10 Best Church Leadership Training Programs In 2024
If you’re anything like me, leading a church often feels like juggling a dozen priorities with no instruction manual. Developing strong leaders (often via a robust church leadership training program) is a key part of sustainable ministry, but it’s not always easy:
- You might struggle to find time to pour into your team when your plate is already full.
- Sometimes, you realize you’re not equipped to help others grow because you feel stuck yourself.
- Or maybe you’ve noticed leaders in your church lack clear direction, which makes everything harder.
These challenges are common, but they don’t have to hold you back. Often, the root of the issue is not having the right tools or guidance to invest in leadership development. That’s why I’ve put together this list of top church leadership training programs. These programs are designed to equip you and your team with practical strategies, biblical wisdom, and fresh inspiration to lead well. Let’s dive in!
Alternatively, you can explore some of this year's best church leadership conferences as a way to get your entire team on the same page.
10 Best Church Leadership Training Programs
1. Arrow Leadership - Find clarity for an uncertain future
The Arrow Leadership Program for church leaders is divided into Team Development, One-on-one Coaching, an Executive Leaders Stream, and an Emerging Leaders Stream. All these modules are structured differently to serve the unique needs of different levels of church leadership. The program offers various resources including small groups, the monthly Sharpening Leaders blog, leadership tune-ups, and free downloadable tools.
The Emerging Leaders Stream launches virtually on March 19, 2021 and runs through June 18, 2022 at $5,500, with a partner pricing option available.
The Virtual Executive Stream for senior church leaders launches on June 25, 2021, and runs through August 26, 2022 at $9,250, also with the partner pricing option available.
2. Foundations in Missional Ministry and Church Leadership Curriculum - Certificate and diploma courses in church leadership
The Tyndale University church leadership program features a certificate and diploma course. Christian leaders are expected to complete four units for the certificate, and eight units for the diploma course. Students who have completed the certificate can obtain a diploma by studying four more units at the diploma level.
Some of the topics include Bible Interpretation and Survey of the Old and the New Testament.
3. Pastoral Care and Leadership - Short course for advanced pastors
Dr. John Johson of Western Seminary (one of many excellent evangelical seminaries) offers a free online course for advanced pastors on pastoral care and leadership focusing on preaching, leadership, and Biblical theology. A succinct 17 hours, this audio and video course equips you with the skills and knowledge required to be a good leader, nurture good leaders in the local church, grow from conflict, and relate well with the members and church staff.
4. Mindful Leadership Training - Best customized training for an all-round, healthy church
The Institute for Mindful Leadership has been running this training program for over 15 years with custom offerings to organizations, in-person workshops, and retreats. The program is aimed at equipping leaders with greater resiliency and more capacity for excellence.
The program currently has an online course for February, a workshop for March, and an upcoming retreat whose dates will be released soon.
5. Certificate of Biblical Leadership Course - Learn and grow in leadership for spiritual influence
This course is best for beginner leaders starting their biblical leadership journey and looking to benefit from excellent ministry training for spiritual influence in the church and beyond. Leaders on the program have full lifetime access to the course materials and get a personalized certificate upon completion.
We love the low cost of the program as it is affordable for most leaders at only AUD 30 per month.
6. Administration and Leadership Webinars and Online Classes - Best courses for church administration
This christian leadership training focuses on ensuring people in the church leadership pipeline are fully equipped for church administration and religious leadership, with topics such as Nonprofit management, developing leadership styles, church fair trade stores, church websites, running small groups, and volunteer management.
The courses are offered on an on-demand basis across Canada and the U.S.
7. Emotionally Healthy Discipleship - Becoming the emotionally healthy leader your church needs
Peter Scazzero shows you how to transform from an ordinary to the executive pastor your church needs by improving your emotional intelligence and well-being. You'll be able to develop a new vision for healthy church leadership, integrate your personality with your calling, and lead the transformation of your church staff.
You'll also draw inspiration from one of Scazzero's bestseller church leadership books - The Emotionally Healthy Leader.
8. Equipping Leaders International Leadership training - Courses for equipping leaders to transform their world
Equipping Leaders International focuses on training that covers local church leadership, church rejuvenation, church planting, and administration of Christian schools. It seeks to equip pastors with formal training required for the running and effective management of churches - especially ones that are rapidly growing.
The course covers the effects of hindrances such as corrupt governments, Western dependence, limited opportunities for ongoing education, and economic poverty to ensure that leaders can still bring glory to God through their service.
9. Building Church Leaders - Practical training tools for team members
This program aims at producing a holistic church with high capacity ministry leadership. The training focuses on mentoring church teams to enhance their competencies, gifting, and discipleship with a renewed passion for outreach to bring more people to God.
The training is best for leaders looking to enhance both themselves and their entire church by developing a united church as per the teachings of Ephesians 4.
10. Dallas Theological Seminary courses - Free Christian courses for podcast lovers
The Dallas Theological Seminary offers free Christian courses on church leadership skills and other aspects through their podcast and weekly emails. Key topics include suffering, racial reconciliation, repentance, and church conflict resolution, through church leadership.
Next Steps
Ongoing training is a vital part of personal and leadership growth. Church administration training can bring added stability to your structure, and great church leadership conferences can brush up your leadership skills (while connecting you with peers and mentors).
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