Frequently Asked Questions For
City Ministry Program
FAQ 01
What is the City Ministry Program? (CMP)
Our mission: to equip you
The City Ministry Program is a strategic urban education for pastors, parachurch ministers, seminary students, church planters, and emerging Christian leaders.
Taught by a diverse team of practitioners with decades of city pastoral experience, CMP synthesizes robust, theologically-informed content with true-to-life projects and actionable instruction to impact your ministry right now.
Tracks and Modules
The heart of CMP consists of four learning tracks. Each track meets for three hours every week for two semesters (fall and spring) and includes a variety of modules. Modules are not offered à la carte; they are inextricably linked to the other modules in the track to provide a comprehensive learning experience.
We grow leaders in four areas of ministry.
• Leadership
• Mission
• Pastoring
• Preaching
Upon completion participants receive a certification of completion by Redeemer City to City.
FAQ 02
Why participate in the program?
Multidimensional Learning
We believe that ministry education that forms only the mind is insufficient to the calling you have from God. So our faculty is not satisfied with filling your head with new information; we humans are not just “brains on sticks.” All of our learning environments intentionally engage your head, your heart, and your hands, so that you are better equipped to do good right away.
Every class includes rich instruction from our first-class faculty, in-depth conversation with teachers and peers about the topics at hand, and practical guidance for taking what you learn in CMP and implementing it in your ministry context.
In addition, in each track you will build a personal ministry portfolio of the work you’ve completed. Built on your outside reading, in-class case studies, and classroom assignments, you will walk away with a personalized repertoire of ministry plans that will serve you the rest of your ministry.
Key features
• Oriented around ministry competency — focused on spiritual formation and the cultivation of skills, practices, and disciplines necessary for city ministry
• Integrated learning experience — blend of academic, pastoral, and practical components
• Intimate cohort environment — low student to faculty ratio with time allotted for directed conversations, peer-to-peer learning, and open Q&A
• Experienced urban faculty — modules led by urban-facing, gospel-centered practitioners, headlined by Tim Keller
• Urban networking — build transdenominational relationships with fellow ministers
• Certification in city ministry — upon completion of the program
• Flexible scheduling — afternoon and evening offerings with a rotating schedule of tracks
• Reasonable pricing — low price-per-session (roughly $25 per class period or $8.50 per hour) even before factoring in potential scholarship grants
FAQ 03
What are the requirements?
1. Completed application
2. Serve at least 15 hours a week in a ministry role (paid or unpaid) that provides pastoral/ministry supervision and/or mentorship
3. Called to serve the movement of gospel ministry in NYC
FAQ 04
What are the ministry areas offered?
Participants may study only one selected area over one or two semesters or complete all four areas in one to three years.
We grow leaders in four areas of ministry.
• Leadership aims to develop you into a catalytic, Spirit-empowered leader for your church by equipping you with a wide range of skills to advance citywide gospel momentum.
Modules: Biblical Theology of Leadership, Self Leadership, Contextual Leadership, Adaptive Leadership,Catalytic Leadership, Team Leadership
Faculty: Michael Carrion, Steve Cuss, Yeathus Johnson
• Mission trains you to grow and nurture communities of practical gospel witness, with a focus on how to do evangelism and apologetics in our late modern culture.
Modules: Justice & Mercy, Evangelism, Apologetics, Faith & Work
Faculty: Tim Keller, Robert Guerrero, Al Santino, Global Faith & Work Initiative
• Pastoring builds your pastoral toolkit and prepares you to be spiritual shepherds to the church by cultivating depth in your use of scripture for everyday ministry and showing you how to design pastoral care systems for your church.
Modules: Pastoral Theology & Ministry, Gospel Spirituality, Pastoral Counseling, Church Worship
Faculty: Tim Keller, Charlie Drew, John Thomas, Ellen Lee, Redeemer Counseling Services
• Preaching teaches you how to proclaim Christ in a way that is faithful to the Scriptures, addressed to your cultural context, and compelling to your audience.
Modules: Preaching Christ, Preaching to the Culture, Preaching to the Heart, Exposition
Faculty: Tim Keller, Charlie Drew, Jordan Rice, Michael Carrion
FAQ 05
What are the program fees?
Cost and financial aid
Each track costs $1,000 per semester ($2,000 for the entire track). Invoices for the fall semester will be sent August 1, 2020. Invoices for the spring semester will be sent December 1, 2020.
We are grateful for generous supporters that enable us to offer financial aid to students in need. You can apply for a scholarship during the application process.
FAQ 06
What is the time commitment?
Each ministry area requires three hours a week of classroom learning and 1.5 hours of reading and assignments. A total of 4.5 hours per week for each ministry area.
FAQ 07
What does the overall schedule look like?
Schedule for (2020-2021)
Leadership (Tuesdays, 6-9pm)
Fall Modules - Biblical Theology of Leadership, Self Leadership, Contextual Leadership
Spring Modules - Adaptive Leadership, Catalytic Leadership, Team Leadership
Mission (Wednesdays, 6-9pm)
Fall Modules - Mercy and Justice, Evangelism
Spring Modules - Apologetics, Faith and Work
Pastoring (Wednesdays, 2-5pm)
Fall Modules - Worship, Pastoral Theology
Spring Modules - Gospel Spirituality, Counseling
Preaching (Tuesdays 2-5pm)
Fall Modules - Exposition, Preaching Christ
Spring Modules - Preaching to the Heart, Preaching to the Culture
Center Church (part 1) - September 1-2
Center Church (part 2) - January 19-20
Church, Ministry & Culture - May 11-12
Leadership Intensives - TBD
What are the 3 intensives that are offered?
Center Church
A comprehensive treatment of how the gospel changes a person, church and community drawing upon the book Center Church. What does it mean to be the church today, in the great global cities of the world or wherever late modern western secularity and pluralization are dominant.
Church, Ministry & Culture
How ecclesiology and theology practically effects how we do ministry today. Realities of the church and ministry; perspectives, features, marks of the church and ministry; functions and objects of the church’s ministry; church and models and ministry; church and culture; church and politics.
FAQ 08
How do I apply?
Enrollment process
If you would like to join one or more tracks for 2020–21, the enrollment process is quite simple—just three steps:
1. Complete the CMP Inquiry Form.
2. We’ll send you an application. Fill it out and submit it.
3. We’ll schedule an interview with you to hear what God is doing in your life and how CMP will develop your ministry capacity.
That’s it! Once you’ve been accepted to the program, you’ll have two weeks to enroll and reserve your spot.
New students have until June 30 to apply. This is also the last date for current students to apply for re-enrollment.
Completion of all intensive courses is required for the full City Ministry Program certificate - Center Church, Church & Ministry and Urban Ministry.