Each Thrive course will have the same requirements, so that there is consistency in structure throughout the certificate. Each course will have 1-2 textbooks and the students will be required to attend and participate in class, write a 1-page book summary, and write a 3-5 page reflection paper.

This certificate is offered as an academic program through Leavell College. To complete Thrive: A Ministry Wives Certificate, each student must complete the 8 required courses, each of which is worth one credit hour. Since these are offered every 8-weeks, on a rotating schedule, a student will be able to complete two courses per semester and the entire 8 credit hour certificate in 2 years. Once a student has completed all 8 courses, she is eligible to graduate during the December or May graduation ceremony and will receive her certificate.

The tuition for each Thrive class is $200 for SBC students (or $300 for nonSBC students). If you choose to participate in the NOLA2U Flex (Online) Thrive classes, you will be charged an additional $80 internet program fee per class.

If you’re the wife of a current student, then your application fee, tuition, and childcare is completely covered, free of charge! This is because of two very generous endowments honoring Ann Allen & Mary French. It is their desire that wives be trained for ministry alongside their student-husbands with little to no cost. Wives of current students will be charged the full cost of Thrive classes when registered, and the tuition scholarship will be applied to your account after the course add/drop period for that term. (Please note: the Internet program fee is not covered by scholarship for NOLA2U Flex/Online.)

If your husband is not a current student, you are still welcome to take Thrive classes, but the above tuition scholarships wouldn’t apply. There is also no childcare available in this option, and a $40 application fee will be charged to enroll in the program.

Yes! Right now, in addition to the Mary French and Ann Allen endowments, we have a scholarship for African American students. Click here to learn more!

We also have full scholarships available for the wives of Caskey students (https://www.nobts.edu/caskeycenter/) to take Thrive classes online or in person. If your spouse is a Caskey scholarship recipient, then you can be too! Contact caskeycenter@nobts.edu or financialaid@nobts.edu for more information. After registering for the course(s), please fill out this form to receive the scholarship!

If you are already a ministry wife serving in Louisiana, there is another scholarship just for you! Just click here to apply for this scholarship through the Women’s Ministry and Missions Branch of the Louisiana Baptist State Convention. They are offering all current ministry wives in our state, a $100 scholarship per course- That is a 50% savings, bringing the tuition from $200 to $100 per class!

Since we are working to raise more money for financial aid for our Thrive students, this FAQ will change periodically. Please keep checking back!

Whenever you enter Thrive, you will be with a “cohort” (small group) of friends throughout the program. These women understand the pressures of seminary and are here preparing just like you. It is our goal that these friendships will last way beyond the class times and will become a network of support for you in ministry. You will take the classes together and help each other in life, in class, and one day in ministry.

Click here for a printable checklist of classes and other important reminders.

We have two amazing endowments that cover the costs of this program. “The Mary French Ministry Wife Program Endowment” and the “Ann Allen Ministry Wife Excellence Fund” enable student wives to be trained to serve the Lord alongside their husbands, just like Mary French and Ann Allen did.

• Learn more about Mary French: Mary French was a godly ministry wife. She faithfully served the Lord alongside her husband Dr. Tommy French for 56 years. She came to know the Lord at the age of 7 and married at the age of 21. She was the pastor’s wife of Baptist churches in Texas and Louisiana. She loved other ministry wives and encouraged them to use their own spiritual gifts in ministry through the local church.

• Learn more about Ann Allen: Ann and Ray Allen have a heart for ministers’ wives. Married for over 50 years, Ray received his pastoral training here at NOBTS and then served in a variety of churches in Mississippi. His wife Ann was always supportive and by his side. Knowing the many struggles of pastors’ wives, Ann and Ray wanted to begin this scholarship fund to help student spouses to be trained alongside their husbands for ministry.
  
• Would you also like to give toward the Ministry Wives Program here at NOBTS?

To take advantage of the free childcare while you are in class, please click here to register. Please also email our childcare coordinator to make sure that your registration went through: childcare@nobts.edu.

Don’t worry! All of the one-hour classes that you’ve taken will transfer right into this new program. You will only need to complete the number of classes that remain to reach 8 total classes for the certificate.

For example: Let’s say you’ve taken 3 classes in the previous Ministry Wives certificate program. You will just need to take any 5 classes from the new program and then you can graduate!

If you already have a student account number, you do not need to do anything else but register for classes. (You do not need to apply for Thrive as you are already a student of Leavell College/NOBTS.) We look forward to seeing you in our new Thrive classes!

Yes! We desire to train ANY ministry wives that God brings to us! If you are local to New Orleans, you are welcome to attend class in person. If you are in a different part of the state or country, you can participate online. 

Yes! The 8 Thrive classes (and the additional 4 in the “Thrive +” Program) fulfill all theological requirements for spouses to serve with the International Mission Board. Click here to learn more.

Just click here.