Brewing Knowledge Without Another Diploma

 I have degrees--three, in fact, at various levels of academia--and a teaching certificate to boot. I'll unfortuately be paying student loans for a long time (we are good friends by now). 

 Although I had learned so much about the mechanics of youth ministry from reading various books and being a part of a company-sponsored online community, I still pursued my degree.  What I quickly learned is that I actually already knew how to set up and run a youth ministry--before I even transferred--with my classes doing very little aside from some practical theology and lesson building.

 While I am grateful for my degree (and I use it all the time to teach high school, ironically), it also taught me that I'm actually really great at teaching myself! I know that I can learn almost as effectively with self-study as I do in a classroom under most circumstances. 

 Why all the background to this?--because this might be your story too. You might have all the diplomas you need to be successful professionally, and are just in need of some gap fillers or additional guidance on certain difficult topics in order to round out your knowledge on a subject to expand your influence. 

So what do we do?--We can pursue education WITHOUT the additional degree or student loans.

 

Auditing Classes

 I picked up from one of my favorite apologists, Alisa Childers , that she had audited classes from Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College (SES) to help in her own studies. I am not aware if she eventually pursued a degree, but I used this as inspiration to look into the auditing process as well. 

 For those who do not know what auditing a course is, in most cases, it means one can sit in on lectures and in some cases--even do the same assignments with some feedback--all without the transcript credit and at a lesser fee. 

This fits my needs exactly (especially the part where I might not be responsible for the same amount of homework, ha ha!). I do not want the cost of a degree--or even to take all of the classes in a program--but I DO want to learn from someone with expert knowledge in a longer format than a podcast or interview. At $200 a course, it is a really reasonable option (and something I can budget for and pay in cash). 

Certificates

 Another "non-degree" option are certificate programs. There are certificate programs that are FOR credit--something that is attached to a current degree--or some that are also an audit format program with no credit attached, but carry a recognizable title that can be added to a resume.  

For example, SES also has a Certificate in Apologetics program which is at the graduate level. With less coursework as a full master's degree, it is a good option if someone just wanted to add onto a current degree. This program is FOR credit, meaning that as of this date, the current cost per unit for this 15-unit program is $475. Well below a full graduate level program, but more pricey than the audit-per-class option

A non-credit (audit) option for a certificate can be found through Biola University, with their Christian Apologetics Certificate. The entire course is self-paced, for a total of $499 for the entire program. Again, this is NOT for credit and cannot be applied to another degree, but if you are just looking for a program in its entirety by some well-known voices in the field of apologetics, this is another option for your resume. (Note--there has been some controversy brought to light about Biola's commitment to historical Christian values in practice. For more about this, please check out Krista Bontrager's research on these concerns to better inform your decision for this program). 

Direct Training Through Ministries

Although I have only stumbled upon two so far,  I have learned that some of these apologetics ministries are offering training and equipping for the ministry using many of the tools and teachers they already provide.  

 I will be taking (and revisiting the process here over the 12-week course) the Mama Bear Apologetics Deep Dive Instructor Course --a brand new ministry of MBA--to become equipped to teach the material and learn to ROAR through the cultural topics my children and other parents will be encountering as we raise our children to be followers of Christ. It has a small fee and does require an application with references, but to be able to learn from the Mama Bears themselves will be exciting. 

 I have also just learned that Krista Bontrager (aka Theology Mom) is also offering an 8 week live Zoom class titled, Everyday Evangelism through her other ministry, Center for Biblical Unity. While I do not have the exact details to share here, I suggest giving her and this ministry a follow to get more information (And let's be honest--both are fantastic ministries you will be VERY blessed to learn from on the daily). 

Books and Podcasts

As I previously mentioned, I am an excellent self-learner (it's my nerd power), so reading books will probably always be my best form of study. I plan on sharing reviews of the books I've been reading over the past few years as I've picked up the discipline again in future posts.  

 I also have learned that podcasts are a little classroom while you do dishes or fold laundry--and you can pause and pick them up again if you are interrupted (or need to go to bed). Podcasts are actually the primary source for my book lists and have been the foundation of my knowledge up to this point. Think of them as great springboards or conversation starters for your own deep dive. 

I've listed the links to my favorite apologists on the homepage--give them a follow today! 

Apologetics Served Up

 So what IS my gameplan? As of January 2026, it's as follows:

• Audit courses (one at a time) through SES to fill in the "holes" I have in my Youth Ministry degree. I'm looking for those introductions to apologetics classes, hermeneutics, and Biblical languages (the ones that they didn't require a transfer student to take at my university)
• Additional training through ministries I follow and admire. The Deep Dive course through MBA really "fell" into my lap as I joined their brand new online community, The Den. For someone who was hesitant to get into something new because she didn't want to take away from her own kids, MBA is a perfect fit because really, I AM doing this for my own children! 
• Pursuing a non-credit Apologetics Certificate through Biola for the resume factor. Although there are some concerns about the school right now, I do believe that the course instructors are solid (literally--one is Greg Koukl, known for his newsletter, Solid Ground, through the ministry, Stand to Reason).  I am not ready for this "step" yet, but I will be doing some additional research before starting anything
• Read more books! (I mean, can anyone really stop me, ha ha!) The stack on my nightstand keeps growing.  

This is all on top of my BA in Youth Ministry, my MA in Curriculum in Teaching, 8.5 years of ministry experience, and an additional 15+ years of professional teaching!  I'm set!  

 That's brewing some knowledge without a full degree in a nutshell--or a travel cup? (I'll get better at the coffee analogies). Do not let your time or finances stop your pursuit to become better equipped to share the gospel and answer others "big questions" when encountering others for Him!