• Discover how to Cultivate "Good Soil "

• Discover how to Map Maturity

• Practice and Teach Biblical Stewardship

• Discover how to Run a Safe, Spiritual and Stretching Lifegroup

• Identify the Call of God in others 

• Identify and Develop Spiritual Gifts 

• Learn how to Resolve Conflict 

• Learn how to carry Macro Vision & cast Micro Vision

• Discover how to Gather and Galvanize Teams 

• Learn basic Crisis Response Skills (including the Role of Referring)

• Understand how to approach Grief and Loss

• Pastoral Care Principles (including Home and Hospital Visits)

• Learn the Importance of Personal & Professional Boundaries

• Learn and practice the skill of Active Listening

• Practice Writing and Preaching a Message (including Conducting Altar Calls)

• Receive training in Effective Prayer Ministry

• Discover how to MC a service and lead through Communion & Offering

• Learn how to navigate the Wins and the Losses of Ministry

• Understand the Role of ACCI

• Evangelism and the Different Approaches

• Learn how to Craft your Testimony into 30 seconds, 3 minutes and 30 minute messages

• Receive foundational Apologetics Training

• Gain insight into Charity’s and NFP’s (including implementing Fund Raising program)

• Gain insight into working with Government & Organisations

• Discover Best Practices for Workplace Communication

• Learn how to Implement Great Events

• Discover the Benefits of Debrief and Review (OKR's)

• Practice Planning a Ministry Year

• Learn how to Manage Budgets

• Learn why & how to take Minutes in a Meeting

• Understand the Importance of Compliance (includes Risk Assessment and Incident Procedures)

• Complete Safer Churches Training and Understand it’s Importance

Hope Academy is committed to helping you discover your unique gifts and anointing on your life. We will partner with you on this journey to equip you to walk out God’s purpose. We do this through excellent teaching, personal study, inspirational ministry, practical experience in your local church, and exposure to missional opportunities. All of this is done amongst a cohort of students with the same desire to grow!

New in 2026, we are offering the selection of two streams. The Local Ministry Stream and the Global Mission Stream. Both options end with you completing the Diploma of Leadership, however with a difference in elective subjects and practical ministry experience. For the Global Mission Stream, we partner with the ACCi to see you complete your studies through a 3 month internship with one of ACCi’s mission partners around the world.

The Diploma of Leadership is best completed full time and it will take you one full year (two semesters) to do so. Semesters are 13 weeks long so the course is 26 weeks of the year.

Full time consists of Monday 2:00pm-9pm, Tuesdays 9am-4:30pm and one additional day each week of Practical Ministry Experience in your local church for the duration of your study.

With the new Global Mission Stream - the 3 month Global Mission Internship is in addition to the full year timeframe. (It is likely to be completed in the first semester of the following year.) However, you will have a lighter academic load in Semester 2 as you prepare to go overseas.

Sure do! This is an excellent option for those with commitments of work or family responsibilities!

Part time is two subjects per semester. There is a total of eight subjects for the Diploma of Leadership so this will take you two years to finish.

Part time is Monday nights from 6pm-9pm, covering the two subjects only.

Semester 1 starts with O-Week on Monday 23 February 2026, with lectures commencing on Monday 2 March 2026 going through till Friday 12 June 2026.

Semester 2 starts on Monday 3 August 2026 going through to Friday 13 November 2026.

Hope Academy has four outcomes that we believe will empower you to have Kingdom influence wherever you go:

IDENTITY

Firstly, know who you are in Christ and why you believe what you believe. Our identity as Christians is not in our careers, our roles in society or our emotions; it's firmly in Christ alone. To lead others we first have to know how to lead ourselves.

CALLING

Secondly, know where God has called you and why he needs you specifically. See the bigger picture for your life and develop the gifts God has given you. The Diploma of Leadership is applicable to any and every sphere of life, helping you step into places and spaces with confidence and courage.

EQUIPPING

Thirdly, be equipped through world class content, nationally recognized training and hands on experience and mentoring to not just know what you think, but also how to implement change.

CONNECTION

Fourthly, find a great bunch of mates that will cheer you on and walk through life with you. Be sharpened by people in other area’s of expertise and broaden your perspective on the Kingdom.

We’ve intentionally designed Hope Academy to include components that enable and foster growth and development.

PRACTICAL MINISTRY

We invite you to immerse yourself in practical expressions of ministry. These may be outside of your comfort zone, even outside of your natural skill set. Liken it to walking on water. We believe that growth starts where our current ability ends. There will be reflection exercises, debriefs and group discussions to process and learn from your experience.

SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

We invite you to intentionally develop positive spiritual practices that will continually transform your life. This will take discipline and determination, but is where your walk with God will truly flourish. These will be practiced individually and as a cohort, with reflection and discussion opportunities.

QUALITY TEACHING

We invite you to engage with world class teaching around the bible, ministry, missions, not-for-profit and leadership. This will take focus and humility. There will be discussion groups and reflection opportunities around the content.

PERSONAL MENTORING

We invite you to participate in a mentoring relationship. This is about finding someone to walk this journey of transformation with you. Someone that has gone before us to speak into our journey. This may be challenging at times, but it will always be rewarding.

This is you sinking your teeth into ministry.

For Full-time students, you complete approximately 8hrs a week working behind the scenes with a supervising pastor to help plan, develop and implement programs and events in a ministry of your choice. There is a PME Agreement signed between you and your supervisor and weekly meetings are required for debriefing and feedback. This is a great opportunity to grow in your ministry giftings and because we take it so seriously, it’s something we’ll discuss more in person at your interview finding out what your passions are, what your current ministry experience is and what your future calling is. Please note, classes are on Monday and Tuesday and cannot be adjusted, however, your Practical Ministry Experience is flexible. If you work part time, we are committed to finding you a ministry opportunity that fits into your schedule.

For Part-time students, you complete this as one of your subjects over a semester or two.

Assessed subjects for Diploma of Leadership are $1565.* Total Diploma cost is $12,520.*

FEE-Help is available for Australian Citizens and New Zealand Passport holders that meet the criteria as laid out on the Aus Gov website.

If you are not eligible for FEE-Help you can either pay upfront directly to Alphacrucis for each subject you enroll in each semester or you can enquire about securing a study loan.

*Fee's correct at time of writing, subject to change.

In addition to this, all students will go on one of Hope Academy’s mission trips (approx. 8 days in length). This will cost $1500 (all inclusive). We can establish a local payment plan with Hope Academy for this over the first Semester.

For students choosing the Global Mission Stream, the 3-month ACCi internship will have added costs separate to Hope Academy and will be determined in partnership over the course of the year. (This will be you walking by faith!)

Local Ministry Stream

Sem 1

1. ACA001 Faith and Purpose

2. MIN001 Intro to Pastoral Ministry

3. BIB009 Intro to Old Testament

4. LEA004 Personal Leadership

Sem 2

1. EXP001 Professional Practice

2. THE005 Intro to Theology

3. BIB010 Intro to New Testament

4. LEA005 Leadership Principles

Global Mission Stream

Sem 1

1. ACA001 Faith and Purpose

2. CCM001 Intro to Cross-Cultural Ministry

3. BIB009 Intro to Old Testament

4. LEA004 Personal Leadership

Sem 2

1. BIB010 Intro to New Testament

2. LEA005 Leadership Principles

3. XXX000 Field Study (completed during Global Mission Internship in first semester the following year)

4. EXP001 Professional Practice (completed during Global Mission Internship in first semester the following year)

Please note: Sem 2 will be a lighter academic load (2 subjects) and time saved will be used for Hope Academy supported mission preparation, ACCi Intercultural Missions Course and personal fundraising.

We want to immerse you in life changing experiences throughout your time at Hope Academy. You’ll get to be part of the following:

• Weekly Chapel

• Exposure to Leaders from Ministry/Not-for-Profit/Marketplace

• Outreach Opportunities

• Practical Ministry Experience

• Church Wide Events

• A Mission Trip

• Regional ACC Meetings

• State & National ACC Events

Jesus sent his disciples out to “heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons,” before they graduated from “Jesus school.” He then debriefed them on their return as they marveled that even demons listened to them. Jesus illustrated a ‘learning by doing’ teaching style and we think it’s pretty genius.

Some of you will get to do some of these as part of your Practical Ministry Experience, for the rest we would like to give you the opportunity to experience these over the course of your time in Hope Academy.

• Shower Truck (BNE)

• Uni Ministry / Red Frogs (BNE)

• Community Lunches (LGN)

• Mimi’s House (MTN & LGN)

• School’s Ministries (MTN, BNE, LGN)

The Mission Trip is also an incredible Outreach Opportunity built into the Hope Academy year!

This is a pivotal moment for every cohort. O-Week happens straight up, first week of college to set the tone for your whole time with us.

Monday is 2pm-9pm, starting with sessions that will prepare your heart and your head for an incredible year of learning and transformation! Then we have a dinner with Hope Centre's key Leaders, and finish with powerful teaching, great worship, and ministry time with Ps Wayne Alcorn.

Tuesday is 9am to 4pm with more connecting with Hope Centre staff and each other. It is also a day to make sure you are practically ready and have all you need to be successful! Morning Tea & Lunch will be provided.

God wants to increase your capacity to receive and grow in your time at Academy and deal with any hang up’s we might have that could try and get in the way down the track. Come ready for a life changing couple of days!