Core Ministry - Our Greatest Need
Serving a host of needs across RTS’ nine campus and global system, the core ministry fund is the lifeblood of RTS’ mission. Comprising some 40% of our total annual budget, these unrestricted gifts support a variety of functions including campus operations, facility enhancements, faculty compensation, academic program development, and other mission-specific investments. With such a significant portion of the RTS budget designed to come from gifts, our mission simply could not be realized without the sacrificial generosity of our friends throughout the course of our 50-year history.
Our total annual need for Core Ministry: $7,000,000.
Scholarship and Financial Assistance
It comes as no surprise that one of the greatest barriers to a seminary education is cost. Today’s college graduates are bringing more and more debt as they seek graduate level education, and with debt loads sometimes exceeding $30,000 of previous undergraduate education expenses, we face a significant challenge in making an RTS education possible for our students and prospective students.
Each year, RTS gives out over $4,000,000 in scholarships and other financial aid. While some of this aid comes from endowed funds, a large portion comes through the annual generosity of donors across the country.
“We are committed to serving the churches by getting pastors and church leaders prepared, unencumbered by burdensome seminary debt, as quickly as possible, fully equipped to fulfill the work of Gospel ministry.” –Ligon Duncan
Endowment
RTS is blessed to have a generous endowment of over $75 million, which supports 20% of our annual budget. The strength of today’s endowment is a testament to the foresight, wisdom, and generosity of the several generations of RTS supporters before and since our first class in the Fall of 1966. Donors to this fund knew that the key to long-term viability and, even more importantly, long-term mission fidelity, rested in a thoughtfully constructed and well-funded endowment.