This seminar empowers people with knowledge and skill to study the Bible. Using a relational inductive approach, students will not only receive an overview of the Bible, but will also learn about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and understand the Bible as a story.
This introductory seminar is designed for the Body of Christ in general. It will lead students into a deeper, more intimate walk with God, with teaching of foundational topics of Christian discipleship such as knowing God, hearing God's voice, the importance of the Word, meditation, intercession, fear of the Lord, forgiveness, relinquishing rights, sanctification, evangelism and missions, spiritual warfare, faith and finances, and relationships.
Regular DTS
There are three main emphases of this seminar: Frontier, Urban, and Strategic.
Frontier: Focus on motivating and mobilizing workers for least-evangelized people groups.
Urban: Focus on providing opportunity for students to explore and discover biblical solutions to major social issues in urban centres.
Strategic: Focus on biblical and strategic foundations for missions used throughout human history, including issues of globalization and how to strategically reach the unreached, while also helping participants in planning their involvement in strategic mission endeavors.
An overview of missions with some specific skill training is introduced during the initial three-month course and then developed further during the field assignment. Topics include: biblical and historical foundations for missions; the nature of the Church; intercultural communication (principles of and skills for learning another language and culture); missions strategy (evangelism and church planting, church growth, intercession and spiritual warfare, healing, signs and wonders, relief and development); personal and team relationships (the worker's relationship with God, interpersonal relationships, leadership and authority, team building and team dynamics, developing and relating with a prayer/financial support team).
Depending on where the School of Missions is offered, there may be a particular emphasis on a geographical region, demographic category (e.g., urban, rural poor, etc.) and/or cultural/religious grouping (Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Tribals, etc.). Some emphases are:
Frontiers: focuses on unreached people groups among Muslims, Hindus, Tribals and Buddhists. The purpose is to train workers for living and ministering among unreached people groups with church planting as a key strategy in discipling new converts;
Strategic: focuses on deploying pioneering teams as the basic vehicle for addressing strategic areas of need throughout the world. Strategic missions embraces both short-term and long-term strategies to accomplish all aspects of ministry, including the planting of both local churches and missions structures.
Pioneering: focuses on equipping individuals and teams to pioneer new ministries in geograpical areas and societal spheres, and to help clarify callings, develop vision and learn how to implement a pioneer project.
Urban: focuses on urban areas. Students study demographic and structural views of cities, cross-cultural strategies for cities, and types of evangelism which are effective in cities.
Asian: focuses on Asian studies, learning research skills, with application to developing effective mission strategy for a particular nation or people group.
Muslim: focuses on providing students with the knowledge and skills to minister effectively long-term in a Muslim nation. Students should be able to provide an effective, contextual witness to Muslims, having the skills to be a part of a team starting a new long-term ministry in a Muslim nation.
Note: College of Christian Ministries degree students will not be awarded credit for this course until both the lecture and field assignment are satisfactorily completed.