Course Information
It is our aim to provide a curriculum which attends to the personal life of pastors and evangelists as well as areas of ministry in which they faithfully serve through a range of courses under four main categories:-
(a) Spiritual Theology:
Spiritual theology is about giving careful attention to the person and work of the triune God of grace as he shapes and transforms our lives by his Word through his Spirit. Courses taught in this category include theological reflection:
- On our relationship with the triune God as revealed in the Scriptures;
- On our personal testimony and what it means to be given a new start in life by being ‘born-again’;
- Concerning our hurts and wounds, the scars of which influence our relationships with others and the necessity of ‘inner-healing’;
- On our relationships within our immediate and extended family and how our faith has a transforming effect on such relationships.
(b) Biblical Studies:
In this discipline we assume an attitude of encountering revelation i.e. a living encounter with the living Word from a living God to his living Church. Major themes in scripture are looked at as well as selective Bible book studies. Our intent is that significant time is spent on considering the importance of the theme or the text for the spirituality of the Christian community, in particular those in leadership.
(c) Missiological Issues:
Courses taught in this category aim to challenge the students to go beyond their comfort zones to know their world and relate theologically to it. Through analysis of real life case studies provided by the students themselves, theological issues are identified and discussed. An integrated approach to mission is encouraged throughout, recognising the holistic nature of the human person. Various missiological methods are examined to expose the students to a variety of legitimate ways of relating the Gospel to their respective communities.
(d) The Pastoral Gift:
God has given to his Church those with the gift of pastorally caring for others within the body. These include Christians who devote much of their spare time to caring for the body as well as professional staff whose pastoral role is exercised on a more full-time basis. It is important not only to think theologically about pastoral issues but to act theologically. Various subjects are considered under this section which are relevant to ministry in our diverse contexts. These subjects include:
- Holy Scripture - the formation of the Church community through the receiving of the Scriptures by means of preaching and teaching, and learning to read well the story for themselves.
- Prayer - foundational and integral to our relationship with God is prayer. Like the disciples in the New Testament the Church needs to be taught to pray. Our personal understanding of prayer will directly influence what we teach others. An in-depth look at prayer is essential to the appropriate exercising of the pastoral gift.
- Discipling - mentoring the community through the various stages of their lives, eg. Sunday school, youth issues, marriage counselling, dynamics of family life, from life to death.
- Healing the hurting - particularly the bereaved, terminally ill, divorced or separated, the abused or abuser, the poor and underprivileged, those dealing with spiritual oppression from ‘principalities and powers’, etc.
- Equipping the saints for service in the community of faith and the larger community in which they live. (Covering issues of community based healthcare programmes, empowerment).
Format For Courses:
- Diocesan Courses
Once a year all the pastors and evangelists, together with their spouses, come together for a four day conference at Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre. - Regional Courses
Pastors meet together for mutual encouragement on a regular basis. It is less intense than the larger group sessions yet nevertheless an outline of study is provided for them to follow. - Personal Retreats
Pastors and evangelists are encouraged to have at least one personal retreat each year. This can be seen as a time for physical, spiritual and mental refreshment. Opportunity for a time of solitude with personal reflection, prayer and Bible study is also encouraged.