Statement of purpose:
The purpose of Arise School of Ministries (ASOM) is to discover, cultivate, and empower great church leaders as ministers serving within the Assemblies of God (or other fellowships) by teaching the principles, doctrines, and polity of the Assemblies of God and providing courses that meet the requirements for ministerial credentials outlined by the Pen-Florida District Council and the General Council of the Assemblies of God.
Accreditation
ASOM makes no claim to be accredited at any level. However, we have been approved by the Executive Presbytery of the Assemblies of God to provide the academic training required to pursue credentials with the Assemblies of God. Our focus is NOT on providing you an academic degree, but in equipping you with the necessary tools that you will need to be better prepared for practical ministry in today’s world.
Articulation Agreement:
Our credits are, however, TRANSFERABLE to Southeastern University, Lakeland, Florida only. Upon satisfactory completion of all twenty-eight (28) credits, student may apply for credits at Southeastern University. The general parameters for the agreement are for a three to one ratio (three valid ASOM credits with a minimum 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale for every one SEU credit granted by transfer.
Application
All prospective students are required to fill out an application. Application can be received by hard copy at Arise Assembly of God, or online at www.arisesom.com. Applications should include copies of any official transcripts that may directly cover the requirements for any courses required. Ministerial internship courses must be done concurrently with each level and will not be accepted as transfer unless transferred with a completed level of classification. Application will include a formal background check for fulfillment of church liability requirements for internship. Applications will be accompanied with a $50 non-refundable application fee.
Applications have a minimum 14 day turnaround requirement for approval (dependent on independent background check). Students will NOT be able to register for any classes until application has been approved. There are no fast-track options with applications so students should take that into consideration when turning in their applications.
Class Registration
Pre-Registration for all classes will close no less than 3 weeks prior to class date. Pre-Registration for each class will be $60 per student. There will be a minimum requirement of students pre-registered for each class.
Registration may occur the Sunday prior to the class taking place, but the student will still be responsible for all reading and homework requirements of the class that will be due at the beginning of the class. Late-Registration cost for each class is $80 per student.
Registration can occur at Arise Church or online at www.arisesom.com.
Books
All book purchases are made by the student and are not included in the initial registration fee. Students may purchase the books from ASOM, or Berean school of Bible/Global University. Books should be purchased as soon as possible so the student can begin reading assigned passages. Average cost of the books are $40 per course.
Class times and setup
Classes are held on Saturdays in a “cohort” setting from 8:00AM-5:00PM with a 1 hour lunch generally scheduled for 12:00PM-1:00PM. Each class will consist of one (1) full day Saturday class session, with independent and group study time scheduled before and after the classroom teaching.
Class Attendance
All students are expected to attend the full day of classroom teaching. Students who must leave early from class due to scheduling conflicts will be penalized 5% of the possible grade for every hour of class they miss.
Cancellation of class
No registrations are refunded. A student who discovers a scheduling conflict may transfer their registration fee to another class that occurs within 6 months as long as they withdraw no less than 1 week prior to the class. In the case of documented medical emergencies or a death in the immediate family, the student may transfer their registration fee at any time.
There is a 5 student minimum per class. If a class is cancelled due to this restriction, the registration fee may be transferred to another class that occurs within 6 months.
Classification of students
Students shall be classified by their fulfillment of each level of study. There are three levels of achievement in ASOM;
Level 1- Certified Minister (10 classes)*
Level 2 – License to Preach (10 classes)*
Level 3 – Ordination (8 classes)*
Each of these classifications include an internship. In order for a student to advance to the next classification level, they must complete all of the academic requirements in good standing. A student may however take a class and receive credit one level above their current classification standing as long as the following requirements are fulfilled:
- Student has completed 2/3 of their classroom requirements (6 of 9 classes) in good standing.
- Student is allowed to complete 3 courses above level before completing their current level.
*Please note that ASOM does not credential ministers. Credential must be applied for independently through the Peninsular Florida District Council (see credential section for more information).
Financial obligations
All payments for classes should be made with registration. If a student presents a financial need, administration may give an extension for payment of no more than 2 calendar weeks. No further registration for classes may occur or final grade given until the student’s account is brought back to balance.
Transcripts
Official transcripts are maintained by the offices of ASOM at Arise Church. Signed authorization from the student must be received before an official transcript can be released as is required by law. Students should request a transcript in the office of the Dean. Transcripts are normally processed within five business days upon receipt of the request. A transcript cannot be released if the student has financial obligations to ASOM.
Grades
All grades are subject to the professor. All grades are final. A passing grade is 70% or higher. Anything below a 70% will not give the student credit for the class toward their level achievement. Grades are as follows:
90%-100%: A
80%-89%: B
70%-79%: C
Transfer of Credit
Credit transfers will only be accepted from approved Assembly of God School of Ministry, Berean School, or Assembly of God academic institutions. Credits are approved based on content approval and approved matching of courses to academic requirements. ASOM reserves the right to deny credit for any specific course from any College, University, or School of Ministry at the discretion of the admissions committee. It is the student’s responsibility to request transcripts. All transcripts can be mailed to Arise Church 1210 Millennium Parkway Suite 1050, Brandon FL. 33511.
Transfer students have the right to appeal transfer credit decisions made by the admissions committee. The student must write a letter of appeal accompanied by any additional documentation requested by the committee. The appeal will be reviewed by the committee with additional documentation and the student will be notified of the decision rendered.
Academic Integrity
All forms of cheating and plagiarism are unacceptable for students aspiring to study God’s word and be involved in the ministry of His church. As such, any cheating or plagiarism found by the professor should be collected and submitted to the dean of the school. The Dean will convene a disciplinary committee consisting of himself/herself, one of the Pastoral staff of Arise Assembly of God (preference will be given to the Pastor unless he/she recuses themselves), and one of the regular professors of the school. Based on the severity of the cheating or plagiarism, an interview with the student, and information from the professor of the class affected, the committee will come to a decision. Possible disciplinary measures begin with a “0” for the assignment and may include expulsion from the school. ALL second violations of the cheating and plagiarism policy that are determined by the committee to be accurate shall result in immediate expulsion of the student with a forfeiture of all fees paid.
Credentials
ASOM does not handle credentialing questions. All credential questions should be routed to the credentialing department in the Pen Florida district office. The e-mail address is credentials@penflorida.org, and the phone number is (863) 683-5726 ext. 246.
Internship
All internships should be completed concurrently with the academic level the student is working on. All internships unless otherwise approved will take place with ministries under the purview of Arise Assembly of God. Any other internship considered for approval shall only be granted with the following:
- Must occur at an Assembly of God church in good standing with the Pen Florida District Council or an approved church as determined by the ASOM Committee.
- Any church and Pastor that take on any intern from ASOM assume all liability for accountability and behavior of the student while interning, and agree to release Arise Assembly of God, its subsidiaries, and Pastoral staff of any liability due to student actions committed during the time of the internship.
- Pastoral oversight shall be from an ordained minister of the Assemblies of God with no less than 5 years of ministerial experience, or a member of Arise Assembly of God’s staff, or a Pastor approved by the ASOM Committee.
Arise Church reserves the right to withhold approval of any internship without cause. All internship inquiries should be directed to the dean of students.
Teacher Qualifications
All instructors shall be credentialed ministers with the Assemblies of God who hold a credential at least one level above the level they are teaching (i.e. Level Two courses must be taught by Ordained ministers, etc.) Exceptions can be made whenever an instructor has unique skills that qualify him/her to teach that particular class.