I’ve looked at a number of bible colleges, seminaries and the like over the last 5 years with the idle thought of getting some more training. Notable among them was Vineyard Leadership Institute - to quote from their site:
Vineyard Leadership Institute is a two year program that offers serious courses in biblical studies and theology taught by professors qualified and experienced to teach at university and graduate levels. Our practical courses in interpreting scripture, church planting, leadership, preaching and teaching, power ministry, counseling, spirituality, etc. are distinctive, cutting-edge, and empowering.One of the areas in which VLI is unique from some seminary and Bible colleges is the practical hands-on ministry training taught partially though the mentoring part of the VLI curriculum.
First year students will rotate to different areas of mentoring each quarter. This is to expose the students to different key areas of ministry. One quarter will be “Preaching/Teaching;” another quarter, “Evangelism/Assimilation;” and a third quarter on an area of Pastoral Care. Second-year students will work out a mentoring plan with their pastor-mentor to either grow towards mastery of what they were exposed to in their first year mentoring or to apprentice in one area of ministry.
I really like what I have read about the theological content of the course and its emphasis on keeping people real - in their home environment even for the distance learning program - by providing the real world ministry experience. My major concern, of course, is the time commitment. The brochure suggested that about 20 hours a week would be consumed by the distance program, and I am certainly not going to be able to travel, live and study in Columbus OH for 2 years to be part of the main training. Still, well worth looking at.