ABOUT LYELL SEMINARY

Lyell Seminary was founded on a simple conviction:
real formation changes lives, and real scholarship lasts for generations.

We built Lyell for those who are tired of shallow teaching, quick opinions, and spiritual performance.
We built it for those who hunger for depth, truth, Torah, and intimacy with the Father.

We built it to raise a new generation of scholar-disciples who carry both heart and mind into the Kingdom.

OUR STORY

Lyell Seminary began with a quiet burden:
to create a seminary where Torah, spiritual formation, and high scholarship walk hand in hand.

Most seminaries focus on information.
Some focus on ministry skills.
Few focus on the inner life of the student.
Even fewer hold Torah as the path of wisdom while maintaining academic rigor.

We wanted something deeper:

a place where students grow in gentleness, obedience, and courage
a place where faculty live what they teach
a place where Torah is honored as the Father’s gift
a place where Yeshua is followed with sincerity
a place where scholarship is humble, careful, and serious

So we began small.
We built slowly.
We chose depth over numbers.
We formed the Counsel—a group of faculty who lead through spiritual maturity, academic strength, and Torah-pursuant living.

Every decision flows from this foundation.

OUR MISSION

To form Torah-pursuant disciples and scholars who walk in intimacy with the Father and serve with truth, humility, and courage.

We do not train celebrities.
We do not train performers.
We train whole people—people shaped by Scripture, guided by Torah, strengthened in spirit, and committed to the slow, deep work of wisdom.

OUR VISION

To establish a seminary known for:

deep spiritual formation
joyful Torah obedience
rigorous scholarship
high ethical standards
faculty who mentor
students who mature
unity between heart and mind
academic contributions that equip the Torah-pursuant world
leaders who can stand in any academic or ministry setting with integrity

We envision a community where the Father’s presence is real, Torah shapes daily life, and scholarship feels like devotion.

OUR DISTINCTIVES

Lyell Seminary is not like other seminaries.
It is smaller, slower, deeper, and more intentional.

1. Torah-Pursuant Life

We read Scripture in its fullness—Hebrew Bible and New Testament—through a Jewish lens that honors:

Shabbat
compassion
holy speech
justice
generosity
honoring parents
integrity
humility

We do not teach Torah as theory.
We teach Torah as the Father’s way of life.

2. Spiritual Formation at the Center

Every student and every faculty member follows an Individual Encounter Plan (IEP) with a mentor.
This plan guides the entire year of formation, following a gentle arc:

resistance
honesty
surrender
breakthrough
consolidation
integration

We train the heart first.
Scholarship flows from the soul.

3. Scholarship with Weight and Wisdom

We pursue real academic excellence.
Our faculty write, research, and engage with high-level scholarship.
Our students learn to:

think
write
interpret
present
engage
contribute

We aim for a presence in scholarly spaces such as AAR/SBL and respected journals.

4. Faculty Who Are Mentors

Every faculty member is:

spiritually mature
Torah-pursuant
academically trained
emotionally grounded
capable of guiding students
committed to formation

We do not hire faculty who only want a platform.
We call faculty who want to shape lives.

5. Honesty and Integrity with AI

AI is a tool—useful, but not holy.
We teach responsible, transparent, and ethical use.
We protect the humanity of formation.
We guard against shortcuts that damage the soul.

OUR COMMUNITY

Lyell is a global, online seminary—but it is not impersonal.

We cultivate true community:

monthly mentor meetings
cohort discussions
prayer times
Torah reflections
accountability
shared rhythms
academic collaboration

We are small on purpose.
We want to know your name, your story, and your heart.

WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT FORMATION

Formation cannot be rushed.
You cannot microwave holiness.
You cannot speed-run wisdom.

Lyell Seminary believes:

formation takes time
breakthrough comes after struggle
Torah shapes character
honesty opens the heart
mentoring creates stability
intimacy with the Father is the goal

Every policy, course, and practice flows from these beliefs.

AN INVITATION

If your heart longs for:

deeper truth
Torah obedience
honest scholarship
real transformation
mentors who care
a community anchored in holiness
and a life shaped by the Father’s presence

Lyell Seminary may be the place for you.

Explore. Pray. Reach out.

We welcome those who are ready to walk in truth.