Church Administration Certification Programs
The Need for Trained Support/Ministry Assistants
Every Senior Pastor needs qualified ministry assistants from church secretaries to board of directors, what you don't know can greatly impede the God-given vision of your local church as well as put your ministry at risk.
What you don't know can hurt you
We currently offer two church administration certification tracks—Church Administrator Certification and Church Secretary Certification.
It is unfortunate that for years many church office staffs have been left to fend for themselves, which produced frustration, burnout, discouragement, and disillusionment. Ephesians 4:16 tells us that the body of Christ grows and builds itself up through the aid of every contributory link (every joint) effectively supplying its part. The church and Christian colleges have ample courses on biblical studies, leadership and the like, but have overlooked a vital link to the Body—its administrators.
Although the church has generally
put the burden on the pastor, it is impractical to expect
pastors to effectively shepherd God’s people and manage a
church, its office and business affairs. The pastoral
calling is primarily one of feeding, equipping, covering,
and counseling. This is why Christian colleges have
appropriately focused largely on degrees in biblical studies
for pastors with a few courses on church administration. The
courses offered give pastors a glimpse of the business
aspect of the church, but where does this leave those who
are called to church administration?
The church cannot be a strong
organism when we neglect that which is fundamental to
effective church management. There is a demand for
excellence in ministry but the church cannot fulfill this
demand with untrained support staff.
When we attach church administration to a pastor’s already weighted responsibilities, some are pushed beyond measure. It is reported that "About 75% of pastors go through a period of stress so great that they consider quitting." It is vital to understand that being called to pastor does not necessarily mean one is called to be an administrator. Clearly the biblical definition of pastor does not apply nor appear to demand that from pastors. The Apostles understood this and when the demand to tend to administrative matters was interfering with their called function, they appointed others to tend to the business of the church (Acts 6).
FAQ About the Certification Programs:
What is the course format?
The course is 100% online and consists of classes
divided into modules. About 99% of the training (with the
exception of the quizzes) consists of some form of video or
visual interaction. The remainder is audio and a few
documents to read. Each course library also provides
candidates with numerous downloadable resources to further
enhance their knowledge and learning experience.
Is the training applicable to my
denomination? The certification program is
not denomination specific and addresses issues that are
applicable to all denominations.
Do you have a preview of any of the class sessions? Yes, click here to see excerpts from the course. Also, visit our blog, www.churchadministrationblog.org
When are the classes available? You may enroll in either of the certification programs at any time. Unlike our A La Carte classes, for the certification courses it takes a maximum of 15 business days for us to review your paperwork and to get you established in our online system. If application is partially completed or incorrectly filled out, it will increase processing time.
What classes are offered in the course? Please click here to download the class list.
Is there a certain time of the day I
have to access the lessons? No. Once you
are given access to the system, you may login in 24/7.
Can I choose which classes I want to
take? No. We have spent years developing
one of the most thorough church administration training
programs and in order to maintain the integrity of the
certification, you must take all the classes in the course
and in the order presented in your course library. You are
not allowed to jump around. You cannot move to the next
module until you have completed the current one.
Is it self-paced? It
is self-paced to the extent that learners may access the
system whenever desired to access the material and can
complete the classes as one’s one speed as long as course
deadline is met.
How long does it take to complete the
course? This depends upon the candidate’s
pace and dedication. Students have 180 days (6 months) to
complete the entire Church Administrator Certification
Course and 120 days to complete the Church Secretary
Certification course. The Administrator Certification is
about 55 hours of trainings and materials and the Secretary
Certification is much less. So, six months is ample time to
complete the course and hopefully prevent students from
procrastinating. If you only dedicate 2.5 hours a week you
can complete the entire course, along with the course
project and the final exam.
Please beware that we
encourage students to try to dedicate a minimum 5 hours a
week to allow time for study and retention. The Church
Secretary Certification program is about 35 hours.
Can I download the course?
No. Each session is maintained within our online system and
cannot be downloaded.
Can I allow my entire church staff to
take the class? Sure, as long as each staff
member is enrolled and pays for this class. In our online
system we establish a course library for each candidate;
therefore all staff members would need to be enrolled. They
can enroll as a team and be grouped as such and be allowed
to progress through the course as a cohort if that is the
church’s desire. If the pastor is enrolled also he or she
can be provided a link as the team leader and be able to
monitor the progress of each staff member.
Is there an exam?
Yes. Throughout the course learners are given
quizzes to help prepare them for the final exam. Upon
completing all the classes and turning in the class project,
the candidate is required to pass a final exam. If candidate
fails the exam, there is a fee to retake the exam. We work
very hard to help students succeed in the exam by placing a
complete review with quizzes into the candidate’s course
library at least 30 days prior to exam (if student is on
pace with the six-month deadline) otherwise it is as
soon as student completes the project and is given an exam
date.
Are there
any special books required? Yes. You will
need to purchase the manual, "Church Administration -
Running a Church Office" and there are a few more that we
believe will be beneficial to your retaining the information
covered during the class (such as "Serving in the Church -
Understanding the Covenant Relationship", "Teambuilding -
Becoming One", and "Staff Infection." You can anticipate
about $100 in book costs. We are also working on having
ebooks available in the near future.
Are there any special requirements?
Yes.
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You must work in or have served in a church in some capacity, paid or volunteer. It does not have to be the church office. It may be your church’s women or men’s ministry, deacon board, risk management team, board of elders, minister, and so forth.
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You must speak, read, and understand English.
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Must have 12th grade reading comprehension.
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You must be computer literate, such as knowing how to open emails and download attachments, knowing how to navigate through videos (such as pause, fast forward, enlarge screen).
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You must have access to a PC. You may also watch a lot of the training via your Nook Color or Kindle, but you will find that a PC is easier to use when taking the quizzes, but that is up to the learner. If you have an iPad, you will need to have a browser that allows you to view flash, such as PuffinBrowser and you will need an external keyboard to take the quizzes.
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You must have reliable internet connection (not dial up).
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Must have Adobe Acrobat Reader or some other PDF reader installed on your computer (free download available at www.adobe.com )
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You must be motivated (this class is very detailed)
Do you accept payment plans?
No. We no longer accept payment plans as that has not worked
well for us. We do accept Bill Me Later, which allows for 6
months interest free. So, if you pay it within six months,
there is no interest.
What is the cost for the course? The cost for the Church Administrator Certification Program is $425 and for the Church Secretary Certification is $345. Click here to see the most up to date cost.
How do I enroll in the course?
Download the application or complete the form at the bottom
of this page and pay your course fee. Upon receipt of your
paperwork and registration fee we review it and begin the
process of establishing in the system.
Please allow at least
15 business days for this take place.
Do you help students find jobs?
No. We do not, but we do keep records and when a pastor
inquires about a qualified ministry assistant we can contact
students who have successfully completed the program with
the pastor’s information.
Do you offer certification in another form? Yes. Once a year we do a certification bootcamp. It is very intense - 55 hours of training - 7 days. It goes from Sunday to Saturday.
The course is non-refundable. If you do not complete the course, the fee is non-refundable and extensions are not given, so be sure you are ready to enroll and have set aside time to take the course.
Ready to Enroll? Complete the Form Below
NOTE: After completing the enrollment form DO NOT EXIT - Wait until you are taken to the confirmation page so you can pay the enrollment fee. If for some reason you are not taken to the page, return to this page and click here. DO NOT pay without first submitting the form below. It causes confusion and delays the processing time. Please only complete the form if you are ready to enroll and pay registration fee. Click here to see current registration fee or information on how to pay by check.
