by Karina Brady, Student Public Relations Writer
What would it be like to sit across a table with notable theologians and pick their brains over a cup of coffee? Cedarville’s Master of Divinity students have learned what that’s like this fall.
Starting the 2018 fall semester, Cedarville’s Master of Divinity students have received special access to several distinguished pastors and speakers, who had challenged and inspired undergraduate students during the university’s daily 10 a.m. chapel.
During afternoon “Coffee Talks,” Dr. Billy Marsh, director of the MDiv program and assistant professor of theology, invites guest chapel speakers to meet with M.Div. students and answer their questions in an informal setting, over coffee and donut holes.
The goal of Coffee Talks is “to foster discussion and to cultivate reflection upon the relationship between biblical theological education and everyday church and gospel ministry,” according to Marsh.
— Dr. Billy Marsh
For each event, 10-20 students gather in a classroom, prepared with practical and theological questions to ask the guest speaker. This year, the speakers have addressed the church and politics, pastoring during natural disasters, enjoying Jesus in academic studies and the doctrine of justification as a vision for ministry.
“Coffee Talks is an incentive for being at that stage of the graduate program,” said Marsh. “It’s a way to value the graduate students, to value that they are able to engage these individuals at a robust level of conversation about the relationship between everyday ministry and academics.”
During the 2018 fall semester, Coffee Talks featured Jonathan Leeman, editorial director for 9Marks; Nathan Lino, lead pastor of Northeast Houston Baptist Church in Humble, Texas; David Mathis, executive editor for desiringGod.org; and Jared Wilson, director of content strategy for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and managing editor of For the Church.
According to Marsh, this is only the beginning, with a whole new lineup slated for the current spring semester. For more information about Cedarville’s M.Div. program, visit our Master of Divinity degree information page.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.