Sixteen persons gathered Sept. 29 to begin the second in a five-course certification in children's ministry offered by the Virginia Baptist Mission Board.
Of the 16 participants, eight were new to the certification process. Of the 10 persons who completed the first course, eight returned for the second, “Teaching Preschoolers.”
“I'm so excited about the participants in the certification,” said Diane Smith, children's ministry strategist for Virginia Baptist Mission Board. “The certification has been a dream of mine for many years. There is an increasing demand for children's ministers. Seminaries aren't graduating enough folks called to children's ministry. Many churches are calling children's ministers from within the congregations. These children's ministers wish to be equipped for what they feel God has called them to do. We are providing that equipping.
“We have participants from Bristol to Virginia Beach to Alexandria. They serve in a variety of congregations. They all have the desire to connect children and families to God, to help families and congregations to grow their children to be like Jesus.
“These courses in the certification are top-level, quality courses. The participants are involved in 32 hours of classroom time plus projects and exams. One participant hopes to transfer her credits to Leland Center for Theological Studies,” said Smith.
For more information about the children's ministry certification, go to the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's website, www.vbmb.org and click the section on the emerging leaders team.
Special to the Herald