Options available within Local Church Certificate

The Local Church Certificate (based on the NZQA accredited Certificate in Christian Ministry) is designed to give you the necessary skills for effective Christian Ministry within the local church and community. The Local Church Certificate course offered by Alphacrucis can be used in a number of different contexts for churches across New Zealand.

This article highlights a range of ways you and your church can utilise the Local Church Certificate course including:

• Sunday Night Services
•  Local Church Bible School
•  Internships
• Midweek Night Bible School
• Hubs
• Intensives
• One on One at Home

SUNDAY NIGHT SERVICES

A number of churches including Oamaru Christian Life Centre around New Zealand have used a Local Church Certificate course as their Sunday night service. Courses last 14 weeks and are taught via DVD or CD-Rom. Teaching Local Church Certificate courses during Sunday night services is proving to be a fantastic way to train and equip church members without having “another night out”. Church members can formally enrol into the course, take an exam at the end and gain credit towards the Local Church Certificate qualification (an NZQA approved qualification). Sunday Night Service courses recommended: Discipleship, Leadership or Evangelism

MIDWEEK NIGHT BIBLE SCHOOL/LOCAL CHURCH BIBLE SCHOOL

Using the Local Church Certificate courses as your local church or midweek night bible school will help your congregation to dig deeper into the Word of God. The program is designed to resource individuals and is further complemented when a group of students join together in their local church to discuss what has been learned. It is at this point the local church has an integral part to play A facilitator oversees the group, encouraging and providing guidance with the course material. Eight subjects are covered, providing the students with a sound, practical grounding in the Word of God. The fieldwork component of the course provides 25% hands-on training in the local church – which is a valuable asset to any Senior Pastor. Midweek Night Bible School/Local Church Bible School courses recommended: Discipleship, Leadership or Evangelism

HUBS

Students have the option of undertaking the new 1 year fulltime internship working in their chosen specialty area at a “hub” church, where they can receive specific hands on experience in their specialty area. The hubs available for 2009 are: High School Outreach (based in Auckland and Tauranga) Events Planning and Events Management (based in Auckland) Church Planting (based in Hamilton) Each intern would be required to undertake 1-2 days of personal distance study and 2 days (16 hours) of work in their chosen specialty. This would leave interns 1-2 days a week for interns to earn additional funds. Capable candidates or those who wanted to proceed to a Bachelors Degree would be enrolled into the Local Church Certificate Level 5. Successful completion of Level 5 would ensure cross-crediting into the first year of the Alphacrucis proposed Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry.

INTERNSHIPS

When most people think of an internship, the first thoughts that tend to flood the mind are coffee runs, stuffing envelopes, T.V. dinners, and tedious data entry accompanied by the droning sound of a photocopy machine. This is not true of the Local Church Certificate Internship programme which has so much more to offer educationally as well as spiritually. Internships, based in your own church, are an incredible opportunity for you to learn more about God AND prepare yourself for ministry. Internships can be great for gaps years; someone wanting a break from the workforce or someone wanting to prepare themselves for ministry but can’t spare 3 years to study. Current Local Church Certificate interns comments for prospective students are: “Go for it!” Tony Maera “Make the most of the tools given to you in a programme such as this, let it empower you and strenghthen what you have. It’s all about being faithfull and FRUITFUL with what you have been so graciously given.” Steve Naea

INTENSIVES

 A great way to knock off a subject if time is sparse. We’ve squished an entire semester of teaching into a 4-5 day intensive. Lots of fun, gallons of coffee, one-on-one time with classmates and trainers, plus you’ve finished your class time in one week! Quality! STINT is a great example of a Local Church Certificate intensive. STINT is a one week intensive training programme for everyone about short term missions. This is an excellent way to understand of what mission is about and to be effective in short term missions programmes. STINT is running in September 2010 in Auckland.

ONE ON ONE AT HOME

With e-learning, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home to study as we bring the classroom to you. Courses are delivered on CD-ROM, DVD or on the Internet. This can be a great option for church members who undertake some courses on Sunday nights or via Internships but wish to complete the Local Church Certificate qualification.

NZQA APPROVED QUALIFICATION

All of these Local Church Certificate options lead to an NZQA approved qualification. If you completing 1 course per semester = 4 years to qualification If you completing 2 courses per semester =2 years to qualification If you completing 4 courses per semester = 1 year to qualification. The advantages of the Local Church Certification include: 25% of the qualification is fieldwork and the work you are already undertaking within your church can count as credit! Pentecostal Ethos Student Allowances and loans are available (conditions apply) CD-ROM based courses or e-learning available. Flexible delivery Articulation to higher awards

Upon completion, students can continue their studies into the Diploma in Ministry or the Alphacrucis Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry.

If you are wanting to enrol in an Alphacrucis Local Church Certificate course please download the Application Form (http://www.alphacrucis.ac.nz). If you have any questions, call us on (09) 8368232 or email us ay info@alphacrucis.ac.nz