Children & Family Ministries
Bachelor of Arts DegreeDESCRIPTION
124 Credit Hours
Center for Children & Family Ministries Dr. Lon Flippo, Director
The Children & Family Ministries major exists to prepare pastors, evangelists and missionaries to minister to children and their families. The goals of the academic program are:
• To strive to offer the best training in children and family ministry in the country; • To see graduates with the ability to minister effectively to children and their families; • To see graduates with the ability to provide pastoral leadership in local church
congregations;
• To see graduates with knowledge and experience in general education, theology, pastoral and practical ministry skills;
• To see graduates with the ability to minister to children and their families holistically using the most current ministry methods and models;
• To build a common sense of community, pride, and cooperation among students in the Children and Family Ministries major at NCU;
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• To look beyond the borders of campus to build strategic partnerships with districts, churches, pastors, children’s workers and children and family ministries.
Graduates of the Children and Family Ministries major should be able to demonstrate skills related to pastoral ministry, including:
• Preaching and teaching ministry; • Use of today’s technology;
• How to reach, teach and relate to children at various developmental stages; • Working with children and adults in small group and large group programs; • Pastoring children and their families;
• Training children to participate and lead in a meaningful worship experience at appropriate developmental levels;
• Incorporating illustrative skills, including storytelling, object lesson, and drama; • Development and leadership of ministry teams.
Graduates should be able to utilize knowledge needed for effective children’s ministry including:
• Teaching Bible and theology in meaningful and appropriate ways to children; • Classroom management;
• Basic educational methodologies for children; • Evangelism;
• Discipling skills;
• Basic counseling and discipline skills; • Budgeting;
• Leadership development.
Graduates should be able to administer programming to children and families through: • Staff recruitment, selection, training and supervision;
• Program planning and implementation; • Communication with parents;
• Relationships with pastoral staff, people in the church and people in the community. Through classes common to all majors in the department, students should be able to:
• Understand historic and contemporary theology;
• Study the Bible and effectively practice and communicate its truths in today’s world; • Be familiar with the history, practices and beliefs of the Assemblies of God;
• Understand the operation, administration, and organization of the local church, including the unique role of a pastor;
• Know and practice the mission of the Church; • Be aware of the legal aspects of pastoral ministry;
• Practice personal spiritual formation in regards to character and responsibility.
COURSES
Part 1. General Education Core
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Children & Family Ministries students must take either HIST 311 Church History 1 or HIST 312 Church History 2 for Historical Perspectives
See General Education Core
Part 2. Christian Studies Core
Vocational Ministry students must take Church Ministry Project I-IV as PRAC 205, 206, 305, and 306 for 4 credits instead of PRAC 201, 202, 203, and 204 for 0 credits.
See Christian Studies Core
Part 3. Church Ministries Core
33 Credits
BIBL *** Any OT Bible Course (3) BIBL *** Any NT Bible Course (3)
PTHE 131 Personal Formation & the Spiritual Leader (3) THEO 240 Pentecostal Distinctives (3)
PTHE 340 Church Administration & Finance (3) PTHE 378 Pastoral Theology (3)
ITRN 299 Internship Prep (0)
ITRN 491 College of Ministry Internship: Part One (3) ITRN 492 College of Ministry Internship: Part Two (3) PRAC 495 Senior Project: College of Ministry (3) THEO 436 The Spirit and the Church (3)
BIBL 472 Bible Lands Seminar (3)
Part 4. Children & Family Ministries Core
19 Credits
CHMN 150 Introduction to Children & Family Ministries (3) CHMN 261 Foundations for Children's and Family Ministry (3) PTHE 310 Bridging Children and Youth Ministries (1)
PTHE 330 Topics in Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Issues (3) PTHE 432 Pastoral Care of Families (3)
CHMN 450 Children’s Ministry Homiletics (3)
CHMN 472 Leadership in Children & Family Ministry (3)
Part 5. General Electives - Including Bachelor of Arts Degree
14 Credits
Students may select 6-8 credits of the same foreign language (may include Biblical Languages or American Sign Language) and 6-8 credits of general electives (for a total of 14 credits) to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
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Church Leadership
Bachelor of Arts Degree
DESCRIPTION
124 Credit Hours
Center for Pastoral Ministries Dr. Tracy Paino, Dean
The Church Leadership degree requires an approved student application with one of NCU’s Church Leadership sites. The sites provide intensive training, practical ministry opportunities, and mentoring relationships. Students who complete the Church Leadership degree will be prepared to be ministry leaders in a local church. The following elements will aid graduates of the Church Leadership major in carrying out their leadership role in a local congregation. They will:
• Understand historic and contemporary theology
• Study the Bible and effectively practice and communicate its truths in today’s world • Be familiar with the history, practices and beliefs of the Assemblies of God
• Understand the operation, administration and organization of the local church, including the unique role of the lead pastor
• Know and practice the mission of the Church • Be aware of the legal aspects of pastoral ministry
• Practice personal spiritual formation in regards to character and responsibility Graduates will have gained pastoral skills including:
• Preaching and teaching
• People skills and interpersonal relationships • Leading people groups of various sizes
• Project and goal management for a ministry or organization
• A sincere desire and the ability to help and minister to all people of any age, socioeconomic background, cultural or ethnic group, etc.
• Evangelism and discipleship • Pastoral care and counseling
• Special services and their biblical background including communion, baptism, funerals, weddings, baby dedications, installation of officers
• Maintaining a meaningful devotional life • Maintaining a healthy personal and family life
• Serving as a model of consistent Christian character and lifestyle • Possessing financial and other management skills
All students must complete the General Education Core and Christian Studies Core. In addition, all Church Leadership majors are required to complete the Church Ministries Core and the
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Church Leadership Core. A student may add general electives or select an optional minor. Total credit hours to complete the Church Leadership major must equal at least 124 credit hours.
COURSES
Part 1. General Education Core
Church Leadership students must take PRAC 252 Homiletics for Communications
Church Leadership students must take either HIST 311 Church History 1 or HIST 312 Church History 2 for Historical Perspectives
See General Education Core
Part 2. Christian Studies Core
Church Leadership students must take Church Ministry Project I-IV as PRAC 205, 206, 305, and 306 for 4 credits instead of PRAC 201, 202, 203, and 204 for 0 credits.
See Christian Studies Core
Part 3. Church Ministries Core
33 Credits
BIBL *** Any OT Bible Course (3) BIBL *** Any NT Bible Course (3)
PTHE 131 Personal Formation & the Spiritual Leader (3) THEO 240 Pentecostal Distinctives (3)
PTHE 340 Church Administration & Finance (3) PTHE 378 Pastoral Theology (3)
ITRN 299 Internship Prep (0)
ITRN 491 College of Ministry Internship: Part One (3) ITRN 492 College of Ministry Internship: Part Two (3) PRAC 495 Senior Project: College of Ministry (3) THEO 436 The Spirit and the Church (3)
BIBL 472 Bible Lands Seminar (3)
Part 4. Children & Family Ministries Core
21 Credits
ITRN 493 College of Ministry Internship: Part Three (3) ITRN 494 College of Ministry Internship: Part Four (3) Evangelism: Select One
PTHE 122 Biblical Principles of Evangelism (3) PTHE 379 Evangelistic Ministry (3)
PTHE 482 Introduction to Church Planting (3) Pastoral Care: Select One
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PTHE 330 Topics in Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Issues (3) PTHE 431 Pastoral Counseling (3)
PTHE 432 Pastoral Care of Families (3)
YDEV 338 Adolescent Psychology & Counseling (3) Preaching: Select One
PRAC 352 Homiletics II (3)
PRAC 450 Children's Ministry Homiletics (3) PRAC 464 Youth Ministries Homiletics (3) Faith Development: Select One
CHMN 261 Foundations for Children & Family Ministry (3) PTHE 241 Community of Worship & Prayer (3)
PTHE 348 Discipleship, Mentoring, & Leadership Dev. (3) YDEV 262 Education & Discipleship of Youth (3)
Leadership: Select One
CHMN 472 Leadership in Children & Family Ministry (3) PTHE 443 Contemporary Pastoral Techniques (3) YDEV 416 Youth Programming (3)
Part 5. General Electives - Including Bachelor of Arts Degree
12 Credits
Students may select 6-8 credits of the same foreign language (may include Biblical Languages or American Sign Language) and 4-6 credits of general electives (for a total of 15 credits) to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree.