Independent Church Ministry: Training Course

An article written for the FIEC Website.

There was a new addition to the end of term Awards Evening at Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS) this year: the 'Certificate in Independent Church Ministry’. It was given to students who had completed this new FIEC-led course, hosted in partnership with ETS as Andy Hunter explains.

As Independent churches proliferate and become an increasingly growing force for the gospel, there is more than ever a need to see their workers well trained both theologically and in the practicalities of leading a self-governing church. The diversity and experience encompassed by FIEC and its pastors makes it uniquely placed to give guidance and help prepare gospel workers for service in a wide variety of Independent church settings.

Throughout the academic year a number of students – both inside and outside ETS – attended classes on a range of subjects with particular relevance to service in Independent churches.

These classes included the history, the theological basis and the ecclesiology of Independent churches. They also covered a range of practical issues such as Training, Mission, Organisation of Services, Inter-Church Discipline, along with Appointment and Ordination procedures in Independency.

The course concluded with a consideration of The Future of Independency taken by John Stevens (FIEC National Director), a session attended by a number of the college faculty.

A deeper understanding

Students wishing to attain the formal Certificate completed a course assignment – which allowed for reflection on how the various parts of the course had deepened their understanding of Independent churches, and how what they learnt could be of practical use in the future.

One of the essays noted:

‘The independency module, run by the FIEC at Edinburgh Theological Seminary, has introduced me to not only a whole history I did not know about but it has shown me where some of the problems we face in the church today originated from.’

Feedback from the first group of students who attended the course has been very positive – one describing it as ‘practical and inspirational’, another as ‘very good and up-to-date’.

The course leaders, Dr Ian Shaw (an FIEC Pastors’ Network member and Director of Langham Scholars UK) and myself, are looking forward to rerunning the course for a new group of students and others starting in September. In Year 2 the course, held on Tuesday afternoons, will be a slightly shorter 14 weeks (rather than 18). Having the experience of Year 1 has allowed a number of refinements and improvements to be made. It is also hoped that technology will be available to allow remote streaming of the course for those not able to attend in person.

Working in partnership

No one church grouping is going to reach Scotland or Great Britain on its own – the great cause for all Bible-believing evangelicals is the gospel, and this partnership between the Free Church of Scotland and FIEC is a wonderful expression of both group’s primary commitment to that.

As one student expressed it in his course essay:

‘The FIEC course has reminded me that partnership in the gospel with other likeminded Gospel churches is not an optional extra but an essential component for church vitality.’

For those interested in finding out more about the course and how they might participate, information will be available on the ETS website – or you can contact me.