• Accreditation
  
• Assumptions
  
• Core Personality/Organizational Culture
  
• Distinctives
  
• Doctrinal Statement
  
• Locations
  
• Faculty/Management/Organization
  
• Mission Statement
  
• Theme
  
• The Need
  
• Values
  
• Vision Statement

It is the intention of the International Graduate School of Ministry to offer a program that meets the fundamental requirements of accrediting agencies (that is the academic requirements are the equivalent of degree programs at fully accredited schools). Whether or not the school proceeds towards formal accreditation will be determined by the degree to which various accreditation agencies begin to recognize the need for new standards that fit with the educational delivery systems offered today by those in the forefront of educational reform. Unfortunately, many accrediting agencies are locked into outdated models of education, where issues such as size of library and on-site faculties were essential criteria. Few accrediting agencies have kept up with the newer models of education and training. We are not against accreditation, but we must stay with key values such as ease of access for students and use of adjunct faculty. It is interesting to note that many of the finest graduate business programs such as the Harvard Business School have never felt the need to be accredited and yet are recognized as the key training institutions in the country.

Accreditation cannot be pursued until IGSM has been offering classes for 2-3 years depending on the various accrediting agencies. However, once accreditation is received it is retroactive, meaning students who have taken classes prior to formal accreditation will get accredited degrees.

The two accreditation avenues that appear most promising to pursue at this time are through TRACS (Transnational Association of Christian Schools and Colleges, and DETC (Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council), both of which are listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agencies. Both are also recognized by the Council on Higher Education (CHEA). We will evaluate every possibility of accreditation with all potential accrediting agencies and, where possible, will pursue formal accreditation.

The Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board has determined that the International Graduate School of Ministry qualifies for religious exempt status from the Degree Authorization Act for the following programs: Bachelor of Ministry (B.Min.), Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) Any person desiring information about the requirements of the Act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Board at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430.

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Assumptions are beliefs or convictions that are taken for granted about the way things are or what they ought to be. Assumptions are claims and presumptions that may be subjective or objective. Assumptions are perceptions of facts that are held as truth until they are effectively challenged. Assumptions are things we believe are true or should be true. And finally, assumptions are statements that help define who we are.

The following are assumptions upon which IGSM is founded and operated:

• In order to change communities we must change churches. In order to change churches we must change pastors and church leaders. Pastors and church leaders have the greatest opportunities to be change agents in their churches and in their communities.
• Traditional seminaries will not be able to re-configure or reengineer themselves to meet the practical training needs of most pastors.
• Using adjunct faculty as the primary source for instructors allows students to glean from the experience of those who are experts in their subject area as well as those who are active in the front lines of ministry in the real world. To meet the needs of today’s pastors and church leaders, instructors must include those who are successful pastors, successful leaders of parachurch ministries, and/or professors who have demonstrated their proficiency as exceptional coaches and mentors.
• Denominational seminaries cannot provide the breadth of Christian experience and community required for training 21st Century pastors and ministry leaders which will become increasingly more non-denominational.
• Most training and equipping efforts for pastors and church leaders does not devote enough attention to: (1) practical skill sets for ministry, (2) a focus on the local church, and (3) acquisition of true self-knowledge—how does who I am affect how I can and should minister in today’s world?
• A seminary/graduate school today must assume that students will pursue graduate education at the same time they are ministering in a full-time capacity. Students are not interested in relocating themselves or their families to take advantage of training opportunities. Training while pastors and ministry leaders are active in the field provides the greatest opportunity for growth.
• The opportunity for students to interact with the finest instructors in the country, in a small enough setting where they can ask as many questions as they wish provides the richest educational experience.
• Because of time and travel demands, pastors and ministry leaders want to attend classes that are offered either in an intensive format (where they can do their reading assignments ahead of class, come for 5 days of instruction, and then write a practical application project based on the class) or in a distance learning format that uses the Internet and the world wide web.
• We must have a cross-cultural and international focus—the school must have a global perspective that serves pastors in every contextual setting.
• Every church, every pastor, and every church leader is unique. There is no one program or model that fits all situations—therefore the Graduate School must be a forum for ideas, not salesmen for any particular style or pattern of ministry.
• Learning to ask the right questions and answering those questions based on one’s own unique setting and context is more important than learning the “right answers.”
• Learning is a journey, not a destination and learning must be a life-long process.
• Interaction that takes place among students outside the instructional time is vital to their personal development—it allows them to process the classroom instruction for their unique contexts. Student interaction that is cross cultural and/or cross denominational is particularly valuable for ministry insights.
• Most students who attend our school will be pastors and ministry leaders who have prior ministry experience and theological training.
• The highest priority of the school must be to train and equip Christian leaders who are in, or intend to be in, part-time or full-time ministry.
• Attending classes (what some have referred to as sit-and-soak learning) does not guarantee successful implementation. We must format our classes so students can move from theory to practice.
• Ministry skills must be considered more important than academic achievement. Traditional training is 80 percent theory and 20 percent practice. Those figures need to be reversed to produce quality leaders for 21st Century churches.
• The highest priority must be to train students, not impress academic peers.
• Seminaries must be accountable, not just to accrediting associations, but to the churches for which they are presumably training pastors and church leaders.
• The purpose of seminary classes must be to help students think positively and creatively, not just critically.
• Graduates must be expected to be leaders, not just scholars.

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An additional feature of any organization or institution is its culture or personality. Although harder to define than assumptions, values or distinctives, it is a fundamental feature that provides significant guidance in the decision-making process for any organization. The following are the most important elements of the personality and culture of the International Graduate School of Ministry:

• Serendipitous Approach -- We value the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit--the free expression of His creativity and His gifts. We are committed to a serendipitous approach to the walk of the Holy Spirit, always being aware of the possibility of His intervention.
• Passion -- We have a mission and vision, which compels each of us to give ourselves totally to fulfill Gods’ purposes in our lives and the lives of those we serve.
• Team Orientation -- We recognize that we are strong as a team and weak as individuals. As we combine our unique gifts, talents and abilities we can fulfill all of God’s purposes for our lives.
• Networking -- We seek to connect with other Christian leaders, ministries and schools who are committed to the same things we are. We seek healthy relationships with those who can help us expand our ministry and increase our impact.
• Concern for Each Other/Honesty -- In everything that we do, we must demonstrate genuine care and concern for one another. Developing and maintaining healthy relationships must always remain a high priority.

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One of the hardest things for any institution or organization to do is to define its uniqueness, to define the difference between itself and others who are involved in similar ventures. The following are the distinctives that are most important to the International Graduate School of Ministry. While every one of these distinctives is not totally unique to IGSM, we believe our emphasis on these distinctives, and the combination thereof, does define the difference between ourselves and others who are training and equipping pastors and church leaders.

• Church and Ministry Focused Instruction -- Courses and assignments focus on the issues pastors and church leaders face. Our goal is to provide successful application, integration and implementation for personal ministry.
• Evangelical Inclusiveness -- We are open and committed to pastors from all denominations and theological expressions that acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We believe significant interaction across the diverse cross-section of the Body of Christ strengthens us all and demonstrates the love and unity Jesus Commanded.
• Strong Emphasis on Relationship Building -- We are committed to significant interaction between instructors and students as well as student-to-student. We want to demonstrate the importance of relationship building as a role model that is integral to successful ministry.
• Excellent Use of Technology -- We are committed to using current technology for training, instruction and operations.
• Instruction by Successful Practitioners -- We offer students only those instructors who have been or are recognized experts in the subjects they are teaching. Our preference is for instructors who are currently on the front lines of active ministry.
• Modular Approach to Classes -- We are committed to an educational process that works well for those who are already in ministry and desire to continue their education while serving in their present positions. Therefore many of our classes are offered in an intensive format which allows students to focus their educational efforts, while maintaining their respective ministry assignments. Many other classes are offered through distance learning using the best of current technology available via the Internet.

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Doctrinal statements address the fundamental beliefs of the school in regard to its stance on Biblical issues. IGSM has chosen to adopt the Lausanne Covenant agreed to by the participants at the First International Congress on World Evangelization held in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1974. This statement was further clarified in the Manila Manifesto written for the Second International Congress on World Evangelization held in Manila, Philippines in July, 1989. The following is the text of the Lausanne Covenant. Copies of the Manila Manifesto are available from the School Office.

THE LAUSANNE COVENANT—1974
Introduction
We, members of the Church of Jesus Christ, from more than 150 nations, participants in the International Congress on World Evangelization at Lausanne, praise God for his great salvation and rejoice in the fellowship he has given us with himself and with each other. We are deeply stirred by what God is doing in our day, moved to penitence by our failures and challenged by the unfinished task of evangelization. We believe the Gospel is God's good news for the whole world, and we are determined by his grace to obey Christ's commission to proclaim it to all mankind and to make disciples of every nation. We desire, therefore, to affirm our faith and our resolve, and to make public our covenant. 

1. THE PURPOSE OF GOD
We affirm our belief in the one-eternal God, Creator and Lord of the world, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who govern all things according to the purpose of his will. He has been calling out from the world a people for himself, and sending his people back into the world to be his servants and his witnesses, for the extension of his kingdom, the building up of Christ's body, and the glory of his name. We confess with shame that we have often denied our calling and failed in our mission, by becoming conformed to the world or by withdrawing from it. Yet we rejoice that even when borne by earthen vessels the gospel is still a precious treasure. To the task of making that treasure known in the power of the Holy Spirit we desire to dedicate ourselves anew.

(Isa 40:28; Matt 28:19; Eph 1: 11; Acts 15:14; John 17:6, 18; Eph 4:12; 1 Cor 5:10; Rom 12:2; 11 Cor 4:7)

2. THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF THE BIBLE
We affirm the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety as the only written word of God, without error in all that it affirms, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice. We also affirm the power of God's word to accomplish his purpose of salvation. The message of the Bible is addressed to all men and women. For God's revelation in Christ and in Scripture is unchangeable. Through it the Holy Spirit still speaks today. He illumines the minds of God's people in every culture to perceive its truth freshly through their own eyes and thus discloses to the whole Church ever more of the many-colored wisdom of God.

(2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21; John 10:35; Isa 55:11; 1 Cor 1:21; Rom 1: 16, Matt 5:17,18; Jude 3; Eph 1:17,18; 3:10,18)

3. THE UNIQUENESS AND UNIVERSALITY OF CHRIST
We affirm that there is only one Savior and only one gospel, although there is a wide diversity of evangelistic approaches. We recognize that everyone has some knowledge of God through his general revelation in nature. But we deny that this can save, for people suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. We also reject as derogatory to Christ and the gospel every kind of syncretism and dialogue which implies that Christ speaks equally through all religions and ideologies. Jesus Christ, being himself the only God-man, who gave himself as the only ransom for sinners, is the only mediator between God and people. There is no other name by which we must be saved. All men and women are perishing because of sin, but God loves everyone, not wishing that any should perish but that all should repent. Yet those who reject Christ repudiate the joy of salvation and condemn themselves to eternal separation from God. To proclaim Jesus as "the Savior of the world" is not to affirm that all people are either automatically or ultimately saved, still less to affirm that all religions offer salvation in Christ. Rather it is to proclaim God's love for a world of sinners and to invite everyone to respond to him as Savior and Lord in the wholehearted personal commitment of repentance and faith. Jesus Christ has been exalted above every other name; we long for the day when every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall confess him Lord.

(Gal 1:6-9; Rom 1:18-32; 1 Tim 2:5,6; Acts 4:12; John 3:16-19; 2 Pet 3:9; 2 Thess 1:7-9; John 4:42; Matt 11:28; Eph 1:20,21; Phil 2:9-11)

4. THE NATURE OF EVANGELISM
To evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gifts of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand. But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Savior and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to him personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify themselves with his new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into his Church and responsible service in the world.

(1 Cor 15:3,4; Acts 2: 32-39; John 20:21; 1 Cor 1:23; 2 Cor 4:5; 5:11,20; Luke 14:25-33; Mark 8:34; Acts 2:40,47; Mark 10:43-45)

5. CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
We affirm that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all men. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Because men and women are made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, color, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served, not exploited. Here too we express penitence both for our neglect and for having sometimes regarded evangelism and social concern as mutually exclusive. Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and man, our love for our neighbor and our obedience to Jesus Christ. The message of salvation implies also a message of judgment upon every form of alienation, oppression and discrimination, and we should not be afraid to denounce evil and injustice wherever they exist. When people receive Christ they are born again into his kingdom and must seek not only to exhibit but also to spread its righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. Faith without works is dead.

(Acts 17:26,31; Gen 18:25; Isa 1:17; Psa 45:7; Gen 1:26,27; Jas 3:9; Lev 19:18; Luke 6:27,35; Jas 2:14-26; John 3:3,5; Matt 5:20; 6:33; 2 Cor 3:18; Jas 2:20)

6. THE CHURCH AND EVANGELISM
We affirm that Christ sends his redeemed people into the world as the Father sent him, and that this calls for a similar deep and costly penetration of the world. We need to break out of our ecclesiastical ghettos and permeate non-Christian society. In the Church's mission of sacrificial service evangelism is primary. World evangelization requires the whole Church to take the whole gospel to the whole world. The Church is at the very center of God's cosmic purpose and is his appointed means of spreading the gospel. But a church that preaches the cross must itself be marked by the cross. It becomes a stumbling block to evangelism when it betrays the gospel or lacks a living faith in God, a genuine love for people, or scrupulous honesty in all things including promotion and finance. The church is the community of God's people rather than an institution, and must not be identified with any particular culture, social or political system, or human ideology.

(John 17:18; 20:21; Matt 28:19,20; Acts 1:8; 20:27; Eph 1:9,10; 3:9-11; Gal 6:14,17; 2 Cor 6:3,4; 2 Tim 2:19-21; Phil 1:27)

7. COOPERATION IN EVANGELISM
We affirm that the Church's visible unity in truth is God's purpose. Evangelism also summons us to unity, because our oneness strengthens our witness, just as our disunity undermines our gospel of reconciliation. We recognize, however, that organizational unity may take many forms and does not necessarily forward evangelism. Yet we who share the same biblical faith should be closely united in fellowship, work and witness. We confess that our testimony has sometimes been marred by a sinful individualism and needless duplication. We pledge ourselves to seek a deeper unity in truth, worship, holiness and mission. We urge the development of regional and functional cooperation for the furtherance of the Church's mission, for strategic planning, for mutual encouragement, and for the sharing of resources and experience.

(John 17:21,23; Eph 4:3,4; John 13:35; Phil 1:27; John 17:11-23)

8. CHURCHES IN EVANGELISTIC PARTNERSHIP
We rejoice that a new missionary era has dawned. The dominant role of western missions is fast disappearing. God is raising up from the younger churches a great new resource for world evangelization, and is thus demonstrating that the responsibility to evangelize belongs to the whole body of Christ. All churches should therefore be asking God and themselves what they should be doing both to reach their own area and to send missionaries to other parts of the world. A reevaluation of our missionary responsibility and role should be continuous. Thus a growing partnership of churches will develop and the universal character of Christ's Church will be more clearly exhibited. We also thank God for agencies which labor in Bible translation, theological education, the mass media, Christian literature, evangelism, missions, church renewal and other specialist fields. They too should engage in constant self-examination to evaluate their effectiveness as part of the Church's mission.

(Rom 1:8; Phil 1:5; 4:15; Acts 13:1-3, 1 Thess 1:6-8)

9. THE URGENCY OF THE EVANGELISTIC TASK
More than 2,700 million people, which is more than two-thirds of all humanity, have yet to be evangelized. We are ashamed that so many have been neglected; it is a standing rebuke to us and to the whole Church. There is now, however, in many parts of the world an unprecedented receptivity to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are convinced that this is the time for churches and parachurch agencies to pray earnestly for the salvation of the unreached and to launch new efforts to achieve world evangelization. A reduction of foreign missionaries and money in an evangelized country may sometimes be necessary to facilitate the national church's growth in self-reliance and to release resources for unevangelized areas. Missionaries should flow ever more freely from and to all six continents in a spirit of humble service. The goal should be, by all available means and at the earliest possible time, that every person will have the opportunity to hear, understand, and to receive the good news. We cannot hope to attain this goal without sacrifice. All of us are shocked by the poverty of millions and disturbed by the injustices which causes it. Those of us who live in affluent circumstances accept our duty to develop a simple life-style in order to contribute more generously to both relief and evangelism.

(John 9:4; Matt 9:35-38; Rom 9:1-3; 1 Cor 9:19-23; Mark 16:15; Isa 58:6,7; Jas 1:27; 2:1-9; Matt 25:31-46; Acts 2:44,45; 4:34,35)

10. EVANGELISM AND CULTURE
The development of strategies for world evangelization calls for imaginative pioneering methods. Under God, the result will be the rise of churches deeply rooted in Christ and closely related to their culture. Culture must always be tested and judged by Scripture. Because men and women are God's creatures, some of their culture is rich in beauty and goodness. Because they are fallen, all of it is tainted with sin and some of it is demonic. The gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any culture to another, but evaluates all cultures according to its own criteria of truth and righteousness, and insists on moral absolutes in every culture. Missions have all too frequently exported with the gospel an alien culture and churches have sometimes been in bondage to culture rather than to Scripture. Christ's evangelists must humbly seek to empty themselves of all but their personal authenticity in order to become the servants of others, and churches must seek to transform and enrich culture, all for the glory of God.

(Mark 7:8,9,13; Gen 4:21,22; 1 Cor 9:19-23; Phil 2:5-7; 2 Cor 4:5)

11. EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP
We confess that we have sometimes pursued church growth at the expense of church depth, and divorced evangelism from Christian nurture. We also acknowledge that some of our missions have been too slow to equip and encourage national leaders to assume their rightful responsibilities. Yet we are committed to indigenous principles, and long that every church will have national leaders who manifest a Christian style of leadership in terms not of domination but of service. We recognize that there is a great need to improve theological education, especially for church leaders. In every nation and culture there should be an effective training program for pastors and laity in doctrine, discipleship, evangelism, nurture and service. Such training programs should not rely on any stereotyped methodology but should be developed by creative local initiatives according to biblical standards.

(Col 1:27,28; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5,9; Mark 10:42-45; Eph 4:11,12)

12. SPIRITUAL CONFLICT
We believe that we are engaged in constant spiritual warfare with the principalities and powers of evil, who are seeking to overthrow the Church and frustrate its task of world evangelization. We know our need to equip ourselves with God's armor and to fight this battle with the spiritual weapons of truth and prayer. For we detect the activity of our enemy, not only in false ideologies outside the Church, but also inside it in false gospels which twist Scripture and put people in the place of God. We need both watchfulness and discernment to safeguard the biblical gospel. We acknowledge that we ourselves are not immune to worldliness of thoughts and action, that is, to a surrender to secularism. For example, although careful studies of church growth, both numerical and spiritual, are right and valuable, we have sometimes neglected them. At other times, desirous to ensure a response to the gospel, we have compromised our message, manipulated our hearers through pressure techniques, and become unduly preoccupied with statistics or even dishonest in our use of them. All this is worldly. The Church must be in the world; the world must not be in the Church.

(Eph 6:12; 2 Cor 4:3,4; Eph 6:11,13-18; 2 Cor 10:3-5; 1 John 2:18-26; 4:1-3; Gal 1:6-9; 2 Cor 2:17; 4:2; John 17:15)

13. FREEDOM AND PERSECUTION
It is the God-appointed duty of every government to secure conditions of peace, justice and liberty in which the Church may obey God, serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and preach the gospel without interference. We therefore pray for the leaders of nations and call upon them to guarantee freedom of thought and conscience, and freedom to practice and propagate religion in accordance with the will of God and as set forth in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We also express our deep concern for all who have been unjustly imprisoned, and especially for those who are suffering for their testimony to the Lord Jesus. We promise to pray and work for their freedom. At the same time we refuse to be intimidated by their fate. God helping us, we too will seek to stand against injustice and to remain faithful to the gospel, whatever the cost. We do not forget the warnings of Jesus that persecution is inevitable.

(1 Tim 1: 1 -4, Acts 4:19; 5:29; Col 3:24; Heb 13:1-3; Luke 4:18; Gal 5:11; 6:12; Matt 5: 10-12; John 15:18-21)

14. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father sent his Spirit to bear witness to his Son, without his witness ours is futile. Conviction of sin, faith in Christ, new birth and Christian growth are all his work. Further, the Holy Spirit is a missionary spirit; thus evangelism should arise spontaneously from a Spirit-filled church. A church that is not a missionary church is contradicting itself and quenching the Spirit. Worldwide evangelization will become a realistic possibility only when the Spirit renews the Church in truth and wisdom, faith, holiness, love and power. We therefore call upon all Christians to pray for such a visitation of the sovereign Spirit of God that all his fruit may appear in all his people and that all his gifts may enrich the body of Christ. Only then will the whole world become a fit instrument in his hands, that the whole earth may hear his voice.

(1 Cor 2:4; John 15:26;27; 16:8-11; 1 Cor 12:3; John 3:6-8; 2 Cor 3:18; John 7:37-39; 1 Thess 5:19; Acts 1:8; Psa 85:4-7; 67:1-3; Gal 5:22,23; 1 Cor 12:4-31; Rom 12:3-8)

15. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly, in power and glory, to consummate his salvation and his judgment. This promise of his coming is a further spur to our evangelism, for we remember his words that the gospel must first be preached to all nations. We believe that the interim period between Christ's ascension and return is to be filled with the mission of the people of God, who have no liberty to stop before the end. We also remember his warning that false Christ’s and false prophets will arise as precursors of the final Antichrist. We therefore reject as a proud, self-confident dream the notion that people can ever build a utopia on earth. Our Christian confidence is that God will perfect his kingdom, and we look forward with eager anticipation to that day, and to the new heaven and earth in which righteousness will dwell and God will reign forever. Meanwhile, we rededicate ourselves to the service of Christ and of people in joyful submission to his authority over the whole of our lives.

(Mark 14:62; Heb 9:28; Mark 13:10; Acts 1:8-11; Matt 28:20; Mark 13:21-23; John 2:18; 4:1-3; Luke 12:32; Rev 21:1-5; 2 Pet 3:13; Matt 28:18)

CONCLUSION
Therefore, in the light of this our faith and our resolve, we enter into a solemn covenant with God and with each other, to pray, to plan and to work together for the evangelization of the whole world. We call upon others to join us. May God help us by his grace and for his glory to be faithful to this our covenant! Amen, Alleluia!

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In most instances extension sites will be located in churches. In each case, these are pastors and churches that are committed to the underlying assumptions and values of IGSM. They represent the wide diversity of denominational and non-denominational traditions that are characteristic of the school as a whole. These pastors are willing to invest themselves and their facilities to make this program work.

Sites officially committed in North America include:

• Bellevue, Washington
• Bloomington, Indiana
• Boise, Idaho 
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Nashua, New Hampshire
• Salem, Oregon
• San Diego, California

Other North American sites under consideration include:

• Ann Arbor, Michigan
• El Paso, Texas
• Falls Church, Virginia
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
• Thousand Oaks, California
• Los Angeles, California
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Red Deer, Alberta Canada
• Sacramento, California
• Spokane, Washington

Extension sites committed internationally include:

• Canada
• Denmark
• India
• Indonesia
• Italy
• Kenya
• Mauritius
• South Africa
• United Arab Emirate

Other international sites under consideration include:

• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Israel
• Peru
• Spain
• Zambia  

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IGSM is lead by two groups: the Executive Staff and the Board of Directors. In addition there are Support Staff and Instructional Specialists to facilitate the work of the Executive Staff as well as two advisory groups who give significant input into the ministry of the school, the Pastoral Advisory Committee and the Academic Affairs Committee. Finally, our faculty members represent the same broad denominational base that is representative of the student body itself.

Academic Affairs Committe
The Academic Affairs Committee fulfills the role normally given to a faculty committee. Since the school has multiple extension sites, and since the large majority of instructors are adjunct faculty, it is necessary that a group be constituted that can give input from the faculty point of view. Members of this Committee will be men and women who teach courses at the school and/or who have the necessary academic qualifications. Their role is to review suggested policies and policy changes submitted by the Executive Staff as well as giving any insight or input they may have on how the school can better fulfill its mission and vision.

Board of Directors
A Board of Directors will govern IGSM. These Directors will be men and women of character, who are passionately committed not only to Christ, but also to graduate education. In addition, they will see their role as making vision happen and ensuring that the necessary resources are there to accomplish that vision. It is expected that these Directors will also see their role as giving key guidance and holding IGSM accountable to accomplish the unique mission and vision of the school.

Executive Staff
Initially the school will start with one executive staff member. The assumption is that we will need approximately one executive staff member per 190 students who are enrolled.

President -- Dr. Henry Klopp
Dr. Henry Klopp has his Doctor of Ministry degree in the field of Church Growth and has done graduate work at both Fuller Theological Seminary and the California Graduate School of Theology. Dr. Klopp received his training for church consulting from the Charles E. Fuller Institute in Pasadena, California, and served as an associate consultant for them for eight years. He has done part-time consulting with churches since 1983. Dr. Klopp has worked individually with over 100 churches representing twenty three different denominations throughout the United States. During that time he has also worked internationally, training and equipping pastors for ministry. Dr. Klopp has also helped start eight new churches in the Seattle area. 

Dr. Klopp founded the International Graduate School of Ministry in 2001 for training pastors and church leaders. Currently there are students enrolled in 23 different countries. Hopefully classes will begin in the U.S. during the next year. He teaches seminary courses on Strategic Planning, Finance & Stewardship, Conflict Resolution, Church Reengineering, Personal Ministry Assessment, Managing Successful Church Building Projects and Evangelism. He recently served as Interim Senior Pastor for CrossPointe Church in Bothell, WA. Before his consulting, Dr. Klopp served on staff at Overlake Christian Church as pastor of Evangelism and Outreach from 1977-1981, and later, while consulting part-time he served as the Executive Pastor at Eastside Foursquare Church in Kirkland, Washington from 1984-1988. In 1998-1999 he served as Acting Chancellor for the Northwest Graduate School of Ministry in Kirkland, Washington. From 2003-2005 he served as Executive Pastor of CrossPointe Church in Bothell, WA and from 2005-2006 he served as Interim Sr. Pastor for the same church. 

Dr. Klopp has written two books that are published by Baker Book House. The first, Ministry Playbook: Strategic Planning for Effective Churches was released in 2002. The second, Leadership Playbook: A Gameplan for Becoming an Effective Christian Leader was published in Oct. 2004. A third book is planned to be released this year entitled Ministry Fit: Unlocking the Primary Keys to Church Health and Effectiveness. A fourth book currently titled Destined for Victory: Learning to Thrive Not Just Survive is just finished.

• A Message from Dr. Klopp

Faculty/Instructors
Instructors are chosen from churches, parachurch ministries and other seminaries from throughout the world. They are men and women who have demonstrated specific expertise in the areas they are assigned to teach. They are also chosen based on their interest and ability to teach, communicate, and interact with pastors in a personal and significant manner. All faculty are expected to be in the very best sense “mentors” or “coaches” who have a passion for what they are doing. In addition, these faculty members represent the same broad denominational base that is representative of the student body itself. A list of current instructors can be found at the end of the Course Catalog. Significant additions will be made as the school grows in number of students as well as locations.

Instructional Specialists
Instructional Specialists at IGSM are the critical link between information and presentation. These specialists will initially be individuals who are contracted as needed, based on the number and type of classes offered. Instructional Specialists work diligently to convert information from instructors into functional web pages/lectures, combining audio and visual multimedia effects with the basic text. Instructional Specialists work to produce the high quality lectures and course content that benefit every student.

Pastoral Advisory Committee
Since one of the founding principles of the school is that it meets the very real needs of pastors in local church settings, we feel it is critical that we have an Advisory Board made up of pastors from multiple denominations. The role of this Advisory Board is to give insight and advice making sure that the school stays focused and accomplishes its stated purposes.

Support Staff
The Support Staff supplies the necessary administrative support to carry out the ministry of the school. The assumption is that there will be approximately one Support Staff member for every 170 students enrolled in the school.

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Equipping 21st Century pastors and ministry leaders for practical church-related ministry in order to significantly impact the communities they serve for Jesus Christ.

Mission Enhancement:

• Equipping -- We are committed to genuinely equipping pastors and church leaders, not just giving them information. We must make sure our classes produce a genuine and positive impact in the lives of those being equipped. We expect that they will, as a result of the classes, be better able to do the work of the ministry. (Mark 1:17-18; Eph 4:11-12, 16; 2 Tim 2:2)
• Pastors -- Our primary focus is on equipping those who are pastors in church settings. While others may benefit from the training we offer, our first priority must be to equip those who are in part-time or full-time pastoral ministry. (Acts 20:28; Eph 3:1, 4:11; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 5:2)
• Ministry Leaders -- While our primary emphasis is on those in paid ministry positions, we recognize the critical role others play in the body of Christ. We want to offer training that will equip them in whatever leadership capacity they serve. (Eph 4:11)
• Practical -- While teaching always involves a certain amount of theory, we want to emphasize the practical. The instructors who teach, the books the students read, the class format, and the assignments the students do after completing the class, must all emphasize the practical aspects of ministry. (i.e. the Pauline Epistles)
• Church-Related Ministry -- Our focus must be on ministry in the context of a local community. Our equipping must reflect the unique needs related to local church ministry. This equipping must include the ministry of churches and parachurch ministries.
• Significant Impact -- We believe we are in the world to make a difference. That means there should be some measurable results to our labor. We believe that should be true for churches. The true test of the equipping is whether it makes a positive difference in the impact of a church in its community. (John 15: 8; Gal 6:9; 2 Tim 4:7; Heb 12:1)
• Communities -- We believe that the Church is more than the ministry of single church. The rich fabric of Christ is to touch every city or community with a variety of ministries that together reflect the fullness of Christ.
• Serve -- Pastors and church leaders are servants first and foremost. Missionaries take years to learn the local culture in which they serve before figuring out the real needs and appropriate strategies. Pastors and church leaders also must recognize the genuine call to a place or location and spend the necessary time learning why they are there.
• For Jesus Christ -- The reason for our existence and our ministry is the call of Jesus Christ. Everything we do must reflect His purposes and His plans for us. We want to be in total alignment with His will as we seek to fulfill our vision. (John 15 1-8)

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A logical question we have heard often is “Why another Seminary, why another Graduate School for Pastors?”

The simple answer is that there is no Seminary that we know of, that meets all of the following criteria for the training of pastors:

• Instruction by Successful Practitioners -- The instructors are men and women who are on the frontlines of ministry and have proven themselves to be experts in the areas they are teaching.
• Evangelical Inclusiveness -- Students represent the full spectrum of denominational and non-denominational churches that acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
• Courses Emphasizing the Practical Issues Pastors Face in Every Day Ministry -- Courses and assignments are designed to provide successful application, integration and implementation for ministry in a local church setting.
• Classes Designed for those in Part-time or Full-time Ministry -- All classes are offered in formats that allows students to focus on their educational efforts, while maintaining their respective ministry assignments -- earning a degree without disrupting your life.
• Independent Stance as a Training Institution -- The school operates as an independent institution, free of excessive denominational, church, or ministry influence--there is no one approach, methodology or style that fits every situation.
• Accessible to Students in Virtually Every Location -- From the beginning the school intends to operate in two formats that offer maximum flexibility for all students: (1) Through distance learning -- utilizing multimedia and Internet technologies to make instruction available anywhere in the world; (2) Through on-site classes offered at multiple sites -- with the goal in three years to have 18 sites operating in North America.
• Reasonable Cost -- Tuition costs are scheduled to be significantly below the prices charged by similar institutions.

Problems Churches are Facing in a Post-Christian Culture
Many researchers who have analyzed the various measures of Church life and effectiveness in the U.S. have come to the conclusion that the Church as we know it is in serious trouble. There are multiple sources of information that lead to that conclusion.

As Mike Regele of Percepts Ministries puts it,

We work with hundreds of church leaders across America. As we interact with them, we see women and men working harder and harder with fewer and fewer positive results. Meanwhile budgets are shrinking and more is being placed on their backs. And they are exhausted!...As we step into the twenty-first century, it does not matter what role the church historically played in American culture. We must come to terms with the fact that the institutional Christian church and especially Protestant mainline churches are no longer in the cultural mainstream. If we have the courage to look, we will see that the church as a social institution is on the outside looking in...We do not mean that the church will cease to exist. Theologically we are quite certain that God will be faithful to finish what has been started and that the church will be the primary vehicle through which that will occur. But we are equally certain that it will not be through the existing structures and traditions we have known--that is, through our particular American form of the church.

George Barna, of the Barna Research Group comes to a similar conclusion.

After nearly two decades of studying Christian churches in America, I’m convinced that the typical church as we know it today has a rapidly expiring shelf life…Despite the activity and chutzpah emanating from thousands of congregations, the Church in America is losing influence and adherents faster than any other major institution in the nation.

Many Christian writers have pointed out that we have entered into a "Post-Christian era." The basic Christian beliefs, assumptions and values are no longer held by a majority of the people. In the past, although most Americans were not born-again Christians, nevertheless they accepted the basic tenets of Christianity as reasonable and valid. A simple look at our Constitution or Declaration of Independence shows this influence.

However, this is no longer true. While the vast majority of Americans still say they believe in God, their acceptance of the fundamental Christian principles is no longer automatic. The values and assumptions of the Church are no longer common place in our society. Even for those who visit a church, it can no longer be assumed that they understand what the Church believes. This implies a whole new set of rules and assumptions for the local church as it attempts to significantly impact its culture.

• How should the Church respond to this changing culture?
• How can the Church maintain its core values and yet minister effectively in a Post-Christian era?
• What changes will have to take place for the Church to remain relevant in the prevailing culture?

To compound the problem, the Church is faced with a world that is changing at an increasing pace. The level and degree of change that has taken place in the last 20 years is unparalleled in the history of the world. Everyone is trying to figure out how to deal with this new and changing environment. Old systems and methodologies no longer work. New methods of thinking are required to cope with our new environment.

• What does this mean for the Church?
• What are the implications of this changing context for the ministry style and practices of the Church?

God’s frozen people… will not get thawed by changing one dynamic or by trying one more program. We need a systemic solution to problems such as: over functioning leaders… unmotivated laity… standardized pastoral roles… leadership burnout… recurring problems… maintenance focus… The church is stuck. The reason for the unreleased congregational potential is much deeper than the problem of clericalism of pastors protecting their turf. We are convinced that the stagnation of the laity is caused mainly by the frustrating power of a church system that keeps the laity marginalized and prevents the pastor doing the most important work: ‘equipping the laity for the work of the ministry.’

R. Paul Stevens and Phil Collins

Lack of Training in Practical Areas of Ministry
Management expert Peter Drucker has described pastors as the “most frustrated profession” in the nation. Why is that? Well for one thing, all the demands that are placed upon them. It would be impossible to fill all the competing demands for time, energy and resources.

However, a second reason is that many pastors lack the practical training and skills necessary for leading healthy and effective churches. Many feel ill-prepared to deal with the very practical issues they face as they serve in our churches.

As Peter Drucker points out,

...The non-profit institutions themselves know that they need management all the more because they do not have a conventional bottom line. They know that they need to learn how to use management as their tool lest they be overwhelmed by it. They know they need management so that they can concentrate on their mission. Indeed, there is a management boom going on among the non-profit institutions, large and small.

The Failure of Seminaries to Adequately Train and Equip Pastors
In 1992 the Leadership Network, headed by Bob Buford funded a study of major Seminaries across the U.S. The study was done by Carolyn Weese and focused on 12 of the most prominent seminaries. As part of the study, approximately 150 pastors of medium-size and large churches across the country were interviewed to get their assessment of the training and equipping they had received from the Seminaries.

From the interviews, the data was condensed to provide a snapshot of the answers pastors gave. On the question, “What is it that seminaries are not doing well?” the following list emerged.

• Marketing leadership
• Spiritual formation
• Evangelism
• Understanding culture
• Training pastors
• Training leadership
• Teaching management
• Teaching relational skills, and interpersonal relationships
• Teaching strategic planning
• Teaching sociological interpretation
• Teaching administration
• Extremely weak on the practical side of ministry in a church
• Few teach preaching well
• Weak at staying in touch with local churches
• Preparing ministers for administering a church programmatically, developing the stewardship program, and providing vigorous leadership in moving a congregation ahead.
• They don’t train people in small group leadership, church leadership, administration, worship, evangelism and outreach, as well as how to develop lay leaders.
• Too much theory; not enough in the practical hands-on area
• Deepening of spiritual life of students
• Understanding of spiritual growth and spiritual warfare
• Function from cultural vacuum—out of touch
• Preparation to work with multiple staff
• They do not train pastors to pastor churches for growth
• They do not train pastors to lead large churches
• Management skills
• Professors are usually not in touch
• Not globally connected
• Helping students to be street-wise and culturally relevant
• They are not equipping people to be able to function well as pastors at whatever level because the teachers are out of touch with what actually happens and the theory is too far removed from reality. They are also working on old models of education that do not relate to today’s person. They have a basically academic model and people don’t relate to that.
• Seminaries do not prepare students well to relate with people, understand the implications of contemporary culture as it related to methodology in ministry, and be a visionary leader. Because of the lack of practical experience on the part of the faculty, the student does not gain a great deal of “street smarts” from their mentors. They don’t fail in the academics of their study. They fail in the wisdom of godly, insightful leadership. The student is able to conjugate nouns and parse verbs, but lacks the skill and finesse to exegete their own culture or be an effective change-agent with people.
• They don’t teach about the problems and passion of church people and how churches function
• Not in touch adequately with the rapid developments of the changing church of the 80’s and 90’s
• Teaching vision for ministry
• I would have appreciated exposure to more Pastors with vibrant ministries, training in biblical assertiveness, financing a ministry, leadership and sermon preparation.
• Communication preaching
• Instill courage to risk
• Build character
• Preparing families for church careers
• Preparing ministers for committees, elder board meetings, or dealing with difficult individuals
• No training in use of modern media

It is obvious from this list that there are many things the traditional seminaries are not doing that pastors desperately need.

Peter Wagner, a noted professor and author who has spent over 40 years in a seminary environment, recently published a book titled Churchquake, in which he writes a chapter on Seminary education. In that chapter he jokingly uses the term “cemeteries” for seminaries and lists what he believes are the “seven tombstone markers” of seminaries.

• Academic achievement is considered more important than ministry skills
• The highest priority is often to impress academic peers, not to train students
• The academy irresistibly tends to entrench irrelevance through faculty tenure and required courses
• Seminary faculty members rarely are or have been pastors themselves, and almost none have been successful pastors
• Seminaries are accountable to accrediting associations, not to the churches for which they are presumably training pastors
• The nature of academia is to produce a critical spirit throughout the community
• Seminary training is pricing itself out of the market

In Dr. Wagner’s book he quotes Reggie McNeal,

Where will the training for apostolic leadership take place? Traditional credentialing processes will, for the most part, find it extraordinarily difficult to rise to this challenge. Typically, in the prevailing church culture, Bible colleges, seminaries, and denominational program support have served as the training grounds. But only the most dynamic and innovative of these old training institutions will maintain viability as credible sources of ministry preparation.

Despite Dr. Wagner’s long tenure at Fuller Theological Seminary, he has concluded that seminaries as we know them are dinosaurs and is now in the process of starting his own school in Colorado Springs, CO to try and remedy the problems he has observed first-hand.

Dr. Phillip Walker, President of International Christian Ministries, a ministry that is training pastors and church leaders in the third world states,

As theological institutions around the world launch into the 21st Century there is a growing chorus calling for substantial changes in the way we train the leaders for our churches and denominations. The rapid growth of evangelical Christianity in many parts of the world has made our traditional models obsolete and inefficient. There are those in the chorus of voices calling for changes who say the current models are not only inefficient but ineffective. Regardless of the reason, theological education as we know it, is going through a major paradigm shift. This shift will leave many institutions grounded on the shoals of inconsequence as new models arise to meet the challenge.

Dr. Ralph Winter, the head of the U.S. Center for World Mission in Pasadena, CA goes so far as to say, “...to the degree the U.S. theological institutions successfully export their model of training to where the church was growing the most rapidly would be to the degree it slowed church growth.”

The answer to the problems of pastors and seminaries appears obvious. Because it is unlikely that the traditional training institutions have the capacity to change, new training institutions will emerge to meet the very real needs of pastors today. The IGSM intends to be one of these institutions.

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Every organization and institution must operate with certain core values that are non-negotiable. The following are those values that are fundamental to the life and ministry of the International Graduate School of Ministry.

• We value a Christian community characterized by love, acceptance and forgiveness.
• We value creativity -- characterized by the willingness to create and express our God-given talents and skills.
• We value risk-taking -- the adventurous expression of faith (i.e. a pat on the back for a good try is more important than safe, methodical steps).
• We value the right of every person to choose for themselves, and to make up their own minds on issues related to their personal life. This is a non-directive approach to Christian leadership.
• We value holiness. We believe in our right standing before God through Christ, as being righteous, without sin; and we contend for a life free of willful sin and disobedience. We value holiness as a way of expressing our love for God and His Word, while living out an example of the freedom we enjoy in Christ.
• We value wholeness and personal growth -- an accurate self-knowledge and assessment of who we are, knowing areas where there is potential for failure, having true integrity and balance in daily living.
• We value leadership that is strong, visionary and exemplary.
• We value the historical roots of Christianity that have shaped the theology and orthodoxy of the faith.
• We value striving for excellence that is honoring to Christ.
• We value the work of the Holy Spirit, and His timetable in the process of human transformation.
• We value the Bible -- We obey the Bible because it is the inerrant Word of God, and is relevant for today.
• We value prayer. We pray because it is the key to an intimate and growing relationship with God and through it we experience God’s power and guidance.
• We value worship. We worship God with sincerity and passion because of His awesome majesty and His amazing Grace. We value worship that creates an atmosphere where God can break down barriers for those who would seek Him and gives believers an opportunity to express their love for him.
• We value discipleship. We equip believers to grow, because God calls us to become committed disciples of Jesus Christ who know Him intimately and serve Him enthusiastically.
• We value outreach/evangelism. As representatives of Jesus Christ, we penetrate our community and the world seven days a week because God uses the Church to present God’s transforming power to people and communities.
• We value the family. We strengthen the biblical concept of family in all that we do because it is established by God and is the foundation of a godly society.
• We value all people without distinction and without exception. We affirm the worth of all persons because they are divinely created and uniquely gifted by God.
• We value stewardship. We faithfully follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and Scriptural teaching in the use of all resources entrusted to us because they belong to God and are to be used for His purposes.
• We value maturity in Christ as demonstrated by godly attitudes, loving relationships, faithful service, financial generosity, and consistent witness for Christ.
• We value representing Christ in our community by caring for the needy and hurting, and by promoting justice.
• We value the need for small group care that enables intimate relationships to be established and enhanced.
• We value accountability as an expression of our devotion and obedience to Jesus Christ. Each of us is accountable, not only to God, but also to one another.
• We value our commitment to our student’s welfare -- our purpose is not just to help people get additional degrees, but to prepare them for more effective and fruitful ministry.
• We value openness -- an educational environment that is open to diverse opinions, ideas and concerns expressed in appropriate forums with respect and grace.
• We believe in biblical discipline -- In cases of sin as defined biblically, it is expected that Matt. 18 will be used as the appropriate procedure. Negative reports should not be passed on to third parties since it tears down relationships and destroys credibility.
• We believe in forgiveness -- Anyone who is sinned against will extend forgiveness -- this includes situations where the extension of forgiveness is not mutual. The purpose of forgiveness is to prevent Satan from gaining a foothold in our lives. Another purpose is to allow God to be the one who judges.
• We value mentoring -- The biblical model for Christian growth and training is developing a network of relationships that allows for significant personal interaction. We believe that we need to develop these types of relationships today for personal growth and accountability.
• We value and eagerness to learn as demonstrated by a readiness to listen to, dialogue with, and learn from other perspectives.
• We value change as demonstrated by a confidence to embrace change, accepting of mystery, and taking risks in context of mutual support.
• We value healthy relationships: mutually enriching, respectful, affirming relationships that protect personal safety and correct dysfunctional leadership.

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Creating a learning environment that caters to the needs of 21st Century pastors and ministry leaders.

• Coaching from the finest mentors in the field of ministry
  • Instructors that model and instruct and then allow someone else the joy of playing the game hopefully better than they did
  • Mentors who are battle-tested and have proven worthy
• Learning opportunities based on student needs
  • Classes designed for students who are in full-time or part-time ministry
  • Classes accessible to any student, regardless of geographical setting
  • Classes emphasizing the practical aspects of ministry
  • Need-based curriculum where students are allowed to select what they personally need.
  • Students and faculty that represent evangelical inclusiveness
• High tech, high-touch, and high quality
  • Making use of the latest computer technology to bring the classroom to the students through distance learning. At the extension sites using current technology to facilitate and enhance classroom instruction
  • Ensuring that every student personally experiences the love, acceptance and personal attention that values them as a significant member of the Body of Christ
  • Course content that emphasizes a Biblical and Christ centered focus.
  • Providing a learning environment that is academically equivalent to the best training institutions.
• Financially viable
  • Classes offered at below market cost
  • A school that can become self-sustaining
  • A school that values and remunerates staff and instructors rather than building campuses

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