Academics - Institute of Public Theology

IOPT Degree Programs

Certificate in Public Theology

IOPT’s inaugural program for pastors and Christian leaders will challenge and equip students with studies through the breadth and depth of Scripture and practical application to today’s most pressing cultural and theological issues. This certificate is open to all serious Christians who desire to wield the Sword of the Spirit effectively in the world.

Credit Hours: 63

Certificate in Biblical Exposition

Students completing IOPT’s Certificate in Biblical Exposition will be equipped to communicate the message of the whole Bible through a rigorous study of all three biblical languages. This certificate is open to all serious Christians who desire to exposit Scripture effectively and clearly.

Credit Hours: 21

Bachelor of Arts in Public Theology

With a focus on the humanities, theology, and biblical languages, a Bachelor of Arts in Public Theology from IOPT will provide a strong foundation for anyone seeking to apply biblical truth in today’s culture. This degree is open to all serious Christians who have completed high school or a commensurate course of study or qualification.

Credit Hours: 120

Jump Start Program

The Jump Start program at IOPT is open to high school juniors and seniors who want to “jump start” their Bachelor of Arts degree at IOPT while still completing their high school studies. This program provides an introductory grounding in a biblical worldview and encourages further study following high school graduation.

Upcoming Courses

Law and Gospel

Past Courses

The Pastor and The Public Square

Classics and Theology

Cultural Apologetics

That The World May Know (Preaching)

Philosophy Meets The Road: Maps and Cases

New Testament (Part 1)

Church History 1

Political Theology: God’s Truth in God’s World

Hermeneutics: Rightly Understanding the Word

Theology, Worldview, and Ethics

Church History 2: Reformation to the Present

Baptist Symbolics

Hebrew Grammar I (HBRW 311)

The Modern Self (TMSF 230)

New Testament Survey 2 (NTSV 212)

Old Testament Survey I (OTSV 211)

Ecclesiology (ECCL 230)

Systematic Theology: Anthropology, Eschatology, Pneumatology (SYTH 221)

English Composition I (COMP 111)

Hebrew Grammar II (HBRW 312)

Logic & Rhetoric: Reasoning & Persuading (LGRH 230)

Missions (MISS 230)

Expositing the Old Testament (HBRW 313)

Systematic Theology II (SYTH 222)

Old Testament Survey II (OTSV 212)

Natural World & Theology

English Composition II (COMP 112)

Ministry of Worship

Political Theology

Biblical Theology

Contact Us

Institute of Public Theology c/o Founders Ministries
PO Box 150931
Cape Coral, FL 33915
1-888-531-5331

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About Tom Ascol

Tom Ascol has served as a Pastor of Grace Baptist Church since 1986. Prior to moving to Florida he served as pastor and associate pastor of churches in Texas. He has a BS degree in sociology from Texas A&M University (1979) and has also earned the MDiv and PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. He has served as an adjunct professor of theology for various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary, the Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary, African Christian University, Copperbelt Ministerial College, and Reformed Baptist Seminary. He has also served as Visiting Professor at the Nicole Institute for Baptist Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida.

Tom serves as the President of Founders Ministries. He has edited the Founders Journal, a quarterly theological publication of Founders Ministries, and has written hundreds of articles for various journals and magazines. He has been a regular contributor to TableTalk, the monthly magazine of Ligonier Ministries. He has also edited and contributed to several books, including Dear Timothy: Letters on Pastoral Ministry and Recovering the Gospel and Reformation of Churches. He is also the author of From the Protestant Reformation to the Southern Baptist Convention, Traditional Theology and the SBC and Strong and Courageous.

Tom regularly preaches and lectures at various conferences throughout the United States and other countries. In addition he regularly contributes articles to the Founders website. He and Donna have six children along with three sons-in-law and a daughter-in-law. They have fourteen grandchildren.

About Voddie Baucham

Voddie Baucham wears many hats. He is a husband, father, former pastor, author, professor, conference speaker, church planter, and a board member for Founders Ministries. He currently serves as Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia.

Dr. Baucham’s area of emphasis is Cultural Apologetics. Whether teaching on classical apologetic issues like the validity and historicity of the Bible, or the resurrection of Christ; or teaching on biblical manhood/womanhood, marriage and family, he helps ordinary people understand the significance of thinking and living biblically in every area of life.

It is impossible to understand his approach to the Bible without first understanding the path he has walked. Raised in a non-Christian, single-parent home, he did not hear the gospel until he was in college. His journey to faith was a very unusual and intellectual one. Consequently, he understands what it means to be a skeptic, and knows what it’s like to try to figure out the Christian life without relying on the traditions of men. As a result, he speaks to ‘outsiders’ in ways few Bible teachers can.

Dr. Baucham holds degrees from Houston Baptist University (BA in Christianity/BA in Sociology), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min.), an honorary degree from Southern California Seminary (D.D.), and additional post-graduate study at the University of Oxford, England (Regent’s Park College).

Dr. Baucham and his wife, Bridget, have been married since 1989, have nine children and are committed home educators.

About Tom Nettles

Tom Nettles was born in Brandon, Mississippi to a loving, Christian family. He was raised in a godly church throughout his entire life. Although he had an earlier profession of faith, Tom came to Christ during his first year of seminary while leading singing during a revival meeting in Perrin, Texas.

Dr. Nettles is a graduate of Mississippi College (BA) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv and PhD). He is widely regarded as one of the foremost Baptist historical theologians in America.

Dr. Nettles has served on staff at four churches starting in 1965 and has taught seminary since January 1976. Tom has most recently served as the Professor of Historical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he was Professor of Church History and Chair of the Department of Church History. Prior to that, he taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary.

Along with numerous journal articles and scholarly papers, Dr. Nettles is the author or editor of fifteen books. Among his books are By His Grace and For His Glory; Baptists and the Bible; James Petigru Boyce: A Southern Baptist Statesman; and Living by Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles H. Spurgeon.

Dr. Nettles and his wife, Margaret, have three children and five grandchildren.

About Dr. Scott Callaham

Scott N. Callaham is Dean of the Institute of Public Theology. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy (Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy in Old Testament). He is the lead editor of World Mission: Theology, Strategy, and Current Issues, as well as the author of Biblical Aramaic for Biblical Interpreters in both English and Chinese. Dr. Callaham has served as a pastor, chaplain, cross-cultural international missionary, conference speaker, Bible translator, and seminary professor. He has written book chapters and journal articles spanning Hebrew grammar and syntax, biblical theology, preaching, pastoral ministry, missions, worship, and songwriting. He is the host of the Daily Dose of Aramaic podcast and a composer of Chinese worship music for congregational singing.

About Travis Allen

Raised in Golden, Colo., Travis joined the military in 1988, where God regenerated him to new life and faith in Christ. Travis was educated for pastoral ministry (The College at Southeastern, B.A.; The Master’s Seminary, M.Div.), and further prepared by working at Grace to You and ministering at Grace Community Church.

Travis is now the teaching pastor at Grace Church, where he equips the saints for the work of ministry. His aim is to proclaim Jesus Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so he may do his part in presenting everyone mature in Christ.

He met and married Melinda in 1993, and God has given them five wonderful children.

About Dr. Mark Coppenger

Mark Coppenger is a former professor of Christian Apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, senior pastor of Evanston Baptist Church in Illinois, director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries at Chicago’s Northwestern University, and managing editor of Kairos Journal.

He holds degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Vanderbilt University (Ph.D.).

About Chad Vegas

Chad is the founding pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Bakersfield, Calif. After completing his MA at Talbot School of Theology, and serving as a pastor at RiverLakes Community Church, Chad was called to plant Sovereign Grace. He is also the founding board chairman of Radius International, an organization that trains people to plant churches among unreached language groups. He has been married to Teresa since 1994, and they have 2 children.

About Dr. Ken Puls

Dr. Ken Puls is originally from Omaha, NE, where he studied classical guitar and music theory at the Omaha Conservatory of Music (1973 to 1980). In 1980 he continued his study of music at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, receiving a BM (1985) in Music Theory and Composition. He is also a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received the MM (1990) and PhD (1998) in Church Music Ministry. He has served three churches, leading music in worship and has composed over 70 hymns and songs, including hymns in Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Founders Press, 2004). He currently teaches music theory and classical guitar at Florida Southwestern State College (FSW) in Fort Myers.

About Dr. Ben C. Dunson

Ben C. Dunson is the Editor-in-Chief of American Reformer, an online journal of Christian social commentary. He is also a Visiting Professor of New Testament at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Greenville, SC, and a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America. He lives in the northern suburbs of Dallas, Texas, with his wife and four boys.

About Dr. Richard Barcellos

Dr. Richard Barcellos received a B.S. from California State University, Fresno, an M.Div. from The Master’s Seminary, and a Th.M. and Ph.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary. Dr. Barcellos is pastor of Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Palmdale, CA. He is author of Trinity & Creation, The Covenant of Works, and Getting the Garden Right. He has contributed articles to various journals and is a member of ETS.

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