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1. The Bible |
1a Introduction to the Bible
(Saturday 14 November 2026)
A whistle-stop tour of the whole of the Bible, its various genres, how it holds together and how we might understand it. |
1b Introduction to the OT
(Saturday 12 June 2027)
How to read and study the Old Testament through history, poetry, wisdom and prophecy and how it points to the promised Christ. |
1c Introduction to the NT
(Saturday 12 February 2028)
Understanding the New Testament and its fulfilment of the Messiah through the gospels, the birth of the church and the letters to the church. |
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2. The Mission of God |
2a Introduction to the Mission of God
(Saturday 13 February 2027)
An introduction to ‘missio dei’ in Christ. This session would include a look at contemporary culture and the relevance of the gospel in today’s world. |
2b Missional Church
(Saturday 9 October 2027)
What does it mean to be a missional church and the role of community evangelism, outreach and justice through words, works and wonders |
2c Missional Disciples
(Saturday 11 March 2028)
Consideration of our own missional practices and evangelism and how social action, the spoken word and acts of justice form our outreach |
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3. Leadership |
3a Introduction to Christian Leadership
(Saturday 13 March 2027)
What does Christian leadership look like? What styles of leadership are there? Understanding of oneself in the call of leadership. |
3b Pastoral care, equipping and empowerment.
(Saturday 13 October 2027)
A look at how Christian leaders should relate to others through pastoral care, equipping of the saints and the empowering of other disciples and leaders. |
3c Missional Leadership
(Saturday 8 April 2028)
A consideration of the role leadership plays in seeing an effective missional community emerge and grow. |
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4. Christian Beliefs |
4a Foundations to Belief 1
(Saturday 10 October 2026)
Includes:
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Who is God?
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Who is Jesus?
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Who is the Spirit?
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The place of scripture
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The role of the church
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4b Foundations of Belief 2
(Saturday 11 September 2027)
Includes:
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The centrality of Jesus’ death and resurrection
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Living as disciples of Jesus
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What is the Kingdom of God?
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The importance of the return of Jesus
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Our understanding of eternal life, heaven and our own resurrection
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5. Reflective Practice |
5a Introduction to Reflective Practice
(Saturday 9 January 2027)
A session that will focus on who we are, how God has formed us, how our experiences have shaped us, our gifts, our calling and our character. |
5b (& 6b) Supplementary sessions
The reflective module can be supplemented by attending an association run spiritual formation group (monthly - online session). |
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6. Spirituality and Formation |
6a Introduction to Spiritual Formation
(Saturday 8 May 2027)
Learning from spiritual disciplines and practices including studying God's word, prayer, prophecy, solitude, fasting, contemplation,
meditation etc. |
6b (& 5b) Supplementary sessions
The spirituality module can be supplemented by attending an association run spiritual formation group (monthly - online session). |
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7. Baptist Foundations |
7a Our Baptist Heritage
(Saturday 9 April 2027)
What might we learn from Baptist history and the principles that have guided the Baptist family for over 400 years. |
7b Leadership in a Baptist context
(Saturday 8 January 2028)
What does Baptist leadership look like and how might we serve best as leaders within a Baptist context. |
8. Ministry Practice*
* To complete the course a person will need to choose two of these sessions.
(They will run on Saturday 13 May 2028 & Saturday 10 June 2028) |
8a Leading worship
Worship is an essential part of the Christian life. We reflect on the theology and practice of worship, drawing from a range of styles and practices. |
8b Telling God’s story
How do we communicate the story of God today? We will consider preaching, teaching, small group communication and discussion, as well as creative and digital communication of the gospel. |
8c Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy comes in many shapes and sizes. We will specifically consider the role of chaplaincy in various contexts and situations and the role it plays within the kingdom of God. |
8d Children, Youth and Families
An introduction to Children, Youth and Families ministry and its importance in mission and discipleship. |
8e Small Group Leadership
The context and dynamics of a small group will be considered with tips and tricks given on how to lead a small group well in various contexts. |
8f Pioneering and Church Planting
An introduction to various Church Planting models and strategies. It will also consider when, why and how a church would plants new Christian communities. |