At the heart of our commitment to training is a desire to see men and women equipped for practical ministry through a transformational engagement with the Scriptures and with the Lord. A healthy development in church life in Scotland has been a move away from a fixation with academic qualifications underwritten by secular bodies, as well as a realisation that the best training for service and ministry is one that combines the classroom experience with a hands-on, closely mentored, exposure to ministry.
EBC’s Advanced Ministry Apprenticeship Programme (AMAP) is a nine-month vocational
training course conducted in diverse settings under the leadership of EBC staff and
external mentors. AMAP exists to transition students from the full-time college environment to full-time Christian ministry while transforming them in five key areas of personal development:- Knowing the Scriptures, Self, People, God and Ministry Skills.
At the AMAP’s core are one or more mentored placements over a total of 25 weeks. Students will observe, participate and receive assessment in the everyday work of a minister, missionary or evangelist. Running alongside the placement ministry will be a number of assignments set by EBC staff. The focus of the AMAP is on preparation for full-time sustainable ministry and the assignments will be set up and reviewed during three periods of on-site teaching at EBC.
Students will need to achieve a total of 60 credits in order to successfully complete this apprenticeship programme. The AMAP consists of a total of 600 hours/60 credits:
- Residential Lectures & Teaching (5 weeks, 30 hours per week) 150 hours
- Private Study (Reading, Preparation & Follow-up Work) approximately 150 hours
- Supervised Church Placement (participation in church activities, leading groups, preaching, outreach, etc.; 25 weeks, 28 hours per week) approximately 700 hours
- Tutorials (25 weeks, 1 hour per week) 25 hours
Total 1,175 hours (over 30 weeks = 39 hours per week) 120 Study Credits
Students’ ministry and academic activities will be assessed in the field by the mentor and by EBC staff at SCQF level 9 (SVQ Level 4). Most assignments are summative assessments which are designed to measure the student’s achievements. However, there are also formative assessments which provide feedback to the student regarding how she or he is developing and to encourage and steer that development. The essential elements of character, calling and competence will be the three main areas under review.
Students who successfully complete this programme will be awarded EBC’s Licentiate in Theology (LTh).