Graduate Certificate in Disability and Ministry for Young Life Staff

“I have been on YL staff for just over a year now and I already find myself learning so much from the two classes I’ve taken at Western.”

-Michaeleen Rood, Eastern Ottawa Young Life, Grand Valley State University Mission Staff

“I have not encountered a seminary staff that has been more willing and engaged to bend their process to be able to more fully welcome Young Life staff. I have been able to directly apply most of what I am learning in my course work at Western to my ministry. That is truly a blessing. Seminary was an easy choice for me; especially when Young Life is so incredibly helpful with paying for school.

As a racial minority I believe that we need to be present in theological inquiry and expression. Latinos are the most under-represented race in academia. In Young Life those numbers are consistent with academia, and I want to be an influential part of Young Life for a long time.”

-Pablo Otaola, Metro Developer – Denver Young Life, Young Life Horizons Coordinator

Coursework originating from Young Life:

Required Courses:

• Systematic Theology 3.0
• Minister as a Person 3.0

2 courses- 6 credits total

Coursework originating from Western Theological Seminary:

Required Courses:

• MN361 Introduction to Disability and the Church 3.0
• BL551 Disability, Bible and the Pastoral Imagination 3.0

PLUS THREE (3) OF THE FOLLOWING (all 3 credits):

• BL551 Disability, Bible, & the Pastoral Imagination
• MN580 Healing Ministry of the Church
• MN581 Ministry and the Margins
• MN582 Ministry, Aging and Dementia
• MN583 We All Worship: Disability and Worship
• MN588 Summer Institute on Theology and Disability Travel Seminar
• MN590 Deaf Theology and Ministry
• MN591 Strategies for an Inclusive Church
• MN592 Practicing the Presence of People
• MN595 Intellectual Disability and the Church
• TH565 Disability/Theology in Christian Tradition

5 WTS courses- 15 credits total

Course Descriptions

Graduate Certificate in Disability and Ministry curriculum: 21 credits

Our courses always include the voices of people with disabilities, and some of the professors who teach in the program also have disabilities.

View our general courses

View the disability-related courses

• To begin, select Western Theological Seminary to transcript and bank your academic credits.

• In the first year of your ministry, complete a formal admissions application to begin coursework originating from Western Theological Seminary.

• All required courses originating from WTS for the MA degree are delivered purely online. Students may complete the GCDM without traveling to our campus. (Some electives may require a 3-5 day residency on campus.)

• To qualify for tuition reduction, students must apply for financial aid annually.

• We have trained Young Life staff for five decades. Our president, Dr. Timothy Brown, teaches at YL Area Director School annually. Dr. Ben Conner, Professor of Practical Theology, served as a YL Area Director and is a member of the mission-wide Capernaum Committee. Rev. Jeff Munroe, Executive Vice President, served on YL staff for 29 years.

Western Theological Seminary’s highly effective and relationship-rich distance learning environment makes coursework available wherever you are and whenever you want.  All core required courses are delivered completely online. The three elective courses of your choice may be completed purely online or may use a hybrid design, blending online learning with 5 days per semester of face-to-face instruction on the WTS campus. There is no residency requirement – the five required WTS courses may all be done online.

Two distance learning semesters and two short online terms annually:

Fall Semester: 14 weeks, early September-December. Hybrid courses that blend online and classroom learning include a required 5-day on-campus intensive in Holland, MI in mid-October.

Spring Semester: 14 weeks, January-May.   Hybrid courses that blend online and classroom learning include a required 5-day on-campus intensive in Holland, MI in mid-February.

Summer Term: 7 weeks, late May-late June, fully online courses

Who should consider the GCDM program?

Pastors, youth pastors, elders, ministers, church leaders, workers and volunteers who are interested in and/or engaged in disability ministry will gain tools and strength to help them in their calling.

What if I already have an M.Div?

Graduates who already possess an M.A. or M.Div. (from any ATS approved institution) who apply for the GCDM receive “advanced standing” and will be required to complete MN361 Introduction to Disability and the Church and 3 of the disability-related electives.

Can I take courses at night? On weekends?

WTS tries to schedule its courses to make it possible for pastors and congregational leaders working in the field to attend. This entire program is available as a distance learning course.

What are the professors like? Are they actively involved in disability ministry?

The professors of the GCDM program are a knowledgeable and experienced group. And courses that address disability concerns will be taught by or at least include the voices of persons with disabilities.

Will I have access to professors, the bookstore, the library and other services?

Seminary offices and the library are open during the times when GCDM courses are held so students have access to the services they need to succeed in their studies.

What if my own theology is different than that which WTS embraces?

WTS is an institution that values its identity as ecumenical and evangelical, welcoming students from a number of Christian theological traditions. While WTS is Reformed in its theological identity, many current students in the GCDM and other study programs hold membership in non-Reformed denominations.

What do the courses cost?

Each successfully-completed course in the GCDM program earns the student three credit hours. The three credit-hour courses cost $1,374.

Is financial aid available?

A 25% Tuition discount is available for Young Life students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Disability and Ministry (GCDM).

Students with disabilities may apply for funding from the The Gilkison Fellowship, which provides financial support for one course per semester while they are enrolled in the program.

Student loans are not available. You must be enrolled at least half time in a degree program (not certificate program) to qualify for student loans.

Are classes in the GCDM program graduate level courses?

Yes, each course in the GCDM program at WTS is taught at the graduate level and earns students 3 Master’s level credits, which are transferable into Master of Divinity programs at accredited seminaries. Students who complete the entire program will earn 21 Master’s credits, much of the credit requirement for the first year of the Master of Divinity degree program at WTS.

How do I apply?

Click here for application form. Click here to read the GCDM admissions policy. With the application, you must submit: • $50 application fee • Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, whether or not you received a degree • A one page, double spaced description of how you hope theological education will enhance and/or empower your ministry. Call or write Dr. Ben Conner for more information on applying, at benjamin@westernsem.edu, or 1-(800) 392-8554, ext. 193.