Designed as an equivalent to an executive leadership program, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership Certificate Program delivers an online, cohort-based learning experience for pastors that combines self-study and interactive peer learning. Participants will learn strategic actionable insights that enhance their ability to be effective in their ministry settings. Guided by experienced faculty form Wesley Theological Seminary and the Lewis Center, this certificate program includes five courses over the course of a year that help pastors explore visioning, administration, stewardship, innovation, and building key partnerships.
About the certificate program
All five courses may be purchased together here, and they are also available à la carte.
Course schedule
Strategic Stewardship: Money & Ministry (Aug. 24-Oct. 5, 2024)
This course takes a look at what effective ministry leadership looks like when it comes to church finances and money, particularly in today's post-attractional and post-pandemic environment. It focuses less on the nuts and bolts of keeping the church's finances and more on the high-level leadership tasks and perspectives required to foster generosity, promote healthier dialogue around issues related to faith and money, and develop new strategies for economic sustainability.
Strategic Planning & Visioning (Oct. 12-Nov. 23, 2024)
This course guides participants in developing the skills necessary for leading a congregation through change and innovation. It focuses on discerning and developing an appropriate plan and vision for a congregation; gathering, analyzing, and making use of important data related to a congregation and its community context; and developing a wholistic plan for directing and leading a church towards a more faithful life together.
Strategic Administration: Refine your skills & Strengthen Church Leadership (Nov. 30, 2024-Jan. 25, 2025)
This course seeks to strengthen and refine the skills needed for day-to-day ministry so that church leaders and pastors can increase their capacity for more meaningful ministry. Course participants will learn how to better manage their time, enhance their volunteer recruitment and retention, and better manage staff. What is more, participants will also learn how to lead better meetings and delegate more tasks so that the congregation is empowered to take charge and lead.
Strategic Innovation (Feb. 1-March 15, 2025)
Leading congregations through various challenges and towards innovative changes can be difficult. It requires a level of discernment and action that maintains certain aspects of a congregation's traditions but disrupts others. In this course, participants will learn how to think both carefully and creatively about how to overcome various challenges in ministry by responsibly fostering innovation and change in ways that move forward their congregation's life and ministry together.
Strategic Partnerships (March 22-May 10, 2025)
Faithful church leadership involves learning how to effectively recruit and empower others to shape and participate in the church's ministry and life together; as the maxim says, 'people support what they help to create.' But recruiting and empowering people to participate in the church's life and work can be difficult. It takes vision, strategy, patience, endurance, and a whole host of other qualities and approaches.
In this course, Dr. David McAllister-Wilson, President of Wesley Theological Seminary, considers the nature and practice of 'server leadership,' how it can shape ministry practices and enable pastors to develop meaningful and strategic partnerships that support the church's life and mission in the present day.
If you have any questions or problems, please email pathways@wesleyseminary.edu.