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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
Cost: $395/Hour with $300 resource fee per term
Example Coursework
Pastoral Ministry
Gospel in a Multicultural World
Contemporary Ecclesiology
Upcoming Start Dates
May 6, 2025
July 1, 2025
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 ACU Online’s Assistant Dean of Vocational Formation, as well as an assistant professor and the program director for the Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry and Spiritual 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
Five Benefits of Obtaining a Certificate in Church Leadership
Are you a current or aspiring church leader looking to expand your impact within your local congregation? With ACU Online’s undergraduate certificates in Church Leadership: Foundations and Church Leadership: Praxis, leaders of all levels and denominations are trained and encouraged to learn new ways of re-engaging scripture, answering today’s toughest questions, and guiding others toward truth.
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 Ministry and Spiritual 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.
- Two letters of recommendation from the leadership of the applicant’s home congregation. (Recommendation forms will be provided.)
- An essay in response to a provided prompt. This essay will serve as a writing sample and will help determine student fit in the program.
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).