The training of accredited ministers lies at the heart of all the Baptist colleges. Accredited Baptist ministers might have pastoral oversight of a church; they might be chaplains in health, education, prisons, the armed forces, business or industry; they might be pioneers seeking to establish a kingdom presence in a new setting; they might be specialists in evangelism or children’s or youth ministry. But in every case, their training is referred to as 'ministerial formation'. To be formed as an accredited minister is to undergo an intertwined process of theological education, practical experience via a ministry placement, and character development.  Through this programme, you will gain a variety of skills and competencies, but you will also be shaped to better reflect what we call the Marks of Ministry. A thorough explanation of what is meant by accredited ministry may be found in our guide, An Introduction to Accredited Ministry.

Please be aware that the colleges can only accept you for ministerial training once your calling has been confirmed by your own Baptist church and by your regional association. If you think God may be calling you to ministry, you should contact your regional minister, ideally having talked it through with your own church minister or leadership team.

The options for ministerial training are broad. They vary from college to college and can be tailored to suit your circumstances and level of experience. We strongly recommend that after reading this and browsing some college websites, you speak directly to a college to talk about your journey.

For an explanation about the costs of ministerial formation, you might like to look at our leaflet Funding Ministerial Formation. 

Geographically, our colleges are based in Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Oxford and South London. However, Spurgeon’s College offer a full ministerial formation programme at their Midlands hub in Birmingham.  

Ministerial formation generally takes place over three years if you are a full-time student. In this time, a college will guide you towards either a diploma or a degree in theology.

It is still possible to be college-based, for which you will live in or near college in order to study for a degree. Alongside this study, you will spend a number of hours each week in a church, chaplaincy or mission placement alongside an existing minister.

However, most ministers-in-training these days opt for a congregation-based or mission context-based training route. In this case, you will spend around half of your time as the minister of a church or in another ministry setting. You will spend the remainder of your week in study and learning, coming into college for one or two days a week, or for a number of weekends throughout the year. If you are placed in a church, that church will usually pay you a half-stipend and provide you with housing.  

A third, bi-vocational option is offered by some of the colleges. You study at college and gain experience in a church alongside continuing in your current profession or vocation on a part-time basis. This route is challenging but opens up an increasing number of ministry and pioneer opportunities where a full stipend cannot be provided. Bi-vocational training may well extend beyond three years due to its part-time nature.

 

If you already have a theological qualification to at least diploma level, you will still need to complete the ministerial formation programme at one of the colleges. Generally, this will still take three years and during this time you are likely to be encouraged to enhance your theological qualification to degree or master’s level. However, if your prior theological education included an element of formation, then our Baptist colleges can offer a reduced training programme over a shorter period of time. This programme aims to fill the gaps in your learning or experience. Please have a conversation with your nearest college to explore this more.

If you have a diploma or degree in theology and have considerable experience of leading a church or mission already, it is possible to circumvent college training altogether. In this instance, BUGB accreditation can be gained through the annual three-day Residential Selection Conference. If you think this option may apply to you, you should speak to your regional minister.

Whatever your prior learning or experience, you will be expected to complete a learning module called Baptist History and Principles. This can be studied as a standalone programme at any college.