Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) got a boost in Atlanta recently when the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) ran a story on how the school’s online offerings are encouraging and educating believers all over the world.

The October 3 article highlighted the story of a Chinese Christian who has received teaching through RTS lectures available for free through Apple’s iTunes University.

"I think we knew [offering seminary courses on iTunes] would benefit the church around the world. But I don't think we realized quite all the ways it would be used," said Brandon Cozart, RTS’ director of course delivery on iTunes. "Governments don't block things like iTunes."

According to Andy Peterson, the president of Reformed Theological Seminary's virtual campus, "We've been bumping along at about 15,000 to 40,000 downloads a week for a year or more. But [recently] we have gone to 50,000, then 89,000, and then 106,000 downloads a week."

The increased interest is an encouraging sign, according to RTS-Atlanta president John Sowell. “While all believers are called to be disciples of Christ Jesus, not all are required to be students—at least not in the traditional classroom sense. The wonderful array of courses that RTS featureds on iTunes U offers disciples the opportunity to become students regardless of where they live or how much time they have. It’s also a convenient way for prospective students to experiment with seminary.”

RTS was an early adopter of Apple’s iTunes University and has consistently ranked high in the religion section’s “top downloads” section.

“We think it's a blessing that people with a global platform can pull down some teaching about the Bible and God without a charge,” said Peterson. "It really fits with the mission of RTS."

To view courses available online, visit http://itunes.rts.edu.