Announcing the Graduate Certificate in Church Planting
With a desire to see more churches planted and the hope of the gospel shared across Canada, Heritage Theological Seminary has officially launched the Graduate Certificate in Church Planting.
As Director of Church Planting with FEB Central, Tom Haines—who will also serve as the Director of the Graduate Certificate in Church Planting—sees first-hand the need for church planting in Canada. With a large number of Canadians living without Christ and many with little to no family history of Christianity or knowledge of Jesus, he believes that the ministry of church planting is desperately needed in this time so that more people may hear of Jesus and come to believe in Him throughout the nation.
Through this Graduate Certificate program, Haines says that church planters will not only be prepared to start churches but will learn how to thoughtfully engage with people in this unique Canadian context to share the hope of Christ in communities across the nation.
“Church planting involves far more than merely starting a Sunday service and inviting guests,” says Haines. “This was effective in years past but the dynamic of living in a post-Christian culture has required significant rethink and has led to community engagement for the sake of the gospel that exceeds what most leaders have ever done.”
Beginning fall of 2022, this five-course certificate program will train and equip those who are either preparing to plant a church or are already leading a church plant with a strategic understanding of the ministry and give them the skills necessary to stay effective in their ministry. The program will also help support leaders of churches who are looking to launch partner churches or sites in the future.
Each course provides students with the opportunity to learn and grow to lead and plant churches that will effectively share the hope of the gospel in a Canadian context from professors with extensive church planting ministry experience. Through time in the classroom and practical assignments, each student will receive the tools and information necessary for the planter and their churches to thrive.
“Time spent with experienced church planting practitioners will give the student exposure to experienced thinking, proven methodologies, and insights on how to avoid common pitfalls,” says Haines.
For Dr. Rick Reed, President of Heritage College & Seminary, offering current and aspiring church planters the opportunity to be better equipped for this ministry is at the heart of the mission of Heritage Theological Seminary.
“Heritage exists for the church—not only for established churches but also for churches that don’t yet exist,” explains Reed. “We believe the Graduate Certificate in Church Planting is a strategic way Heritage Theological Seminary can serve Christ’s church in Canada.”
To learn more about this new Graduate Certificate program, please visit DiscoverHeritage.ca/ChurchPlanting.
Visit DiscoverHeritage.ca to discover all of Heritage’s undergraduate and graduate programs and begin your application for this Fall at DiscoverHeritage.ca/Apply.