EQUIP Certificates
EQUIP: Training Church Leaders for New Testament Ministry
Great Lakes Christian College’s EQUIP initiative exists to edify, qualify, uplift, instruct, and prepare men and women for faithful service in the local church. Through flexible, online certificates, we help churches develop biblically grounded servant-leaders who are ready to teach, shepherd, and serve.
Equip Your Church
- Edify – Improve the students understanding of scripture and its real-life application
- Qualify – Focused on essential tools needed to function as a leader in any service position within the Church.
- Uplift – To encourage students to be more confident in their ability to understand and teach the Bible.
- Instruct – Courses written and professors with doctorates in their field, designed to raise up future leaders in the church.
- Prepare – Fulfilling your purpose as you are readied for every pastoral circumstance and intellectual challenge.
Intellectual Growth
Develop attitudes and skills through our 6 Core Competencies.
Spiritual Growth
Be equipped with the characteristics of a servant-leader in God’s kingdom.
Personal Growth
Level up in your faith and maturity as the person God created you to be.
What Is EQUIP?
EQUIP is a church-focused training pathway that gives your congregation access to carefully designed online courses from Great Lakes Christian College.
- Courses are taught by GLCC professors with advanced degrees in Bible and theology.
- Participants move through structured certificate programs while remaining fully engaged in their local church.
- EQUIP is designed for non-credit, audit-level learning. It’s ideal for volunteers, elders, ministry leaders, and staff who want solid training without enrolling in a full degree program.
Those who later wish to pursue for-credit study can explore our traditional degree and certificate options separately.
Our Students Are Equipped
EQUIP certificates draw from the same rich content GLCC is known for. Participants benefit from:
- Courses written by professors with Ph.D.’s in Old Testament, New Testament, and Theology.
- Online courses with no campus visits or residency requirements.
- A focused rhythm of one course per 7-week cycle.
- The ability to complete a certificate program in approximately 18 months.
- Content that is immediately applicable to their service in the church.
- A lower cost per course than traditional tuition.
- No need to quit a job or step away from ministry to participate.
This structure allows churches to build a culture of ongoing theological and ministry formation without uprooting their people.
Bible & Theology Certificate
Provides a stronger foundation in Scripture and doctrine to support teaching, preaching, and discipleship in the local church.
- Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
- Scripture & Christian Living
- Old Testament 1
- Old Testament 2
- New Testament 1
- New Testament 2
- Jesus Theology
Focused Ministry Certificate
 Offers targeted preparation for specific ministry roles and contexts within the church.
- Bible Teaching for the Church
- Elementary Homiletics
- Ministerial Counseling
- Ministry Toolbox
- Servant Leadership
- Conflict Management
How EQUIP Serves Churches
EQUIP is built with local congregations in mind:
- Church-wide access model – Churches can partner with GLCC to make courses available to a group of learners in their congregation.
- Scalable training – Use certificates to onboard new volunteers, deepen elders and deacons, or develop a pipeline for future staff.
- Flexible scheduling – The 7-week course cycles allow participants to walk through classes at a manageable pace while balancing work, family, and ministry.
- Shared learning – Churches can form in-person or online cohorts, combining GLCC’s academic content with local discussion and mentoring.
- Kingdom-focused partnership – EQUIP is designed to strengthen the Lord’s Church, not replace the vital work of local leaders.
How the EQUIP Pathway Works
- Connect with GLCC – A GLCC representative will learn more about your church, your leaders, and your training goals.
- Choose a Certificate Pathway – Select Bible & Theology or Focused Ministry as your starting point. Churches may begin with one and add others over time.
- Enroll Participants – Identify those in your congregation who will participate and enroll them in the appropriate courses.
- Walk Through Courses Together – Participants complete online coursework in 7-week cycles, applying what they learn immediately in your church context.
- Celebrate Completion – Upon finishing the required courses, participants receive a certificate from GLCC acknowledging their EQUIP training.
EQUIP was built with local congregations in mind:
- Church-wide access model – Churches can partner with GLCC to make courses available to a group of learners in their congregation.
- Scalable training – Use certificates to onboard new volunteers, deepen elders and deacons, or develop a pipeline for future staff.
- Flexible scheduling – The 7-week course cycles allow participants to walk through classes at a manageable pace while balancing work, family, and ministry.
- Shared learning – Churches can form in-person or online cohorts, combining GLCC’s academic content with local discussion and mentoring.
- Kingdom-focused partnership – EQUIP is designed to strengthen the Lord’s Church, not replace the vital work of local leaders.
Who Should Consider EQUIP?
EQUIP is an excellent fit for:
- Elders, deacons, and ministry team leaders
- Bible class teachers and small group leaders
- Worship, youth, and children’s ministry volunteers
- Bi-vocational ministers and staff
- Members discerning a call to deeper ministry service
Whether you serve a small rural congregation or a larger urban church, EQUIP can help you provide accessible, theologically rich training to the people who serve every week.
Our Graduates Possess These Traits:
- Critical Thinking
- Interpersonal Skills
- Kingdom Mission
- Cultural Humility
- Self-Understanding
- Written Communication
