Certificate in Proclamation
The Certificate in Proclamation equips congregational leaders to confidently preach God’s Word in community.
The Certificate will
- build preaching skills and confidence
- create meaningful cohort connections
- empower you to inspire those you serve through a Biblical and theological grounding
- offer practical tools and resources for preaching preparation
Who might pursue the Certificate in Proclamation?
The certificate is designed to empower individuals who are curious about the practice of preaching. You might benefit from this robust learning opportunity if you belong to a church without a regular preacher, you want to be a more attentive worshipper, you feel the spirit nudging you to assist in service of nearby churches, or it has been a while since you’ve preached and you’re due for a refresher about the art of crafting effective, meaningful, and theologically sound messages.
The Certificate may count towards requirements for Commissioned Lay Pastor/Commissioned Ruling Elder training. Please check with your adjudicatory body for specific program requirements. The Certificate is accepted by the Synod of Lakes and Prairies toward certification as a Certified Ruling Elder.
For more information on the Certificate in Proclamation, please watch the video below.
What is the course design?
The Certificate is comprised of four courses: Old Testament, New Testament, Reformed Theology, and Preaching. Each six-week course includes 45-60 minutes of recorded video content, delivered by a seminary professor. Weekly content also includes preacher popups and 10-12 hours of assignments to put learnings into practice.
Participants gather each week of a 60-minute facilitated cohort meeting (on Zoom) to discuss content and assignments in community. Each cohort is limited to twelve participants.
To receive the Certificate, participants must complete all four courses. Individuals may enroll in single classes based upon space availability.
What is the cost?
- Participants within OPSF’s 13-state- region – $100 per course or $400 for the full certificate (4 courses)
- Participants outside the OPSF region – $150 per course or $600 for all courses
Questions or Interest?
Contact Director of Education Rev. Dr. April Davis Campbell at education@opsf-omaha.org or at 402-281-0447.
Faculty
Dr. Cameron B.R. Howard | Old Testament
Cameron B.R.Howard is associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds degrees from Davidson College, Emory’s Candler School of Theology, and Columbia Theological Seminary, and she received her Ph.D. from Emory University. Dr. Howard is the author of The Old Testament for a Complex World: How the Bible’s Dynamic Testimony Points to New Life for the Church (Baker Academic, 2021) and is a frequent contributor to WorkingPreacher.org.
Dr. Eric D. Barreto | New Testament
Eric D. Barreto is Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary and an ordained Baptist minister. He is the author of Ethnic Negotiations: The Function of Race and Ethnicity in Acts 16 (Mohr Siebeck, 2010), the co-author of Exploring the Bible (Fortress Press, 2016), and editor of Reading Theologically (Fortress Press, 2014).
Dr. Charles Aden Wiley III | Reformed Theology
Charles Wiley serves as the Senior Director for Leadership Support at Columbia Theological Seminary after 21 years in the Office of Theology and Worship for the PC(USA) where Charles had special responsibility for the Book of Confessions Charles is also an adjunct instructor in Theology and History at Columbia, teaching American Christianity and The Church in Doctrine and Practice. Charles is the author New Worshiping Communities: A Theological Exploration (WJK:2018) and Grace and Gratitude–Being Reformed Series (CMP:2016).
Rev. Dr. Lis Valle-Ruiz | Preaching
Rev. Lis Valle-Ruiz is the Associate Professor of Homiletics and Worship and Director of Community Worship Life at McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL. She earned her PhD in Homiletics and Liturgics from Vanderbilt University, where she studied gender and sexuality. She has researched and taught digital mediations of worship and preaching, artivism and proclamation, and different ways of worship and preaching that are trauma-responsive, decolonial, and intersectional. She received a ThM in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary, an MDiv from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and holds a JD and a BA in Education from the University of Puerto Rico.