Graduate Certificate in Transforming Communities with a focus in Faith Community Services Leadership

Serving communities in the mission of God

Why Faith Community Services Leadership?

The Graduate Certificate in Faith Community Services Leadership offers community ministry practitioners, community development managers, community outreach coordinators, pastoral staff members, and other missional leaders with the following capabilities:

a theological understanding of community, society, and social relationships
ability to develop ethical community development practices
effective strategic planning and operational control in community service organizations
a historical understanding of the development of faith-based community services and the social needs from which they arose
an operational understanding of congregational-based social ministry to neighborhoods locally and globally
the implications of the intersection between a gospel-centered witness, the kingdom of God, and the mission of God for community services
the biblical foundations for compassion ministries, social justice, and reform, and social change and transformation
a legal and ethical understanding of laws and ethical guidelines that apply to community ministries
the methods and skills needed to develop faith community services in diverse communities

Community Ministry can be defined as the activities carried out by missional Christians to join in God's work among individuals, families, and communities to bring about redemption, reconciliation, restoration, and renewal through providing social services and taking social action in the community. It is rooted in the example of Jesus who combined "incarnational revelation" ["being the gospel"], "word revelation" ["saying the gospel"] and "deed revelation" ["doing the gospel"] together in his everyday life in the community. Community ministry embraces various holistic models to becoming active outside the four walls of the church building. The Graduate Certificate in Faith Community Services Leadership equips students to lead community ministries and social service organizations to holistically demonstrate the love of God through activities that serve the needs of individuals, families, and communities.