MTS is excited to announce a new study option for MTW-MTS apprentices: an undergraduate certificate through Mary Andrews College.
MTW-MTS Partnership Developer, Clare Merkel, has worked closely over the last six months with Dr Laurel Moffatt, Principal of Mary Andrews College, to develop a flexible and targeted course available to MTS apprentices across Australia that will deepen apprentices’ theological understanding and equip them for ministry.
Clare Merkel
Laurel Moffat
This partnership marks the start of a new, fruitful relationship between our two aligned organisations, while also being a wonderful step towards making ministry training more accessible for women of all contexts and situations!
“We’re launching a new MTW-MTS pathway in 2026 where women can do a three to five day apprenticeship. Flexibility has been built in to accommodate the varying capacities of women in different seasons of life. An apprentice can choose one of the existing options of study, which includes the Certificate of Theology with Timothy Partnership and an added Ministry Training for Women course through one of our other Partner Colleges, or you can choose this new exciting Undergraduate Certificate with Mary Andrews College.”, says Clare.
Mary Andrews College, accredited with the Australian University of Theology, is an evangelical theological college that has been training and equipping women in the Bible for over 130 years to serve the church, the community, and the world. With a rich heritage of training women for ministry, the College understands the particular pastoral needs of female students.
Now the College is taking their experience, expertise and passion for training women and working with MTS to create a complete undergraduate certificate for an MTS cohort.
Clare explains, “So female apprentices can come on and do an Undergraduate Certificate of Ministry through Mary Andrews College either in-person or online. It’s been curated by MAC in consultation with MTS to ensure apprentices are developing healthy ministry practices flowing from theological understanding. It’s very leadership-focused, with a newly created women’s ministry subject in there as well.”
Laurel says the College is thrilled to be providing this new option for women doing MTS. She shares, “We are really looking forward to welcoming MTS apprentices to Mary Andrews College! Over the years, I have been so encouraged by the work of MTS in equipping women to bring the good news of Jesus to our hurting world. The commitment of MTS to train women for ministry through both theological education and practical ministry skills sits close to the heart and work of Mary Andrews College. We at Mary Andrews College are honoured to be able to support the work of raising up and training more women for gospel ministry through accredited theological study.”
Flexible, robust training designed for real women
Both Clare and Laurel recognise the need for flexible but rigorous theological training for women entering ministry.
“Good theology is not just important for women at all stages of life and ministry, it is essential” says Laurel. “I often consider the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, ‘What is the chief end of man (or woman)?’ In other words, what is our telos? The true purpose and goal of our lives? And the answer according to this catechism? To know God and enjoy him forever. Good theology enables us to understand what this means in every part and every stage of our life so that we can be prepared, as it says in Peter’s first letter to believers in Turkey, ‘to give the reason for the hope that we have’ in Jesus.’”
MTW-MTS recognises that women often face particular demands upon their time, and this training pathway is already catered towards their need for flexibility. This new partnership with Mary Andrews College was developed with these needs in mind. Clare explains, “the bonus of this is women can do one streamlined theological course, and when they finish their apprenticeship, they can have the option to go on to do a diploma or a bachelor degree, having completed the equivalent of first year.”
Unlike many of the other current training options for women doing MTW-MTS, the Mary Andrews College undergraduate certificate will kickstart a longer theological degree if desired, reducing another barrier that stops women continuing to train for ministry work.
“The world is constantly changing,” says Laurel, “But similarly, good ministry changes too. It is not static but responsive to the changing needs of the people around us. Good theological education enables students to stand firm in God’s eternal truth as revealed in Scripture, resourced well to respond to those affected and afflicted by the changes and chances of this world with the good news of Jesus so that, ultimately, they too can discover their true reason for being, ‘to know God and enjoy him forever.’”
The new Undergraduate Certificate of Ministry through Mary Andrews College will be available from February 2026. Please pray for the further development of this certificate and that it would equip countless women to train for ministry through MTS and win the world for Christ!