The Certificate in Church Planting is offered as a part of the Seminary’s School of World Mission and Evangelism. The Certificate program is coordinated by NTS, the Division of Church Growth for the Church of the Nazarene, and the Kansas City District of the Church of the Nazarene.
The purpose of the Certificate in Church Planting is to provide carefully designed graduate level classroom instruction and on-site experience in church planting. It introduces students to diverse models and methodologies of church planting. The Certificate distinctively places students under the supervision of accomplished church planters and places them in leadership roles in a carefully executed church planting project.
Course of Study
18 Hours |
| PTH710, Church Leadership & Administration |
3 hours |
| CED720, Interpersonal Communications |
3 hours |
| MSS550, Building a Church for the Unchurched |
3 hours |
| MSS650, New Start, Re-Start, and Re-Focus Churches |
3 hours |
| MSS651 & MSS751, Immersion in a Church Plant I & II |
6 hours |
By carefully using the free electives, this Certificate can be earned in conjunction with the Master of Divinity degree or the Master of Arts in Missiology degree.
The Certificate can also be earned as a stand-alone program. Persons who earn the Church Planting Certificate in this manner must: (1) hold either a Master of Arts in Religion, a Master of Ministry degree, or the equivalent of such degrees; (2) hold a bachelor’s degree, be ordained, and have had a minimum of 8 years of pastoral experience.
The courses are scheduled to make it possible for a person to complete the Certificate in one academic year (two semesters).
The Certificate in Church Planting includes:
- Completing the "Church Planter’s Assessment Inventory" to the satisfaction of the Division of Church Growth for the Church of the Nazarene
- Immediately upon entering the program, serving in a context in which a new congregation is being planted, or in which a new congregation is no more than two years old
- Attending the monthly Kansas City District (Church of the Nazarene) meetings of church planters (applicable only to those who pursue the Certificate while living in Kansas City