Applications to start our Foundation Certificate in Conversational Ministry are currently open. We caught up with Sonia Crossley, one of our tutors in Sheffield to hear more of how individuals and churches are benefitting from this training, and what prospective students can look forward to in September.
What is your role in the BCUK Certificate Programme?
I‘m one of the tutors for the Foundation Certificate in Sheffield. I also grade papers.
How did you get involved with BCUK?
As a junior doctor in Psychiatry and a member of my local church, I often found myself being asked to help out when people were struggling with mental illness. I knew that the life-transforming hope found in Jesus should have real traction at these points in a person’s life, but I simply didn’t have either the knowledge or the skill to make meaningful connections and get beyond the medical framework. In 2011, I read When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch and began lapping up the material coming from CCEF.
A few years later, having completed the Certificate Programme online and using all that I was learning in my own life as well as with my church family, I was excited to see the BCUK movement taking off! I did the internship, where I finally got to meet up with others in similar roles and be supported in developing a biblical counselling provision in my church. Now, I enjoy encouraging others to do the BCUK training and see how God might bless and use them in their contexts.
What do you see as the benefits of the Foundation Certificate?
Flexible, high-quality training at a reasonable price. Solid faith-feeding material. The opportunity to share your learning journey with others at fortnightly seminars. A good building of knowledge and insight over the course beginning with self-reflection before looking at other relationships and then where it all fits in your particular church context.
How have you seen students and churches in and around Sheffield benefit from the training over the years?
The Sheffield alumni represent lots of different churches and ministry roles. Often people with no formal role have found their organic one-anothering conversations greatly enriched. Those with distinctive responsibilities have had the opportunity to refresh their vision of their ministries and feel better equipped to connect everyday struggles to the good news of Jesus, whether that be as the pastor, the youth worker, small group leaders or those helping with pastoral care. Some have gone on beyond the Foundation level and developed a counselling ministry in their own church. Lasting friendships are made too!
Where and when will your seminars be meeting?
Our seminars are fortnightly on Tuesday evenings at Christ Church, Walkley (7-9pm).
Any message to prospective students?
If you’ve ever wondered (for yourself or anyone else) “I’m pretty sure the fact that I’m a Christian is supposed to make a difference here- but I feel a bit stuck” and you enjoy going beyond the superficial with others in conversation, then this training is for you!
You can study the Foundation Certificate at different in-person venues around the UK and online.
