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Oak Hill exists for healthy churches. To help train and sustain Christlike leaders of all kinds, who are trustworthy with God’s word, love people - both those in their care and the lost -  and lead with skill and wisdom. This is our passion, commitment and expertise.

There are a number of excellent places where people can train and people sometimes ask us what the most important things to look out for are when thinking about a theological college. 

The People

In today’s content-saturated world, we can find lecture series on most topics online but what we can’t replicate is learning with and under other people who can shape us and influence us heavily in our learning.

Faculty

Look at who will be teaching, caring for and mentoring you. You don’t need to just look to see if they are well qualified but you want to look to see if they are gospel men and women who will stretch you and help you grow in the knowledge of God, preparing you for a lifetime of ministry. 

• Look to see if they are gospel men and women who understand their own need for grace and mercy. 
• Look to see if they are people devoted to the Bible, whose first inclination will be to go to the Bible first, whatever their topic.
• Look to see if they are people who love people. Are they passionate about the lost? Do they care for God’s people and have a pastoral, shepherding heart?

You will find a faculty like that at Oak Hill. All of them are experts in their respective fields, with many years of research and teaching experience. They have written books and articles and hold high level degrees. But more importantly they are Christian, servant hearted men and women who think and care deeply about the word of God. They are passionate about the local church and are part of local churches. 

Graduates

Then look at the kind of graduate a theological college produces. 

Do they come out of training confident in God’s word, having grown in love of God and his people? Does the college produce effective pastor-teachers? Does it produce theological leaders who serve in the future in growing theological thought and application in their specific areas?

Oak Hill has a graduate profile. A graduate profile is not a target or a destination. It’s not something someone ever reaches or accomplishes perfectly or definitively. So what is a graduate profile? It is a framework for orientating study, placement experience and personal growth. It helps us to track progress towards what Gospel ministry needs. It enables useful conversations and reality checks along the trajectory of training for ministry.

You can read ours here.

Oak Hill has graduates all over the UK and the world in a wider range of churches and Christian ministry. We will happily put you in touch with a graduate near you if you’d like to chat to one and find out about their experience at Oak Hill.

“Learning with people who are also your neighbours means you build great friendships around a shared love for Jesus.”

Amy Wicks - Associate Pastor for Women & Pastoral Care at St Silas, Glasgow

The Programme

The second most important thing to look for in a theological college is the curriculum. What is being taught? Will you get the training you need to prepare yourself for a life-time of service?

Is the programme saturated in Scripture? Will you spend a lot of time in the text, seeing how it all fits together and how each passage contributes to the whole of the Biblical story? Do you have the option to dig deep into the original languages? How much of the Bible will you be able to look at in depth during your course?

Will you be trained to think theologically? Will you be trained to look at all the Bible has to say about a topic and fit it together in a way that doesn't distort it? Will you be able to recognise false doctrine and learn historically about where the church has gone wrong? Will you be equipped to answer hard questions as you look at them with others?

Will you be equipped to go into future ministry? Will the programme help equip you for future mission and ministry? Will you be able to develop practical skills in pastoral care and evangelism? Will the course give you a global vision and not just a local one? Will you be challenged in your thinking around what it looks like to live out the Christian faith both individually and collectively?

A lot of thought has gone into the Oak Hill curriculum which has been written and designed by many of our current faculty. It is validated by Durham University, showing its clear academic quality too.

We have a strong focus on the Bible, a commitment to giving every student the chance to study the original languages and dedicated time in each programme in doctrine, ethics, apologetics, church history and mission. 

“Oak Hill helped me connect the dots between the theology of our trinitarian God and the people in front of me. It encouraged me to communicate the unchanging message in language they can understand.”

Revd Dr Jason Roach -

Director of Ministries for London City Mission and founding pastor of The Bridge

The Place

Beyond the formal curriculum, we have wider ways in which you will be formed. Whilst these will vary slightly depending on the programme, we have a commitment to learning in community (with fellowship groups for full-time students and learning groups for others), applying learning in the local church (through placements on some programmes) and giving students the opportunity to take part in local and overseas missions. 

For those living and studying on campus, we have a wonderful site in North London, often described as an oasis, due to its 60 acres of woodland and glorious views over London. We have one of the largest theological libraries in the UK and a wide variety of accommodation suitable for all kinds of students. There are many families who live on site and life-long friendships are formed as people learn and live together. 

The experience of learning in a cohort, building friendships with others and being mentored by faculty members is integral to our learning and why we have a key passion for residential training whenever that is possible. For those where residential training is not possible, we work hard to embed a sense of learning in community in every programme we offer.

"In a thousand different ways God has grown my character at Oak Hill. It wasn't just in the lectures, but also in conversations with friends, time in chapel, seeing the lives of others, serving practically and being involved in a loving church family. All of this has been invaluable for gospel ministry." 

Joe Standerwick -Student Pastor, Moorlands Church, Lancaster

Why are you looking to study at all?

Why would you study at a theological college at all? Why put yourself through all that time, expense and effort? 

God’s church is at the centre of his plans for the universe and healthy churches depend on those in leadership. Where pastors are like Christ, faithful to God's word and able to lead well. Sadly too many churches are unhealthy. The leaders do not hold to God’s Word. Or they are not Christlike. Or they do not lead well.

Oak Hill exists for healthy churches. To help train and sustain Christlike leaders of all kinds, who are trustworthy with God’s word, love people - both those in their care and the lost -  and lead with skill and wisdom. This is our passion, commitment and expertise.

And this really matters. 

The essence of Christian ministry is evangelising and then shepherding people through teaching the Scriptures, bringing the whole counsel of God into every situation so they can do works of service. What is necessary is a clear understanding of the truth, an ability to proclaim it and to shepherd the flock in that truth, teaching the truth and refuting error. There should be godliness of lifestyle, reflected in genuine ‘love.’

It seems that a Biblical, rigorous, formal, rounded, integrative theological education is invaluable in this process. Whether you are thinking about full time pastoral ministry, overseas missionary work or work with a para-church, the crying need for our complex day is for evangelists and pastors with a deep grasp of the truth, a passion for the Lord, core competences and Christlike character.

Why don’t you come and look at Oak Hill? Visit us for an Open Morning or attend an Open Hour to find out more about our programmes and studying with us?

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