Welcome to Andersonville Theological Seminary
Founded in 1981, ATS has been serving Christian workers in the field for more than forty years. Our mission statement reflects our purpose: “The mission of ATS is provide a quality Bible education to pastors and Christian workers serving in the ministry and in the field of service so that they may be equipped to build up the Body of Christ, His Church, through sound biblical proclamation.” And ATS has been fulfilling this mission for over forty years!
What Separates ATS from Other Seminaries?
A Bible-Based Education
ATS has listened to its students for the last forty years, and we have heard what they desire in a seminary education: more Bible! So, ATS requires a substantial number of courses be completed in actual exposition of the biblical texts. At the Undergraduate Level, the Bachelor of Theology, for example, requires 120 semester hours; over one-third of these hours are in the area of biblical exposition! And, at the Graduate Level, the Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry, for example, requires over 70 semester hours; and, over half of the program is based upon actual biblical exposition! Clearly, ATS has made Bible exposition the heart of our programs.
A Time-Proven Distance Education Model
ATS has provided a quality Bible education to students from all 50 states and from over twenty foreign countries for over four decades. With an enrollment of over 3,000 students, ATS has perfected providing these students with courses that can be completed in the comfort of their own home, never having to leave the field to attend on-campus seminars or classes. The overwhelming majority of the courses are taught through an Online Student Portal, allowing students to enter a virtual classroom where the professor connects to the students in an engaging manner.
A Brief History of ATS
Dr. Jimmy L. Hayes founded ATS in 1981 with a very simple mission in his heart: “To provide a quality Bible education to pastors and Christian workers serving in the ministry and in the field of service so that they might be equipped to build up the Body of Christ, His Church, through sound biblical proclamation.” With this mission before him, Dr Hayes began Andersonville Baptist Seminary, hiring conservative faculty to assist him in preparing sound biblical teaching through audio cassette tape lectures. Within a year, God truly blessed Andersonville with many students, and the seminary grew substantially as word of mouth spread the news of the great Andersonville program.
Over the years, Andersonville hired more professors to offer an even broader curriculum to its student body. The seminary, while maintaining its Baptist core doctrines, changed its name from Andersonville Baptist Seminary to Andersonville Theological Seminary. With the name change, ATS began to grow its student body in over twenty-four foreign countries, reaching missionaries and their ministries.
Today, ATS offers two schools of study, the ATS School of Theology and the ATS School of Practical Ministry. Under the umbrella of these two schools, ATS now offers four degree tracks, with three falling under the School of Theology program and one under the School of Practical Ministry. Whether a student desires to earn a Doctor of Educational Ministry, a Doctor of Ministry, or a Doctor of Theology, ATS can meet their needs with a strong curriculum in each area. And in the School of Practical Ministry, ATS offers instruction in practical biblical exposition from the Associate through the Doctorate levels.
As of Fall 2023, ATS is stronger than it has ever been. Boasting a robust student body that primarily consists of students who joined the ATS family because of the experiences of their fellow pastors, teachers, and Christian counselors, ATS has a student body that represents all fifty states and twenty-four foreign countries.
