Distance and the limitations of public transport should not hinder Sydneysiders from becoming equipped for ministry, says Stuart Coulton, Principal of Sydney Missionary and Bible College (SMBC). Coulton has announced plans for a new SMBC branch in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, making accredited theological study more accessible to those eager to be trained.

Travel from the Northern Beaches to Croydon can take over an hour by car and a minimum of 1 hr 40 by public transport

SMBC, located in Croydon in Sydney’s inner west, consistently draws students from across Sydney, including the Northern Beaches. Yet the college has been accumulating feedback that the home campus in Croydon is difficult to access, especially for part time students, due to the distance of travel (up to an hour’s drive in non-peak hour traffic) and public transport limitations. Coulton says, “We thought there was sufficient interest from those in the Northern Beaches that we decided to take the college to them.”

This is the first time that SMBC has offered its accredited courses at another location. When asked whether the college would consider planting another study centre elsewhere in Sydney, Coulton replied, “We’ve started in the Northern Beaches because we’re told there’s a need there. If we hear of and are sure that there are needs elsewhere, we’ll give consideration to other locations; but we have no plans in the pipelines immediately. There is a real need in the Northern Beaches; the inner west is difficult to reach from there. For people from most other parts of Sydney, it’s a fairly central location.”

SMBC has worked closely with Leon Stead, pastor of Narrabeen Baptist Church and himself a graduate of the college, in setting up the SMBC Northern Beaches venture. Lectures will take place in the education centre of the church. The college is also preparing for the research needs of their part time external students, with the library expanding the number of books available electronically.

Another important step in the venture was achieved in December when approval came through from the Australian College of Theology to offer the courses as an accredited level at SMBC Northern Beaches.

Students enrolling at SMBC Northern Beaches can choose to study at three different levels. Over four years of part time study, students can graduate with either a Graduate Diploma of Divinity (the equivalent of the first year of a Masters of Divinity); or a Diploma of Ministry (equivalent of the first year of a Bachelor of Theology); or they can choose to study the subjects at an audit level, without the formality of assessment.

In studying part time in the Northern Beaches, students also have the choice to continue into a Master’s or a Bachelors degree on the main campus. Coulton hopes people would see the new study centre as an opportunity to study the Bible at a deeper level.

“I believe there are a lot of people in churches who may not want the expense or formality of an accredited degree, but who would love to know their Bibles better. Studying at an audit level would be terrific for people like this.”

SMCB Northern Beaches is holding an information and enrolment evening on Monday 11^th February (7:30 pm at 13 Grenfell Ave Narrabeen). Enrolments for first semester are open and welcome up to the first day of lectures, 25^th February. For more information, click here.

Feature image: Sydney Missionary and Bible College on Facebook