This page explains what GAAMT looks for when it reviews a ministry training program for accreditation. It describes the kind of churches and networks that GAAMT partners with. It then describes the four criteria that the Accreditation Council uses during review. The aim of this page is to help churches and church networks prepare well for the partnership process.

Who We Partner With

GAAMT partners with local churches and church networks that already run ministry training programs. We look for programs that have three features.

• Church-owned. The local church or network owns and governs the training, and it takes responsibility for the outcomes.

• Church-based. Local pastors and elders do the teaching and mentoring, along with other experienced believers.

• Church-located. Students learn in the places where they live and serve, and they stay connected to their families and churches during training.

We also look for training that is taught in the primary language of the students. We give priority to programs that meet face to face. We can also explore programs that use a hybrid model, as long as the training and ministry practice still come from within the local church community.

Each church or network sets its own goals for training. These goals grow from its local context and its calling. GAAMT respects this work. Our role is to walk alongside partners and to understand how their program forms learners for ministry.

How We Review a Program

After a church or network submits its application, the GAAMT Accreditation Council reviews the program. We treat the review as a conversation. We listen to how the church describes its vision and its context. We then look at whether the program as a whole is forming learners for faithful service in and through the local church.

If a program is taught in a language that GAAMT reviewers do not know, we may ask local leaders to help with the review.

Some of what we look for is foundational. GAAMT holds these points firmly, because they describe what church-based ministry training is. Other points are more flexible, and we are glad to discuss them with you. The criteria below show which points are foundational.

The Four Criteria

The Accreditation Council reviews each program under four criteria. The Application Form is organised around the same four criteria, so this page also helps you prepare your application.

Criterion A: Program Foundations

The first criterion asks whether GAAMT and the program share the same foundations. GAAMT holds all three of the areas below as foundational.

• Church-based training. The program is owned by a church or network, and its students are active members of local congregations.

• Evangelical faith. GAAMT uses the World Evangelical Alliance Statement of Faith and the Lausanne Covenant as reference documents. We ask applicants to read both and tell us honestly where they stand.

• A Great Commission vision. The Great Commission shapes the purpose of the training. Students are equipped to make disciples and to help start new discipleship communities.

GAAMT is open to conversation about secondary matters of faith. The core evangelical commitments are expected of every partner.

Criterion B: Program Governance and Design

The second criterion asks whether the church or network runs the program faithfully and manages it well. We look for honest and careful management, and we understand that every program is still growing. In this area we look at the following:

• Leadership and oversight that connect with the leadership of the church or network

• Fair processes for admitting students, and honest handling of any fees

• How the program is structured and delivered, including its length and its language

• Teachers and mentors with ministry experience and biblical knowledge, who also show Christian character

• Accountability that protects students, whether it is written down or works through relationships

• Honest funding and some plan for the future

Integrated learning is a core expectation in this area. Good ministry training brings together classroom learning and personal mentoring with hands-on ministry practice. These three parts should work together as one program. When a program relies only on classroom teaching, we will ask how it plans to build in mentoring and ministry practice.

Criterion C: Program Content, Assessment and Records

The third criterion asks about what the program teaches. It also asks how the program measures learning and keeps records.

We look for content that is taught in the language that students speak. The content should address the real issues that local churches and communities face. We also look for content that shapes the whole person, including beliefs and character as well as ministry skills.

Some programs offer more than one qualification level. In these programs, each level should be clearly different from the level before it. Students at higher levels should produce more demanding work and carry wider ministry responsibility. GAAMT gives special attention to this growth at the M.Min and D.Min levels.

Assessment can take many forms, such as oral presentations or practical ministry tasks. At least some assessment should look at the student's ministry as well as classroom work. Records of student progress should be accurate and stored safely.

Criterion D: Self-Reflection and Growth

The fourth criterion is about the direction of the program and the openness of its leaders. We ask program leaders to reflect honestly on what is working well and what needs to grow. We value honest answers more than polished ones.

We also ask each applicant to name two or three growth commitments. These are goals that the church chooses for its own program. After accreditation, GAAMT talks through these commitments with the partner each year.

GAAMT hopes that partners will share what they learn with others over time. This sharing is part of our vision, and it is optional for accreditation.

The Qualification Framework

GAAMT also uses a Qualification Framework during review. The framework describes formation outcomes that churches might hope for in learners at each qualification level. It gives churches and GAAMT a shared language for talking about how learners grow from one level to the next. Each church chooses the outcomes that fit its calling and its local situation. The full framework is in Appendix C of the Accreditation Handbook.

Checking Your Readiness

Before applying, churches can use the Program Expectations Checklist in Appendix B of the Handbook. The checklist helps program leaders see where their program is strong and where it may need attention. A GAAMT representative can go through the checklist with you.

After the Review

Every review ends with written feedback. The feedback affirms the strengths of the program. It also raises honest questions and suggests areas for growth. The four possible outcomes are described on the How to Apply page. Whatever the outcome, GAAMT welcomes continued conversation, and the door remains open for future partnership.

More information

The GAAMT Accreditation Handbook gives full details of the accreditation criteria and the review process. The Handbook is available to potential partners on request from accreditation@gaamt.org. You can also ask the chatbot on this website any questions about accreditation. For questions about your own program, a GAAMT representative will be glad to talk with you.

Introducing GAAMT Accreditation | Accreditation Expectations | How to Apply for GAAMT Accreditation | Model Curriculum | Beyond Accreditation