The Australian College of Ministries has a rich history rooted in the gradual coming together of four different colleges into the one training body we see today:
- Churches of Christ in NSW Theological College, Sydney (formerly known as Woolwich Bible College)
- Kenmore Christian College, Brisbane
- The Alliance College of Theology, Canberra
- Stirling Theological College, Melbourne (formerly known as College of the Bible and Churches of Christ Theological College)
Our story began over 100 years ago with the vision and commitment of men and women from the early pioneering movement of Churches of Christ in Australia, who recognised the need to train people involved in preaching and evangelism locally, here in Australia, so that people will hear the gospel, and our churches might thrive.
This vision led to the College of the Bible being established in 1907 in Melbourne, beginning with 16 students under the tutelage of Principal H.G. Harward. For a brief time, lectures were held in the Lygon Street Church of Christ (Carlton) and then on Rathdowne Street. With the assistance of a generous benefactor, the College moved in 1910 to a four-acre property at Glen Iris, then later to Mulgrave in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
In 1911, the second principal, A.R. Main, clarified the College’s reason for being:
"The chief purpose of the College is to provide Biblical instruction and to furnish ample facilities in education for Christian ministry…to encourage an impartial and unbiased investigation of the Christian Scriptures, and in the spirit of devout faith in the Divine Word, freely to lay under tribute (study or scrutinise with respect) every source of light and truth available to modern scholarship."
Then, in 1942, the leaders of the Churches of Christ in NSW, with the life and vitality of NSW churches in mind and the vision to see the movement expand, sought to equip and train evangelists and ministers in NSW. They established the Churches of Christ Theological College of NSW at Woolwich on the shores of the Lane Cove River. Some 22 years later, Queensland Churches of Christ established Kenmore Christian College in Brisbane with the same vision and passion to see their churches thrive.
In the late 1990’s, led by the vision of Dr Keith Farmer to provide professional ministry training that seeks to integrate theory and practice and give more emphasis to spiritual formation as well as to make this ministry training more accessible, Churches of Christ in NSW Theological College (now based in Carlingford, Sydney) merged with Kenmore Christian College in 1999 to form The Australian College of Ministries (ACOM). The two campuses were sold, and Training Hubs were established in local Churches of Christ around the country with the vision to take the academy to the church and to prepare people for practical pastoral ministry and leadership in the Churches of Christ and beyond.
ACOM became a founding institutional member of the Sydney College of Divinity (SCD) in 1983, a consortium of theological colleges. This enables ACOM to teach SCD's government-recognised degrees from Diploma through to PhD.
In 2016, the Christian and Missionary Alliance of Australia (the C&MA) joined the college, enabling ACOM to offer specific mission training courses for Intercultural Engagements. The Alliance Institute for Mission was formed and is a catalyst for the development and training of men and women for cross-cultural ministry.
Then in 2023, Stirling College came together with ACOM to begin the process of establishing ‘One National College’ for the Churches of Christ in Australia and the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Australia.
Together, having chosen the ACOM Company and Brand as the vehicle to steward this Coming Together, the Stirling School of Community Care has been established as a vital and strategic piece for the college. It brings together: Counselling, Professional Supervision and Chaplaincy, providing greater strength and diversity to ACOM offerings, particularly with the addition of Counselling.
Over the years ACOM, together with its legacy colleges, have produced thousands of graduates serving as ministers, evangelists, lay leaders, welfare workers, teachers, counsellors, chaplains, missionaries, and church planters.
ACOM now specialises in flexible delivery. It is a hybrid of distance learning, mixed with targeted in person and online student learning experiences, supported through Spiritual Formation Groups and Unit Facilitations. ACOM has developed a national and international reputation for excellence and innovation. ACOM has staff (student support, academic, operations and leadership development), formation leaders, and unit facilitators across Australia.
ACOM has formed partnerships of mutual assistance in ministry development and training with like-minded training organisations.
Churches of Christ have a historic commitment to unity amongst all believers which has ensured ACOM is an authentic and integrated cross-denominational gathering of students, staff, church, and ministry partnerships.