Foundation Certificate
in Conversational Ministry
Intermediate Certificate
in Conversational Ministry
Foundation Certificate
in Conversational Ministry
Starting with an emphasis on our own need for biblical change and personal growth in wisdom, the Foundation Certificate seeks to build students’ confidence in conversational ministry with a goal of developing the deep, relational one-anothering in the local church that the New Testament describes.
It provides a model for ministry that is applicable to inform and formal ministry contexts – from opening Scripture with a friend in the hard moments of life, to shaping preaching that engages the heart.
The Foundation Certificate can be completed in one academic year of three, 10-week terms.
The first course, Dynamics of Biblical Change, provides a foundation for all the others. It can also be taken for stand-alone study, either in the first term of the Foundation Certificate, or in the slower-pace 6-month option, or as part of a ministry sabbatical with flexible start times.
Foundation courses
Dynamics of Biblical Change
How does Christ’s past grace, present grace, and future grace speak to our hearts and change how we live our daily lives?
Dynamics of Biblical Change explores these practical questions through:
- Lectures by David Powlison
- Readings – Scripture and key articles
- Life-examples
- Assignments, including 2 personal-change projects
Helping Relationships
How do you use the principles learned in Dynamics of Biblical Change in conversational ministry?
In Helping Relationships you’ll grow in your ability to:
- listen well and know people
- interpret another person’s story from a biblical perspective
- apply Scripture carefully and wisely
- offer biblically-based truth that will motivate others in their growth in Christ
All students taking Helping Relationships have the option of attending an in-person Foundation Conversation Skills Training Day at one of our geographical seminar venues.
Church Pastoral Care
What does conversational ministry look like in the life of a local church?
In Church Pastoral Care, students consider the nature and purpose of church, the history of pastoral care and theimportance of interpersonal ministry of the Word.
Through a ministry project you’ll be helped to work out the part you might play in growing a culture of are in your local congregation.
Pre-requisites: Dynamics of Biblical Change, Helping Relationships
6 Month pathway
All three Foundation courses are offered at a slower pace, “half-speed” format from January to June. Completing the Certificate in the 6-month pathway takes 3 years.
Intermediate Certificate
in Conversational Ministry
The Intermediate Certificate builds on the model of interpersonal ministry introduced in the Foundation courses. With the goal of adding wisdom to informal helping relationships, it aims to develop skills in caring for others in the struggles of everyday life.
It starts with how to handle Scripture in a way that connects with our lives as saints, sufferers and sinners.
It then moves into common life-struggles, aiming to apply the riches of Christ and grow the kind of relationships that reflect the depth of love and unity intended in his church
Pre-requisites: Dynamics of Biblical Change, Helping Relationships
Intermediate courses
Scripture for Life and Ministry
Scripture is authoritative and sufficient for conversational ministry, but how do you connect God’s Word effectively to the lives and struggles of people around you? How do you use the Bible’s redemptive story in conversational ministry to help someone grow in their knowledge of and love for the Lord?
This course will help you understand both people and the Bible more thoroughly and is designed to strengthen your ability to rivet Scripture to real-life ministry situations.
Helping Everyday Problems
We want to walk alongside others in ways that offer compassion, hope and transformation, and we do that as we seek to effectively connect God’s Word to their everyday struggles. But how can we grow in doing that well?
Are we able to understand common pastoral problems biblically? And from there have wise and helpful conversations that are relevant to life and centred on Christ? And how will we engage the community of care that the local church provides?
This course will help you understand common life struggles – like loss, anger, overwhelm, shame, and guilt – biblically and lead you to walk wisely and well with those who struggle.
Relationships in Life and Church
For all eternity our Trinitarian God has existed in relationship. And as those created in his image, God intends relationships to be central to our lives. Nothing is more important that learning how to relate well.
But how do we do that? We are finite creatures, living this side of the Fall – what does that mean for our relationships? We are also redeemed sinners passionately loved by God – what difference does that make? Right relating to God as Lord and Saviour must always come first. This course explores how that relationship is the core which enables all other relationships to find their proper place.
Advanced Certificate
in Theology for Biblical Counselling
Theology for Biblical Counselling will be of particular interest to those who want to deepen their theological understanding of people and their problems. It will provide an opportunity to think about theological topics relevant to counselling ministry, in particular a biblical understanding of humanity with its practical application and also how truth engages with and redeems psychological models.
Launching September 2026.
Advanced Certificate
in Skills for Biblical Counselling
Skills for Biblical Counselling will be of particular interest to those who want to develop advanced helping skills for more formal pastoral/ counselling conversations. This will include wisdom on helping married couples understand and deal with problems they face as well as a course that considers the ministry implications of being embodied people. Advanced Skills Training will provide opportunity to grow in real-time counselling experience.
Launching September 2026.
