Church Planting and New Christian Communities
Is it I Lord?
Overview
Pursue your vocation to start, nurture, and support new churches and new Christian communities as a lay or ordained planter with Bexley Seabury Seminary.
The need for people trained in and committed to church planting and beginning New Christian Communities (and Fresh Expressions of Church) in the Episcopal Church has never been more urgent.
We offer a Certificate in Church Planting and New Christian Communities for those who may have a lay vocation as a planter, or who may have already completed an MDiv, or who are working to complete an MDiv currently. Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but do not require a graduate theological degree (like an MDiv).
We also offer a concentration in Church Planting and New Christian Communities for the Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree. The requirements are the same as for the certificate but comprise one part of a larger degree oriented towards theological formation and contextualized leadership skills for the church. We welcome those with a lay or ordained vocation to apply for the MDiv; as an Episcopal Seminary, this option would be especially appropriate for those who are moving towards ordination to the Episcopal Priesthood.
Certificate in Church Planting and New Christian Communities
15 credits
Learning from London (3 credits) - travel to London, England, to investigate church growth and vitality in a thriving, diverse, cosmopolitan city. (An alternative may be arranged if the student cannot take this course.)
Church Planting (3 credits) - learn the approaches and skills needed to plant a church or begin another form of New Christian Community.
Reimagining Congregations in Mission (3 credits) - become familiar with intercultural and postcolonial perspectives on mission, along with a theology of companionship and cultural humility in responding to God's call.
Missional Theology (3 credits) - dive into theological perspectives on the mission of God in the world and how we're called and empowered to join it.
12 required credits:
Choose a single three-credit elective, or three one-credit electives offered by Bexley Seabury to customize and contextualize your work.
Elective courses may cover topics such as discipleship, evangelism, funding start-ups, team-building and collaborative leadership, vision-casting and launching, church redevelopment and revitalization, or ecclesiological experiments.
3 elective credits:
Alongside these course requirements, students are strongly encouraged to participate in gatherings of people engaged in church planting and revitalization outside of Bexley Seabury, such as the Episcopal Church's Genesis II gatherings, or Root, Thrive, Soar. This engagement is designed to, from early in your formation, connect you with the larger community within the Episcopal Church doing this work, allowing you to form relationships across the spectrum of planters and entrepreneurs who will support you beyond seminary.
Engagement Outside of Bexley Seabury
Certificate classes are scheduled in Bexley Seabury's January and Summer Terms. This means that if you are already in ministry, or if you are earning an MDiv elsewhere, the Certificate would still fit well with your schedule.
Please reach out to faculty member and Church Planting and New Christian Communities Advisor Kelley Hudlow (khudlow@bexleyseabury.edu) with any questions or for further information.
Master of Divinity Concentration in Church Planting and New Christian Communities
81 credits
The Master of Divinity requires 81 credits overall. To receive a Concentration in Church Planting and New Christian Communities, 15 of the student's credits will be taken as follows:
Learning from London (3 credits) - travel to London, England, to investigate church growth and vitality in a thriving, diverse, cosmopolitan city. (An alternative may be arranged if the student cannot take this course.)
Church Planting (3 credits) - learn the approaches and skills needed to plant a church or begin another form of New Christian Community.
Reimagining Congregations in Mission (3 credits) - become familiar with intercultural and postcolonial perspectives on mission, along with a theology of companionship and cultural humility in responding to God's call.
Missional Theology (3 credits) - dive into theological perspectives on the mission of God in the world and how we're called and empowered to join it.
12 required credits:
3 elective credits:
Choose a single three-credit elective, or three one-credit electives offered by Bexley Seabury to customize and contextualize your work.
Elective courses may cover topics such as discipleship, evangelism, funding start-ups, team-building and collaborative leadership, vision-casting and launching, church redevelopment and revitalization, or ecclesiological experiments.
Alongside these course requirements, students are strongly encouraged to participate in gatherings of people engaged in church planting and revitalization outside of Bexley Seabury, such as the Episcopal Church's Genesis II gatherings, or Root, Thrive, Soar. This engagement is designed to, from early in your formation, connect you with the larger community within the Episcopal Church doing this work, allowing you to form relationships across the spectrum of planters and entrepreneurs who will support you beyond seminary.
In addition, a student’s Field Education site may be chosen to include significant elements of involvement with planting a new church or starting a New Christian Community.
Engagement Outside of Bexley Seabury
Certificate classes are scheduled in Bexley Seabury's January and Summer Terms. (Students do not need to declare this concentration when beginning the MDiv, but may move to it later in their degree; though, in some cases, this may extend the degree time in order to complete the requirements.)
Please reach out to faculty member and Church Planting and New Christian Communities Advisor Kelley Hudlow (khudlow@bexleyseabury.edu) with any questions or for further information.
Have questions about applying? Contact us at admissions@bexleyseabury.edu
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