Education, Formation and Empowerment

Resurrection [rising to life]

In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we find a different approach to living. Because of the resurrection promise, we are not to be afraid of death. Rather, we remember that a grain of seed must die in order for new life to rise. Resurrection is core in Christian faith. When mortal death comes, we welcome this eternal new life in Christ. Even the very act of Baptism is a dying to self and a rising to Godly life. We actually begin our eternal relationship in this earthly life.

The resurrected Body of Christ, the Church, has the mission to continue God’s work on earth. We learn. We teach. We are healed. We heal. We forgive. We are forgiven. Our education needs to form us in these skills and practices, helping us to become fit as a body to do this work.

Empowerment through Programmes

AAP/SAAP [Academic Accompaniment Programme]

The Academic Accompaniment Programme (AAP) provides for further education for scholars up to 55 years at time of application.

Such opportunities are used by member churches to:

• Build up or upgrade a theological faculty
• Develop new leaders
• Acquire specific skills for emerging challenges in mission

AAP is an integral part of CWM’s commitment to accompany member churches in capacity-building for mission. It offers Masters and Doctoral Research in theological education and associated studies to be undertaken for missional outcomes.

Churches nominating applicants for the Academic Accompaniment Programme are reminded that CWM has a firm goal to support 50% women candidates. Churches should submit no less than 1/3 of women among their nominees. Special consideration is given to applicants from the ‘margin’ of stratified societal order including women, sexual minorities, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.

APPLICATIONS – There are two application intakes each year: Send to “empowerment@cwmission.org”

January 21 – Closing Date March 15 (for decision by end-June) and

June 21 – Closing Date August 15 (for decision by end-November)

Please note the Closing Dates. Any incomplete Applications OR Applications received after the Closing Date will not be considered until the following intake.

Downloads:

1. Information about the AAP Application Process
2. Information to help students to develop their proposed Budget
3. AAP Application Form – (Student)
4. Church Endorsement Form
5. Budget Proposal Form
6. Health Form

Special Academic Accompaniment Programme (SAAP)

The Special Academic Accompaniment Programme (SAAP) also helps to promote pathbreaking studies and research (short and long term) relevant to emerging challenges to the mission of the church. This programme explicitly accommodates applicants and issues that are normally not addressed through AAP in partnership with selected renowned academic institutions.

Please contact us to discuss whether this is an appropriate programme for your circumstances before starting the application process.

Downloads:

1. SAAP Application Form
2. SAAP Application: Endorsement and Health Section
3. Information to help students to develop their proposed Budget
4. Budget Proposal Form

Note: Applicants will also need to submit a Health Form.

MCI [Member Church Initiatives]

This Programme addresses capacity development gaps for member churches through offering unique opportunities for people engaged in mission to undertake short-term, skills-oriented training, or experiential competency-based learning. 

Applications close JULY 30 each year.
Download MCI Proposal Info and Application Form

TIM [Training in Mission] 2026 (Applications close 25 February 2026)

TIM is open to young adults with Christian maturity and a sense of adventure and discovery. TIMs are emerging leaders, recognised by their denominational churches, or by our ecumenical partners (CEVAA and WCRC) as having particular potential for serving in mission settings in or on behalf of their home church or in the area of global ecumenism.

TIM is designed to nurture and form missional leaders who will live a mission-oriented life, serving in a variety of capacities in the decades ahead of them. Many TIMs go on to have varied careers in church and mission work or in global development settings.

Applicants should be 20-29 years at the time of application. They should be from CWM member churches with a good standing and recommended by their local congregation. Applications must be endorsed by the General Secretary of the member church. Applicants should show some interest and have some experience in mission and be willing to serve their church after the TIM experience.

Downloads:

1. TIM 2026 Brief – Part 1
2. TIM Application Form – (Participant)
3. TIM – Reading (Essay and Reflection)
4. TIM – Church Endorsement Form
5. TIM – Health Form

Face2Face

Face2Face aims to facilitate immersion, bible studies and seminars for participants to reflect on mission in a post-colonial context, and engage in a global dialogue on theology, spirituality and mission. Through the six-week programme, current and recently graduated theological students will encounter the lived realities of local multi-faith communities, reflect on the motivation and method of mission in different parts of the world, and bring this reflection back to their own contexts.

In 2025, Face2Face is likely to take place in two locations, exploring different missional themes.

One will explore Life flourishing Interfaith Dialogue and Action in the South Asia region.

One will explore issues related to Ecology-Economy and the impacts of mining land and sea.

New CWM Programme: Revisioning Education with Children – to be held 15-26 May at Aotearoa, New Zealand

In 2026, the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand will host the Revisioning Education with Children programme. 

The programme will be for church leaders and ministry practitioners who are engaged in working with children in mission and ministry. There will be exploration on what it means to decolonise children’s ministry, hands-on skills work, and curriculum development. This global group will stay for part of the time on a Marae (please refer to attached information about Ohope below), considering Indigenous ways of learning, and working intergenerationally with young people. This experience will encourage participants to think carefully about the role of culture and community in social and spiritual development.

Member churches or ecumenical partners may nominate up to two participants (comprising ONE male and ONE female). The programme will be seeking a balance of genders, regional representation, and people with different skills and experience.

Prospective participants must possess a passport with at least SIX months validity that expires no earlier than 30 November 2026.

Application deadline: 16 February 2026

Downloads:

1. About Ohope Marae
2. Programme Application Form
3. Church Endorsement Form
4. Health Form

Revisioning Educational Ministry

To embrace a broader global understanding of formation for mission, CWM is thinking GLocally (both globally and locally). Most of our programmes have two core elements: 1) being based in a particular place for a particular time, and 2) facilitating the interactions of people from around the world in a short-term intentional community. We think about the particular context in which we are temporarily placed and how this speaks to our varied contexts, together helping us to gain insights about worldwide issues and concerns.

In addition to programmes, we are involved with global communities:

Theologians without Borders is a community of socially engaged theologians committed to accompanying the theological institutions and churches in the Global South to facilitate life-flourishing education.

Service, Witness and Worship – Ministry of Service (DIAKONIA) the Word and Sacrament (LOGOS) are central to the vocation of the Church. However, it is important to decolonize the altar and pulpit and transform them as spaces that inspire the church to “rising to life and breaking out from Babylon.”