated the strong working relationship we have developed with Bill Shiell and Jason Gile on this project, and I look forward to seeing the fruition of our joint efforts in the months to come.”
Promotional efforts for the platform will begin at the forthcoming ETS and AAR-SBL academic conferences in San Diego, with the program’s full launch slated for spring of 2020. To receive updates about Seminary Now and learn how to receive early access, sign up at www.seminarynow.com or follow @SeminaryNow on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. For more information regarding the program, please contact Jason Gile (director@seminarynow.com; ph: 630-620-2105) or Helen Lee (hlee@ivpress.com; ph: 630-734-4038).
