The Diploma in Church Planting Program
In pursuance of BBCM’s (our parent body) heavy emphasis on “Indigenous Reproductive Church Planting,” ACPL launched the Diploma program in February 2013. The ‘Diploma in Church Planting’ program is offered to grass-roots level church planters and leaders. It is intended to provide strategic focus on reproductive church planting. Students graduating with this program will be able to plant indigenous (self-supporting, self-propagating and self-governing) churches themselves or be involved in the revitalization and/or rejuvenation of their existing churches. This program is most beneficial to those applicants with a clear “call” to church planting, spouses of “called” church planters and other lay leaders who have a burden to stimulate their churches into becoming indigenous and reproductive.
This program can be completed in 3 years (36 months). We estimate 36 months to be the church planting term and have integrated classroom study (54 credits) within these 36 months. The classes are scheduled for 2 weeks every 6 months in order to minimize the absence of the church planter from his mission field.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the following further requirements are specific to the Diploma in Church Planting program:
(i) Must have passed 10th standard state or central syllabus from a registered secondary school. This does not mean the applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree are not eligible. The “10th pass” is the minimum eligibility that is expected.
(ii) Must have a working knowledge of the language in which the classes are offered, content of the Bible and basic Theology.
(iii) Must be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and must demonstrate their Christian life through pastoral reference.
(iv) Must evidence connectedness to a church body or a para-church organization.
Statute of Limitation
All “Diploma in Church Planting” program requirements must be completed within 42 months of matriculation into the program. Petition to extend the statute of limitation may be made by a student to the Academic Dean.
Graduation Requirements
After the student has filed for candidacy, the following requirements need to be met inorder to participate in the graduation service.
a. Must have attended all classroom sessions and satisfactorily completed all program requirements to the satisfaction of the ADO.
b. Complete the field deployment and experience documentation.
c. Exemplify the character, emotional stability, maturity, and leadership ability that are essential to effective service in Christian ministry.
d. Demonstrate compliance and fulfillment of all expectations set forth at the time of deployment.
e. Report periodically to the assigned supervisor and exhibit a growing mentoring connection with ACPL’s supervisor and BBCM’s regional director for the 100 church plants project.