What is the Occupational Certificate: Christian Religious Practitioner?

The Occupational Certificate: Christian Religious Practitioner

SAQA ID 101997 NQF Level 2 – Sokhanya Ministry Program 156 credits

This program helps students understand the whole Bible and what it means for Christian life and ministry. The program helps church leaders of all levels and denominations to develop sound Bible based ministry on a practical level. It does not give the teaching of a particular tradition or church. 

  • Makes ministry training available: Any person may enroll for this program and one does not have to have a high level of formal education; one does not need matric. This study makes ministry training available to persons who could not get any formal training before and did only what they see other preachers do. 
  • Different options: This program gives students the opportunity to do self-study from home, or to join a learning centre in their area. 
  • 10 Modules: The program consists of 10 modules which one can complete within one year or, depending on one’s own situation, may take longer. 
  • Workbook and practice: Every module has a workbook which tests what one has learned and how it is done in practice in ministry. 
  • SAQA certificate in ministry: When one has finished the whole program there is a national examination which will give one a SAQA certificate in ministry.

What is the accreditation of the program?

This learning program has been accredited with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). This council falls under the South African Quality Council (SAQA), which controls all the national education. 

  • The program complies with the national standard set by SAQA. The program is not based on the teachings or practices of a particular church or tradition. 
  • By completing this learning program, one receives a national certificate as Christian Religious Practitioner with the stamp of SAQA.
  • This program is accredited at level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). 
  • This level is specially intended for persons who do not have a high level of school education. By doing this program one can continue higher levels of ministry training on next NQF levels.

What are the objectives of the program?

The program aims to help leaders of all levels of leadership in Christian faith communities to grow spiritually and as responsible leaders. It seeks to develop the knowledge and skills needed to be effective and respected leaders. 

  • The program helps leaders to get a wider and deeper knowledge of the Bible and to learn to interpret the Bible in a responsible way. 
  • It covers the whole Bible and focuses on the most important themes that believers should know and which will help leaders to build the true faith of their members. 
  • The program covers all the important aspects of church ministry. It gives learners an understanding of what each aspect is about and to know how to do each aspect in a proper and effective way. 
  • It guides learners to develop practical skills so that they can implement what they have learned through p doing practical exercises and by conducting functions in their faith communities. 

How is the program structured?

The program consists of ten modules. 

  • The first part of each module deals with a particular part of the Bible to develop knowledge. It also deals with understanding of the most important parts of the message of the Bible. 
  • Each module then deals with a particular aspect of ministry. It explains what the important things are that one need to know and be able to do to implement that in the faith community. 
  • It also gives exercises that will give learners the opportunity to actually go and do that particular aspect in ministry. 

The following aspects of ministry are covered:

Module1 :  How to understand and interpret the Bible. 

Module 2:  What the key aspects of Christian faith are.

Module 3:  What it means to be a church.

Module 4:  What it means to be a church leader.

Module 5:  What the work of a church leader is.

Module 6:  How to build the faith of believers.

Module 7:  How to preach properly.

Module 8:  How to do spiritual care.

Module 9:  How to do church administration.

Module 10:  How to bring the message of Christ to the world.

How is the program assessed? 

Each module comes with a Workbook that the learners must complete as they work through the program. The Workbook must not be completed only after the whole module was finished. The exercises cover 3 things:

  1. test the learner’s knowledge of the study material of each section of the Workbook.
  2. test whether the learner understands what to do to implement the practical tasks dealt with in each section of the Workbook.
  3. get a report of the way the learner has done the particular task dealt with in each section of the Workbook.

The Workbook is then marked by an NBI assessor.

After the learner has successfully completed all 10 modules there is a final assessment. This assessment is managed by ACRP on behalf of QCTO. This is called the EISA (External Integrated Summative Assessment). This assessment will test all NQF 2 learners country wide and from all Bible Schools using the same test paper. 

After successfully completing this assessment, the learner is awarded the national Christian Religious Practitioner certificate.

What do students say about the program?

The learning material used in this learning program was developed in the teaching and discussions and workshops of the the Sokhanya Bible School. This is what is called the Sokhanya Bible and Ministry Program. This interdenominational Bible School was run in Xhosa speaking areas of Cape Town for 25 years. It was also presented as a correspondence course countrywide. 

It was then adapted to fit the national standards under NBI. Hundreds of church members and leaders of all levels from Pentecostal-charismatic, Zion-Apostolic and different main line churches attended over the years. 

Many happy learners say:

“I always thought I knew the Bible, but it is only now that I know what it is about”.

“I was leading a congregation for many years but did not really know what it really means till now”.

“I have grown so much spiritually and as a person. Praise the Lord”.

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