Local church partners with university for degree programs

Johnson County students will soon have the ability to pursue a degree from Minneapolis-based institution North Central University without having to pay for room and board.

The Christian college is offering four degree programs through a partnership with Grace Assembly of God in Greenwood in what will become the Indy School of Leadership. The four degree paths include associate of arts in church leadership, bachelor of science in business administration, bachelor of science in church leadership and bachelor of science in digital media.

Grace Assembly Lead Pastor Wayne Murray said the church has grown in 21 years from an original count of 26 to more than 1,500 members. During a statewide event, around 70 students showed interest in the idea of taking online classes through the North Central partnership. North Central Chief Enrollment Officer Michael Price said the university has reached out to eight churches across the United States, and is looking to enroll eight to 10 students from each for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Along with the online courses, students will partake in what Price calls integrative learning opportunities, the equivalent of internships for credit, which may include work with the church on church leadership or taking on a ministry opportunity.

Price said the application process mirrors that of other universities, with a few differences. Along with academic transcripts and potentially an ACT or SAT score, students must submit a statement of faith and an essay.

Murray said scholarships are available for students.

“I think for one, it provides the opportunity for some students they otherwise wouldn’t have had without traveling long distances,” Murray said. “It’s a good education in a Christ-centered environment. It’s extremely inexpensive, less than 50 percent of what it would cost to go to a school like that. The benefit for us, we’ll have the opportunity to interact with students, students will be serving in the community. Students will be serving on serving teams in the church. We have a food pantry, homeless ministry, Spanish language outreach that those doing church leadership will have the opportunity (to partake in).”