"My thoughts after a couple weeks at TES:
These first two weeks of seminary have been a long time coming. For several years I have felt God's call to full time ministry and have desired to be properly equipped for this weighty undertaking. But, until two and half years ago, I had never been exposed to biblical pastoral ministry. Over these past years at GIBC, through interning and serving in the student ministries, I have seen biblical shepherding modeled alongside of an unwavering commitment to the preaching of God's Word. This combined focus on equipping men to rightly divide God's Word and to biblically shepherd souls is what attracted me to The Expositors Seminary. The first two weeks of classes have not disappointed and have proven to be a combination of challenging academic study and seasoned pastoral insight. These initial classes and chapels, beginning with Dr. Zemek's charge at orientation, have been characterized by the sobriety and reverence the faculty have for the lofty call to shepherd God's flock. I am continually grateful to the living God for the underserved privilege to be trained in the local church context by men who are both sharp in their disciplines and tested by the rigors of full time ministry.
After my first year, I shared this quote from Charles Jefferson, in The Minister as Shepherd, on a Sunday morning:
'It is by no means easy for a young man to become a Shepherd, and he ought not to be discouraged if he cannot become one in a day, or a year. An orator he can become without difficulty. A reformer he can become at once. In criticism of politics and society he can do a flourishing business the first Sunday. But a Shepherd he can become only slowly, and by patiently traveling the way of the cross'." - Matthew Johnston
"The Expositors Seminary is a biblically modeled school that equips men for pastoral ministry with a major emphasis on educating the mind and as great an emphasis on testing the motives of the heart. The genuine concern to see men conformed in to the likeness of Christ, while teaching them to be faithfully committed to the Scriptures, is an aim that few schools shoot for.
The close interaction with seasoned pastors and professors have proven to be an invaluable resource for being trained. These men are intentional about passing the baton of true Gospel ministry down to the generations that come. Their focus is to advance the kingdom of God as commanded in the Scriptures regardless of how other religious institutions go about conforming to the cultural world." - Brian Marchi
"I have greatly benefited from my time at TES thus far. I have found the Church based seminary model to be not only biblical (2 Tim. 2:2) but also highly effective in preparing me theologically, personally and pastorally for gospel ministry. To be able to apply the tools that I'm learning here in the seminary within the local Church context, under the tutelage of seasoned shepherds, has been an invaluable training experience for me. I would highly recommend TES to every man, who truly desires to shepherd God's flock & faithfully exposit His Word" - Matt Stanchek