FAQ

What kind of ministry is Thirdmill?: We are a non-profit corporation [501(c)(3)] that produces, publishes and distributes a multimedia seminary curriculum in multiple languages.

What is the mission of Thirdmill?: Our mission is to spread the Kingdom of God by providing a multimedia seminary curriculum to Christian leaders in their own lands and languages at no cost to them.

Why is the mission of Thirdmill so important?: Today there are at least two million pastors outside of North America who do not have access to sound theological education. Equipping indigenous Christian leaders is crucial to the strength and growth of the Kingdom of God.

Why hasn't this need been met sooner?: In the past, indigenous church leaders have been sent to study in western seminaries, but the vast majority of them have not returned to their homelands. Missionaries typically do not have the time to meet this great need. Establishing traditional seminaries in other nations has been limited by lack of funding, as well as by government restrictions.

Why hasn't anyone else tried Thirdmill's solution?: Theological educators have been aware of the effectiveness of multimedia education for a long time, but they have been hindered by the costs of multimedia production.

Is Thirdmill evangelistic?: Yes. Thirdmill is fully committed to spreading the gospel of Christ to every person on earth. We believe that one vital dimension of this goal is equipping church leaders throughout the world with the ability to guide the church toward this end. Our statement of faith is uncompromisingly evangelical.

Why did Thirdmill begin with the five core languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish?: These languages reach over 42% of earth's population and represent the languages spoken where the church is growing most rapidly. Sadly, Christian leaders throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America have little to no opportunity to learn the Scriptures and sound theology. Today, our curriculum is available in over 20 languages.

Why do you refer to your materials as "curriculum"?: Thirdmill partners with well-respected professors from a variety of seminaries to produce the equivalent content of a seminary Master of Arts degree in our five targeted languages.

Why do you refer to your curriculum as "multimedia"?: Our curriculum is produced primarily in the form of audio-visual presentations supported by written materials including lesson guides. Video lessons are available on DVD and web streaming, and the corresponding lesson guides can be accessed through our website.

Is Thirdmill's curriculum academically reliable in every language?: Yes. Professors featured by Thirdmill specialize in the subjects they teach. Our staff is comprised of professionally trained theologians, writers, designers, audio technicians and videographers. We recruit theologically educated translators, speakers and language coordinators. Each lesson contains the same content in every language.

Is Thirdmill's curriculum professionally produced in every language?: All the versions we produce in-house are broadcast quality. Often, other ministries around the world translate and produce our curriculum in additional languages. Since we aren't directly involved with those productions, their quality varies.

Where do I start with your curriculum?: You can begin anywhere in our curriculum, join an online classroom, register with one of our partner schools, or follow our recommended order of study.

Is Thirdmill a school? Are you accredited? Do you award degrees or certificates?: Thirdmill is not a school; we are a curriculum provider. However, our curriculum is used by a number of accredited schools on both the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. See our accredited Online Degree Partners page for more details.

Can I reproduce Thirdmill's video seminary curriculum?: Our curriculum is copyrighted in the United States and the European Union to protect against abuse. However, Thirdmill permits qualified individuals and organizations to duplicate our curriculum free of charge. If you're not charging anyone for the copies you make, you probably qualify. For more information, please see our reproduction policy.

Is Thirdmill associated with other organizations?: Yes. We have forged many strategic relationships with Bible schools, seminaries, churches, agencies and missionaries, both domestically and abroad. Much of the distribution and use of our curriculum is through these strategic relationships.

Is Thirdmill a denominational ministry?: No. Thirdmill is not part of, nor governed by a particular denomination. Our president and board members are under the authority of several denominations, and we seek to serve the needs of the broader evangelical community.

What is the theological orientation of Thirdmill?: Most of our materials are compatible with a wide range of Protestant theologies. Our doctrinal orientation is summarized in the Apostles' Creed and we align ourselves with the doctrines of the Protestant Reformation.

Does Thirdmill have a statement of faith or statement of doctrinal beliefs?: Yes, the doctrines we hold to are briefly summarized in our statement of faith. A more complete statement of our doctrinal standards can be found in the Westminster Confession of Faith together with its Larger and Shorter Catechisms.

Is Thirdmill non-profit?: More than you can imagine. We are a non-profit corporation recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3). Our executives receive modest incomes and we give away our curriculum to the world. Thirdmill depends on the generous, tax-deductible contributions of churches, foundations, businesses and individuals.

How is Thirdmill financially accountable?: Thirdmill is a member of the ECFA. Financial reports on our ministry are available from our office and from ECFA.

What is Richard Pratt's role within Thirdmill?: Thirdmill is not Richard Pratt's worldwide teaching ministry. He is the ministry's current president, and one of many teachers featured in our curriculum.

What information is available on Thirdmill's progress and effectiveness?: We are very concerned with the progress and effectiveness of our efforts. We constantly evaluate our efforts to ensure that we are moving forward. See our global progress page for a look at where our lessons are used. Our testimonials page describes the effectiveness of our materials in the field. Please contact us at info@thirdmill.org for more details.

Biblical Education. For the World. For Free.