The Vision

The staff and leadership of Northwestern Theological Seminary recognize our primary goal is in educating believers to fulfill their obligation to obey the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to go into all of the world and share the Gospel and to make disciples of all nations.

The concept of The Branch Seminary program is to provide a Christian Educational Program that can be both affordable and attainable by any student in the world. Utilizing the simplicity of an Associate Degree curriculum based entirely on the 66-books of the Holy Bible as the only textbooks. Because we focus on the Bible only and not denominational doctrine, the Branch Seminary Program concept, as stated, is applicable to be used by any Church, Ministry or Religious Organization regardless of Denominational Affiliation.

The Beginning

Early in August of 1980, Dr. Howard M. Sarkela, Founder and Presiding Pastor of Christian Alliance Ministries and Northwestern Theological Seminary, developed a learning process called, “The analytical approach to applied education.”

Dr. Sarkela found that the archaic system of last minute cramming and memorization for examinations resulted in considerable loss of potential knowledge due to the negative consequence of such knowledge being stored in short term memory.

The analytical approach provides for the student a system of relating research and study of specific information with areas of personal experience causing a link between the new information and aspects of the long-term memory of the student.

When we analyze by asking personal questions, we involve personal interest and we then acquire knowledge that is more easily remembered. The key to remembering the answers is to personally relate, which promotes a more effective, personal interest in finding solutions and answers to questions and hypothesis.

The Program

The Branch Seminary Program was structured as a simple course of study that can be implemented internationally leading to an Associate of Theology in Biblical Studies (A.Th. in Biblical Studies) from Northwestern Theological Seminary. The Associate Degree program is a 60 credit hour program. After completion of the Associate Degree, students can continue with the Bachelor Degree curriculum. The Bachelor Degree program will require an additional 60 credit hours which provides a total of 120 credit hours. To complete the additional 60 credit hours, students will be required to complete specific Learning Module assignments.

Utilizing the Bible as the textbook, students obtain a complete overview of every chapter found in the books of the Bible. This is accomplished by answering two questions, which provide for 1. Observation   2. Interpretation   3. Application, and 4. Correlation.

The student will answer two questions that are meant to relate the information from an analytical approach on every chapter:

1)       What is the Lord teaching me from this chapter of Scripture?

2)       How may I apply what I have learned to my life and the ministry of helping others?

Through meeting just Once per week at a designated location, (Church, Home of Office) the student may review, with an instructor, questions with regards to the chapter assignments and need for clarifications. The structure of the program is one that provides for the individual student to be part of a group of seminary students while at the same time working on individual course assignments at home. Duration of the 60 credit Associate Degree program will be from 1-2 years,  depending on the home study time schedule of each individual student. The Bachelor Degree program is an extra 60- credit hours and requires an additional 1-2 years again depending on how much time the student has available for home based study.

A new student would start their Associate Degree course study with the New Testament then after finishing the New Testament, begin and complete the Old Testament. (Simply answering the same 2-Questions for each chapter of every Bible book) Students can work at their own individual pace, while studying at home. This provides for a unique opportunity, since this allows for open enrollment allowing new students to enroll at any time and to be accepted into the seminary continually on any and every day of the year.

Ministries are encouraged to open numerous branches throughout there region. Branches can be established at churches or even in homes as in the original New Testament church of the book of Acts.

By promoting the Branch Seminary concept to are churches, you will be giving Churches the opportunity to have a great discipleship program for their members. The pastor must understand, that you are the Director and that you will prepare a leader in the Church to lead the Once per week meetings with the students. A small donation for tuition should be charged each student on a monthly basis. This income can be divided between the Director and the Church.

There is financial requirement and NO cost required by, or to be paid to Christian Alliance Ministries/ Northwestern Theological Seminary. All tuitions stay with your ministry and Church affiliates. Churches that participate in your network of Branch Seminaries should apply for Charter with our Worldwide Church of Jesus Christ. Branch Seminaries can also be established in homes and independent from any local churches. So you can establish Branches through Churches, or independently in private homes.

All Directors who establish a network of 20 or more Seminaries, will be promoted to Bishop of the Worldwide Church of Jesus Christ and will be entitled to *financial support if available from Ministry headquarters in the U.S.A. beginning in 2007. *Contingent on availability of funds at headquarters.

Branch Seminarians in the U.S.A. are required to enroll with the Online Seminary for acquiring their Bachelor Degree in Biblical Studies. The Associate Degree program is will remain FREE for all U.S.A. Branch Seminary students.

International Branch Seminaries (outside of the U.S.A.), are provided both the Associate and Bachelor Degree programs at NO cost.