Entrance Requirements

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Certificate in Christian Studies Program

The Certificate in Christian Studies is offered to students who do not feel called to certified lay ministry, but who complete all of the course work satisfactorily. These students will not participate in the supervised ministry/mentorship program.

Persons who desire to enroll for credit toward a Certificate in Christian Studies must meet the following criteria:

1. Be at least 21 years of age.

2. Be a high school graduate or the equivalent.

3. Be an active member of an American Baptist church within the participating Associations of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association and American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware. (Non-American Baptists may be considered for admission. Such students should consult with the Administration regarding their individual circumstances.)

4. Submit a letter of recommendation from the church of membership stating its

a. provide a brief background of the student's current involvement in the life of the church.
b. provide support and prayer for the student as he/she pursues the program.

Note: There is an outline form provided in the Student Prospective Packet which your church
can use to guide the writing of the Letter of Support.

Change of Program Procedure: If a Christian Studies student wishes to transfer into the Certified Lay Minister Preparation program at a later time, this person shall meet the additional enrollment criteria for that program at that time. All applicable fees for the new program shall then apply at the rate published at the time of transfer. An additional administrative fee for program transfer may also be charged.

PERSONAL ENRICHMENT ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

In order to be able to benefit from and participate fully in the courses offered, it is suggested that the personal enrichment student who is only taking a few selected courses meet the following minimum standards: Be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or the equivalent. If a personal enrichment student later wishes to transfer to a certificate program, he/she shall meet the enrollment criteria for that program at that time. All applicable fees for the new program shall apply at the rate published at the time of transfer.

Certified Lay Minister Preparation Program

Persons who desire to enroll in the Church Leadership Institute seeking credit toward the Certified Lay Minister preparation program must meet the following criteria:

1. Be at least 21 years of age.

2. Be a high school graduate or the equivalent.

3. Be an active member of an American Baptist church within the participating Associations of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association and American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

4. Submit a letter of recommendation from the church of membership stating its willingness to:

    a. formally endorse the student's gifts for ministry by a vote of the church
        (either by the congregation as a whole or by an appropriate committee or group within the church).
    b. provide a brief background of the student's current involvement in the life of the church.
    c. be willing to consider the student for certification.
    d. provide support and prayer for the student as he/she pursues the program.

5. Submit three other brief letters of recommendation (no more than one minister and one relative can be included) commenting on the applicant's fitness for ministry.

Students who meet these requirements and are accepted into the Institute must make note of the fact that the CLI does not certify persons for ministry. Completion of studies does not guarantee a student will be certified nor placed in a pastoral position in a church. Please see the page in this Handbook entitled "A Word About Certification and Placement" for further details on this subject.

Student Behavior Policy

Before students may enter any classes, he/she must review and sign the Student Behavior Policy. This policy will be distributed and reviewed at the orientation, or before a new student begins any class.

This policy consists of a definition of unacceptable behavior, the Covenant and Code of Ethics approved by the ABC-USA, and the procedure if the student shall behave in an unacceptable manner and will not comply to the site coordinator responsible.

This policy applies to anyone who enrolls in either the CLM or Christian Studies track.