Welcome!
Whether you are a new student, a current student or a returning student we are glad you are taking a moment to visit this page. We wanted to highlight for you some of the changes that are taking place in the Ministry Studies Program here in the near future.
Redesigned Program
The Ministry Studies Program has been fully redesigned and we are launching 15 brand new courses that cover all the critical topics necessary for men and women to step into modern ministry leadership. Some of our new course titles include: Navigating Change, Power and Conflict in the Church, The Story: Discovering God’s Big Idea, Pastoral Leadership: Managing the Affairs of the Church, and Communicating Biblical Truth: Teaching the Bible just to name a few.
Scroll down to view the complete list of new courses.
Video Driven Curriculum
Each course in our new curriculum will be video driven. This means you will have the opportunity to learn from content experts and pastors and ministry leaders who are in the field. Each unit will contain 3-4 videos which will introduce to key themes supported by your reading and other assignments.
Updated Reading Lists
Each course will have a fresh new reading list which means you will be reading more up to date books related to modern ministry.
Newly Formatted Assignments
Each course will also have new types of assignments designed to continue to prepare you for ministry in a modern context.
Stronger Ordination/Consecration Requirements Integration
Our newly redesigned program was designed with the requirements for Ordination and Consecration in mind. You will find that the majority of your Ordination/Consecration requirements will be met as part of your time in the Ministry Studies program. This includes: Alliance Polity, Alliance Missions Course, Peacemakers Level 1 Certification, Church Multiplication Course, Prep-work for all 6 ordination/consecration papers, and the completion of most of your required reading for Ord/Consc.
Course Cost:
We strive to keep the cost of the Ministry Studies Program as affordable as possible. On an annual basis we review the costs for our program in order to ensure you are get a quality product for the price and that we are able to keep the program running. As these changes to our program take effect we will be implement a slight increase to our per course cost. Our current course rate is 175.00 per course. The new rate will be 210.00 per course.
Program Length:
We’ve reduced the total number of courses required to complete the Ministry Studies program from 16 to 15. This will help off-set some of the increased per course cost.
Ministry Studies Self-Pace Program
The Ministerial Studies Program (MSP) is a ministry training and preparation program that is designed to meet the Biblical and theological training requirements for licensing, ordination, and consecration within the Christian and Missionary Alliance. It focuses on developing the character and competency necessary to serve as a ministry professional.
Further, the MSP program is accepted at several Alliance Institutions of Higher Education should MSP graduates decide to continue on and earned an accredited degree.
Program Highlights
Low program cost
Our desire is to make this program as affordable as possible. We are constantly seeking ways to keep prices low while keeping quality high.
Fully Online Program
Students can complete their studies entirely online. Each course is six units long. Students can continue to live, work, and minister while completing this program. Furthermore, a fully online program allows students to learn on their time, not ours. We value flexibility.
Video Driven Curriculum
The new Ministry Studies Program relies on video teaching from content experts and seasoned ministry leaders.
Questions? Email our Program Administrator
Why We Exist
God's Vision
We exist because God is calling men and women to step into ministry leadership. Simply put, we are helping the next generation prepare to lead the church.
Your Investment
We exist because those who are called must be equipped. We want you to have the Biblical, theological, and leadership training necessary to succeed in ministry leadership.
Eternal puprose
We exist because Jesus has called us to build His Church. What better purpose can there be than to help raise up the next generation of leaders.
What courses we offer
Section 1: Developing the Heart of the Leader
The first section of the MSP program takes a look at the heart of the leader. Before stepping into leadership, leaders' must shape their character. This can only be done in conjunction with Christ and the Holy Spirit. Once they’ve walked the road of discipleship, only then are they ready to lead.
MSP 101: The Story: Discovering God’s Big Idea
With 66 books, 1,100 chapters, and almost 32,000 verses, the Bible can be an intimidating book. The Story is a course that explains the all-important theme that unifies the Word of God into a unique and powerful story relevant to everyone. This class is seven units long and introduces students to key areas of Creation, Hamartiology (Sin), Christology (Jesus), Soteriology (Salvation), and Eschatology (End Times).
MSP 102: The Walk: Learning the Art of Discipleship
The call of Christ is a call to be different. What does it look like to follow Jesus? The Walk focuses on becoming a modern-day disciple; a follower of Christ who, day by day, looks more like the Savior. This six-unit-long class introduces students to the topic of sanctification and the spiritual disciplines of engagement and abstinence.
MSP 103: The Book Part 1: Listening to the Voice of God
The Bible is God’s Word written for all people. If this Book is so vital, then why is it so difficult to understand? The Book is a course that offers practical steps on how to read, interpret, and apply the Bible in one's life. This six-unit-long class introduces students to basic hermeneutics.
MSP 104: The Church: Living in Community
Did you know that when Jesus talked about the Church, He called it his bride? What does it mean to be part of Christ’s church? The Church is a course designed to uncover the truth that all mankind are made for community and dependent upon one another. Through an investigation of Scripture, students discover that the members of the church are gifted, empowered, and together they can change the world. This class is seven units long and introduces students to the topics of ecclesiology, pneumatology, and spiritual gifts.
MSP 105: The Mission: Uncovering the Heart of God
Throughout history, God has had one, all-encompassing mission. This mission has driven all He has done from creation to the cross. The Mission is a course designed demonstrate and immerse students in the single task God has given to those who follow Jesus Christ. This seven-unit- long class introduces students to the topics of missiology and Alliance mission distinctives.
Section 2: Learning to Shepherd the Church
Leadership in the church is distinctly different than leadership in other sectors. The authors in the Bible consistently use the metaphor of shepherding when illustrating pastoral leadership. As such, the second section of the MSP program delves into what it means to shepherd for Christ. Emphasis is on understanding the unique roles and skills that pastoral leadership requires.
MSP 201: Ministry Leadership 101: The Life and Leadership of the Pastor
Pastoral ministry is both ancient and unique. It is ancient because there are examples of pastoral leadership and theology throughout the Old and New Testament. It is unique because the Church is a mystery revealed to us by Christ. This course acquaints students to basic pastoral theology while exposing them to the day-to-day reality of pastoral ministry and preparing them to step into ministry leadership well.
MSP 202: The Book Part 2: How to Read the Bible
Ministry leaders must be able to handle the Word of God correctly. Leaders must be familiar with the nuances of biblical literature, genre, and interpretive methods. This course helps students understand the Bible as literature, have an awareness of biblical genre, and explains appropriate biblical interpretation methodologies.
MSP 203: Communicating Biblical Truth Part 1: Preaching the Word
Knowing how to study the Bible is important, but so is knowing how to communicate what God is teaching in His Word. This course exposes students to sound homiletical (preaching) techniques that allow them to effectively preach the Word of God in any setting.
MSP 204: In the Beginning: Understanding the Old Testament
The Old Testament is the foundation of the Christian faith. This course is designed to help students understand the broad themes of the Old Testament as well as its characters and theology. This course helps students apply lessons from the Old Testament to modern-day life situations, understand the roots of New Testament teachings, and preach and teach from the Old Testament.
MSP 205: The Life of Christ and the Early Church: Understanding the New Testament
The New Testament describes both the life of Jesus and the birth of the Church. This course presents a panoramic view of the New Testament. It notes the significance of the life of Jesus and how He trained his followers. This course also teaches students how to read, study, and teach New Testament concepts.
Section 3: Learning to Lead the Church
The final section of the MSP program is constructed to teach ministry leaders how to function as effective organizational leaders within The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Priority is placed on helping students become effective leaders and managers within the local church as well as explaining the unique approach the Alliance assumes to accomplish the Great Commission.
MSP 301: Pastoral Ministry 201: Understanding Church Management
Effective ministry leaders must balance pastoral care and organizational management for the church to grow. This course focuses on practical topics such as the development of sound organizational structures and administrative acumen, and delineates effective pastoral office practices such as baptism, communion, and wedding and funeral preparation.
MSP 302: Communicating Biblical Truth Part 2: Teaching the Word
Ministry leaders must be both effective teachers and preachers. This course looks at teaching and analyzes how leaders can effectively engage learners in the classroom/small group setting with the life-changing message of the gospel.
MSP 303: Building Blocks of the Local Church: Evangelism and Leadership Development
For the Kingdom to advance, leaders must be developed. In this course, students study the principles necessary to recruit, equip, maintain, and motivate people in spiritual leadership within an organization or church team setting. The course content includes biblical models of leadership development and ideas for recruiting, provides various equipping venues for leadership development, and focuses on team building in the church.
MSP 304: Understanding the Alliance: Alliance History and Polity
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an Acts 1:8 movement that seeks to bring the gospel to the entire world. This course teaches students the distinct Alliance approach to church governance, polity, and organization.
MSP 305: Organizational Dynamics: Understanding Change, Power, and Conflict
Every church experiences change and conflict. Ministry leaders must prepare to effectively navigate these issues to stay on mission. This course teaches students how to lead through the change process and biblically navigate conflict. Finally, students evaluate the issue of power, which is associated with both change and conflict.
To find out more and apply
Credits:
Created with images by Wokandapix - "vision mission goal" • Austin Distel - "untitled image" • Priscilla Du Preez - "untitled image" • Christopher Jolly - "untitled image"