Years in Ministry Are Not Yet Credit

A pastor has preached for fifteen years, planted congregations, counselled families, chaired committees, raised funds and trained younger ministers. When the pastor enters a Bible-college programme, requiring every introductory learning activity again may waste experience, money and time.

Yet years in ministry are not automatically academic credit. Long service may contain deep learning, repeated habits, unresolved gaps or all three. A respected title does not show which biblical, theological, relational and practical capabilities are current, transferable and appropriate to the level of a qualification.

Competency-Based Theological Education (CBTE) offers a better response than either automatic exemption or compulsory repetition. It can ask what the learner already knows, who the learner has become, what the learner can responsibly do and what evidence supports the judgement.

In Kenya, this Bible-college approach must remain distinct from general occupational Competency-Based Education and Training, commonly abbreviated CBET. It must also distinguish recognition of prior learning from recognition of office, ordination, popularity or attendance at ministry events.

Pastoral conferences can be valuable places of learning, renewal and professional connection. For a verifiable regional example, the Renewal Summit 2026 programme scheduled teaching and workshops at Ggaba Community Church in Uganda for 17–21 August, organised around a healthy church’s spiritual, relational and missional life.

An organiser’s programme establishes the proposed activities. It does not by itself establish who attended, what participants learned, whether…