Eric Thomas Garland of Lufkin, Texas accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of four, Eric Thomas Garland devoted his life to his Savior. He settled in Lufkin, Texas, after earning his master's in theology from Golden Gate Theological Seminary in 2014.
Golden Gate Theological Seminary, now known as Gateway Seminary, operates five traditional campuses in four states, including Colorado, Arizona, Washington, and California. California’s San Francisco Campus (SFC) is located in Fremont, in San Francisco’s South Bay area. While the original Northern California seminary was founded in 1944, the SFC was established in 2016 on land donated by a local church called Discovery Church. One of the key goals of the seminary is to enable students to receive theological training while concurrently serving in the ministry.
Five degrees are offered at the San Francisco Campus: master of divinity, master of arts in educational leadership, master of theological studies, diploma in theology, and diploma in educational leadership.
An operator for Combatt Oilfield Solutions in Texas, Lufkin native Eric Thomas Garland is also an experienced pastor in the Baptist tradition. In addition to serving in Lufkin, Eric Garland graduated from Gateway Seminary in Los Angeles, California. Gateway requires most students to complete its two-semester Theological Field Education (TFE) program, but enrollees pursuing a master of theological studies may take the course as an elective. TFE offers an internship in ministry, accompanied by intensive feedback from spiritual mentors. Students can choose to work in positions within churches in the area for their internship.The program not only enhances the basic biblical and theological dimensions of ministry, but encourages thoughtful reflection and self-awareness. Participants even create an individualized learning agreement to identify personal goals. TFE’s objectives include blending ministerial theory and practice, understanding servant leadership, and encouraging students to be intentional in their pastoral work. The coursework also helps students identify their gifts and talents, as well as shows them how their personal qualities can both help and hinder their ministerial practices.
