Exponential 2011: Key Questions #4 & #5

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Key Question #4: Where do they focus on leadership development?

Perhaps the question of where should be preceded by the question of if. Do they even have leadership in view? In the trend to focus on good things, such as community life and giftedness, some have intentionally or unintentionally disregarded leadership. If they do address leadership, where do they see leadership being developed? Is a formal institution like a seminary or Bible college assumed to be the normal place for leadership development? Or do they focus more on forms of on-the-job-experience? Further, is leadership something that can be developed in nearly anyone? Or is leadership development something that is construed primarily in terms of other things such as giftedness and fruitfulness?

Key Question #5: What do they mean by discipleship?

When someone refers to discipleship, they usually have some core things in mind. Are those core things mostly about knowledge, character, or behavior? Are they mostly about rules, principles, or worldview? They also usually have some core Scripture passages in mind. What are those passages and do you think that these are passages that the biblical author’s intended to be normative regarding discipleship? In other words, would the apostles recognize their emphasis as fitting with their imperatives about “passing on the deposit” or “the teaching?” You may also want to think about the process of discipleship. Does it lead to spiritual maturity in an explicit manner that measureable and attainable?
During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Exponential 2011: Key Question #3

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Key Question #3: How do they picture Jesus?

Everyone points to Jesus as our model, but what does that Jesus look like? Here are some common recent images of Jesus, even though they aren’t always labeled as explicitly: Jesus CEO is like a business owner using lots of modern business and entrepreneurial skills; Jesus Servant-Leader with the emphasis mostly on the servant side; Jesus the Radical who is characterized more by the dynamic of stirring things up than any particular substance that is worthy of stirring things up for; and more. What form of biblical support do they use for their images of Jesus? How much is really just proof-texting? Ironically, one’s image of Jesus is really a mirror of one’s own values more than the product of careful Bible study. Here are a few biblical points of reference to help you compare how they picture Jesus. How does it compare with the description of Jesus that we get from the kerygmatic sermons of the apostles in Acts? How does it compare to the four portraits we are given in the Gospels?
During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Exponential 2011: Key Question #2

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Key Question #2: How do they treat the Pastoral Epistles?

All of us recognize the Pastoral Epistles (the letters from Paul to Timothy and Titus) as legitimate parts of our Bible, but not everyone uses them in the same manner. It seems that they are being given less attention these days in the books being written about how to do church. As you listen to people give instructions about how to do church, do they consider the Pastoral Epistles as normative instructions for how to do church in all times and all places? If they are something else, such as artifacts about what the early church did from which we can find principles, on what basis can we conclude that the principles are normative? It may also be informative to think about what they mean by the “Paul/Timothy” model of 2 Timothy 2:2. Is it just about an older guy mentoring a younger guy (talking about whatever the older guy likes or dislikes?) Or is it about a training process that sustains the exponential growth and health of a Great Commission church planting movement?
During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

Exponential 2011: Key Question #1

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Key Question #1: What do they mean by “church?”

Most of us have assumptions in mind when we use the term “church.”  Some may think of local churches while others think of the universal church.  Some may think of denominations.  While most of us don’t define church as a building, we still tend to talk about “where we go to church” as if church is a location or event.  In the midst of the criticism of what is wrong with contemporary churches, there is a growing tendency to define church with the term “community.”  However, is it just an amorphous spiritual community?  What does it look like in local manifestations?  Does it have organization, membership, and leadership?  As you listen to people refer to church, consider from where are their definition or assumptions coming, particularly what parts of Scripture are being used and which parts are being neglected?
During the Exponential conference, follow our blog and Steve Kemp on Twitter for updates. Please leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for the next question in the series.

 

7 Key Questions To Be Asking During Exponential 2011

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As Exponential 2011 approaches, how can you as a church leader be thinking from a church-based leadership development perspective?

We’ve compiled 7 key questions for leaders to be considering about the ideas, topics, and discussions that will be taking place before, during, and after the Exponential church planting conference.  As you listen to speakers at Exponential (or elsewhere), ask yourself these questions:

  1. What do they mean by “church?
  2. How do they treat the Pastoral Epistles?
  3. How do they picture Jesus?
  4. Where do they focus on leadership development?
  5. What do they mean by discipleship?
  6. What is the author’s intention for the passage being cited?
  7. What is the global significance of what is being said?

Leading up to Exponential 2011 on April 26-29, we will be expanding on one of these questions each day.  Even if you aren’t going to Exponential, we invite you to join in the conversation with us.

Ways to join the discussion:


Follow along here on the Antioch School blog.  Leave your comments and engage in the discussion!


Follow Steve Kemp on twitter for real-time updates during Exponential.

Antioch School Website Updates

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We’ve been hard at work making some updates to the Antioch School website! For this update we have focused mainly on improving the homepage of our website.  Here’s a quick rundown of the new features.

Rotating Feature Section


Instead of the old single image that we had on the center of our website, we’ve replaced it with a rotating section that will feature some important aspects of the Antioch School site, or bigger news items that we want to bring you up to speed on.

News Blog

Our news blog (that you’re currently reading) received a major facelift and we’ve listed along the left hand side of this page the ways that you can choose to subscribe and follow our content, including RSS, Facebook, and Twitter.

We also added a display of several of our recent news items to our homepage (see image).

Upcoming Events Calendar

Calendar Feed A calendar of upcoming Antioch School activities has also been added to our homepage.  Use this list to stay on top of when and where opportunities come up for you or others in your network to take advantage of opportunities to attend training opportunities or connect with us in person in your area.  Registration links are provided below all events that require attendees to register in advance.

ePortfolio Access

ePortfolio ButtonMany students and faculty have requested that we add a link to the ePortfolio System to our website.  Now, on the left hand side menu of all pages you’ll find a button that links you directly to the ePortfolio.  We hope that this will provide many of you with more convenient access.

Are You Going to Exponential 2011?

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The Antioch School is a sponsor and will have an exhibit during Exponential 2011: On The Verge, a church planting conference in Orlando on April 26-29 in Orlando.  You can see us at booth D9 located just inside the door of the Faith Hall Lobby.  Look for these banners to find our exhibit.

At Exponential 2011 we are focusing our message around two key ideas:

4 Ways to Equip Everyone in Your Church

These 4 programs form an integrated strategy (or allow you to use parts of your choosing), using BILD materials and Antioch School Degree Programs to help church leaders establish everyone in their faith and train existing and emerging leaders.

Learn More »

4 Ways to Earn Degrees and Credit

Through the Antioch School, these are the 4 options that are available to earn academic degrees and credit for learning that is taking place in, for, and by church leaders.

Learn More »

Connect With Us During Exponential

If you will be at Exponential 2011, please drop us a line via email.  We would love to have you stop by our booth and interact with us about the Antioch School and the programs mentioned above.  We are looking forward to the new connections that will be made at Exponential this year and how the Antioch School can play a role in accelerating the church-planting efforts of churches across North America.

If you will not be there, but are interested, follow the Antioch School blog and/or follow Steve Kemp on twitter for reflections during the conference.

See you there (or online)!

 

Antioch School Testimonies: Rancho Community Church

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Antioch School Presentation @ RCC from BILD International on Vimeo.

Watch as Pastor Scott Treadway of Rancho Community Church in Temecula, CA interviews two members of their Antioch School Degree Program.

The Antioch School allowed his vision of the church being a training center that would prepare the next generation of church leaders for their church and a network of churches to be fulfilled more than 5 years ahead of his projections!

Their first cohort was a young group that will be the backbone of their church planting efforts. The second cohort (and more to come) are serving both emerging and existing leaders in the church, including elders and seminary graduates.

The Antioch School is Accredited!

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DETC ShieldThe Accrediting Commission of DETC met on June 4-5, 2010 and granted accreditation to the Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development.

The Antioch School is the first truly church-based and competency-based academic institution to receive accreditation by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). We are very proud of this accomplishment because DETC does not grant accreditation quickly or easily. Our process took several years that included extensive Self-Evaluation Reports, a thorough Curriculum Review, an intense Site Visit by a six-member team, and specific Progress Reports.

Accreditation means that the quality of the Antioch School’s degree programs has been affirmed by a rigorous peer review process of a respected, independent agency. The Antioch School will be listed in the next edition of the Directory of Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions published by CHEA. This will greatly facilitate transfer of credit and acceptance of prerequisite degrees by other academic institutions.

However, DETC accreditation is just the most recent form of affirmation of the quality of Antioch School programs. We have already been endorsed by leaders of churches, church planting movements, and church networks, as well as other high profile ministry leaders.

Please rejoice with us in the news of this great achievement.

Low Tuition, High Impact

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Tuition is still low for the Antioch School. And it seems even lower when compared to traditional higher education. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that the average cost of tuition and fees for private 4-year colleges is now $23,712 per year or $94,848 representing an increase of 6.7% (Almanac, Aug. 29, 2008, p. 29). Tuition for Antioch School programs remains at $4800 for those who are admitted during Fall 2008. This is only 5% of the national average.

On average, training with the Antioch School costs 80% less when compared with the cost of campus-based programs.

On average, training with the Antioch School costs 80% less when compared with the cost of campus-based programs.

Students in the Antioch School are not paying for ivy-covered walls on elaborate campuses or expensive faculty research unrelated to ministry. Much of the cost of education for Antioch School programs is built into its unique relationship with churches. Tuition primarily supports the mechanisms necessary to sustain assessment and validation of academic quality in order to ensure that Antioch School degrees are trustworthy. This includes costs associated with accreditation and other innovative assessment tools, such as the e-portfolio.

Further, Antioch School students don’t have to pay all their tuition up-front or at the beginning of each semester. Rather, they are able to pay $100/month for four years. If you don’t think you can afford the tuition, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is the real problem? Is it really a matter of finances or it financial priorities? Is it really that I’m fearful of the workload or academics? Am I really committed to church-based leadership development?
  • How might I find the money? Have I let the need be known to family and friends, particularly those who are keen to fund ministries such as mission trips? Have I pursued opportunities with my employer or in my community?
  • How could my church help? Do they know about my situation? Are they making it a matter of prayer? Are there funds in the church budget or privately with church members that could be used as a loan to get started?