What is IML?
The IML Certificate offers a personal developmental journey in Christian Spirituality, Leadership and Organisational Development in the context of Mission.
The IML programme grew out of conversations in 2017 between Executive Director, Dr Paul Bendor-Samuel, and Dr Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge, a global leader in Organisational Development who had provided pro-bono consultancy to many mission agencies. With others she developed the programme and was its Dean for the initial cohorts.
The programme is composed of four modules over the course of a year. Each module integrates the core themes of spiritual formation, leadership, organisational development and mission. The number of participants is capped at 30 to maximise learning.
Its purpose is to:
- Nurture godly leaders in mission who have a developing understanding and ability to integrate God’s truth, wherever it is found, into their own spiritual formation, leadership and organisational development in the context of mission.
- Help participants to play an individual and collective role in influencing the way leadership and mission is practised and to support changes that will help transform structures to be responsive to God’s mission in changing political, economic, social, technical, cross-cultural and spiritual contexts.
Programme outline
The programme is composed of four modules spread over 12 months. Each module integrates the core themes of spiritual formation, leadership, organisational development and mission.
The process of learning will emphasise
- individual and small group work
- reflexive and experiential exercises
- spiritual formation exercises
- peer group coaching and support
- participant engagement in programme development and learning approaches
Each module will be taught by senior faculty. Between modules it is expected that the cohort will engage on-line periodically to share experience and support learning.
Who teaches the course?
The programme has been building a growing faculty pool and includes the following:
- Dr Paul Bendor-Samuel, Programme Director, UK
- Josiah Watters, Programme Dean, Thailand
- Dr Kirk Franklin, Australia
- Dr Sung Chan Kwon, Korea
- Dawn Yip, Singapore
Eligibility requirements
- senior leaders, currently leading or on the senior leadership team, of organisations and networks focused on some part of God’s mission
- those committed to reflecting and acting on the changing nature of cross-cultural mission
- reasonable English proficiency
- must have organisational endorsement and commit to the whole programme
Course dates and fees
Dates and locations for Cohort VI course are still to be confirmed. Tentative dates and locations are:
- Module 1: Arrival Sunday 7th – Departure Friday 12th March 2027 – location tbc
- Module 2: Arrival Sunday 27th June – Departure Friday 2nd July 2027 – location tbc
- Module 3: Arrival Sunday 12th – Departure Friday 17th September 2027 – location tbc
- Module 4: Arrival Sunday 14th – Departure Friday 19th November 2027 – location tbc
The full cost is £3,950 per participant, which includes tuition fees, accommodation costs, meals and course materials. This does not include travel costs. OCMS does offer some scholarships.
We will be accepting applications for Cohort VI from Autumn 2026.