Strengthen a Church
City Ministry Program
This one-four year program facilitates academic training as well as practical equipping and growth for emerging leaders.
Program
Information
This 1-4 year program facilitates academic training as well as practical equipping and growth for Emerging Leaders.
Overview
The City Ministry Program provides strategic urban education to pastors, parachurch ministers, seminary students, church planters, and emerging Christian leaders like you. Taught by a diverse team of experienced practitioners, CMP synthesizes robust, theologically-informed content with practical projects and actionable instruction to impact your ministry.
Our mission is to equip you for your work by rounding out your theological formation with critical skill development, transforming your vision for the church into fruitful ministry expression.
Program Highlights
Ministry Competency Focuses on spiritual formation and the cultivation of skills, practices, and disciplines necessary for city ministry
Integrated Learning Incorporates academic, pastoral, and practical components
Intimate Cohort Community Maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio with time allotted for directed conversations, peer-to-peer learning, and open Q&A sessions
Experienced Faculty Led by urban-facing, gospel-centered practitioners, including Tim Keller, Yeathus Johnson, and many more.
Urban Networking Builds transdenominational relationships with fellow ministers
City Ministry Certification Recognizes academic and ministerial achievements by granting ministry certification upon completion of the program
Flexible Scheduling Offers afternoon and evening classes along with a rotating schedule of tracks
Affordable Provides sessions at a low price in addition to potential scholarship grants.
Objectives
Planter & Pastor Support To provide support, coaching, and mentoring for emerging church planters or pastors.
Leadership Training To facilitate quality training for effective and successful ministry within a leader’s particular context.
Urban Ministry Development To fill the gap for leaders who haven’t attended seminary or whose seminary did not adequately prepare them.
Networking Opportunities To facilitate networking with like-minded leaders within the city, and explore new models of ministry.
Process Development Develop a process that is informed by sound theology, philosophy of ministry, and best practices.
What CMP offers
Every class includes rich instruction from our first-class faculty, in-depth conversation with teachers and peers, and practical guidance for taking what you learn in CMP and implementing it in your ministry context.
Each track enables you to build a personal ministry portfolio of the work you’ve completed. So, you’ll walk away from the program with a personalized repertoire of ministry plans that will serve you all throughout your ministry.
Ideal Candidates
- An Emerging Leader who is a new or young church planter, pastor, or leader within ministry
- Committed to conducting and pursuing ministry within the greater New York City context
- Possess a demonstrated track record of ministerial fruitfulness that others can testify to
Transformative Learning
Unlike traditional seminary education, CMP delivers a holistic educational experience that enlightens your mind, stirs your affections, and equips you for effective urban ministry. Every class engages the head, the heart, and the hands, and teachers help you apply what you’re learning to your ministry context. The City Ministry Program will transform you and increase your effectiveness as a minister of the gospel.
Additional Info
CMP follows the academic calendar with each class meeting weekly for 3 hours from September through December and February through May. Participants in the program may choose to study any number and combination of ministry areas they choose, completing the full program in 1 to 4 years.
Foundational intensives on Center Church, Urban Ministry and Church, Ministry & Culture are typically offered in early fall and January. Each track of the City Ministry Program is $2,000 per program year. Need-based financial aid is available for students who are actively serving in ministry in NYC.
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
Mission Trains you to grow and nurture communities of practical gospel witnesses, with a focus on how to do evangelism and apologetics in our current cultural climate
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
Preaching Teaches you how to proclaim Christ in a way that is faithful to the Scriptures, relevant to your cultural context, and compelling to your audience
