A Brief History
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BRTS Values
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Library
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Students
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City of Riga
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Strategic Times

A Brief History
On the wall of the Reformers Church in Riga, Latvia, there is a list of pastors, starting in 1722 and ending in 1952. For 230 years there was what appears to be a Reformed congregation worshiping in the building, until the Soviets decided it would make a good recording studio. Apparently that was also the end of the congregation. No trace of it existed in 1991, when Latvia emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Empire, regained its independence and began to recover its culture, rebuild its society and renovate its infrastructure.

Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary (BRTS), which at this point functions as five lectureships a year locally organized by a board containing the pastors of the three congregations and ruling elders and supported by International Theological Educational Ministries, Inc. Westminster graduate Gerard Van Groningen ('55) gave the first lectures in September 1998 in Biblical Theology and was the organizing genius behind the subsequent mix of topics and lecturers.

At this stage of the life of the evangelical church in Latvia, the topic of worship/liturgy is a crucial one. Although there are strong Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic and Orthodox traditions in the country, the group of churches being served by BRTS is largely the result of Western European and American missionary work since independence (the last 15 years). Vineyard worship and other contemporary evangelical approaches are popular. In this setting it is crucial to present a distinctively Calvinistic/Reformed view of worship and teaching, laying a foundation of biblical-theological, confessional, historical and pastoral content, that will help them evaluate their practice and strengthen their service to the Lord.

The study program at BRTS is built according to the Seminary values and aim. The main emphasis is on the Bible exegesis, which is supported by different practical subjects. Each seminary student gains deep understanding about Scripture, defense of faith, issues of systematic and practical theology, as well as history of the Christian church. Right now BRTS offers 3-year evening program, the equivalent of a Master of Arts Theological studies degree. One course is 5-10 days long. The intensity of studies is once a month. During the rest of the time students are doing their reading assignments and write their essays or reviews.

BRTS Values
Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary is based on the following values:
• Only the Triune God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is worth to receive all the glory and praise. Therefore every human activity has to be done for this end.
• The Holy Scripture is the very inspired Word of God, which has been handed down through the centuries and is the only authority in every matter.
• The essence of the Reformed faith and teaching is found in the Westminster Standards (Confession and Cathechisms) as well as the Heidelberg Cathechism. These formulations of faith are based on the Bible. The board of the BRTS and all of the professors hold to these formulations of the Reformed faith.
• The Great Commission for the church is to “go and make disciples in all the nations”. Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary trains and equips pastors and leaders to understand the surrounding culture and are zealous to apply the truth of God’s word to change people’s hearts.
• There is only one body of Christ and only one Spirit, therefore all the believers have to be united with one another and be faithful in the proclamation of the Gospel

Library
BRTS owns a small but growing library where the students can find all the most important works of the Reformed theologians and authors. Students and laymen are able to come and study the Bible commentaries and Bible references. The list of the books and video archives is available at BRTS website: www.brts.edu.lv

Students
Usual attendance at the lectures is about 20 students each evening. Of them about five are taking the courses to earn the certificate; the others are auditors. They are a fine group, sharp and asking very good questions. They come from a variety of congregations, but the largest numbers are from the three Reformed congregations. Several of the students are involved in leading worship in their congregations. Most of the students are conversant in English. In fact the quality of students and their diverse backgrounds are quite impressive. Presently, everyone has at least a Bachelor's degree, and are mostly white-collar folks in the IT industry, business, architecture, law, etc. There are also several full time religious workers and missionaries from different denominations (a number of Baptist missionaries, a staff member from Campus Crusade for Christ, a representative from an Evangelical Publishing House and ministry staff from several Evangelical and Lutheran churches).

The seminary is strengthening the budding Reformed churches in Riga (three and growing), as well as ministering to the broader Evangelical community. Approximately 50% of the students are members of one of the three Reformed Churches there. The three churches (led by Alvis Sauka, Ungars Gulbis and Dainis Smits) seem to be doing very well (attendance of 150+ at each church). The third church, a new plant, has a solid core of five families and hopes to move beyond a Bible study format very soon (they are currently meeting in the seminary facility on Sundays). There is a great deal of harmony and cooperation among the Reformed Churches in the area. All three pastors are part of the Baltic Reformed Theological Seminary Board. The seminary has noteworthy indigenous leadership, with a good spirit of cooperation.

Seminary Staff
Artis Celmins has been fulfilling duties of seminary administrator. Martins Martinsons is BRTS Academic Assistant, working in the day-to-day operations of the seminary, and markets the seminary to students and prospective students. Artis, an IT professional, is helping to bring the seminary to the next level. He is an elder in the local Reformed Church and would like to teach Reformed theology some day. ITEM President Dr. R. David Ludwick and the Seminary Board agree that this move is in the best interest of future growth of the work in Riga.

Physical Facilities
The seminary is located near the Latvia State University complex. Classes are held in a conference room, which seats approximately 25, and there is a library/lounge across the hallway. There is also a two-room apartment for visiting lecturers in the same building. The facilities are very nice -- the conference room is well lit, with adequate seating and tables, and a water cooler and refreshment area. The BRTS office, across the hall, also contains a library corner. The expanding library contains hundreds of volumes of solid Reformed books -- from Systematics (Berkhof, Vos, etc.) to Biblical studies to the videotapes of all previous lecturers (each lecture is being videotaped). The collection is already substantial and comprehensive. The seminary now has a library comparable to the average North American Reformed minister's personal library. The new facilities are fine. The conference room has adequate space for this group. It has been recently renovated, in a well-built building from the 20s/30s. A marker board and overhead projector are available - any professor would appreciate that.

The apartment in the twin building is clean, well lighted, and newly renovated. Everything works (making breakfast/snacks is easy), it's quiet for study and revising lecture material, and the tram is right out front for going to the Center (great Latvian cafeteria/smorgasbord called the Lido for eating, a good bookstore, an internet café for logging on, the museums and Old City, etc.). 60Ls (not quite $100 US) is more than adequate for a week's food/eating out, tram fares and other expenses. A small, but quite adequate western-style supermarket is only one tram stop away, or an easy walk.

The City of Riga
Riga is a resilient city, whose economy is being slowly but steadily rebuilt. It is a pivotal city in the Baltic region with close proximity to Russia (a substantial percentage of the Riga population is of Russian ethnicity and language). It is the opinion of some that Riga is the most ideally situated city in the region especially regarding the spreading of the Reformed faith. In the area in which ITEM works Riga appears to be very cosmopolitan, well educated, and young, and it is, by God's grace, home to three new Reformed churches who are aiming to impact the whole Baltic region with the Gospel and the Reformed faith. Also, the quality of instruction at the seminary has attracted the broader Evangelical community.

Today Riga is a vibrant city of 750,000 and the Reformed faith is being practiced in three new congregations with a vision to plant many more. One of those churches worships in the Reformers Church building, courtesy of the Lutheran owners. You might say that a new Reformed sapling is being planted in the stump of the old church. The pastor, Alvis Sauka, has mentored two others, Ungars Gulbis and Dainis Smits, who pastor the other two congregations. They are seeking to extend their network to several other congregations who are leaning in a Reformed direction. This larger group is studying the Westminster Confession of Faith, recently translated into Latvian, to see if they can come to consensus around it as a summary of biblical truth as they understand it together.

Strategic Times
This is a strategic time in the life of these churches. They are young, vigorous and growing, the result of God's recent work of grace in the city of Riga. They are eager for contact with Reformed churches in other parts of the world.

The lectures held five times a year have had tremendous impact in helping them to think biblically and theologically; and how to understand and apply the Reformed Faith as their churches mature. The contribution ITEM is making is tremendous. The material that has been covered in the last three years is extensive and foundational, largely in the areas of systematic theology and biblical studies. Church history, apologetics and pastoral theology will be covered in similar breadth and depth in coming years. Someday, of course, BRTS will be more formally organized, granting degrees, etc. The current format is ideal for the situation. Truth is being taught and absorbed; the Church is being fed.

The worldwide Reformed church needs to come alongside these brothers and those in other ITEM locations, such as in Ukraine and Siberia and wherever else there might be an opportunity to encourage and help. Pastors attending the schools have specifically requested that we find ecclesiastical fellowship for them and their churches. They are interested in effective fellowship, whether informal or formal. American churches are invited to participate with and through ITEM in the building up of the Kingdom of God at this critical point in time.

Thanks be to God, who has formed this part of His church to glorify and enjoy Him in this time and place, and who has guided them in partnership with ITEM along a sound path. May He give them continued growth and maturity, and the active engagement of the rest of His Church to sustain and encourage them in His mission work through ITEM.

Student Quotes
“The seminary has served many churches and Christian ministers in Latvia, directly and indirectly, providing the students with solid theological understanding, giving them access to the heritage of Reformed tradition and its application in today’s situation.” Artis Celmins, elder of the Riga Reformed Church