CPLNT
Certificate in Church Planting
Department of Pastoral Ministry · 1 year · 10 courses · 100% online
About this programme
A church sends you out with prayer, a blessing and very little else. Or you have looked at a new estate, a university town, a community with no living witness in it, and you cannot get the place out of your mind. Between that burden and an actual congregation lies a great deal that nobody teaches.
The study is orderly, and it follows the shape of the work. You test the calling honestly, then learn to read a community: who lives there, what they already believe and where they gather. From there the subjects become concrete, taking in the forming of a core team, evangelism among people who are not already churched, and a first gathering with its questions of membership, structure and money handled openly enough to survive scrutiny. Leading a small team through conflict is given proper attention, since that is what breaks most plants.
You will come away with a plan you could put in front of a sending church, a clear grasp of the first two years, and a realistic view of what the work will ask of your family. Picture the community you cannot stop thinking about, and yourself walking into it prepared. Begin with an application.
10 courses across 2 semesters, about 1 year of study.
Who it is for
Believers who want a solid grounding in one area of ministry without committing to a degree. It suits workers already serving in a local church, and anyone returning to study after a long gap.
What you will be able to do
Speak and serve with confidence in this area of ministry, understand what Scripture teaches about it, and put that understanding to work in your local church.
How you will study
Every course here runs the same way, so you always know where you are.
- Six study modules a course, each with a handout you can read on screen or download.
- Video and audio of the same teaching, for studying while you travel or work.
- A short refresher quiz to open each course. It is not scored, and you may retake it.
- Two tests along the way, then a final examination. The pass mark is 50%.
- Results appear as soon as you submit.
Study is entirely online and at your own pace. Everything works on a phone, and handouts can be downloaded to read without data.
Entry requirements
Open to all. No previous study is required. You must be at least 14 years old.
Fees
Your fees are set out in the admission letter issued to you.
What you will study
10 courses across 2 semesters, drawn from these areas.
- Department of Biblical Studies
- Department of Pastoral Ministry
- Department of Theology
The full course schedule is issued when you are admitted.