Admissions Administrator: Sarah Prior Spurgeon’s College South Norwood Hill London SE25 6DJ Tel: (020) 8683 8462 s.prior@spurgeons.ac.uk
Spurgeon's College trains almost half of all Baptist ministerial students in the United Kingdom. We also equip people for mission and ministry from a wide range of denominations and from every continent. We welcome any student whose calling is to ministry, regardless of background, age, gender or denominational allegiance. At Spurgeon's College you will find a course tailored to your abilities, needs and aspirations.
Training for the Baptist ministry remains our core activity. If you are interested and feel called to the Baptist ministry there are a number of steps you need to take before applying to the College:
First of all, discuss your plans with your own minister, or, if your church is without a minister, talk to your church leaders. The members and congregation of your church will test your calling.
Next you need to contact your Regional Minister. If you do not know how to do this, or who to contact, please get in touch with us and we will point you in the right direction. The Regional Minister will guide you through the application process. He or she will provide you with a Baptist Union application form. There is no need to make a separate application to the College as we will receive a copy of your Baptist Union application. Your Regional Minister will arrange for you to attend a Ministerial Recognition Committee meeting. That sounds a bit daunting, but the aim is to affirm you in your calling within the wider Baptist family.
Spurgeon's College will then invite you to attend an interview day here at the College. We consider whether Spurgeon’s is the right place for you to study and if you have the motivation to complete the demanding course that is ahead of you.
If you would like to talk to someone at Spurgeon's College to find out what the training involves and the various options open to you, the person to contact is the Admissions Tutor, Dr Graham Watts. Chris is an experienced Baptist minister and he will be happy to help you over the first hurdles on your journey into ministry. He is often involved in lectures during the day but you can always leave a voicemail message for him, or email him on g.watts@spurgeons.ac.uk. His telephone number is 020 8653 0850 extension 219.
Open days are held on Saturdays in March, May and November and will give you the opportunity to meet members of staff and find out more about the course. You can then discuss your situation without commitment and obtain a good understanding of what student life will be like and the financial implications of coming to Spurgeon's College.
GCE A-level: two or three subjects; there are no specific requirements.
Other: Mature students and those offering alternative/vocational/overseas qualifications are welcome, as are those who may have a combination of qualifications.
For the church-based BTh course it is a requirement that a suitable placement is found. If this proves impossible we may refer you to a different course, such as the BD, offered by the College.