City Seminary

What is City Seminary?

City Seminary exists to equip the church to think theologically and live redemptively in our urban context. The goal of City Seminary is not merely to transfer information but to transform disciples.  Through 6-8 week courses, our aim is to help you "grow in the grace (redemptive) and knowledge (theological) of Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:18). The classroom approach is integrative--blending communal discussion, reflection, and teaching. We want to help you be disciples who integrate deep theology with everyday life.   

Course Types

City Seminary offers three types of courses: Foundational, Standard, & Elective. Our two Foundational Courses exist to ground and reproduce you with our core values of Gospel, Community, and Mission. In these courses you will grasp the essentials of Austin City Life, and how to join us on our mission of being a city-renewing church. If you have never taken a City Seminary course, we strongly encourage you to take our foundational courses: 

• Missional Living | ACL 101
• 12: Making the Gospel Viral | ACL 201

In addition to these foundational courses, Standard Courses repeat every year including courses such as: Understanding the Bible, Gospel & Finance, Doctrine, etc. Elective Courses vary from quarter to quarter, ranging from The Sovereignty of God & Salvation to Gospel & Culture. Some courses are borrowed from The Porterbrook Network, while most originate with Austin City Life. If you are interested in accelerated learning, Porterbrook Austin offers a two-year, distance-based certificate track for those who are interested.

Spring Course: 2012 

The following course will be offered this Spring, January 23rd - February 27th. Be sure to register right away so that we can hold your spot, provide adequate childcare, and plan accordingly.

{12} Twelve: Making the Gospel Viral in Life | Jonathan Dodson

{12} Twelve is so much more than a course. It is a way to make Gospel, Community, and Mission go viral in your life. Men and women will learn how to make disciples in three environments--the classroom, community, and the city. 12 will equip you to reproduce the benefits of the gospel in ways that are: informed by Scripture, integrated with everyday life, and intentional with people.   

The strength of this course will be your experience discipling and being discipled by others. It is mentor-based, pairing men and women with mentors for the duration of the course (Fall & Spring). While the class is open to all, not everyone will be paired with a mentor (mainly due to limited mentors). However, you will be equipped to make disciples in ways that are informed, integrated, and intentional to spread grace into the lives of others. If you register for 12, you will be expected to participate fully in both the Fall and Spring semesters.

*12 gets its meaning from the symbolic number in Scripture (12 Tribes, 12 Disciples), which refers to the creation, formation, and multiplication of God’s new community.

Class Information:

Date & Time: Monday, January 23rd - February 27th | 6:30 – 8:00PM

Location: Red River Church

Cost: $25 | Register Now!

Syllabus: 12 syllabus

Old Testament Survey I: The Pentateuch | Joseph Justiss

Old Testament Survey is an overview of the Pentateuch. This course investigates the basic content of the first five books of the Bible with special attention to basic introductory questions of authorship, genre, context, etc. After completing this course, the student will:

• Know what the first five books of the bible are about and what they contain.
• Understand how to recognize an author’s basic intention—his “Big Idea”.
• Understand how these books are about Jesus, the Messiah (John 5:46—If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me).
• Understand how the Christian is to relate to the Old Testament Law.
• Know, love, believe in, and obey God more deeply and unshakably.  

Class Information:

Date & Time: Monday, January 23rd - February 27th | 6:30 – 8:00PM

Location: Red River Church

Cost: $25 | Register Now!

Syllabus: Old Testament Survey