The ASOT provides theological education to prepare clergy and laity for service in churches, Christian ministries and the community. The institution expresses its commitment to the student’s overall development by promoting life-long learning, scholarly inquiry, and a commitment of service to others. Ultimately, ASOT’s mission is to serve Jesus Christ through graduating students who have demonstrated competency in their chosen fields of study.
Training Church Leaders for the 21st Century
With the noble intent of providing a quality Christian Education in a learning environment that is spiritually uplifting and nurturing for drawing out the best for the Master’s service, Apex School of Theology (commonly referred to as ASOT) was founded in 1995. A Christian higher education institution, with an African-American culture, ASOT is a spiritual community grounded in agape (a Greco-Christian term referring to love).
The institution is a non-profit, private education institution in Durham, North Carolina, offering classes, both online and at their campus in Research Triangle Park. ASOT awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in Christian education, Theology, Christian counseling, Divinity, as well as continuing education classes. The school is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission. ASOT follows an open door admission policy based on the necessity of responding to each person at the appropriate individual level of ability and development. Altogether, the school is an interdenominational, interracial, and gender inclusive community modeled on diversity, which constitutes the Body of Christ.
ASOT purposes to prepare students for the mature performance of their vocation. Worship is central to campus and personal life. It hopes to develop a disciplined intelligence, and a life-long prayer life in each graduate, who are mentored through sound learning and equipped for worthy Christian Ministries. The school gives credit towards a degree for life experience.
Learning: A process of community wholeness
ASOT seeks to provide a learning process that allows the student the freedom of inquiry in a religious learning community of exchange between faculty, staff, and administration. Programs and services are geared towards promoting and nurturing student’s growth and development as persons who appreciate cultural diversity, and embody a sense of civic, social and religious responsibility. The educational and service programs provide theological education and training to a constituency of mature, bi-vocational, and commuting students.
ASOT provides programs of biblical and theological studies, general education, continuing education, and studies in Christian Education, Pastoral ministry, world mission, church vocation, a Bachelor’s Program, a Master of Divinity Program, Master of Christian Education, Master of Christian Counseling and a Doctorate of Ministry Degree. The curriculum is designed and implemented to enhance the student’s skills, and expand the student’s awareness, as well as broaden the student’s perspective quality of life.
Apex is one of the few private, freestanding theological undergraduate and graduate schools to offer its degree programs online as well. The focus of “ApexDE” (Apex Distance Education) is to provide learning opportunities for students who cannot matriculate on campus and for those persons with access to Internet-media interest in a Faith-based Christian curriculum with affordable costs from an accredited institution. The Program has the ability to reach students that are located beyond the campus; who are handicapped and who represent diverse racial and socioeconomic groups. The Apex School of Theology was ranked as the #1 Best Online School in North Carolina due to its stellar Freshman Retention Rate (97% of freshmen returning for their sophomore year), and for its highly respectable Graduation Rate (95% of students completing and obtaining their degree in a timely manner).
A Sagacious Pastor Passing on the Faith
Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Perkins, President of Apex School of Theology, originally founded the school at the Apex First Baptist Church, which is located in Apex, North Carolina, where he served as the pastor as well. Since its commencement, he envisioned the school to be a place where students would be assisted spiritually and academically, and put to the maximum use to the kingdom of God and to the faith of the community. His wife, Dr. Carrie Perkins, has also been instrumental in supporting the vision of the school from its inception.
Dr. Perkins has been the apostle of one of those epochs of credulity which seize men from time to time when any exceedingly novel cure is proclaimed. He has also authored books on spiritual awakening titled ‘The Being of God’ and ‘What’s In Your Spirit?’
Dr. Perkins founded his entrepreneurial venture, Perkins Orchard, in the year 1970, and in the beginning the orchard operated on the honor system. Perkins Orchard is now managed and operated by Dr. Perkins’ grandson, Donovan Alexander Watson.
Financial Assistance for Quality Education
The role of the Financial Aid Office at Apex School of Theology is to make quality Christian education affordable to every student. The total cost of attendance at Apex School of Theology may sound expensive, but the truth is that many students pay less than their college’s sticker price thanks to financial aid.
ASOT participates in the Federal Student Aid Program (FAFSA), for those persons seeking an Associate, Bachelor, Master or Doctorate Degree. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Education. ASOT considerately provides financial aid assistance through the Federal Pell Grants, Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP) and Presidential Scholarship.
