Frequently Asked Questions


Here are some important details that may help you decide to study with us:

Who is NCST?

NCST is a child of the parent ministry—Cross to Crown Ministries. The school exists to exalt the Lord Jesus by teaching Christians how to think and live in the New Covenant. We teach Christians how to interpret the Bible with a Christ-centered hermeneutic, preparing pastors for ministry through vigorous biblical study and leadership training in the local church, and providing biblical instruction for all Christians at a deeper level than the typical Sunday school.

At NCST, we believe that the training of church leaders is more effective when students are heavily involved in the ministry of the local church during the formal educating process. Our classes are given one at a time, on Monday and Tuesday nights, usually over a period of four weeks. This helps free students to engage in church activities during other nights of the week.

NCST adheres to New Covenant Theology (see below) and Biblical Theology.

What do you believe?

Read our Statement of Faith to learn about our theological convictions.

What degrees do you confer?

We confer the traditional Master of Divinity (M.Div) and a Certificate of Biblical Theology (C.BibT). (More information)

Is NCST accredited?

NCST is not accredited. We understand the value of peer appraisal and the potential dangers of “unknown” educational institutions. However, the technological age in which we live allows a prospective student to get an accurate and detailed picture of our ministry before deciding to enroll. The content of our teaching, beliefs, and philosophy is fully disclosed on our website. (Besides, who accredits the accreditation agencies?)

Attending a non-accredited school does not automatically preclude a student from being accepted by accredited institutions later. We know of several M.Div graduates from non-accredited seminaries who have been received into the doctoral programs of larger, renowned, accredited schools. And there are many examples of students from non-accredited schools receiving calls to ministry. Certainly, we cannot guarantee such reception, but we believe that generic accreditation should not be the ultimate determining factor in choosing a place to prepare for ministry.

Ultimately, of course, the best accreditation of any school is the quality of its graduates. We hope that by the grace of our merciful and powerful King, NCST will gain and maintain a robust reputation for equipping servants of diligent, effective, passion for Jesus Christ.

How are your classes structured?

We use block classes, one at a time. The standard educational method consists of taking several simultaneous classes for a period of 13 weeks (more or less). While there may be good reasons for this approach, at NCST we come at it differently. Our classes are given one at a time over a period of four weeks. We meet weekly on Monday and Tuesday nights, 3 hours each night. This allows for several things:

  1. A course can be completed in one month.
  2. All of the studentʼs time for reading, writing, etc., is devoted to one subject, rather than distributed across multiple subjects.
  3. Students have five consecutive days to devote to their study.
  4. Students are free to engage in church activities during other nights of the week.
  5. Part-time (or full-time) jobs may be easier to maintain with this schedule.

We believe this to be an effective way to learn.

How do the online classes work at NCST?

Students take courses via Zoom. We prefer that students watch the lectures live, but where distance or schedules are prohibitive, they may watch recordings later in the week as long as they keep up with the assignments. All students are expected to interact on class forums to discuss and compare insights as the classes progress.

What is New Covenant Theology?

Put very simply, NCT affirms that the universe exists to glorify God through Jesus Christ. We believe the entire Scripture must be interpreted as the story of Jesus Christ rather than as the story of the kingdom of Israel or the story of Godʼs covenant of grace. While we love and appreciate our brothers who dwell in the camps of Reformed/Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism, we believe their hermeneutic is slightly off center.

NCT believes that when the Holy Spirit called the New Covenant new, He meant it. The Old Covenant with all of its wonderful shadows—temple, priesthood, sacrifices, kings, prophets, and nation—have been utterly fulfilled by the Light of the world Jesus Christ and His people, the Church. The Law of Moses has also been fulfilled. This does not place the New Covenant believer in a lawless state, free to sin. No, we are under the Law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:20-21) and strive to obey the commands of King Jesus by the power of His Spirit.

Specifically, we affirm the doctrines of grace, justification by faith alone, the necessity of good works as proof of regeneration, the sufficiency of Christ, His Word, and His Spirit, the now/not yet view of Christ’s kingdom, the Church as the exclusive people of God, and the fulfillment of the entire OT in Christ. We deny infant baptism, the Law of Moses as binding on Christians, and the 7-year Jewish-centric rapture/tribulation followed by a Jewish-centric millennial kingdom.

NOTE: Students are not required to affirm the tenets of NCT for admittance or graduation, but they will be expected to understand them for graduation.

Who are your teachers?

The professors of NCST are Christians who have been examined and found to possess a sound biblical competence in terms of factual knowledge and theological understanding. However, intellectual capacity alone does not satisfy our requirements. We also look for evidence that the grace of the gospel has done its good work. If our graduates exhibit academic prowess devoid of love and grace, we have failed to achieve our goal. And since we cannot give what we do not have, we must employ teachers who know Him intimately and who walk in His Spirit consistently.

Four men currently do the lion’s share of our teaching:

Dr. Robert Bryant. Bob earned a doctorate in Education from Regent University and an M.A. from the University of Texas at San Antonio. As an adjunct professor, he taught hybrid, flipped, and online courses for the Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods department in the McCoy College of Business Administration at Texas State University.

His work in academia began as a certified composite social studies teacher who taught high school Social Studies, varied courses on the Christian faith as well as coaching multiple sports in Christian schools. He subsequently earned additional certifications and served as an Athletic Director, Assistant Principal, Principal, then as Academic Dean for the oldest Baptist boarding school in the United States. Until retiring, he spent 17-years training faculty and overseeing the educational program.

Prior to his work in academia, he studied under Drs. Walter Martin and John Warwick Montgomery at a feeder school to Fuller Theological Seminary in California. He completed his training in a Bible College and was sent to plant a church in Bay City, Texas, where he pastored for 10-years. Afterward, he planted a second church in San Antonio and pastored it for 3-years. In addition, he did short term missions work in Nigeria and Mexico.

Dan Brown. Dan grew up in a pastor’s home, where he saw life in full-time ministry firsthand. After earning a computer science degree at Messiah College, he enrolled at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY, where he began his theological training. Midway through an M.Div program, Dan transferred to NCST in Colorado Springs.  He now serves at Front Range Alliance Church and teaches at NCST. He and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with three wonderful daughters.

Dwight Brown. Dwight grew up in Arlington, Virginia, and graduated from Virginia Tech University in 1964 with a BS degree in Public Administration. He served in the USAF for five years following graduation and then attended Dallas Theological Seminary, graduating with honors in 1973 with a Masters of Theology in Systematic Theology. He has served in pastoral ministry in four different churches between 1973 and 2005. He also served as a reserve Chaplain in the USAF from 1973 to 1990. Dwight retired from full-time pastoral ministry, but continues to serve as an elder teaching Bible, theology, and practical ministry classes in both the church and at NCST. Dwight has been married to his wife, Anne, since 1965 and has three sons, three daughters-in-law, and eight (and counting) grandchildren.

Doug Goodin. Doug is president of Cross to Crown Ministries and New Covenant School of Theology. He grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, MO. After gaining an undergraduate degree in music, and planning for a career as a songwriter/guitar player, he received a clear call to pastoral ministry. He immediately enrolled at Covenant Theological Seminary and completed his M.Div. at New Geneva Seminary (Colorado Springs). He pastored for over 25 years. Doug and his wife, Krista, have been married since August 15, 1992, and the Lord has blessed them with three children.

As you can see, we have a lot of real pastoral experience to bring to the classroom.

How much is tuition?

  • M.Div students pay $250/course, plus the cost of the practicum modules
  • C.BibT students pay $250/course
  • Audit students pay $50/course

You will find more information on the Degree and Certification Program page.

What are the course requirements?

Each teacher will set forth the individual course requirements. Students must complete all required work in order to pass the course. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the teacher of the individual course. It is expected that required work will be completed by the due date and prior to the beginning of the next course.

What is your non-discrimination policy?

New Covenant School of Theology does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, or physical handicap in its educational programs or activities, including admission and employment. NCST does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the educational programs or activities it operates, including admission and employment, except in regard to aspects related to pastoral ministry and ordination.

Have more questions? Please contact us.