Parish Ministry Associate Program
We gladly welcome Parish Ministry Associate (PMA) students from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Central States Synod to our campus, as these students greatly enhance our community of formation, worship and fellowship.
The ELCA’s Parish Ministry Associate (PMA) program raises up leaders who are accountable to the church, both on the congregational and synodical level, and are certified to act as leaders in those settings as well as the larger community outside the church.
PMAs may serve as leaders in their own congregations in a variety of ways. They may serve in other congregations of the synod as Ministry Support Pastoral Leaders upon the request and approval of the bishop. They may serve on teams and task forces of the Synod as well as exercise leadership within the community outside the church.
Program of Study
For the 2019-20 academic year, BKSM offers a number of required courses for PMA students:
Students may take certain other core and elective courses that contribute to their course of study, but they must be approved through the ELCA.
Additionally, the ELCA offers scholarships for PMA students enrolled at BKSM. Please contact the Rev. Susan Candea at scandea@css-elca.org for more information about the PMA program or related scholarships.
Please contact us with any questions about BKSM course offerings.
The ELCA’s Parish Ministry Associate (PMA) program raises up leaders who are accountable to the church, both on the congregational and synodical level, and are certified to act as leaders in those settings as well as the larger community outside the church.
PMAs may serve as leaders in their own congregations in a variety of ways. They may serve in other congregations of the synod as Ministry Support Pastoral Leaders upon the request and approval of the bishop. They may serve on teams and task forces of the Synod as well as exercise leadership within the community outside the church.
Program of Study
For the 2019-20 academic year, BKSM offers a number of required courses for PMA students:
- Ethics: Christian Ethics (January) or Forms of Christian Ethics (February)
- New Testament: New Testament Survey (October, May), Gospels (March)
- Old Testament: Old Testament I (October)
- Pastoral Care (December)
- Preaching: Preaching for Lay Ministers (August) or Preaching I (April)
Students may take certain other core and elective courses that contribute to their course of study, but they must be approved through the ELCA.
Additionally, the ELCA offers scholarships for PMA students enrolled at BKSM. Please contact the Rev. Susan Candea at scandea@css-elca.org for more information about the PMA program or related scholarships.
Please contact us with any questions about BKSM course offerings.