Religion has always been an important concept in people’s lives. No matter what religion you practice, studying the words of God is one of your main responsibilities, if you want to really understand everything and if you want to be sure that you’re practicing it the right way. If you are a Christian, then you have to study the Bible in depth, which often requires more than just reading it on your own.
Read about the importance of studying it in community: https://radical.net/article/study-scripture-in-community/
This goes especially if you are looking to empower your ministry. Because, simply studying the scriptures on your own, without having a certificate to show for it, won’t be enough to strengthen the ministry and to show to the community that you know what you’re talking about. So, the best thing to do is find a Bible school program that will provide you with a certificate and thus take your ministry to the next level.
Certificates Vs. Degrees
As an aspiring pastor, or a church leader, you want to improve your knowledge of the Bible and perfect it, so as to empower your ministry. But, when choosing the right Bible school program, you also want to know that the difference between a certificate and a degree in this field is. There are a few crucial differences to consider, so let me now tell you about those, before we proceed towards explaining the process of actually choosing the best program for your ministry.
First off, when it comes to Bible studies, certificate programs usually offer specialized and focused trainings related to specific areas of ministry. Those can include pastoral care, missions, biblical counseling and others. Compared to degree programs, they are shorter in duration, often lasting around 1 year. If you are looking to gain some practical knowledge and certain skills that are relevant to specific ministry roles, then certificate programs are right for you.
Another benefit of certificate programs lies in the fact that they are more cost-efficient. This is completely logical, given that a Bible certificate program lasts up to a year. And, the shorter the duration, the less you will need to invest financially in the education. Of course, the fact that these last shorter and that the schedule is flexible, especially nowadays, given that you can find online courses, is also appealing to individuals with busy schedules who still want to improve their knowledge, but without compromising other obligations in their lives.
One more thing to know is that the certificate programs are immediately applicable, meaning that you can start applying the knowledge and the skills you’ve learned right away. This is a huge advantage when it comes to these practical courses, as you can make an impact right away, sharing your knowledge. On the other hand, degree programs are actually long-term investments, that not only require a lot of time and money to be completed, but that also lead you on a path of research more than on a path of making a concrete impact in the ministry.
Of course, the degree programs have their advantages as well. They carry weight and recognition in the academic and ministry communities, and they can, therefore, open some doors for you if you’re looking to advance in your career. Yet, these can be academically quite rigorous, which doesn’t make them suitable for individuals that are already working and have other obligations in their lives, because they can be quite overwhelming.
How to Choose the Right Bible School Program That Will Empower Your Ministry
Now, from the above, you could have easily come to the conclusion that certificate programs are right for you if you’re looking to gain practical knowledge that will empower your ministry. Still, whether you will go for degrees or certificates is entirely up to you. Whatever you choose, though, you will need to make another important choice. The choice of which specific program to take. And, it has to be a good one.
How can you, however, decide which Bible school program is essentially right for you? Well, there are some important steps to take in order to make the perfect decision, as well as some important things to take into consideration while researching the different courses. The great thing is that you can easily find various courses online nowadays, which also means that you can research them with the help of the Internet, which makes the process much easier. Go here to learn some more about the reasons why you should attend these programs in the first place.
Anyway, one of the first things to do when trying to select the right program is check the educational credentials of the place that is organizing them. This way, you will ensure the validity of your certificate. In addition to that, you will also know right away that you’ll be attending a high quality program and that you will have a lot to learn during the course of its duration. That is, without a doubt, extremely important, because the point is not in simply obtaining the certificate, but in actually gaining as much knowledge as you can, so as to later transfer it and use it to empower your ministry.
Once you have found a few programs that have all the right credentials, take time to have a look at the syllabus. By doing so, you will gain better insight into what it is that you can learn, which will help you decide if that specific course aligns with your needs and your preferences. Most great providers of these courses will share the syllabus on their websites, allowing you to easily check everything.
Finally, you should have a look at the costs of the courses as well. Sure, you are ready to invest in your education, as you should be, but that doesn’t mean that you should be ready to pay just about anything. There are a lot of great Bible certificate courses that cost a reasonable amount of money, so all you have to do is find them. Compare the prices offered by different providers and then make your final decision, while keeping in mind everything we have talked about above as well.