Full program description
The Meros Center in collaboration with Wisconsin Lutheran College offers a professional development certificate in Community Health Ministry (CHM). This online certificate will give you the theory and skills to conduct community assessments and design a community health ministry strategy for your organization, church, or class. Through this certificate, you will learn how to engage with like-minded mission, community, church, and health leaders exploring practical community engagement concepts, social, economic, and behavioral determinants of wellness, motivation interviewing, a law/gospel approach to recovery, and theological truths like vocation, the two kingdoms, the fall, and redemption. Through a participatory learning approach (PLA), you will discover and master gospel-centered health strategies. You’ll broaden your understanding of cultures and sharpen your ability to engage with communities while addressing serious health concerns.
The content is formatted into three on-line self-study courses building your knowledge in the theological foundation, aspects of mental health and participatory principals. Certification requires use and demonstration of some of the tools you will learn. Sign up for the CHM certificate program or take specific classes individually.
Theology of Community Health
This course focuses on the biblical foundation and theology necessary to implement a community health ministry initiative in your church or community. It covers the theology of the cross, anthropology, the two kingdoms, shalom, vocation, ethics, and the role of science in Christian living. The objective is to provide students with a biblical lens through which community health ministry is understood and applied as a service to our neighbors.
Mental Health Ministry
This course focuses on the current issue of mental health and illness from a global context. The global burden of anxiety, depression, addiction, and gender-based violence are explored to compare current faith-based programs and interventions. Several strategies are presented to support families and community groups with law/gospel approaches.
Principles of Health Ministry
This course discusses the principles of community engagement and development through a public health framework. Students will learn participatory learning and action tools, asset-based community development, and health theories to ground community health ministry. Evaluation strategies will be applied to understand program effectiveness and accountability to community needs. Historical approaches to poverty alleviation will be explored to understand current conditions of development.
Practicing Your New Skills
To obtain the CHM certification, you will use specific tools to practice a PLA/asset-based community assessment with a church or community partner of your choice and report on their experience.
The Meros Center supports training access for all, providing opportunities for tuition assistance for those who require it. If you cannot pay the full value of the course, please use the link provided when signing up to request assistance. This assistance has been generously provided by donors who paid forward for the future needs of others. If you are able to, please consider donating to our pay-it-forward Tuition Assistance program through the link in the page below.