search the site...
4. called to lead: teaching & serving
Called to Lead will involve many things, but the two essential bits we're focussing on are the role of serving and learning. You'll find yourself serving in some extrememly practical ways and getting some quality teaching on all sorts of stuff. Read on to find out more...
serving your heart out...
Approximately two days a week will be spent working in one of the following:
1) With our church, Soul Survivor Watford (possibly on the youth team, evangelism team, worship team etc)
2) With Soul Survivor Ministires (possibly with the marketing team, production team, administration team etc).
Your involvement in these areas could include anything from leading cell groups, to getting involved in schools work, detached work and other sorts of youth meetings, helping lead Alpha or outreaches on a local estate, or getting involved involved in church plants and lots of other projects the church runs, as well as administrative tasks.
stick with it...
We are passionate about raising up a generation of leaders who long to serve and bless the Church (whether in fulltime ministry or not). This part of the course might involve some pretty mundane tasks but serving is vital in growing and developing the character and heart that God loves in leaders.
We long to cheer you on and help you wrestle with the challenges that come up in all sorts of ways as you actively and practically serve God’s kingdom.
getting away from watford...
There will also be opportunities to go with Mike, Andy, Ali and others on two overseas ministry trips and a number of UK trips. On these trips there should be time to hang out, opportunities to see what God is doing through our brothers and sisters all over the world, and a chance to bless them and learn from them. (Please note you will need to raise your own travel costs for the overseas trips).
the teaching
Each week there will be approximately two days worth of teaching. The material will cover some academic stuff, but don't worry, if studying isn't your thing you won't be left behind. Andy Croft who is heading up the course will host these theology sessions, which will be made up of several modules, outlined as follows:
1. theology:
Perhaps the largest section of teaching will be aimed at getting you into the Bible, stretching and engaging your minds in order to enrich your relationship with the Living God.
2. introduction to the old testament:
There will be stuff covering the whole of the old testament from The Pentateuch to the Historical books through to the Wisdom literature, the Psalms, the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets and even the Inter-Testa (mental) period.
3. introduction to the new testament:
We'll be looking at the whole thing from the Synoptic Gospels to John, Acts and the Early Church, the letters of Paul and others and of course, Revelation!
4. meaty bible questions:
Engaging with tough questions raised by the Scripture itself – didn’t Saul have a rough time of it? How come Paul seems to contradict himself? Wrestling with specific Biblical issues to probe beneath the surface of the Bible.
5. key doctrines:
Ever wondered how God could be three and one at the same time (Trinitarian theology) or what and who Jesus was and is (Christology)? What about all that stuff on the cross, sacrifice, and salvation (Soteriology) or have you just got some questions on the work of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology). Did Jesus really intend to build his church on a rock and what part does it play (Ecclesiology). We'll look at all these ideas and questions, plus a few more besides!
6. theological issues today:
There are lots of theological issues today from free will and predestination to how Christianity deals with sexuality, society, politics and grace. We'll spend time loooking into some of these discussions and have some time left over to debate the whole end of the world issue (Escatology)... if we're still here.
7. apologetics:
We'll also spend some time looking at some of the most engaging and classic objections to Christianity that are about today... the point isn't to rock your spiritiual world, but to give you the tools and insight to discuss and defend what you believe.
don’t worry...
Don't worry If academia and studying aren’t exactly your thing. This teaching will stretch your minds but it’s also intended to be really accessible and relevant - our hope is that it will set your hearts on fire and not just give you a headache!
communication
Ali Martin will be teaching on the principles of communication, how to prepare and give talks; the key things to avoid and to aim for. This will provide a safe environment to give talks and receive feedback.
‘praying for people so that stuff happens’:
Jeannie Morgan and others will be leading a module on hearing God’s voice, growing in the gift of prophecy, praying for healing of the body and heart, what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit and growing in the gifts of the Spirit. These sessions will be both biblical and practical.
worship:
Mike Pilavachi, Tim Hughes, Beth Croft and others will give the biblical base for our theology of worship and practical input in leading worship effectively today. This will include sessions on worship and culture, listening to the leading of the Spirit, the relationship between Pastor and Worship leader and song writing.
leadership and values:
Mike Pilavachi will lead a module covering principles of Christian leadership and how this applies to leading in the 21st century. It will involve an exploration of different models of leadership today with a view to forming a pattern that is biblical, authentic and relevant. Clearly in this module we will be reflecting the ethos and values of Soul Survivor. All of the above teaching will take place over the 10 month period.
and finally...
There’ll be a certain amount of flexibility involved – for example if you’re more Mike Pilavachi than Ben Cantelon, then you wouldn’t have to take part in the song-writing class! We’re doing everything we can to make the teaching exciting, deep and really practical. We believe that this stuff is important – the more we understand and believe in our heads, the better equipped we are to live it through our lives!