Each January, WSC features a number of special elective courses as part of the Winter term course offerings. One of these courses is selected as our Winter Refresher for alumni and is intentionally scheduled during the week leading up to our Annual Conference in order to help alumni make the most of a trip back to Southern California and reconnect with faculty and former classmates.
One of the many benefits enjoyed by WSC alumni is the opportunity to audit classes (i.e., obtain a Listener’s Pass) for free after graduation. While this benefit is available to alumni throughout the year, the Winter Refresher is an especially wonderful opportunity to refresh on your seminary education, reconnect with your favorite WSC faculty and fellow alumni, and renew your commitment and calling to glorify Christ, proclaim his Gospel, and serve his Church.
See below for information about the Winter Refresher and register using the link below!
Danny Hyde, PhD, Pastor of Oceanside United Reformed Church
Jan 19–22, 2027 | Tues–Fri, 9:00–12:15 pm | 1 Credit | Room 4
This course focuses on the principles and practice of catechetical preaching.
The principle of catechetical preaching will be surveyed by a study of its biblical foundations in the Old and New Testaments, its historical practice in the ancient church through such preachers as Ambrose, Augustine, Cyril of Jerusalem, and John Chrysostom, and its particular practice among the Reformed churches, both on the Continent and in England. These principles will be applied to the practice of catechetical preaching today with a review and evaluation of both the catechism-text method and the Scripture-text method of preaching catechism sermons as well as with examples and suggestions on crafting such sermons to be Scripturally-saturated, Christ-centered, and soul-sustaining.
David Stoddard, ThM, Senior Director of Field Operations at Mission to the World (MTW)
Jan 26–29, 2027 | Tues–Thur, 9:00 am–12:15 pm | 1 Credit | Room 5
What can the worldwide church learn about evangelism and church-planting from the European church? Europe was the first continent to be Christianized, the first to be de-Christianized and hopefully the first to be re-Christianized. This course explores the key political, social, economic, and religious influences affecting Europe’s church context today. Particular attention is given to current trends in missions to Europe and best practices for evangelism and church-planting. The aim of this course is not just to educate students about Europe, but to equip them to apply lessons learned to evangelism and church-planting in their own local church context.
Get free conference registration when you bring a prospective student to SFAD!
In addition to free auditing of this course, WSC is offering FREE conference registration to alumni who bring a prospective student to our Seminary for a Day event on January 22. If you know a possible future seminarian—perhaps a college student who shows evidence of a calling to ministry or an elder who would make a fantastic pastor—this is the perfect time to introduce them to WSC!
Seminary for a Day is a completely free event, and participants can receive up to $500 toward their travel expenses through our travel grant program. Plus, we can provide up to 2 nights of free lodging for them (either on-campus or in a nearby hotel). Participants in our January SFAD generally receive free conference registration as an added perk and, as a special gift, we’re offering the same deal to our alumni when you bring an SFAD participant with you to the conference!
Just have them register here and put your name in the comment box. We’ll reach out within 1 business day to confirm your free conference registration!
