Waxahachie, TX
October 5, 2018 | Mikayla Heldt
Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) hosted their 12th annual Credentialing Day on Thursday, September 27. Leaders from several Assemblies of God districts came to the campus to meet with students and provide information about how to engage the credentialing process in their districts.
Dr. Mike Clarensau, Dean of the College of Bible and Church Ministries, said, “It’s really a relational time. Districts love to come because they enjoy sitting down and meeting with students.”
Over the past couple of years, more districts have taken an interest in SAGU, and a record number of 14 district representatives participated in this year’s Credentialing Day.
“I’m excited at so many more districts coming in because of the ministry opportunities they represent,” Clarensau says.
This past year, there were 126 SAGU and 11 SAGU AIC graduates that were newly credentialed. Clarensau, like the rest of the SAGU faculty, is proud of what these former students have been able to accomplish.
“I’m always looking at some of the sharpest students I know,” he says.
Once a SAGU student completes 18 or 24 hours of Bible classes required in their degree plan, he or she is eligible to take the credentialing exam. This is not only applicable for ministry majors – every SAGU student or alumnus has this opportunity.
“If they do their full Bible core, they meet the qualifications to be a licensed minister,” Clarensau says.
Students were also able to attend a Credentialing Seminar on September 25th and 26th during chapel hour, where Clarensau provided an overview of the content on the exam.
“It helps students get ready for the credentialing exam and we also talk to them about how to prepare for the interview. So it’s kind of a good refresher course…. the seminar is an effort to pull it all together, into one moment,” he says.
A total of 60 students came to the seminar – the most to ever attend the seminar.
Clarensau enjoys watching district leaders look for new young leaders to come into their churches, and notices that students have gotten more confident after sitting down and talking to these leaders. He looks forward to Credentialing Days to come.
“It’s kind of exciting on both ends, watching that relationship happen.”
Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu
