New PLTS Certificate in Church Leadership Launches This Fall
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) is launching a new Certificate in Church Leadership this fall, offering practical, flexible online learning for lay leaders, those pursuing Synodically Authorized Ministry (SAM) status, and current SAMs seeking continuing education.
Designed to support leaders serving congregations in a changing ministry landscape, the program features 8-week online courses that are primarily asynchronous, requiring approximately 2–3 hours per week, with 1–2 live Zoom sessions per course. No undergraduate degree or prerequisites are required, making the program accessible to a wide range of learners.
Participants may enroll in:
Individual courses
A 3-course Certificate in Church Leadership
A 6-course Advanced Certificate in Church Leadership
Course offerings include:
Sunday Morning Essentials (Worship, Hospitality, Leadership)
Lutheran Foundations (History and Theology)
Biblical Foundations and Interpretation
Preaching and Presiding
Financial Care
Spiritual Care
PLTS describes the program as rooted in commitments to spiritual depth, storytelling as theological practice, contextualized learning, and communities of practice, helping leaders connect Lutheran wisdom with the realities of ministry today.
Leadership for the certificate includes Rev. Katy Grindberg, Deacon Erin Power, and Rev. Dr. Sheryl Johnson, with instruction from PLTS faculty and ELCA pastors and deacons.
Proposed tuition costs are:
$350 per course
$1,000 for the 3-course certificate
$1,800 for the 6-course advanced certificate
For congregations discerning new leadership possibilities, lay leaders seeking theological grounding, or SAMs continuing their formation, this new offering may provide a meaningful pathway for learning and growth in ministry.
Learn more or request information through PLTS:
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary – Church Leadership Certificate
