Southern Seminary exists to strengthen the local church. Church Partnerships formalize that commitment by coming alongside faithful ministry training with accredited pathways, trusted faculty, and practical flexibility.
Supporting You Where the Training is Already Happening
Across the country, churches are faithfully training future pastors and ministry leaders. Internships, residencies, apprenticeships, and structured theological instruction are already shaping men and women through real ministry in the life of the church.
Church Partnerships exist so the training you are already doing can count toward an accredited Southern Seminary degree.
We come alongside churches to recognize supervised ministry and theological instruction to create clear academic pathways so students can receive accredited credit without leaving their church or duplicating effort.
Three Ways Southern Seminary can Partner with Your Church
Ministry Apprenticeship Program
The Ministry Apprenticeship Program allows supervised ministry roles in your church to count toward academic credit.
Internships, residencies, apprenticeships, and even church staff roles such as a pastor, associate pastor or others can get course credit toward a Southern degree.
This pathway is for churches already training future pastors and ministry leaders through hands-on service who want that work to move students forward academically without duplication.
Contextualized Leadership Development
Contextualized Leadership Development allows theology and ministry classes taught by your own qualified church leaders to apply toward undergraduate or masters level credit.
Southern provides the academic framework and oversight. Your church provides the teaching and discipleship context.
This pathway is for churches with pastors or leaders who already teach theology with structure and seriousness and want that instruction to count toward a degree at no cost to students.
Church-based Seminary Courses
Church-Based Seminary Courses bring accredited Southern Seminary courses directly to your church.
Southern faculty teach live on a set schedule while your church gathers participants locally for discussion, accountability, and application. Students earn accredited seminary credit without relocating.
This pathway is for churches that want their members to learn together, engage Southern faculty, and take a clear first step toward a seminary degree in the life of the church.
Already have multiple online students in your church?
Ministry-Based Online Course Cohorts allow students taking Southern Seminary online courses to learn together in a local or virtual cohort led by a ministry leader.
The course remains fully online. The cohort adds discussion, encouragement, and accountability in the local church.
This pathway is for churches or ministry networks with multiple students pursuing online degrees who want to stay actively involved in their people’s training while they study.
Simple, Clear, and Church-Friendly.
- Share what your church is already doing. Tell us about your current or planned internships, residencies, classes, or ministry roles.
- We set up the right academic pathway. Our team reviews your training and identifies where it aligns with Southern Seminary’s accredited programs and partnership options.
- Expectations and outcomes are clarified up front. Before anything begins, we confirm what qualifies for credit, how it applies, and what documentation is required so there are no surprises.
- Training happens in the life of the church. Your church continues education and training in the context where ministry is already taking place.
- Students earn accredited course credit. As training is completed, students receive the appropriate academic credit which can be applied towards a degree.