Following is an interview with John Sowell, the newly-inaugurated president of the Atlanta campus of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS). Sowell is a long-time educational administrator, and is in his 10th year with RTS.

How would you describe the student population at RTS-Atlanta?

There are so many different types of students—we draw a multiethnic group of men and women that include members of the PCA, PCUSA, charismatics, independents, and Baptists. Of the seven or so seminaries in Atlanta, RTS is the only one with our distinctive theological orientation, so while “Reformed” doesn’t always mean something to each student, “Bible-believing” does. Many of our students are professionals with day jobs, so many are older. And we have a strong Korean pastor program, so we draw that demographic as well. In general, our students are highly-motivated, well-educated, and experienced in ministry before entering our programs.

Why do your students choose to attend seminary?

Some people know early on that they’re called to ministry, but most don’t. They come to us saying, “I want more than church sermons, small group teaching, and personal devotions. I have a hunger and thirst for the Word that hasn’t been satisfied.”

How would you describe RTS’ mission? Has it changed over the years?

Interestingly, RTS was founded 40 years ago by business owners, not theologians. They were called to start a seminary to serve the church and be confessional and Reformed. And they chose not to be a denominational organization in order to be of service as freely as possible. I think that entrepreneurial spirit permeates each of our locations. Our students seek to make the most of the opportunities before them—we graduate lots of church planters.

So RTS is very missional, but I would say our primary focus is providing Reformed graduate theological education that is both regionally and globally accessible.

How does RTS-Atlanta’s campus compare to the other RTS locations? (Orlando, Fla.; Jackson, Miss.; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; and the virtual campus)

D.C. and Atlanta are RTS’ first urban seminaries—essentially reaching the capital of the nation and the capital of the South. They’re also the fastest-growing brick and mortar campuses. One is on the Hill and the other under the Dome. But it’s interesting because the city provides a larger regional group to draw from. We have people driving down from the mountains, some drive from out of state, from two or three hours away. I would say the D.C. and Atlanta campuses are more multiethnic as well, reflecting the diversity of our surroundings.

Tell me something about RTS-Atlanta that the typical church member may not know.

A large insurance provider once launched a campaign, calling itself The Quiet Company. That fits RTS-Atlanta. Even though we’ve been in Atlanta since 1996, RTS-Atlanta has grown steadily and quietly, without the benefit of advertising, signage, or public fanfare.

Although we have more than 400 students and offer three master’s degrees and one doctoral degree—all of which are fully accredited and may be completed entirely in Atlanta—the average church member may not know that RTS has a campus in Atlanta.

How has technology changed the way RTS reaches its students?

Well, all of our campuses are linked together via technology—essentially we operate as one school, which allows us to be very efficient. Certainly, more and more students are participating in our virtual campus, where you can get one full degree through distance learning. And our free iTunes U classes have been extremely well-received—we are one of the top sites for downloads at iTunes U.

But there is still no substitute for iron sharpening iron in person. A group of scholars in community together is ideal. There’s an advantage to being able to interact with other people as you’re going through our programs.

What are some of your most popular classes?

Our Bible and theology courses are always very popular. Pastors need to know how to preach, run meetings, and counsel—but everyone else still needs to know the Bible and theology.

Our M.A. and M.Div. degree programs attract many students too, and our newest initiative is a doctor of ministry program, the first facet of which is for Korean-speaking pastors and missionaries.

 For more information, visit www.rts.edu.