Four Schools Receive Certification
The Church of God Division of Education’s Standing Committee on Certification voted earlier this month to recognize four new schools within the Church of God.
More than 120 Bible schools and educational institutions associated with Church of God congregations and organizations exist around the globe. They consist of newly-established certificate programs (Level I) to fully-accredited institutions that offer graduate level programs, such as Lee University and the Pentecostal Theological Seminary. The four newly-certified schools are located in the Caribbean, Africa, and the United States and represent a variety of cultures and ethnicities.
Level I schools are usually just beginning, with a one-year part-time schedule and a limited curriculum. They are usually smaller schools and offer only a certificate for completion of a course of study.
Schools at Level II may offer a two-year schedule, with a more complete curriculum; sometimes they are larger, with students on a “campus,” and offer a diploma.
Level III schools are usually residential, offer a complete curriculum, and undergraduate degrees. The highest Level IV schools award degrees as high as a doctorate.
Schools recently awarded Level I status are:
• The Bermuda National School of Ministry, which offers Certificate In Ministerial Studies (CIMS) courses;
• The New Testament Church of God School of Ministry in the Cayman Islands, utilizing CIMS courses and the Division of Education’s MOBILIZE;
• The Maranatha Training Center (MTC), based in Dallas, Texas, which uses a variety of online courses from other schools, along with the Ministerial Internship Program (MIP) and CIMS courses, to train the leaders of the Romanian-speaking congregations of the Church of God in the USA.
The Church of God International Bible College, based in Cape Town, South Africa, was awarded Level II status and is primarily online. Raymond Lombard, who has trained thousands of soulwinners and planted hundreds of churches around the world, has developed a school for pastors. Students can earn the three-year Certificate in Theology and credits can transfer into the European Theological Seminary in Germany to continue their training.
“The Church of God Division of Education and the directors of the Standing Committee on Certification have a mission,” stated Dr. David Ramirez, executive director of the Division of Education. “It is to raise up training schools and educational institutions to prepare people for Christian ministry. These four schools are part of that great calling. “
