Partners-In-Ministry (PIM)

PIM CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

 

 

PIM MISSION
PIM is a two-year Certificate Program designed to provide a learning environment to develop wives of seminary students, wives of men in full-time ministry and wives of men in bi-vocational ministry to grow in partnership with their husbands in the Lord’s ministry.

 

PIM VISION
The PIM Program was developed out of the firm conviction that married couples called into vocational and bi-vocational ministry would bear much fruit when they are equipped to serve alongside each other. As a result, the PIM Certificate Program offers courses designed to equip wives as partners-in-ministry with their husbands.

 

PIM PROGRAM
The PIM two-year Certificate Program offers courses that aim to ground students in their identity in Christ, Christian character and life skills. They learn basic skills in studying the Bible and gain an overview of the New Testament so they can learn to appreciate and apply God’s Word in their lives. They are given opportunities to discover their significance and uniqueness in ministry. Foundational principles of Christian marriage and parenting are taught to strengthen their family life in their ministry contexts.

 

PIM ONLINE PROGRAM
We recognise the reality that not all wives of seminary students, wives of men in full-time ministry and wives of men in bi-vocational ministry can come to Singapore for the residential two-year Certificate Program. EAST also offers the PIM two-year Certificate Program as a fully online program for these seminary wives and ministry wives whose husbands cannot come to Singapore. 

If a wife’s schedule does not allow her to complete the two-year Certificate Program within two years, she can request an extension to complete it within four years from the date of matriculation.

 

VISITING STUDENTS
Wives of seminary students, wives of men in full-time ministry and wives of men in bi-vocational ministry may enrol as Visiting Students for credit while deciding if they want to take the two-year PIM Certificate Program, or while waiting for their application to be processed.

 

AUDIT STUDENTS
All wives, irrespective of their husbands’ vocations, can audit for individual courses offered in the PIM Certificate Program.

 

COMMON VALUES
In accomplishing the PIM objective, we are adopting three common values for PIM to guide us in our attitudes and actions.

  1. Faith – We trust that God loves us unconditionally and has His good purposes in store for us. In trusting God, we are willing to surrender to His work of molding and transforming us more & more into the image of Jesus Christ.
  2. Hope – We live with hope in the midst of life’s challenges by having eternal perspectives and dwelling on God’s promises.
  3. Love – In response to God’s unconditional love for us, we love and accept one another amidst the different cultures and journeys we are at in life. We also reflect His love by serving one another.

 

MONDAYS FOR PIM
Equipping of students’ wives is a core value at EAST. Because of this, there are no program classes scheduled on Monday mornings or afternoons to allow husbands to care for the children at home or send them to school. This allows mothers in the Residential program to attend PIM classes and Mentoring groups. Specific timings for individual courses and MGs are determined by the course instructors and MG leaders.

 

PIM APPLICATION PROCESS
Wives who wish to enter the PIM two-year Certificate Program should complete an application form, pay the application fees, and meet the admissions requirements to be accepted to the program. Please click here for the detailed PIM application procedure.

PIM Application Procedure

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
In order to receive credit for any PIM class, a participant must attend at least 80% of the class sessions. 

 

DELAYED GRADUATION
A PIM student who has completed the 20 credits required for a PIM Certificate may choose to wait and  graduate with her husband.  If so, she should plan to continue MG participation and is encouraged to audit other classes that will be of benefit for her future ministry.


PIM GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Completion of 20 credits
  • Active involvement in a PIM wives’ Mentoring Group
  • Involvement in PIM activities
  • Payment of all fees

 

 

PIM REQUIRED COURSES 

 

 

Course Title Course Name # of Credits
LF300 Becoming What God Intended 3*
LF366A Introduction to Counselling 1**
LF330 Spiritual Formation at Home 2
NT311 Bible Survey 2
LF320 Christian Marriage 2
BS310 Bible Study Methods 2
LF320 Becoming a Partner in Ministry 2

Emphasis Course:

Year A

 

2

Year B
LF370 PIM Mentoring Group 1 1
LF370 PIM Mentoring Group 2 1
LF370 PIM Mentoring Group 3 1
LF370 PIM Mentoring Group 4 1
*Offered July –Nov 2023
**Offered July –Nov 2023

 

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 

Becoming What God Intended
This course looks at Scriptures to understand the need for us to become what God intended for us at creation. It takes an in-depth look at what has gone wrong with the human race since the Fall. It then looks at what God has done to bring about what He intended for us — A New Creation in Christ.

The process of learning includes both head knowledge & heart involvement so that lessons learned can be integrated & lived out in the learner’s life.

Check out the Course Introduction video at https://youtu.be/2HeVB4t8v5w.

 

Spiritual Formation at Home
This course seeks to encourage and equip parents with a growing awareness of their children’s development and to learn how to attend to their spiritual formation and discipleship needs. The prevalent influence of social media/gadgets and its implications on children’s formation and discipleship will also be discussed. Based on the biblical and theological perspectives, the participants will learn creative ways to help their children create a formative space to connect with God, their family and others in a spiritual community. 

 

Bible Survey
This course is designed to provide an overview of the New Testament so the student develops a greater understanding of the life of Christ, the early Church, and the apostles’ teaching about Christian life and practice. 

 

Christian Marriage
This course aims to build a thriving marriage by exploring important topics like understanding God’s design for marriage, communication & conflict resolution, power of forgiveness, the impact of family background and upbringing, physical intimacy, and maintaining romance in marriage. It offers assessments for marriage and practical skills in handling challenges unique to ministry couples.

 

Bible Study Methods
This course looks at basic bible study methods through careful observation, interpretation and application of scriptures. By the end of the course, students will learn to glean biblical principles from God’s Word & communicate those principles with others using a simple presentation.

 

Becoming a Partner in Ministry
Looks at the unique challenges and needs of a wife as a partner in ministry as her husband serves in full time or part time Christian ministry and presents biblical ways of responding to the challenges.

 

PIM Mentoring Groups
These groups meet every Monday at the time set by individual mentors who have served in the Christian Ministry for more than ten years. MG is a requirement every semester for the two-year Certificate Program. 

PIM Application Procedure