North Wales Baptist College (Y Coleg Gwyn)

Lay Ministry Training Courses

We have recently created a modular course in support of lay ministers, lay pastors and lay preachers. For those who successfully complete all the modular elements, or receive excemptions, they will be awarded a college certificate.

The course is available through direct (attendance) or  flexible (distance) learning, and will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual and the churches. This course follows the common themes which have been agreed by the Baptist colleges throughout Great Britain. Students are able to do the  course through the medium of  Welsh or English.

Our course is made up of the following modules:

  • Reading and using the Bible
  • Introduction to Theology
  • Mission and Culture in the 21st Century
  • Leading Worship and Preaching
  • Pastoral Care
  • Baptist Belief and Practice
  • Exploring the Spirit
  • The Christian in the Modern World

For those who are called to the lay pastorate the following module will also be required:

  • Church Management and Administration

 

Modules

  • Registration - Students will be invited to attend a one day introductory session which will be held in the college, or at a local venue within the Baptist Associations. They will then receive their training pack containing notes, reading lists and assignment(s).
  • Tutor - Students will be allocated a college approved tutor who will be their local contact. The tutor may be a member of the college staff, or one of the accredited ministers in their Association. Tutors will monitor progress and assist with local training.
  • The Module - Each module is made up of a series of written and practical exercises, plus a face-to-face tutorial or seminar. Each module has a set of notes, and a list of further recommended reading material.  
  • Assignments - Students are required to produce two written assignments for each module. There is NO requirement to be computer literate, and neat and tidy hand written work will be acceptable.  The first task will be a written assignment of about 1500 words (which is roughly 6 pages of A4 typed in double spacing). We will show you how to present your work, including the use of footnotes, referencing and a bibliography. The second task may be in a written or practical form (e.g. if you are doing the Pastoral Care module you might be asked to write up your local experience as a 'case study', or if doing the Leading Worship and Preaching module you might be asked to preach to an invited audience).
  • Exams - There are NO exams for these modules, but you will be required to complete all the assignments to a satisfactory standard that is acceptable to the college Academic Assessment Board.
  • Exemptions - Students with extensive practical experience of preaching and pastoral work may be given exemption from certain modules at the discretion of the college Academic Assessment Board. Exemptions will only be given to students who are able to provide evidence of prior achievement, plus two acceptable written references. (One should be from their Association Superintendent or Regional Ministers). 
  • Prior Learning - Previous training to diploma or degree level in Theology, or Religious Studies, or a Teacher Training Qualification (including Religious Studies) may also qualify for certain exemptions.
  • Mandatory Module - Unless you have already attended a suitable course at a Baptist training college, all students will be required to complete the Baptist Belief and Practice module.