The realization that America had a shortage of ministers was the catalyst for the formation of the Tri-Cities School of Preaching, according to Mr. Wesley Simons, minister of the Stoney Creek Church of Christ, and the director of the Tri-Cities School of Preaching and Christian Development hosted by the church.

“There’s a preacher shortage in the Brotherhood,” Simons said. “A lot of people are getting out of preaching, no matter the denomination or whatever, because people don’t stand for anything anymore. Done correctly it’s hard work. Many preachers become burned out because they are over worked. A lot of times, the preachers are not appreciated. Then there is the financial side of the matter. Some are under paid. We have no retirement plan, as such, because each congregation is locally ruled, it’s autonomous. So it’s up to the leadership to help support the preacher, come up with a retirement plan for him.” The Stoney Creek Church of Christ does have such a program in place for Simons.

According to the school’s website, schoolofpreaching.com, the facility’s education wing is 14,400 square feet, consisting of six offices, four classrooms, a work room, two main restrooms, a TV and radio studio, library, two utility rooms, a fellowship room and the kitchen area.

With the recognition that a preacher shortage existed, the realization for the need to address the problem also was recognized. “In 2001, the Tri-Cities School of Preaching and Christian Development was established,” Simons said. “We only had two or three students. We had to depend on local preachers to volunteer, come and give their time and teach these individuals. We couldn’t afford to pay them.”

Simons emphasizes the fact that the school is not only a school of preaching, but also one of Christian development. “The Christian development part is anybody who is a Christian who wants to come and learn more Bible is welcome to come here,” Simons said.

“Of course, we charge nothing, absolutely nothing. We do insist that whoever comes here, if they’re coming full time, not work. The reason is that the work load is going to be so great. This is at a college level, maybe even beyond, that they won’t have time to work. They need to do their work here.”

For that reason, Churches of Christ throughout the country, Simons says, “are called upon to support our students when they come here, so they support our students financially.”

The church, Simons says, owns a home and two trailers, which are offered to students for housing purposes, “for nearly nothing, in some cases, nothing. If they can’t afford it, we give it to them. If they can afford a little bit based on their income, we charge them a little bit. We’ve had students come here from Pennsylvania, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, throughout the south, mainly the southeast.”

Simons notes that there have been students who have graduated and preached throughout America and also gone on mission trips. Simons, the school’s director, and Eddy Craft, co-director, “try to see to it that the school is operated correctly, Biblically. Eddy is a full-time instructor. We have Tim Philips, Jeff Johnson and myself, full-time instructors.”

The school, according to Simons, offers both a two-year and a three-year program. “Right now we have some third year students,” Simons said. “That means that there’s 18 classes that have to be taught during the week. We only have a limited number of full-time instructors, so we have to depend on preachers of the Church of Christ throughout the area to volunteer their time to come and teach. And they do, we pay them nothing and they have been wonderful.”

Those volunteer instructors include Bill Haywood, Dan Bailey, Daniel Koen, Chuck Stewart, Drew Leonard and Milton Mathers. “They drive in and teach our classes, and we don’t even give them gas money,” Simons said. “We can’t afford it.”

Churches throughout America send financial support for the staff, students and the operation of the school. “Because the Churches of Christ chip in, the students get their education free,” Simons said. “We’re so proud that we’re afforded the privilege to do that.”

The only financial requirement for students is for books. “If we require that a book be read, they’ve got to buy their own books,” Simons said.

Thus far, according to Simons, the Tri-Cities School of Preaching and Christian Development has graduated about 50 students. Upon graduation, the students talk to congregations where they may be interested in serving in ministry. “It’s between the student and that congregation whether or not they become employed,” Simons said. “We’ve had no trouble with our students being employed once they graduate here. Churches all around us are hiring our men. They’re very generous and they see the product we put out.”

The school offers an annual lectureship, which will be held this year on June 2-6 and will be based on First Samuel. Simons explains, “A lectureship is where we choose a subject and have lessons on it during the week. Our students and graduates from days gone by are usually the speakers. That’s one way we sell the school to the public.”

Students’ tuition-free education includes participation in evangelism campaigns, knocking on doors and conducting gospel meetings. Hands-on work includes TV (WNBS LIVE), radio ministry, personal evangelism, (Hot Seat Monday) where the students learn to answer hard questions, and “Making Men of the Book,” where students learn to preach the Bible and take the right stands on social issues.

“Some of our graduates have written books and study materials, so they’re doing a lot to help the religious world,” Simons observes. “Some have been in public debates on different issues. They’re blessing the world as a result of coming here.”

Simons explains the benefit of the courses available at the school. “You get to work on the most important thing in the world, going to heaven, learning the Bible, learning how to put it into practice,” Simons said.

All courses are related to the Bible, according to Simons. “We don’t teach any secular stuff,” he said. “We teach logic, but that’s so one can learn to reason correctly. Epistemology is how one obtains knowledge. Bible Geography, so one can know where people traveled in the Bible, where the locations are. Things like that.” The school does not offer degrees, but certificates.

According to a brochure about the school, “We offer three full years of instruction. A two-year program is mandatory for graduation. The two-year program is a concentration in the Biblical text itself. First year students are instructed in English, while second-year students complete a year of Greek. The school also hopes to add a course in Spanish to help qualify men for the mission field.

“The third-year program, which is recommended for all students, is geared toward apologetics and allows the student to choose his course of study from the electives offered. Students agreeing to complete the third year of instruction may enter classes at the beginning of any quarter during the year.”

The brochure states, “The two-year program is equivalent to that in a regular four-year college program. The third-year program is equivalent to completing a graduate program. All instruction is conducted on the college level.”

According to the brochure, the school has a graduation service for both the second- and third-year students. They receive a certificate of graduation and achievement for successfully completing the work.

“We accept women as students at the school, but we don’t train women to be preachers, but to be Bible teachers for women and children and to be a good preacher’s wife, elder’s wife, deacon’s wife, things of that nature. Please come and take one of the classes.”

The school operates under the oversight of the eldership of the Stoney Creek Church of Christ. The curriculum, the brochure states, “has been carefully designed to make men of the book; men who are able and qualified to help congregations through local work.”

For more information about the Tri-Cities School of Preaching and Christian Development, call 423-474-2622 or e-mail hwsimons@embarqmail.com.