Introducing Redeemer Theological Seminary & Bryce Waller!

Redeemer Presbyterian Church is excited to announce that Redeemer Theological Seminary will be offering classes in our building beginning this upcoming fall. It is hoped that within only a few years, San Antonio will be a full, degree-granting site of Redeemer Seminary, which already has sites in Dallas and Austin. Many of you have already heard about Redeemer Se minary because staff members, Matt Beham and Curtis Castleberry, have been taking classes in Austin for the past several years. Hopefully this will mean less driving for them!

From the very beginning, Redeemer Presbyterian Church has recognized the importance of theological training for future pastoral leaders.  One of Redeemer Seminary’s most distinguished professors, Sinclair Ferguson, notes:

The conviction that Christian Doctrine matters for Christian living is one of the most important growth points of the Christian life.  Frequently in pastoral work this can be seen.  Most of us, by nature are not students but more ‘practical’ types, ‘doers’ rather than ‘thinkers’.  Yet both Scripture and the history of the church indicate to us that it is, generally speaking, ‘thinkers’ who make the best ‘doers’!  Cast your mind over the life-stories of the men and women who have had the most practical influence on the church, or perhaps on your own life.  You will discover very few among them who were not students of Christian truth, however unsophisticatedly they went about their studies.  From the greatest theologians, martyrs and intellectually gifted preachers, to those of lowliest gifts but spiritual power, all, perhaps and therein lies one of the secrets of their usefulness.  However paradoxical it seems to our natural minds, it is one of the facts of spiritual reality that practical Christian living is based on this.  It says of man that’ as he thinks within himself, so he is’ (Proverbs 23:7).  That summarizes the Christian position perfectly—how we think is one of the great determining factors in how we live!

Similarly, C. S. Lewis wrote,

I think any man who wants to think about God at all would want to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about Him which are available…if you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God.  It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones—bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas.

In other words, unless ministry leaders engage in careful study of God’s word, God’s people will inevitably be adrift or captive to every passing doctrine (Eph. 4:14) in this world. This partnership, then, is one more example of how the Lord is deepening the influence and widening the reach of the Gospel and his Word among us and in San Antonio.

Seeing Christ at the center of all God’s redemptive purposes, firmly based on the Word of God and standing within the historic Reformed tradition, Redeemer Theological Seminary is committed to training pastors for ministry in the local church and unto the mission of the kingdom in this world.

This mission is especially relevant for our city and region. Given San Antonio’s rapid growth (now America’s 7^th largest city) and majority Latino population (about 63% Hispanic) and relative youth (median age of 34), it is hoped that by bringing Redeemer Seminary to San Antonio, young, Hispanic ministry leaders can receive an education that would have otherwise been unavailable to them. It is then further envisioned that these new ministry leaders will be part of a much wider and more effective church planting movement for the entire southwest.

Leading this local effort is the Rev. Bryce Waller, an ordained PCA minister who most recently served as church planter for Christ Presbyterian Church in Mansfield, TX. Bryce, who speaks fluent Spanish, is a graduate of the University of Texas and native of Houston. He is the husband to San Antonio native and friend to many in our congregation, Lisa Waller. Lisa’s family is famous for the iconic San Antonio burger joint, Chris Madrid’s. Bryce and Lisa have three children, Liam, Ryan and Emma.

Bryce will wear many hats this year in seeking to get the Seminary effort off the ground. In addition to providing assistance to the Austin campus, Bryce’s focus will be on administrating class offerings in San Antonio, developing a financial support base with individuals and area churches and recruiting students to take classes.

Please welcome Bryce and his family to Redeemer. Encourage him by asking about the work and pray for him and Redeemer Seminary. These are exciting times for the cause of the Gospel in South Texas. Who knows; you may discover that you even want to take a class or two!