Did you know that Ascent College is partnered with the Potomac School of Leadership and the Potomac Ministry Network? Ascent College has over forty different partner sites helping to spread the word about the accredited academic programs we offer to equip and empower emerging ministry leaders, and the Potomac School of Leadership is one of them! Special and unique in its own right, we took a few moments to chat with Director Chris Davis to give you the inside scoop on how God is using this partnership for His glory.
Please share with us the mission and vision for the Potomac School of Leadership (PSL). What makes PSL unique and different from other learning opportunities?
PSL is a unique learning opportunity because it merges education with hands-on experience through internships as well as serving opportunities throughout the district and at district-level events.
The mission of the Potomac School of Leadership is to train and educate young people that have a calling to ministry, affordably, and to give them a relational network of pastors and peers that will enable them to be successful throughout their years of service.
The vision is to have a pipeline for the Potomac Ministry Network so that any church in the Potomac Ministry Network that is looking to fill a position now has a place to come and find candidates. Our job is to shape the network of PMN by sending out our own students who were brought up in this network and have the DNA of this network.
What types of students are the best fit for the Potomac School of Leadership? Please describe the selection process.
The best student for PSL is a student who has experienced a calling to ministry and has had that calling confirmed through mentors or pastors in their lives. We are also looking for self-motivated students who can problem-solve, are teachable, and are open to whatever direction God is leading them in.
The selection process begins with applying through Ascent College. Once accepted at Ascent, there is an interview process, as well as a follow-up with pastoral references to check character and competency.
How does the Potomac School of Leadership partner with Ascent College? Why are we better together?
Ascent College is primarily an online college which gives PSL the flexibility to travel as much as we do and serve in different capacities while not missing out on the education piece. We can do our classes on the road. If we have been traveling a lot, students can do work from home. Ascent gives us the flexibility to be who we are. They also share our commitment to helping students try to get through this program with as little student debt as possible. During our two-year program in partnership with Ascent College, the goal is for each student to meet the requirements to graduate with an Associate’s degree in Ministerial Leadership as well as acquire ministry credentials through the Assemblies of God.
What is the end goal? What can Potomac School of Leadership students expect life to look like after finishing the two-year program?
At the end of two years, the goal is that each student will earn their Associate’s degree, meet the education requirements necessary for ministry credentials, discover the areas of ministry they feel passionate about and feel equipped for, and gain experiences and relationships that will go with them the rest of their lives. After the two years, our goal is to help place the students in open positions throughout the network.
Why is it important to actively engage next-gen emerging ministry leaders? How are our youth shaping church growth and revival in new and perhaps unexpected ways?
We have a young generation of students who are asking more questions than ever. They are actually looking for input and guidance. We have a responsibility as a church to be the ones that they can come to with those questions. So, we want to empower them to engage with their faith, in their callings, through wrestling with difficult questions, being transparent in their journey, and feeling like the church is the first place they come, not the last.
This generation is impacting the church through an openness to engage in difficult cultural conversations in a way that previous generations may have shied away from. Their willingness to go to the fringes of society and culture to make each person feel valued, loved, and seen. Because of that, they have a capacity to reach people who previously felt like they had no place in the church. So, by reaching these young people, we are going to empower them to do greater work than we ever have before.
Are you interested in the Potomac School of Leadership?
Explore the application process here, contact the Ascent College Director of Admissions, Amy Piehl (apiehl@ascent.edu), and begin completing your online application here. Be sure to follow the Potomac School of Leadership on Instagram and Facebook to see where and how students are actively engaged and serving in ministry throughout the Potomac Ministry Network.
Check out this fun video created by PSL students giving a sneak peek into their daily lives!
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