Become a Certified Missional Spiritual Director to guide others in their spiritual journey.
Course Description
The Missional Spiritual Direction (MSD) Certificate Program prepares individuals to become spiritual companions who guide others with wisdom, presence, and purpose. The program offers essential skills, theological grounding, and hands-on experience in listening deeply, discerning prayerfully, and walking alongside others on their spiritual journey.
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What is a Missional Spiritual Director?
At its heart, spiritual direction helps individuals deepen their relationship with the divine through attentive presence and reflective questions. This tradition has always included a missional dimension, encouraging people to respond to God both inwardly and outwardly in love, service, and justice.
We use the word missional to reclaim this holistic vision. Though the term is often overused or misunderstood, we emphasize its original meaning: living a life where contemplation and action are one integrated path. Missional spiritual direction helps connect personal formation to vocational calling and communal engagement.
Rooted in inclusivity and diversity, missional spiritual directors draw from a variety of traditions and remain attentive to power, privilege, and access—working to make spiritual guidance available to all.
Course Outcome
Upon completing the program, participants will receive certification as a Missional Spiritual Director from Bakke Graduate University.
Course Details
The MSD Certificate Program is a two-year online cohort-based journey consisting of six modules and a practicum. Each module includes nine sessions.
Cohort sessions are held on Zoom and last 1.5 hours each. Between sessions, participants engage in ongoing conversation and reflection through an online community on Discord, a free messaging app.
The program includes the following components:
Online Orientation:
Introduction to Missional Spiritual Direction.
• Module 1: Directors
Focuses on the identity, posture, and core practices of an abmissional spiritual director, with an emphasis on
contemplative listening and grounded presence.
• Module 2: Directees
Centers on attending to the journey of the directee, guiding them through presence, discernment, and transformation while honoring their longing for connection with God.
• Module 3: Soul Cure
Explores the human condition, spiritual formation, and the transformational journey in missional spiritual direction, with an integrated practicum and supervision.
• Module 4: Soul Care
Guides spiritual directors in helping others abide in God, align with the Spirit, and actualize their faith through deeper union and embodied practices.
• Module 5: Group Spiritual Direction
Equips participants to facilitate group spiritual direction with attentiveness, trust-building, and spacious listening, supported by a supervised practicum.
• Module 6: Active Contemplative Life
Engages the intersection of contemplation and mission, helping directors accompany others in discerning calling, practicing presence, and living faithfully in the world.
Requirements for Completion:
Attend 90% of the classes.
Complete 90% of the readings.
Complete practicum:
- 40 hours: offering spiritual direction sessions (as a trainee)
- 18 hours: receiving supervision (on practicum sessions)
Cohort Dates:
Orientation: January 2026.
Start: January 2026 (Tentative).
Meets weekly (via Zoom).
Cost | $3,750 |
Prerequisite Requirements | Received direction from a Spiritual Director Experienced in the contemplative life and prayer practices. |
Time | 6 – 9 week modules over 2 years. |
Instruction Method | Weekly Zoom meetings, readings, discussions, hands-on experiential assignments. |
Level of Instructor Involvement | Small group setting, paired with supervisor. |
Credit | Certified Missional Spiritual Director. No academic credit. |
Facilitators
Dr. Bruce Jackson: Bruce directs the Doctor of Ministry Program at BGU and brings experience as an associate pastor, community development leader, spiritual director, and executive pastor. His expertise includes spiritual direction and urban contemplative practices in both U.S. and international settings. You can read HERE an interview with Dr. Jackson.
Rev. Dan Lee: Dan serves as Formation Pastor at Renaissance Church, guiding leaders in a decentralized network of microchurches. A longtime church planter, he journeys with those on spiritual pilgrimage, offering spiritual direction, mentorship, and care rooted in presence and discernment.
Dr. Page Mallett: Page is a spiritual director, practicum supervisor, and Ignatian facilitator at BGU and the Ignatian Spirituality Centre of Montreal. A former English teacher, she helps curate resources for the Society of Christian Scholars and supports women leaders in the global South.
Online Application:
Application Deadline: December 1, 2025.
Step 2: Email Application to bruce.jackson@bgu.edu
Step 3: Interview (To be scheduled)
Got questions? Please contact Dr. Bruce Jackson at bruce.jackson@bgu.edu.
FAQs:
What is special about the MSD certification?
Missional Spiritual Director (MSD) Cohort is a program training and certifying individuals to be Spiritual Directors. The emphasis of the training is practical – an internship through the two-year program. The Participant will serve as a spiritual director and receive supervision.
The program emphasizes the inward (deeper union with God), together (community formation) and outward (formation through living on mission out of one’s call) journey. Simply stated the Inward, Outward, and Together Journey. The program emphasizes spiritual formation for all individuals no matter their life situations. Meaning that often spiritual formation has been formed for those who have the time, access, and means to practice formal spiritual practices. Missional Spiritual Formation is built upon the premise that one is formed in community, on mission, and in prayer.
Who would benefit from this certification (what professions/experiences)?
First of all, church leaders and pastors would benefit from MSD. Next, people who have a calling, life focus to walk and guide others into deeper union with God, finally those who desire to connect with the process of spiritual formation for the purpose of walking with their community.
What does someone gain from completing this certification?
One gains experience in spiritual formation from a practical, personal, and theological perspective of the inward, outward, and together journey. One gains training and supervision on the role and the practice of a Spiritual Director with individual and group formation. One gains the foundational understanding of formation soul cure and soul care.
