New missions education opportunities available through Beeson, Samford’s Ministry Training Institute

Having a “solid theological education that grounds you in Scripture” is foundational to a life of missions, according to David Parks, director of Beeson Divinity School’s Global Center at Samford University in Birmingham. 

But now Beeson students pursuing a master of divinity degree also will be able to get “as much missiology and cross-cultural experience” as possible, where their options before were more limited. A new missions certificate to be offered for the first time in Fall 2016 will allow students to “maximize their training for missions,” Parks said.

Cross-cultural work

The certificate will take advantage of the Supervised Ministry Practicum (SMP), a one-year internship required of all master of divinity students, by matching students with a local ministry that is doing cross-cultural evangelistic work. For example one missions certificate student who is a member of The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, will join a team that is trying to reach an unreached people group in Birmingham. The student’s involvement will include finding the people group, building relationships, sharing the gospel and trying to start small groups or a house church. 

“There’s no guarantee where this will go but it’s great preparation for missions to a place where the majority of people are unreached,” Parks said, noting that this SMP will look drastically different than an average internship at an established church or ministry.

The missions certificate also requires a Cross-Cultural Ministry Practicum (CCMP), a six-week minimum cross-cultural immersion experience overseen by the Global Center, according to Beeson’s website. Some of the CCMP options are in the Czech Republic, Ecuador, India, Malaysia, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. 

“The cross-cultural experience is incredibly important for (a student’s) training of course but we are careful not to simply send students for an ‘experience,’ as many people have had during this day of popularity in short-term missions,” Parks said. “Students will go deep in their learning of cultures, as well as missions strategy.

“We have a great need for people to learn more about what it means to be biblical (first priority), contextual and strategically effective.” 

Three courses will be part of the missions certificate: Introduction to Christian Missions; Contemporary Issues and Strategies in Missions; and Biblical and Historical Foundations in Missions. 

Increased opportunities

Parks, who is a Samford and Beeson graduate, spent six years on the missions field in Southeast Asia with his wife, Jenn, and four children through the International Mission Board. 

After praying about a way to better equip Beeson students for missions since 2012 when he came to lead the Global Center, Parks said he’s excited to see how the new missions certificate will help “maximize the missions training opportunities” for students. 

“I believe the overall experience we have provided for them now will make the (missions-oriented students) strongly consider what Beeson has to offer.”

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Online ‘continuing education’ certificate available