2024 by the Numbers
2024 has been an exciting year filled with God’s gracious provision. More men are being raised up to pastor tomorrow’s churches. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the many of you who have partnered with us through prayer and financial support to make this year’s events possible.
Below, we share some highlights “by the numbers” in the hope that you will join us in reflecting upon what the Lord has done and giving Him great glory and praise!
470 Students
This year, the student body at CBTS reached 470 active students. Your support is helping us reach more students!
310 Pastoral Track Students
Of these students, 310 students are in a pastoral track program. Pray that the Lord will equip and qualify these men to lead churches around the world!
129 International Students
CBTS presently serves 129 active international students on six continents. This represents 27% of our student population.
20 Graduates
The class of 2024 featured 20 men who graduated from CBTS in May. 4 students earned the Master of Divinity degree (MDiv), 1 earned the Bachelor of Divinity (BDiv), 10 earned the Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS), 4 earned the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS), and 1 earned the Master of Arts in Reformed Baptist Studies (MARBS).
11 ThM Students
There are now 11 students enrolled in the Master of Theology program (ThM), which started in 2023. The research track of this program pairs each student with an advisor who guides the student through the research, preparation, and defense of a ThM thesis.
$40,000 in Financial Assistance
CBTS granted over $40,000 in financial assistance to needy students. This is up from $24,000 in 2023. The William Carey Scholarship Fund awarded over $8,000 of this assistance to international students. Your support of our annual core mission fund is critical to supporting our students in this way.
1 Full-time Academic Dean
CBTS announced the appointment of Dr. Jon English Lee to the full-time position of Academic Dean. Dr. Lee and his family have relocated to Owensboro, KY, and will begin in January 2025.
5-Year Reaffirmation for ARTS Successful
In 2024, CBTS successfully underwent its first 5-year reaffirmation by our accreditor, the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS).
8 Regular Faculty Members
CBTS now has 8 faculty members regularly teaching courses on an annual basis.
11 Staff Members
Our staff has now grown to 11 members, 6 of them full-time.
40 Students Enrolled in the CBTS Español Program
In 2024, CBTS launched a Spanish track in its Master of Divinity program. Over 40 students have been admitted to the program as of this fall.
8 International Affiliates
CBTS scheduled over a dozen instructors for the modular courses of our Latin America affiliates in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, and Cuba. An eighth affiliate Seminary was established in Chile, and the inaugural modular course was held this year.
4 Modular Courses
CBTS hosted four modular courses this year, with 3 in Owensboro, KY, and 1 in Hampton, VA. Approximately 90students registered for these courses. These courses included Special Questions in Eschatology taught by Dr. Sam Waldron, Spurgeon on the Law & Sabbath by Dr. Brandon Rea, Counseling & the Body by Dr. J. Ryan Davidson, and Textual Criticism by Dr. Timothy Decker, Prof. Michael Emadi, and Prof. John Miller.
14 Live-Semester Courses
CBTS held 14 live-semester courses attended by approximately 278 students (133 in the Spring & 145 in the Fall). These courses included Doctrine of God for Counseling by Dr. Sam Waldron and Prof. John Miller, Evangelism & Missions by Prof. John Miller, Elementary Greek by Dr. Timothy Decker, Elementary Hebrew by Dr. Josh Wilson, Introduction to the New Testament by Dr. Timothy Decker, Intermediate Greek and Theological Latin by Michael Emadi, Biblical Theology Iby Prof. John Miller, and Introduction to Systematic Theology & Apologetics by Dr. Sam Waldron.
550 in Attendance at 3rd Annual Covenant Conference on Conquering and to Conquer: An Eschatology of Victory
CBTS held its annual Covenant Conference in Louisville, KY, on March 14-16. Voddie Baucham, Joel Beeke, Sam Waldron, and John Miller spoke about eschatology to over 550 attendees at the conference.
In Summary
2024 has been a wonderful year for Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! We also want to thank the many of you who have supported us to make these events possible. These numbers would not have been possible without your prayers and financial gifts.
As we near the end of the year, would you consider supporting us financially in our mission to help the church prepare men for the gospel ministry? If you have any questions or would like to discuss the opportunities ahead for CBTS in 2025, please contact us at [email protected].
On behalf of the faculty and staff at CBTS, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Brice Bigham
Director of Development
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary
Brice Bigham serves as the Director of Development & Marketing at CBTS. He is an M.Div. Student at CBTS and serves as a Deacon at Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Owensboro, KY. He lives with his wife Alina and their four children. Brice particularly enjoys church history, homesteading, and spending time with his family.
