Pentecostal Theological Seminary Announces New Degree Concentration in Church Planting and Development
Cleveland, TN—The Pentecostal Theological Seminary has announced the creation of a new degree concentration in Church Planting and Development. The concentration will be added as an option to the Seminary’s Master of Arts in Church Ministries degree, which already offers students concentrations in Discipleship/Christian Formation, World Missions, and Ministry Leadership.
The development of this degree concentration is in response to the urgent cry of the church to help train and develop church planters,” said Dr. Blayne Waltrip, Director of the Seminary’s Center for Global Education and Mission. “As part of the Church of God, a global movement established one church plant at a time, we realize the greatest way to make impact in a community is by planting a vibrant church.”
Designed for students who either desire to be involved in planting new churches or wish to be involved in revitalizing existing churches, the new concentration will present practical teaching from qualified instructors who have served as church planters, pastors, and urban missionaries.
The concentration will be available completely online and will be the first of its kind offered simultaneously in both Spanish and English. Students pursuing the concentration will also participate in a practicum, a supervised ministry opportunity under an experienced church planter, where students may opt to plant an actual new church congregation.
“According to research conducted by Ed Stetzer, President of LifeWay Research, and Steven Pike of the Assemblies of God, the success of a church planter increases by 243% when the planter is assessed, coached and trained.” said Waltrip. “I am convinced that PTS and other schools must be involved in the process. In research on church planting in the Church of God, when the Church of God had schools in the Northwest, West Coast and East Coast, church planting flourished because planters were prepared. As those schools closed, church planting declined dramatically. It is our hope that this concentration will help fill that gap.”
“The Pentecostal Theological Seminary remains committed to serving the church and responding to needs as they arise,” said former Seminary President Dr. Steven J. Land. “The Church Planting and Development concentration is one example of this by providing relevant training for church planters that is accessible from anywhere in the world.”
The Pentecostal Theological Seminary is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC). Also, the Seminary and Master of Art in Church Ministry degree is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). Additional information is available online at www.ptseminary.edu or by calling 800-228-9126.
