Church Leadership Certificates

The need for more effective leadership in local churches is evident. Pastors of small churches need assistance in leading the total church program. Mid-sized churches have leadership needs in age-graded programs. Staff members in larger churches need additional assistance in program development and implementation. The church leadership certificate program addresses the need of leadership by providing specialized, short-term training for church leaders. This program is available to all persons regardless of educational background.

What is a certificate?

The church leadership certificates are composed of eight one-hour classes fully accredited by the Leavell College of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The certificates are aimed at meeting the needs of two primary audiences. First, these certificates help train pastors who cannot come to the campus or an extension center for theological education. Second, some certificates are focused upon lay leaders who want to learn more and be equipped for ministry. The certificates provide affordable, accredited training that is available near the student.

What certificates are available?

The following certificates are available to be offered throughout the Southeast: Biblical Ministry Certificate, Biblical Teaching Certificate, Christian Education Certificate, Church Planting Certificate, Pastoral Ministry Certificate, and the Pastoral Ministry Certificate in African American Church Studies.

You can see that we have many different types of training available. Many of these certificates have been designed in coordination with churches or associations who have asked the seminary to meet a desired need. The Biblical Ministry Certificate for instance was designed to help churches train Sunday School teachers and leaders. This certificate is composed of classes like Hermeneutics, Christian Doctrine, Apologetics, and other helpful classes for lay leaders. The Biblical Teaching Certificate was designed to take the student through the Bible getting a thorough introduction to the background of each book. We may also be able to design a certificate to meet your specific needs.

How can I help offer a certificate in my area?

The seminary is accredited to offer these courses in multiple places. In short, after going through an approval process, we can offer the certificate classes in most churches or associational offices. We have some basic requirements for offering a new certificate:

• We need a place to meet. Many of the certificate courses are offered in churches or associational offices.
• We need a group of interested students. Normally, we would like to have 10-15 interested participants to guarantee the viability of the program.
• We need qualified teachers. Since these are fully accredited courses, we use teachers that have a master's degree and 18 hours in the area being taught. Most teachers have at least a Master's of Divinity from an accredited seminary.

If you are interested in finding out more about offering a certificate in your church or association, Dr. Norris Grubbs at ngrubbs@nobts.edu or 1-800-NOBTS-01 ext. 3264.

How much does it cost?

The cost of certificate classes vary depending upon how the teacher is compensated. Every student pays a one-time $25 application fee. Then, the tuition for each class can range between $50-$100 per course. Some centers offer as many as four classes a semester while others only offer one.

Where can I take certificate classes?

To see what is available in your area of Louisiana or Mississippi click here. You can contact the director for information about a particular site's offerings.