School Objectives

General objectives of the School of Ministry

The mission of the School is to prepare future ministry workers to proclaim Christ and to love His Church. We seek to accomplish this through a practical training program focused on life and ministry developed in the context of the local church such that learning experiences are coupled with actual integrated ministry to serve and bless believers. More than education, the School of Ministry aims to prepare future leaders through an apprenticeship model with a wholistic design to cultivate growth through study (head), reflection (heart), and experience (hands).

Our desire is that each student graduating the program will be marked by the following statements:

  • An enhanced love for Jesus and His bride, a deeper desire for His word, and a greater yielding to the Spirit.
  • Finding joy in shepherding needy people and outreach to the lost.
  • Demonstrated wholistic growth in character, skills, and knowledge for effective ministry.
  • A biblically informed self-awareness and understanding of one’s gifting and roles.
  • Measurable progress in life development and maturity.
  • An appreciation for and commitment to lifelong learning.
  • Recognition of and integration in the centrality of the local church as primary to the plan of God.
  • The ability to rightly interpret, authoritatively apply, and devotionally conform to God’s Word.
  • Equipped with skills to engage with and benefit from scholars, commentaries, and academic resources.
  • A firm grasp of ministry principles and strategies rooted in Scripture and practical experience.

Specific objectives by individual and track

While the objectives noted above are shared for each student in the program, the School’s model factors in various elements to allow for customized developmental experiences at both an individual level and track level. We recognize that each student is unique in their passions and gifting (natural, acquired, and spiritual). Therefore, components of the program are designed to be tailored to the individual’s experience adhering to a loose structure that provides flexibility within established guardrails. These components are further described in the detailed transcript and generally include ministry experience, book studies, mentoring, self-reflection, and planning.

The School provides three tracks to allow for more targeted learned and practical training. Selecting a track will  assist in assembling a theme to the student’s development to channel growth conducive to serving in that type of role. If a student is uncertain of which track they feel led to, they can either choose one with the ability to change later or they can remain undeclared and participate in a broader but shallower exposure of developmental experiences. Each track shares ten core classes and is differentiated by three electives, two ministry residences, and the theme behind ministry experience, mentoring, and book studies.

The Three Tracks Include:

Pastoral:

To equip men and women for teaching and discipleship roles in the local church, as well as men considering eldership and preaching. This track emphasizes church leadership, preaching, and shepherding and includes experiences like shadowing elders and preaching venues.

Counseling:

To train men and women in lovingly and wisely speaking impactful truths to others in complex situations. This track emphasizes understanding people, emotion, conflict, communication, and soul care and includes experiences like mentoring others, partnering with experienced counselors, and conflict resolution.

Missions:

To prepare men and women to effectively and winsomely proclaim the gospel at home and abroad, and to disciple new believers into maturity. This track emphasizes missiology, discipleship evangelism, and culturally-relatable outreach and includes experiences like door-to-door witnessing, 1:1 discipleship, perspectives, and missions community.