DCMIN
Diploma in Christian Ministry
Department of Pastoral Ministry · 2 years · 11 courses · 100% online
About this programme
You are already serving. You usher, you sing, you follow up new converts, you visit the sick, and you do it out of love rather than out of training. When a question of doctrine comes up, or a new believer asks how to read the Bible, you find yourself repeating what you were told without knowing whether it is sound.
This is the broad first grounding for people who serve in church. It covers the Old and New Testaments in survey, the doctrines every Christian worker should be able to state plainly, and a method of studying Scripture rather than collecting verses. The practical half follows: the shape and demands of pastoral work, the care of troubled people, the theology behind worship, evangelism and discipleship, and the history that explains much of what your church does today.
You will leave able to serve with understanding rather than guesswork, to teach a small group and to walk with a new believer. Imagine the next doctrinal question coming to you and finding you sure of the answer. This is a sensible place to start before choosing a narrower field, and you can start now.
11 courses across 4 semesters, about 2 years of study.
Who it is for
Those who want more than a certificate gives: a broader foundation across the subject, taken at a steady pace. It is a natural route towards degree study later.
What you will be able to do
Handle the subject with real competence, teach it to others, and carry responsibility in a local church with a foundation under you.
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
11 courses across 4 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.