This certificate program provides students with foundational skills necessary for fruitful ministry work and addresses areas of leadership, theology, ministry, and Bible study. Students attend live lectures (in person, or via video conferencing), and receive the most thorough training we offer. This program is designed as a foundational ministry training program for staff, elders, deacons, and other students training for similar roles in the church.
Students in this program take 14 courses, either in person (in Chicago), or via video conferencing. A typical course involves 500-700 pages of reading, 12 hours of lecture, supporting assignments, and one final paper or exam. Instructors work in their area of expertise, have degrees in their field, and have decades of ministry experience. Courses are highly interactive, engaging, and are focused on principles, skills, and tools that are most important for leaders in the church. The certificate program can be completed in as little as two years or at whatever pace works for the student and their church.
A ministry practicum provides a way for students to apply what they’ve learned with the benefit of regular conversation with their MIM advisor. Each practicum is unique. Students design a 12 week program with a particular focus that meets a need in their congregation. They then do the work, with oversight and regular debriefs with an MIM advisor and their ministry supervisor.
Tuition for each course is $175 and students are responsible for purchasing the required books for each course. Some larger churches sponsor or subsidize a student’s tuition, and at times, some scholarships are available.