Ordination training through SPTC / St Mellitus College

One of St Paul’s Theological Centre’s core values is the desire to ‘bring theology back into the heart of the Church. Our conviction is that to train people for leadership within local churches, it make sense to do that while they are actually working in local churches. It is best to train for Christian ministry by being involved in Christian ministry.

Therefore, all of SPTC’s routes to ordination, as part of St Mellitus College, are ‘Mixed Mode’, in other words, offering a combination of academic study alongside significant practical experience in local church or mission context. Students on these courses are ‘full-time, non-residential students’, which means that we consider them to be engaged in full-time preparation for ordained ministry, but with half of their training happening ‘on the job’. Our aim is to provide academic training that is just as high quality as could be found in the best residential colleges or universities, alongside practical experience of growing churches or fresh expressions of church under experienced leadership. A vital part of the course is regular sessions of ‘theological reflection’ where in groups, students share issues they are facing in their practical ministry, and learn to analyse and address them with the help of the theology they are learning.

There are three main components of a student’s time on the Mixed Mode course:

  1. Practical experience of ministry in a local church, fresh expression or Christian ministry for at least two days a week
  2. One day a week of teaching at SPTC (usually Mondays) and a day a week for private study
  3. Seven residential weekends and one residential week per year, along with other St Mellitus ordinands and Readers
    • So for example, a student might be employed in a local church for 3 days a week, have two days free for study (one in SPTC weekly, one for private study) and one or two days off per week, and in addition be available for residential weeks and weekends.
    • Another possible combination for those who do not require a salary from a church would be volunteer work in a Fresh Expression, or Christian ministry of some kind for two days a week, with the rest of the week free for extended study.
    • A third combination for those whose church cannot afford to pay them for the work they do, might be two days a week volunteer work in the church, two days a week put aside for study and two days a week in paid secular employment to help cover living costs. This would then still leave one day off a week.
These courses are designed around those who envisage being involved at some stage in church planting, establishing new forms of church life, or those training for more traditional forms of church, but who are looking for a more missional ‘edge’ to their training. It is particularly appropriate for Pioneer Ministers, as they often require Mixed Mode training that has a focus on Fresh Expressions or church planting.

The courses are:

  • BA in Contextual Theology (Middlesex University)
  • Diploma in Higher Education in Contextual Theology (Middlesex University)
  • MA (King’s College London) with Ordination training at SPTC

Alongside each of these courses, students also take a set of seminars on ‘Leading Growing Churches.’ This course looks at one key issue per term over the three years of the course (6 topics are taken for King’s MA students)

The Monday afternoon ‘Leadership for Growing Churches’ course at SPTC will cover the key elements of ordained ministry and leadership in the church, with a particular focus on church planting and new forms of church life. This covers topics such as:

1. PRAYER & WORSHIP
2. LEADERSHIP
3. CHURCH PLANTING
4. DISCIPLESHIP
5. MINISTRY IN THE SPIRIT
6. RESOURCING FAMILY LIFE
7. SUPPORTING CHRISTIANS IN THE WORKPLACE
8. CHANGING COMMUNITIES
9. RESOURCING THE VISION

Every student has a Personal Tutor at SPTC, and a Supervisor is appointed within the Primary Placement, to oversee the practical work done at that end.