New church planting programme at St Hild
In conjunction with Asbury Seminary, USA and the Centre of Church Multiplication in London, the St Hild Centre for Church Planting is launching a professional doctorate programme in Church Planting in Post-Christendom Europe
**update **
Due to demand, the St Hild Centre for Church Planting is delighted to announce new, additional scholarship spaces for Baptists on the Asbury Doctorate in “Church Planting in Post Christendom Europe, from Evangelical, Pentecostal and Sacramental perspectives.”
This is a three – four year program, requiring about 30 hours a month independent study, a significant research thesis, and two teaching blocks a year – one on zoom and one onsite. It is designed to work alongside a full time ministry role and requires continued practitioner experience and responsibility.
More information can be found at the following locations:
Or contact Alex Harris directly for an half hour zoom on alex.harris@sthild.org
Alongside practitioners from across Europe, the programme is led by Christian Selvaratnam, Maria Boschker, Ric Thorpe and Alex Harris, the Baptist programme leader.
'Do you have a passion for evangelism and church planting?,' said Alex, the director of Baptist Church Planting at St Hild. 'A vision to expand that experience and share it widely with others?
'Does the vision of reaching post-Christian Europe for Jesus Christ fuel that passion?
'This is an opportunity to develop your capacity, and impact a generation in church planting, mission, and evangelism for a post-Christendom UK.'
The programme welcomes students from Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal and Sacramental streams across Europe to learn together. It combines rigorous academic study with hands-on leadership development and church planting experience.
Alex explained it is designed to equip 'a cohort of outstanding Baptist church planters and multiplication leaders to develop, hone, expand and ultimately multiply their gifts and capacity to influence and lead.'
'We are not looking for academics, though the programme meets the highest doctoral standards,' Alex continued.
'We want thinkers, influencers and leaders of exceptional calibre who can be part of spearheading the Baptist contribution to the re-evangelisation of the UK.'
The programme offers substantial sponsorship opportunities for all accepted students, with additional support available for women and individuals from Black, minority ethnic and other underrepresented groups. Spanning 3-4 years, it can be completed alongside an active ministry role.
'I believe this programme can play a vital role in our shared aspiration as a Baptist family to reach the nation for Jesus,' Alex stated.
'It will invest in and develop outstanding leaders and support them to be able to present their expertise to the widest Baptist audience, equipping ordinary churches in new ways of reaching people.'
St Hild wants to engage with people curious to explore this possibility for themselves.
As a professional doctorate there are both academic and non-academic entry routes, with creative accessibility pathways for those who have not entered ministry through confident tertiary education.
The college initially hosted two identical sessions to initiate this process designed to share information with those interested, answer questions and give a clear sight of the ambitions and expectations of the program.
These took place on Thursday 14 March. An additional webinar took place on 11 April, and a further one on 8 May.
Those interested can also request a personal exploratory Zoom call by emailing Alex directly at alex.harris@sthild.org.
Baptist Times, 30/04/2024