Advanced Institute of Ministry
What is all about?
The Advanced Institute of Ministry’s objective is Equipping Lay Ministers and Raising Next-Generation Leaders for Team Leadership and the Missional Growth of the Church.
Jesus demonstrated that effective kingdom leadership was always focused on the Great Commission and propelled by the Great Commandment. Yet his method in the limited three years of his earthly journey was training twelve faithful and healthy leaders who continued his vision and focus after he departed.
AIM was founded to raise teams of healthy lay leaders who will lead the church in the footsteps of the Lord toward healthy spiritual fruitfulness.
AIM’s training programme has three components:
Experienced Leaders
Ministry Advancement Programme
(MAP)
Retooling and revitalisation of experienced leaders
(5 months)
Emerging Leaders
Ministry Emergence Programme
(MEP)
Raising next-generation leaders
(4 months)
Lifelong Learning
Ministry Skills Seminar
(MSS)
For lifelong development
Our Objectives
- To cultivate the character of Christ and spiritual vitality through the practice of spiritual disciplines.
- To equip the candidate with enhanced skills for leading functional ministries and to equip the generations for reaching the unreached for Christ.
Three Tracks
Philosophy of AIM
AIM has a single focus – to further the mission of Christ in our generation.
Our method is the renewing of godly and healthy leaders who will work well as a team together with the pastorate to lead the church of Jesus Christ.
One of AIM’s leadership training goal is developing good team work.
The plurality of biblical church leadership mandates that, as church leaders, we need to run together in one direction. In order to do that, we need to learn to harness the diverse strength of team members in three key areas: convictions (Biblical thinking), character (Christlikeness) and competence (Spirit-filled abilities). A team that can synergise diverse strengths is aligned well to advance our Lord’s Great Commission to the ends of the earth.
Church Leadership is a calling to integrate three areas – Conviction, Character, and Competence. In the process, we will grow in both the outworking of giftings/talents as well as intimacy in our inner lives. This growth in the external and internal arenas of our lives will give us spiritual authority in alignment with God’s calling in our churches.
AIM leadership training incorporates theological reflection.
In the face of changing cultural norms and challenging geo-political situations facing the church today, Christian Leadership is made more effective through theological reflection of the times. Theological reflection cultivates rootedness in perspectives, formation of inner life, and prayerful actions. The outcome is an integrated competence between the inner spiritual formation and the development of external ministerial skills. The end result is the equipping of the church to engage more effectively with current issues of our times.
AIM helps leaders to develop perspective of looking at the larger picture of the kingdom and not just focus on their own local churches.
Cooperation is a key uniqueness in AIM because it believes that inter church synergies is critical in accomplishing the Great Commission of God in this generation. The cohort emphasis of a minimum of two or more churches enable leaders from various churches to come together to grow with each other, learn from one another, and serve together for the purpose of advancing the gospel to the ends of the age.
One cohort consists of at least 2 churches.
Areas of Training
MAP focuses on mature and experienced church leaders who have gone through various trainings over the years. The objective of MAP is not for transmission of information or knowledge. Rather, the training focuses on the convergence of competencies through a practical integration of life and ministry, taking it to another level of personal growth and development. These integrated spiritual and ministerial competencies equip the leaders, contributing both to the health of the leadership and the missional growth of the church.
The training modules and learning activities include learning contracts, mentoring internships, or specific modules of instructions based on the trainees’ context. Considering the situational and cultural dimension of the church, a key component of training will be reflective learning through an in-ministry approach.
Attitudes : Spiritual Attentiveness & Vitality
- Wholeness and Spiritual Formation
- Storytelling and Community Building
- Spiritual Disciplines for Spiritual Vitality
- Wholeness and Spiritual Formation
- Storytelling and Community Building
- Spiritual Disciplines for Spiritual Vitality
- Wholeness and Spiritual Formation
- Storytelling and Community Building
- Spiritual Disciplines for Spiritual Vitality
Concepts : Leadership & Cultural Perspectives
- Spiritual Leadership I & II
- Visionary Leadership I & II
- Spiritual Leadership I & II
- Visionary Leadership I & II
Theology : Church, Laity & Evangelism
- Nature and Mission of the Church
- Evangelism & the Mission of the Church
- Spiritual Conversation for Witnessing
- Nature and Mission of the Church
- Evangelism & the Mission of the Church
- Spiritual Conversation for Witnessing
Skills : Ministry and People Skills
- Elective 1 – Competence Skills
- Elective 2 – People Skills
- Elective 1 – Competence Skills
- Elective 2 – People Skills
Projects
- Spiritual Retreat
- Evangelism
Course Fee: $300 per pax
Course Intake: January & July
Duration and Cost
- 2 Semesters of 10 classes each for Certificate of Ministry
- Programme Fees: $150 per semester
For registration and enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Equipping Format
1. Three Learning Components
a) Physical & Online Classes
b) In-Ministry Study Assignments
c) Pastoral Mentoring Supervision through Theological Reflection
2. Projects
a) A Spiritual Breakthrough Retreat
b) An Inter-church Evangelistic Rally– Cohort Practicum
Duration and Cost
- 2 Semesters of 10 classes each for Certificate of Ministry
- Programme Fees: $120 per semester
For registration and enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Attitudes : Spiritual Attentiveness & Vitality
Good leaders all recognise their giftedness. Many rely more on their gifts than on the Lord. This section explores the role of personal spirituality in effective ministry. It offers insights for developing a stronger personal bond with God and establishing a discipline of spiritual dependence in ministry.
Concepts : Leadership & Cultural Perspectives
All leaders plateau. This section identifies the common plateaus, the underlying reasons, the paradigm shifts needed to rectify, and key leadership concepts for problem identification and solving.
At the end of the day, leaders who stopped to grow, will stop to lead. This section seeks to instil the conviction that God has a personal life-long development plan for each leader, and it is the leader’s responsibility to be in-sync with God for a life-long growth journey.
Theology : Church, Laity & Evangelism
a) The Church’s Theology
Through the biblical metaphors of the church, this section develops the biblical understanding of the nature of the local church in terms of its functions and structure, providing a framework for building biblical ministry teams.
b) The Church’s Mission-Evangelism
Comfortable with personal evangelism and conquering the fear of rejection are keys to the Great Commission. This section equips participants’ lifestyle evangelism through the art of spiritual conversations. The participant will be trained in how to steer a friendly conversation into a evangelistic close.
c) The Church’s Laity
Is there such a time as a Part-time ambassador? What is the difference between Full-time and Part-time minister? What is the role of the laity? What is the priesthood of believer? This section will consider the Call of God on believers in light of its mission.
Skills : Ministry and People Skills
Many leaders are frustrated because of lack of certain skills. MAP training focuses on two areas necessary for effective ministry.
a) Ministry competence: specific age-group, life-stages and ministry skills.
b) People skills: Enhancing the EQ necessary to thrive such as the relational skills, lay counselling skills or conflict management.
TRAINING IN WORD-INSPIRED MINISTRY AND FORMATION
Because Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it and teach its statutes and ordinances.
A programme to hone and enhanced experienced leaders for continued growth
A programme to raise the next generation leaders
Short courses and seminars for life-long development
Scripture is the foundation of the Church in discipleship, leadership and mission. To stay true to the gospel of Christ, we need training in the Word,
- Enabling believers to be Word-centred disciple-makers.
- Educating teachers to help the church grow in the knowledge of God.
- Equipping preachers to proclaim the truth for today’s hearers.
- Empowering leaders to lead according to God’s will and ways.
To equip believers and leaders to interpret the Bible for personal growth, discipling, teaching, preaching and leadership ministry of the Church.
Towards Biblical Literacy and Spiritual Formation
To meet the requirements for a Certificate in Biblical Studies for Church Ministry, students need to complete eight modules including a module on Spiritual Formation.
Participants take away an easy to remember framework on the key message, context, theme, purpose & structure of the Bible books studied.
The curriculum of the training is organised to enable students to develop the skill of interpreting the Bible and to be able to apply their training into their ministry.
- Through an overview of the Old & New Testament, students have an overall grasp of the genres and themes that run through Scripture.
- Each book study provides the student of the theme, structure and key message.
- Hermeneutical skills gives the students a handle as to how they can interpret Scripture according to the overall theme and context of the Bible books.
A module on Spiritual Formation will be offered for the strengthening of the inner person covering various spiritual disciplines such as:
- Lectio Divina
- Solitude
- Spiritual Friendship
- Rule of Life
- Theological Reflection
Five Saturdays 9.30am – 12.00pm
Venue: Baptist Theological Seminary
Cost: $75 per module
$65 (Pastors/Church workers)
$50 (Group Registration of 10)
For registration and enquiries, please contact [email protected]
Contact Details
For any enquiries regarding AIM, please send an email to:
Dr Fong Choon Sam
Senior Director of AIM
[email protected]
