LUBBOCK, Texas — The Graduate School of Theology of Lubbock Christian University’s (LCU) Alfred and Patricia Smith College of Biblical Studies recently announced a new, fully online, graduate certificate in Children’s Ministry.
According to a press release from LCU, the announcement was made at the National Children and Youth Ministry Conference in Colorado Springs in early January.
The university said tuition for the five-course, fifteen-credit-hour graduate certificate is $4000 and it can be completed in one calendar year. Classes begin in August 2023.
“All courses are online, and students can apply credit hours to LCU’s 36-hour Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. Students who complete all five courses with a 3.0 cumulative GPA receive the certificate. Anyone with a bachelor’s degree and positive references may apply,” the press release said.
Although other training options exist, LCU said its graduate certificate in Children’s Ministry breaks new ground.
“Many people choose to enter ministry as a second-career, and this is especially true in children’s ministry,” said Dr. Shannon Rains, associate professor of children’s ministry and program coordinator for the new certificate, in the press release. “Second-career ministers are often volunteers, passionate about serving their church, who feel a call to serve their church in a new way. They bring many skills from their prior careers yet recognize they need additional training to succeed on a ministry team or in a wider congregational context.
Dr. Rains reported significant interest in the limited enrollment online program after it was announced.
“Church leaders almost always ask how LCU can help prepare those new ministers to better serve their congregation,” she shared. “This new program has been developed and refined in conversations with these elders and ministers,” Dr. Rains said in the press release.
You can learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Children’s Ministry or contact Dr. Rains for application information on the program’s webpage.
