About the 500 x 5 x 5 Initiative

The 500 x 5 x 5 initiative is designed to help address a nationwide pastor shortage by putting 500 new pastors on the path to the pulpit in the next five years—and every five years after that. This initiative fits within BJU Seminary’s broader mission to equip students with: uncompromised, next-level teaching to effectively proclaim the Word; hands-on, basin-and-towel training to humbly serve the Church; and the boldness, inspiration and commitment to confidently advance the Gospel.

Why 500 x 5 x 5?

1. An entire generation of pastors is either retiring or being forced away from the pulpit by pressures such as:

• Inadequate church finances.
• Doctrinal drift.
• Confusion, isolation, and fear in the face of world and national events, plus a cancel culture.

2. More pastors are over the age of 65 than under the age of 40.

3. 7 out of 10 pastors agree that it’s hard to find mature, young Christians who have a desire to become pastors.*

BJU Seminary wants to help fill this void by equipping the next generation of Word-proclaiming, church-serving, gospel-advancing pastors.

5P Plan

To address the need to prepare pastors, biblical counselors, and thought leaders around the world for this challenge, the Seminary launched its ‘5P’ strategic plan of extensive, expedited innovations and investment to further strengthen the Seminary’s:

• Program of increasingly affordable and accessible residential and distance learning offerings, meeting diverse emerging demands from high-level pastoral, biblical counseling and theological studies training.
• Partnerships with leading theologically conservative ministries enabling unique, exclusive course offerings and off-campus training opportunities.
• People, building on an internationally known and respected faculty and improving customer service
• Plant, including extensive planned investment to upgrade classrooms and digital technology to enhance the student experience
• Profile to confirm BJU Seminary’s emerging status as a top-tier institution and leader in advancing a biblical worldview.

Watch Dr. Alan Benson’s full presentation of the strategic vision:

About bju seminary

BJU Seminary is a conservative graduate school of theology and ministry based in Greenville, S.C. It has a world-class faculty of 25 full-time and adjunct professors, all recognized as specialists in fields including theology, ministry, biblical counseling, and missions.

BJU Seminary offers full-time, flexible graduate programs, certificates, and badges in areas including Biblical Counseling, Theological Studies, Expository Preaching, Ministry Studies, Intercultural Studies, Biblical Language and Literature, Bible Teaching, Chaplaincy, and Master of Divinity. BJU Seminary places a premium both on accessibility—with a complete range of class offerings through full-time residence, seasonal modules, livestream, or through BJU’s School for Continuing, Online and Professional Education (SCOPE)—and on affordability—with among the lowest per-credit-hour costs of any theologically conservative seminary and a wide array of financial assistance.

*From Barna research, “The Aging of America’s Pastors“