Monday 21 January 2008

Northern Training Institute

Cups of strong tea, low temperatures, fry-ups in a box for £2.50, people with funny accents... This truly is a Northern training institute!

In Sheffield: one seminar per month at which 4 of us discuss papers we have produced on a given topic (so far The Mosaic Law, Pentecostalism and Charismatic Issues, Jonathan Edwards).

From home: one module per month (following a Bible College-esque syllabus) with a straightforward and short written assignment based on guided reading.

In Northants: two 4-day residentials (September and February) with lots of interactive teaching, Ultimate Frisbee, praying, singing and learning from others helping to lead churches around the country.

This is an exceptionally exciting course for part-time church leaders and church-planters. Not got the depth of a full time Bible College course (not sure that these days I could cope with some of these things that David Field is throwing at his students!) or any biblical languages, but a fantastic option for people without the money or the time for another degree. This is a practical course, focussed very much on how to teach and live out the rich theologies we interact with on the course proper.

Praise God for NTI, the generous people who make it happen for a ridiculously low cost, and all my fellow students who continually challenge me to think and act more like a Christian.