Eastern's School of Christian Ministry

Mission and History

Eastern's School of Christian Ministry (ESCM) is the certificate and diploma program of the Palmer Theological Seminary, making a seminary education accessible to those who are not eligible for, or choose not to pursue, a graduate Theological degree. Primarily, ESCM equips lay leaders, non-professional or bi-vocational pastors and other Christian leaders for effective ministry in their local churches and communities. The program is also open to those who wish to study the Bible, Christian Theology and Christian history for their own spiritual and intellectual growth.

Though not intended to replace the traditional seminary degree for people called to full-time, professional ministry, ESCM provides theological education for many people who believe God has called them to various Christian ministries and leadership roles, including:
-Bi-vocational or part-time pastors
-Volunteer chaplains
-Church-based community development leaders
-Bible teachers
-Neighborhood evangelists
-Church administrators
-Deacons and elders

Although ESCM is not a degree program, our academic standards and the quality of our faculty make it comparable to a degree program, with far lower tuition. In addition, agreements with Eastern University and Geneva College (Center for Urban Theological Studies) allow ESCM students to apply some courses toward an Associate or Baccalaureate degree. Many other colleges and universities have granted ESCM students degree credits on a case-by-case basis.

OVER 20 YEARS OF PREPARING ALL GOD'S PEOPLEï¿½
FOR MINISTRY
ESCM was founded in 1982 at the initiative of Drs. Orlando Costas and Tom McDaniel, Palmer Theological Seminary's professors of missiology and Old Testament studies at that time. With the goal of providing a seminary-based education for men and women who were engaged in pastoral ministry but excluded from traditional seminary training, ESCM began offering Saturday classes in both Spanish and English.

Since then, ESCM has adapted to meet a variety of needs, but our philosophy remains the same. At the heart of our mission is the desire to equip men and women for effective Christian leadership and service in a non-degree program that is:
-Academically sound
-Practical
-Theologically challenging
-Faith-affirming.

Our vision is to equip ALL of God's people for effective Christian ministry! The healthy, growing churches of the 21st century will be those that have embraced the biblical concept of the Body of Christ: many parts uniquely called and uniquely gifted for the work of the whole church. ESCM helps churches achieve their full potential by providing ministry education for the entire leadership team, who can then equip others in the congregation.

ESCM PARTNERSHIPS
ESCM is a cooperating partner with the following organizations:
-School of Management Studies, Eastern University
-Center for Urban Theological Studies (CUTS), Geneva College in Philadelphia
-Christian Leadership Institute of the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (ABCNJ)
-American Baptist Churches of Church Leadership Institute of the Pennsylvania and Delaware
-Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia
-Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphia
-Philadelphia Baptist Association