The Pastors College is a ten-month pastoral training program for men in Sovereign Grace churches. It combines academic instruction with an emphasis on pastoral care and spiritual growth. The Pastors College also provides ongoing training for current pastors in Sovereign Grace Ministries.
Training future pastors is so important to our mission that the Pastors College receives 25% of our Mission Fund.
How it works
The Pastors College is based at Covenant Life Church and is led by Jeff Purswell, a member of our leadership team. Students (usually 15-25 per year) take a series of non-accredited, week-long classes on the Old and New Testaments, hermeneutics, systematic and biblical theology, pastoral ministry, homiletics, church history, counseling, and much more. They also take the equivalent of two semesters of biblical Greek.
Instructors for these classes include Mark Dever, Wayne Grudem, Ligon Duncan, David Powlison, Jeff Purswell, Bob Kauflin, C.J. Mahaney, and others from churches within and without the Sovereign Grace family.
Students live in Gaithersburg, Maryland, during the ten-month program so they can observe and participate in the life of Covenant Life Church. Frequent small groups, along with pastoral care from Covenant Life pastors, provide an environment that facilitates growth in humility and Christlike character.
The Pastors College and becoming a pastor
The Pastors College is open to members of Sovereign Grace churches. Students attend upon the recommendation of their pastors, usually after a period of training and observation in their home church.
After their graduation, students are sent to local churches (usually within Sovereign Grace Ministries) for internships or pastoral positions. Many go on to plant churches within a few years of their graduation.
If you are interested in attending the Pastors College, we recommend that you discuss this with your pastor. You can also email us through our contact form.
Other pastoral training resources
Although the Pastors College is usually limited to Sovereign Grace church members, all pastors are welcome to take advantage of these additional training opportunities and resources. These include: