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Graduate Profiles: Stephanie Ball, '03

I am the director of children's ministry at a Spokane-area Presbyterian church. My job encompasses many things that directly and indirectly affect children and their families. I am to be an encourager, support, and resource for parents and adults who have children or deal with children. I am to be a spiritual guide and example for the church's parents, children, and children's and family ministry committee. Another significant component of my job is administration. I maintain the children's ministry budget, do ministry promotion, keep our publications current, maintain our attendance records, and complete many other tasks. I am also responsible for the training and screening of all volunteers who work in children's ministry. In addition I am expected to continue to mature spiritually and vocationally by maintaining my personal relationship with Christ Jesus and furthering my education through seminars, training sessions, and reading.

How the Certification in Ministry Program helped me:

• Helped me develop a philosophy for why I am involved in ministry, why my ministry is important, and how I am to approach ministry.
  
  When you graduate from college and enter a ministry position the traditional role, fulfillment is expected… but because I was able to develop my own ideas of ministry, of what should guide it, and of how I felt I should approach it, I was able to minister in new and effective ways.
  
  The program provided me with the resources -- people, educational materials, books, notes, ideas, and building blocks -- to step into a ministry as one who is knowledgeable, current, confident and supported.
  
  
• Provided me the space, time and guidance to mature in my faith, my prayer life, and my understanding of what Scripture says about ministering.
  
  The program challenged me always to think hard, critically, prayerfully, and intelligently when approaching anything in ministry.
  
  The required internship gave me a realistic picture of what ministry in a church looks like. It provided a safe place for me to discover my weaknesses and work on them. It also provided a nurturing and encouraging environment in which I could build my strengths.
  
  The professors who teach in this program are amazing. They not only share their wisdom, their vision, and their hearts with you; they also share their lives with you. You are guaranteed to meet some of your best mentors for ministry in this program.

I would highly recommend the Whitworth Certification in Ministry Program to anyone who desires to do ministry in an entry-level position. You will walk away with all you need to embark on your first ministry journey.