Theological Leadership Program Information

This Certificate in Theological Leadership program is tailored for ministry professionals, laypeople seeking spiritual growth, and recent college graduates considering seminary. 

Program Features

  • Courses are taught in a hybrid format blending in-person and online elements. Each semester begins with a 2-3 day academic and spiritual retreat in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.
  • The program’s one-course-at-a-time format enables working adults to complete their certificate in four semesters of part-time coursework.

Designed For

  • Church and ministry professionals seeking to deepen their theological grounding and expand their ministry skills.
  • Lay professionals seeking to grow spiritually and strengthen the theological and biblical foundations for their professional work.
  • Recent college graduates considering a career in full-time Christian ministry.
  • Partnerships with leading evangelical seminaries enable graduates to go on to a Master’s degree with at least one year of academic credit.

Curriculum for Certificate in Theological Leadership

  • An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Wisdom of the Ancients — Sandra Richter, Ph.D., Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies
  • Theological Principles of Leadership Gayle D. Beebe, Ph.D., President
  • Reading the New Testament for Wisdom Holly Beers, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Religious Studies
  • Theology for Discipleship Telford Work, Ph.D., Professor of Theology
  • World Christianity: Leadership in Global Context Helen Rhee, Ph.D., Professor of the History of Christianity
  • Culture and Theology: Thinking Missionally Charles Farhadian, Ph.D., Professor of World Religions and Christian Mission
  • Theological Ethics: Christian Perspectives on Contemporary Issues Telford Work, Ph.D., Professor of Theology
  • Soul Care: Reading Ourselves and Others Gary Moon, Ph.D., Executive Director, Martin Institute for Christianity and Culture