The Institute for Church Leadership (ICL) offers a series of courses in Bible, theology, spiritual formation, the mission of the Kingdom, church history and more. See our scope and sequence below. Anyone can benefit from these opportunities for spiritual enrichment and leadership development. You need not be a part of a local EC Church. The EC Church is pleased to offer ICL classes as a resource for building the Kingdom of God.
These non-credit courses are open to all, without any educational prerequisites. They are not seminary level courses and do not earn credit from any seminary. The courses comprise the required training for those seeking the Local Elder’s License or Lay Preacher’s Certification in the Evangelical Congregational Church and may be applicable to pastoral credentials for other denominations as well.
| Term | Formative Course | Informative Course |
| Fall 1 | Intro to Ministry | Hermeneutics |
| Spring 1 | Pastoral Leadership | OT Survey |
| Fall 2 | Personal Spiritual Formation | NT Survey |
| Spring 2 | Preaching | Theology 1 |
| Fall 3 | Healthy Worship & Ministry | Theology 2 |
| Spring 3 | Developing a Contextual Missional Mindset | Church History |
For all students and auditors: ICL courses no longer require a subscription but will be on a “pay as you learn” system. ICL students and auditors will pay a one-time fee per class of $250 and $50, respectively. If you are taking a course as part of your training towards credentialing, you must register as a student.
You are not required to Login to register and pay for an ICL course.
For more information about the ICL or for instructions about auditing classes, please complete our contact form.
Upcoming Spring 2026 Courses:
Pastoral Leadership: Tuesdays, January 6 – February 10, from 6:30 to 9 PM
Instructor: Rev. James Price
Course Description: This course will equip pastors with the tools needed to face the unique leadership challenges found within ministry. Attention will be given to both the character and skills necessary to shepherd God’s people well, leading to a purposeful, effective, and fulfilling pastoral ministry.
Instructor: Tuesdays, March 3 – April 14, from 6:30 to 9 PM
Facilitator: Rev. Tim Valentino
Course Description: In this course the student surveys Old Testament literature, history, geography, culture, theology, and structure to understand and communicate what the Old Testament reveals about God. Additional issues addressed include: Who are the important people and nations? What are the significant events, and where do they happen? How is the Old Testament put together? How does the Old Testament apply to us today? What resources are available to understand, teach, and preach the Old Testament?
Instructor Bios
Tim Valentino has been a professor at Evangelical Seminary since 2007, teaching a variety of Bible, theology, pastoral ministry and student writing courses. He presently teaches in the Doctor of Theology and Master of Divinity programs at Kairos University. Tim received his MDiv from Evangelical Seminary and his D.Min. from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. He is now finishing his Th.D. degree at Evangelical Seminary. Tim has served in pastoral ministry since 1992 and currently serves as Pastor of Christ Community Church in Myerstown, PA. Tim and his wife, Sonya, reside in Myerstown as well. They have two children and two grandchildren. He blogs at https://timandsonya.net.