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Our online degree programs are designed for busy working adults just like you – intentionally structured to allow you to balance work, life, and other commitments. As a student of ACU Online, you are part of a vibrant, virtual, Christ-centered community.
Introducing
Locked-In Tuition.
Our Locked-In Tuition program guarantees you’ll pay the same price for your entire undergraduate degree.
About the Program

Intended to build upon the previous knowledge gained from the Church Leadership: Foundations certificate, the Certificate in Church Leadership: Praxis allows you to gain practical skills needed to lead your congregation well and scripturally enrich the minds and hearts of those around you. This certificate is for individuals pursuing or who are in Christian leadership positions.
Program Structure
All the Details on Your Degree
This certificate provides a more in-depth exploration of church leadership by building off the Church Leadership: Foundations certificate, granting individuals the opportunity to put their pastoral and community-centered skills into transformational practice for their classrooms and congregational members.
Required Hours
16 hours
8 – 12 month timeframe
Example Coursework
Pastoral Ministry
Gospel in a Multicultural World
Contemporary Ecclesiology
Department
Upcoming Start Dates
June 27, 2023
August 22, 2023
Common Job Titles
Clergy
Religious Workers
Congregational leadership*
*depending upon denominational requirements
Scholarship Opportunity
Church Matching Scholarship
Interested students are encouraged to partner with their home congregation to sponsor one-third of the tuition price, and ACU will match this scholarship, making the final cost to the student $2,100. For more information, speak with an admissions advisor.
Meet the Program Director

Dr. Tiffany Dahlman
Tiffany Dahlman is an assistant professor and the program director for the Bachelor of Science in Christian Service and Formation, Certificate in Church Leadership: Foundations, and Certificate in Church Leadership: Praxis. She received her bachelor’s degrees in English and Religious Studies from York University and earned a Master of Divinity with specializations in Old Testament and Spiritual Formation from Asbury Theological Seminary. She graduated from ACU with a Doctor of Ministry in the Preaching for Community Transformation track. Tiffany has experience in foreign missions and has served as a congregational minister since 2015. She believes in loving God with the mind, heart, soul, and body, and as program director, she seeks to help students prepare for the spiritual vocation into which they are called.
Spotlight

ACU Announces Online Certificates In Church Leadership
ACU launched two new online undergraduate certificates in church leadership, focused on equipping church leaders with foundational and practical aspects of the Christian faith to serve their congregations better. Taught by a diverse array of passionate scholar-practitioners, each certificate is designed to help church leaders expand their biblical interpretation skills and theoretical frameworks to minister effectively in today’s contemporary culture.

Vocational Formation at ACU: Finding Your Purpose and Passion
Vocational formation is all about finding your life’s calling, learning how God is shaping you into the person you were born to be. You likely have a career goal or the spark of an idea of what you’d like to do professionally. ACU’s unique approach to vocational formation takes this a step further by helping you understand your deeper desire to serve others, no matter what the job title or duties entail.

Faculty Spotlight: Tiffany Dahlman
The modern world presents unique challenges to Christians and the practice of their faith. For ACU Online Bachelor of Science in Christian Service and Formation program director, Dr. Tiffany Dahlman, that means more room for opportunity and outreach. Check out our latest faculty spotlight to learn more about her story and how she’s equipping students to minister to our ever-changing world.

Why Certificate Programs Have Skyrocketed in Popularity
Recent statistics are showing a shift in higher education, with certificates increasing in popularity. Read on to find out the cause for this shift and which areas of study are in high demand.

Upon completion, graduates will be able to:
- Articulate the implications the biblical text has for contemporary life and faith.
- Reflect on the pastoral skills necessary to care for a church, ministry, or faith community.
- Create a plan for how the spiritual disciplines will be incorporated within their ministry context.

To be considered for admission, students must:
- Submit official high school and/or college transcripts.
- Complete the online program application accompanied by a non-refundable processing fee.
- Students are not required to submit ACT or SAT test scores.

Abilene Christian University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Ga. 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of ACU.
Abilene Christian University enjoys a strong national reputation as one of the leading private Christian universities in the west and southwest, indicated by various ratings (such as U.S. News and World Report and other reports).