An increasing number of capable and committed Christians are expressing a desire to deepen the dimensions of their life in ministry. This increased interest reflects a keen sense of God’s call to a greater and more extensive service in ministry and mission.
In his book, Career Crossover, Tom Harper, the co-founder of Church Central Associates, reported that 38 percent of all church leaders came from the secular marketplace. The research indicates that this number is growing. More people are entering the ministry as a second or third career choice [or an active retirement option] than ever before. Churches are hiring talented lay-leaders into staff positions at an increased rate. It is evident that the local congregation has become God’s chosen environment to develop leaders in ministry. But, the fact remains that mature ministry requires mature ministers whose training transcends the ability to run programs. Mature ministry requires a greatness of soul, a depth of wisdom, and a breadth of perspective. The goal of theological education is to expand these horizons.
A unique partnership between the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches and the Northwest Baptist Seminary has taken theological education to the next step. The CHRISTIAN MINISTRY TRAINING PROGRAM is designed to provide lay-people with training for mature ministry. The Christian Ministry Training Program makes it possible for students to study where they live, work, and minister.
The Christian Ministry Training Program is built around a core of eight learning courses that address three core ministry essentials: Conviction, Character and Competence. Each course is developed by qualified faculty of Northwest Baptist Seminary, and is conducted in the local setting between a student - or cohort of students - and a designated mentor. As students complete each course, their achievement is recognized with a certificate issued by the Northwest Baptist Seminary.
Some students may wish to receive credit for their work. The Northwest Baptist Seminary has made arrangements not only for these courses to be taken for credit, but upon completion of all the courses, receive a Diploma in Christian Ministry. Students who earn the diploma and who have the equivalent of two years of undergraduate education will be eligible to apply for entrance into the Masters of Arts in Christian Studies at ACTS. See the website for more details.
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY TRAINING PROGRAM is an innovative path to empower Christ-followers to take ministry to another, more mature level and serve God as far as He desires to lead…
Who are you … the Emerging Leader?
You’ve grown as you’ve gotten involved in ministry. As you have served, you have learned how to make use of the gifts God has given you. You have learned to take training seriously as you learn new skills and to discover personal growth.
As you serve, you have begun to sense that God may be stirring you, calling you, to take your service to another, more mature level. As you share this growing passion with others, they are encouraging you to “take it up a notch.”
You have been approached by others in your church, affirming your service and suggesting that you expand your skills. You have been invited to become a member of the staff or ministry team. You realize that if you advance in ministry, you will need to grow beyond the technical skills of managing programs and begin to develop the deeper dimensions of spiritual maturity.
Who are you … the Encouraging Church?
You encourage your lay-leaders to discover their gifts and skills in ministry. You create opportunities to train your people to serve. Your people naturally expect that they will discover the ministry God has for them. You not only train leaders for specific ministries, but you expose them to seminars and leadership conferences to sharpen their skills. As they grow, you discover that some want to go further. Some want to make it personal.
You are looking for someone to oversee a ministry. You are considering the possibility of asking or hiring someone to serve as “staff” and you find that there are people in your congregation who may fit the need but need to be trained.
YOU ARE READY FOR THE NEXT STEP…
What are the Rewards?
Reward 1: Students will expect to gain a deeper level of personal spiritual growth and understanding that will empower them for a greater impact in life, service, leadership and ministry. The personal benefits of a greatness of soul, breadth of perspective, and depth of wisdom should be the paramount reward.
Reward 2: Students will find that course work will enrich their ability to serve. This program has been developed in partnership with the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches. It has identified the specific core ministry skills that form a solid foundation for any number of mature ministry applications. It unites the basic academic work and practical ministry experiences that are necessary for mature leaders to engage in meaningful service.
Reward 3: Students will expect to grasp a sense of focus to the directions of God’s calling in their lives. Through the process of study and mentored reflection, students will be exposed to the realities that lie in the future that God has for them. They will be able to share these reflections with their closest social base - spouse, family, congregation, and community – creating a profound partnership for future success.
Reward 4: Congregations will find the Christian Ministry Training Program to be an effective process to address the mandate to multiply and develop mature leaders. As people cycle through the various certified courses, they will be able to expand ministry with confidence and excellence. In return, students who successfully complete the certified courses will be able to mentor future students through the same learning process, creating an environment of leadership development in the congregation.
Reward 5: There will be some students who may desire to go beyond the certificate and receive credit for their work. The value of the Christian Ministry Training Program in contrast with other adult learning programs is that the Christian Ministry Training Program can open doors to further opportunity, allowing a person to go as far as God is leading them. Upon application to Northwest Baptist Seminary and the completion of certain requirements, each course in the Christian Ministry Training Program will provide 3 credit hours awarded by the Northwest Baptist Seminary toward a Diploma in Christian Ministry.
The Diploma in Christian Ministry will be awarded to students who complete the ten courses [30 credit hours] for credit. With the Diploma in Christian Ministry, students who also have 60 credit hours [two years] of formal post-secondary education [or its equivalent as evaluated by Northwest Baptist Seminary] will be eligible to apply for enrollment into the ACTS Seminary’s Master of Arts in Christian Studies on an “equivalent to Bachelor” basis. By enrolling in The Christian Ministry Training Program, students will be able to assemble meaningful learning experiences and unlock future meaningful possibilities.
Students who wish to pursue credit for courses taken through the Christian Ministry Training Program will need to contact Loren Warkentin, the Northwest Baptist Seminary Registrar in order to…
…complete the application for the Diploma in Christian Ministry
…formally register for each course including paying the full tuition fee
…submit all assignments for grading to the professor-of-record for each course.