Spiritual Formation Certificate Program

The Spiritual Formation Certificate Program is a six-course program, designed to develop a working and living knowledge of spiritual formation in your life and for the sake of those that you minister.

Takes approximately 120 Hours or 9 Months to complete.

$950.00

Training more than one person?

Topics:

Church, Faith & Everyday Life, Ministry Leadership, Small Group Curriculum, and Spiritual Practices

Course Description

The Spiritual Formation Certificate Program is a six-course program, designed to develop a working and living knowledge of spiritual formation in your life and for the sake of those that you minister. These courses are meant to engage you in reflection of yourself, connection with your community, and relationship with Jesus Christ. This will culminate in a final project that has direct relevance to your ministry work and spiritual formation.

Throughout the program, we want to equip you with knowledge and skills in spiritual formation, including its history, your experiences, and practices you can integrate into your life. As you learn more about the spiritual benefits of regular practices and a focus on your own formation, you will learn about spiritual formation through the Bible, historical and cultural practices, and the different rhythms that spiritual formation can take. You will journey through your own experiences, the experiences of others, and new experiences that you can practice with those you lead. You will gain wisdom in ministering and fostering formation in a biblical way, representing the love and connection of Jesus Christ.

If you successfully complete the final project after finishing the six courses, you will earn a professional certificate from FULLER Equip. Successful completion of this certificate program may make you eligible for credit for prior learning (CPL), which grants you credit towards an advanced degree at Fuller Seminary.

Get started on the Spiritual Formation Certificate Program and start earning your professional certificate—today.

 

A FULLER Equip professional certificate is earned through the successful completion of a series of courses.

What’s included:

6 Courses:

Biblical Foundations
Cultural Practices
Seasons and Cycles
Internal and External Formation
Rhythms of Formation
A Wholehearted Life

6 Graded Assessments

1 Final Project Validated by Fuller Experts

Professional Certificate

Click below to preview the first course:

Course 1 – Biblical Foundations: Preview

Join a Cohort!

This work is best done with the support of a group. If you are interested in going through this material with a Fuller facilitator, check out our cohort experience here! As the facilitator guides you through the material, you will work through this certificate with the support of a group and a semi-regular, online meeting schedule. You can find out more information below

Spiritual Formation Certificate – Cohort Experience

Or contact Fuller Center for Spiritual Formation at spiritualformation@fuller.edu to learn more about group options with the Fuller Center for Spiritual Formation. This includes churches or organizations seeking support for running a cohort!

FAQs

What is the cost?

This individual, asynchronous experience is $950.

When does this run?

This is a self-lead certificate program. You will be able to go through this at your own pace or work together with a group of other individuals. If you would like to be a part of a more structured program, check out our Cohort Experience!

Who should take this certificate?

Anyone wanting to develop their faith through spiritual formation, especially those who lead others in their own spiritual formation journeys!

Is this online?

Yes! This program has courses that you will access through this site. There will be some outside work for you to complete and fill out as a part of your workbook, which you will submit for review.

What is credit for prior learning (CPL)?

It means that an advisory board of Fuller faculty reviewed this content, determined that it meets the requirements of a seminary-level course, and is eligible to count towards a degree. If you successfully complete this certificate and are then accepted to the MA or MDiv program in the School of Mission and Theology at Fuller Seminary, you will be eligible to submit your certificate portfolio and apply to receive credit for the course SF506, Vocational Formation in Seminary. Please be advised that CPL is granted on a case-by-case basis by Fuller Seminary after admission and review of the student’s portfolio. Visit the Fuller Theological Seminary website for more information about the admissions process and our various degree programs. For questions about receiving CPL credit, reach out to equipoperations@fuller.edu.

Meet Your Instructors

Fuller Center for Spiritual Formation

The Fuller Center for Spiritual Formation (FSF) equips leaders everywhere to grow and send everyone. Re-engage your passion for leading others in spiritual formation and discipleship with the trusted support of Fuller Theological Seminary. Working side by side, we’ll support your pastoral voice, engage your people, and help shape your community by creating new and sustainable pathways of spiritual formation in your church or organization. Learn more at spiritualformation.fuller.edu—where communities thrive through spiritual formation.

Contributors to the Certificate

Main Instructor

Your main instructor for the certificate is Rev. Dr. Laura Murray.

Laura is an Armenian-American ordained pastor, author, facilitator, and certified spiritual director. For 20 years, she has worked with individuals and groups in the areas of leadership development and spiritual formation. One of her greatest joys is providing creative ways of strengthening the faith of others and their life with God. As Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Highland Park Pres, she wrote devotion guides and studies, created and led worship services, and sought to deepen the church’s prayer life. She holds both a Doctorate in Ministry in Leading Change from Fuller Seminary and a Masters Degree in Theology. She is married to Craig, has two incredible children, two pups, and lives in the Dallas area. She believes dessert is only dessert if it involves chocolate.

Other Contributors

Alongside Laura, many other contributors came together to support the creation of this certificate, to bring a diversity of voices and thought to the content.

Here is a brief introduction to each of these individuals:

From Fuller Theological Seminary

Cindy Lee: A Taiwanese-American spiritual director and aspiring mystic. She leads retreats in the areas of Christian mysticism and BIPOC-centered spirituality. She also mentors and trains spiritual directors and is particularly interested in supporting BIPOC spiritual directors. As an affiliate assistant professor, she teaches in the area of Christian spirituality and spiritual direction. In her free time, she enjoys street art, coffee, and exploring the city.

Patrick Oden: Patrick began teaching at Fuller as an adjunct in 2011 and joined full-time in 2015, initially serving at the Sacramento regional campus. From 2012 to 2015, Oden taught undergraduate courses in theology and church history at Azusa Pacific University. Dr. Oden teaches classes in theology and church history as well as community and worship, drawing together a holistic approach to Christian theology in our era. He is also the Director of Academic Integration for FULLER Equip and an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church.

David Wang: As Cliff and Joyce Penner Chair for the Formation of Emotionally Healthy Leaders, David Wang’s academic and applied work focuses on the holistic formation of Christian leaders, inclusive of the formation of emotional health and resilience alongside the leader’s intellectual and spiritual formation. He also serves on the advisory board of ATS’s Global Awareness and Engagement Initiative, where he is supporting efforts to bring together global theological educators to better understand and support the unique spiritual and developmental needs of diverse Christian leaders around the world. Wang is a licensed psychologist, pastor, editor of the Journal of Psychology and Theology, and serves on the editorial board for the APA journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice.

Jude Tiersma Watson: Judith (“Jude”) Tiersma Watson is an associate professor of Urban Mission in the School of Intercultural Studies. Born in the Netherlands, Tiersma Watson immigrated with her family to the United States as a child. After college, she taught fifth grade to the children of migrant farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley for three years, followed by five years in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Katmandu, Nepal. As a missionary with Dilaram House Ministries (a division of Youth with a Mission), she was active in discipleship, counseling, and rehabilitation through Dilaram’s intentional communities.

From The Ministry Collaborative

Jennifer Maxell: Jennifer is a preacher, teacher, The Breakthrough Fellowship church co-founder, life coach, and writer known for her interactive teaching and creative communication style. She is also the founder of The Ellipsis Experience Conference for Women and Teenage Girls. She received her BA in Philosophy from Howard University, and an MDiv from Emory’s Candler School of Theology, earning Certificates in Black Church Studies and Religious Education.

Adam Mixon: Adam served several years as the president of the Pastor’s and Minister’s Conference and as Dean of the Educational Congress within the New Era Progressive Baptist State Convention of Alabama, as well as a member of the official staff in the local district association. He has been a preaching peer-group facilitator for the Lilly Group in association with Beeson Divinity School. Adam is a facilitator for Macedonian Ministry’s Reimagining Church Cohort in Birmingham, Alabama. Adam is a published author and enjoys serving as a mentor for several programs while doing the work of a community activist.

From Mosaic Formation

David Wu: David, along with his wife, Cindy, founded Mosaic Formation. He is a Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div) graduate and a senior faculty member of Selah, LTI’s Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction. Prior to his work with Mosaic Formation, David’s ministry experiences included overseas missions in East Asia, church planting, and pastoral ministry in the local church. David is passionate about creating prayerful and hospitable space for others to listen to God, serving under-served individuals and communities, and biblical reconciliation and peacemaking. For fun, he enjoys long hikes, playing the guitar, gluten-free cooking, and pulling weeds. David and Cindy and their three kids make their home in Houston, Texas.

Cindy Wu: Cindy is an author, missions mobilizer, and ordained minister. She and her husband, David, are co-founders of Mosaic Formation. Cindy’s ministry passions include welcoming refugees and studying global missions. She holds an M.A. in Religion from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is co-author of Our Global Families: Christians Embracing Common Identity in a Changing World with Todd M. Johnson, and author of A Better Country: Embracing the Refugees in Our Midst. Her hobbies are reading and doing (short) triathlons.

From Anam Cara Ministries

Tara Owens: Tara is the founder and executive director of Anam Cara Ministries, where she has been accompanying others in their journeys with God for 15 years as a certified spiritual director and supervisor. She is also co-director of Together in the Mystery, a ministry of supervision and continuing education for spiritual director supervisors. Her deep longing is to see others move toward wholeness with themselves, with God, with their communities, and with the world. Tara holds a Masters of Theological Studies in Spiritual Formation, combined with a certificate in Death, Dying & Grieving, from Tyndale Seminary, and the Advanced Certificate in Supervision from the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University. In addition to her work with Anam Cara, she teaches for the Potter’s Inn Soul Care Institute and is on staff with Paseo for their spiritual direction training program, Stewards of the Mystery, and guest lectures at various seminaries, churches, and non-profits.

From Unhurried Living 

Gem Fadling: Gem is a trained spiritual director and a certified life coach, with 30 years of experience in the spiritual formation stream. She is the co-founder of Unhurried Living, where she trains Christian leaders to rest deeper, live fuller and lead better. Her podcast is I Can Do That! and she is the author of Hold That Thought and co-author of What Does Your Soul Love?.

Alan Fadling: Alan (MDiv) serves as a frequent speaker and consultant with local churches, national organizations, and leaders internationally. His content is approachable, usable, and transferable. He shows leaders how to get perspective so their leadership flows from a full soul and out of healthy rhythms of rest and work. A trained spiritual director, Alan is author of An Unhurried Life, An Unhurried Leader, and A Year of Slowing Down.

What is a FULLER Equip course?

The FULLER Equip courses are designed with the goal of providing a comprehensive education in the study of Scripture and its practical applications to life, work, and the advancement of God's kingdom.

These courses are specifically tailored to meet the needs of learners around the world, offering a global perspective on the study of Scripture and its relevance to everyday life.

Whether you are looking to deepen your personal understanding of Scripture, or seeking to apply its principles to your professional life or ministry, FULLER Equip courses offer a wide range of resources and tools to help you achieve your goals.

From online lectures and interactive discussions to practical assignments and case studies, these courses are designed to engage learners at all levels and equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. So whether you are a beginner or an experienced student of Scripture, FULLER Equip courses have something to offer everyone.

100% Online

Begin your learning right away and tailor your schedule to your individual needs.

Flexible Learning

Empower your learning journey with our flexible approach.

Self-Directed

Take control of your learning and explore at your own pace, with support and guidance from expert instructors.

About FULLER Equip

FULLER Equip is an extension of Fuller Theological Seminary. It offers non-degree courses, professional certificate programs, training services, and research to help individuals and organizations advance the kingdom of God. FULLER Equip provides courses covering theology, leadership, counseling, and more. Professional certificate programs offer specialized study. Equip also offers training services such as customized workshops and coaching. Lastly, Equip conducts research and engages in strategic partnerships to innovate Christian ministry and service.

Train Your Entire Team

Connect with a member of our expert team to learn more about how we can customize the course to meet your specific organizational needs.

Connect with Our Team ➤

Get notified when new courses are released on FULLER Equip...