Can U.S residents watch the videos and take the quizzes and exams found on the CCM website? …Yes, U.S. residents may and are encouraged to view the CCM courses, download the readings and take the quizzes and exams for their own edification. This is also true for people who are not interested in academic credit or earning a certificate, regardless of where they live.

Richard Pratt, founder and Executive Director of Third Millennium Ministries, recently made this comment on his Facebook Page.  He is rightly thrilled that God has seen fit to allow him to fulfill his dream of providing ‘Biblical Education, For the World, For Free’:

There has been much interest in the free, one-year certificate from BTS using our lessons through Moodle’s e-learning system…This is an exciting leap towards bringing training globally to those who are hungry for it and an exciting extension of the mission I had when starting Third Millennium Ministries to bring “Biblical Education, For the World, For Free.” May God bless this partnership and continue to expand its reach

Following are some extracts from the Third Mil website describing the program and ansswering the most commonly asked questions, including links for more info

BTS & IIIM Partnership

Birmingham Theological Seminary (BTS), in partnership with Third Millennium Ministries, is now offering an online Certificate in Christian Ministry.

About this Certificate Program

This program is intended to equip pastors and other church leaders for ministry. All courses are based on Third Millennium Ministries’ multimedia seminary curriculum, and are supplemented by readings provided by BTS. Courses are only available through the jointly maintained websitebts.thirdmill.org.

All Certificates are awarded by BTS. Third Millennium Ministries is not an educational institution and does not award academic credits or degrees.

Completely Free to Students

The Certificate in Christian Ministry is completely free to students. The website and all online resources are free to access and use. Likewise, BTS does not charge tuition to students enrolled in this program.

Who Can Apply?

Non-U.S. residents may take courses for academic credit and will, upon satisfactory completion of all required courses, earn a Certificate in Christian Ministry from BTS. The specific requirements for each course are set forth in the syllabus for that course. Academic credits earned in this Certificate in Christian Ministry program may not be transferred to or applied to any other certificate or degree offered by BTS.

U.S. residents (regardless of citizenship or immigration status) may not take these courses for academic credit at BTS or earn the BTS Certificate in Christian Ministry. However, U.S. residents may and are encouraged to view the courses, download the readings and take the quizzes and exams for their own edification. U.S. residents must apply to the program in order to gain access to these resources.

Apply to this Certificate in Christian Ministry Program here.

Additional Information

Please see the Certificate in Christian Ministry websitefor answers to frequently asked questions, terms and conditions, the student handbook, and additional information.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who can take the Certificate in Christian Ministry (CCM) courses for credit and earn the CCM?

Students who reside outside of the United States may take the CCM courses for credit and may earn the CCM. Students who reside inside the United States, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, may not take the CCM courses for credit or earn the CCM.

2. May credits earned in the CCM be applied toward any other certificate or degree offered by Birmingham Theological Seminary (BTS)?

No.

3. May credits earned in the CCM be applied toward a certificate or degree offered by another school, college or seminary? That decision is entirely up to the other school, college or seminary.

4. Can U.S residents watch the videos and take the quizzes and exams found on the CCM website? How about people who are not interested in academic credit or earning a certificate? Yes, U.S. residents may and are encouraged to view the CCM courses, download the readings and take the quizzes and exams for their own edification. This is also true for people who are not interested in academic credit or earning a certificate, regardless of where they live. Simply log in to the CCM website as a guest.

5. Does BTS charge any fees or tuition for the CCM program?

No. However, financial contributions to BTS or to the producer of the video content for the CCM courses, Third Millennium Ministries (www.thirdmill.org) are greatly appreciated.

6. Do students have to purchase any textbooks?

No. Reading assignments for each course are posted on the website as PDF documents, which the student can print or read online. It is assumed the student owns or has access to a Bible. The student is welcome to purchase hard copies (textbooks) of the required and supplemental readings, but cannot purchase them from BTS or Third Millennium Ministries. BTS Certificate in Christian Ministry (CCM)

7. How do I apply to be a student in the CCM?

Follow the application instructions on the CCM website. BTS reserves the right to request information in addition to that required by the application and may, in its sole discretion, deny admission to any applicant.

8. Must I have a high school diploma or college degree to earn the CCM?

No. The CCM is a “certificate” program, not a masterʼs degree program. Students are not required to hold a high school diploma or college degree to take courses in the CCM or earn the CCM.

9. How much time does a student have to complete a course in the CCM? May exams and courses be re-taken?

Students may take courses in the CCM at their own pace and there are no academic deadlines for completion for course or the certificate program itself. Students must earn a 75 or better on each exam and have 75 or better average in a course to pass that course. Students may re-take an exam, but must wait five days between attempts, and may retake an entire course at any time. Additional information on this topic is available in the CCM student handbook.

10. What is the relationship between Third Millennium Ministries and BTS?

The CCM is offered by BTS in partnership with Third Millennium Ministries (IIM). IIIM is not an educational institution and does not award academic credits or degrees. The educational resources produced by IIIM and placed on this website are provided to the student for free. BTS and IIIM are unrelated nonprofit corporations. BTS Certificate in Christian Ministry (CCM)

11. May I make copies of the materials found on the CCM website? Are there any copyright restrictions on these materials?

IIIM and BTS ask that you request permission before making copies of the materials found on the CCM website or of the website itself. IIIM holds the copyright and other intellectual property rights to the video content on this website and the associated quizzes, study guides, learning exercises and exams. BTS holds the copyright and other intellectual property rights to the study guides and exams relating to the reading assignments. The required reading assignments for the CCM were compiled from resources which BTS believes to be in the public domain. These texts are believed to have no known U.S. copyright or other restrictions. BTS does not charge for permission to use these materials and does not grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute these materials. BTS respects the intellectual property rights and other proprietary rights of others. If you believe that your copyright has been violated by material available through this website, please contact BTS so that your concerns can be appropriately addressed. 12. Does BTS have other course and degree offerings?

Yes. However, there are significant differences between the CCM and these other BTS offerings. For example, the other (non-CCM) course and degree offerings are not free and the application process is different. Information on BTSʼs other courses and degree offerings is available at www.birminghamseminary.org, including information on BTSʼs other distance education courses and degree offerings. Live classes are offered in Birmingham and five other Alabama cities in the United States. International students desiring to take these classes must do so in compliance with U.S. immigration laws, particularly as related to appropriate student visas.

13. When will I receive my Certificate in Christian Ministry?

You will receive your Certificate in Christian Ministry from BTS, in most cases, within 30 days of completing all required coursework. It will be awarded using the full name provided at the time of application and will be mailed to the address provided in the application. Certificates will not be mailed to an address in the US, regardless of the reason provided by the student.

[Editor’s note: Original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]