Training for Ordained Ministry

Preparing for Ordained Ministry is preparing to serve God and God's people in God's world. This is much more than learning how to preach a sermon or write an essay. It is immersing oneself deeply in the teaching of the church, developing a broad set of skills and experience, learning about the world of today, not yesterday, and above all, it is growing in love for God and in the love of God. We call all of this 'formation', because we are being formed, together, to respond to God's call upon our lives.

Formation opportunities are offered to those who have gone through their own denominational approval processes (e.g. MRC) as well as 'open option' students who are exploring a call to ministry in their own lives but have not yet gone through the formal approval processes.

Formation for Ordained Ministry consists of the four elements, below.

Formation Elements

Theological Study

No matter how much we think we know about God and the faith we believe, there is always more to know. No matter what your academic background or experience, CBC offers the opportunity to think deeply about the faith and tradition passed down to us - and how this is lived out in our contemporary world.

Ministry in Practice

There are skills in mission and ministry that we need to develop to be effective. These include such things as the context of mission, preaching, supporting the bereaved, and using digital media. The CBC formation programme includes the space to learn from the experience of expert practitioners.

Formation as Disciples

Being a disciple is not primarily about knowing things, understanding things, or being able to do things: it is about a love relationship with God lived out through loving our neighbours and loving ourselves. Through shared prayer, worship, spiritual study and fellowship, we encourage one another to grow as followers of Christ.

Placement Experiences

Those who are called to mission and ministry seek to become professional practitioners. Different placements explore the mission of God in different contexts. Some students come with a main placement already, while others are helped by CBC staff to find one. Students also undertake alternative placements, either locally or overseas, to broaden their experience.

Certificate in Ministry and Mission (CAA)

Some students come to formation with significant theological study and considerable experience in Christian ministry. For such students who are recommended by their denominations for this programme, we may be able to offer the CBC Certificate in Ministry and Mission (CAA). This programme enables students to develop in the different areas of formation, but incorporates a more limited programme of academic study which involves individual supervised work on a topic of choice.

Therefore, the CAA does not seek to recognise that a student has reached a particular academic ‘level’, but, rather, that a student has engaged well with the process of formation. It encourages students to continue to think and reflect theologically on the ministry to which they are called, and the God who calls them. The CAA lasts for the duration of the student’s Formation, which is normally either two or three years.

In recent years, student-chosen topics have included:

Have Christian Revivals had Lasting Effects on the People and Community in which they Occurred?
Worship when we are Not Able to Meet.
How Planting New Churches in South Wales can Reignite a Passion for Jesus.
Talking about Race in a White Mono-Culture.
An Analysis of Methods of Discipleship Commonly Used in Forms of Family Ministry.
Reverse Mission as an Approach for UK Mission.
The Role of Music in Christian Worship.

Find Out More

If you want to know more, please get in touch so we can talk further. You'd be welcome to come and see what we do, or we can meet online.

If you are at the earliest stages of discerning a call to Christian ministry, we would encourage you to talk to your church minister, or to a ministry representative from your denomination, as there may be particular requirements to consider.