True to the motto “Educating the leaders” a new training programme has been initiated. This follows a decision by the Chief Apostle who stipulates that the Church leaders need more than firm faith and a good knowledge of the Bible.
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
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Photo: NAC Cape
Apostles and Bishops met at the Dennekraal Training Centre near Cape Town (South Africa) for a first round of theological training. This first part of the course covered the fundamentals: the dogmatics of the Christian faith, in other words, the systematized belief.
The fundamentals of our doctrine
Unusual for many of the participants was not only the strict rational approach to our doctrine, but many also found the terminology daunting at first. But they had a well-versed interpreter in their presenter from Johannesburg, Markus Cromhout, who is employed by the New Apostolic Church South East Africa. He has a PhD in New Testament Studies from the University of Pretoria and has published numerous articles in journals and two books.
An introduction to theology; dogmatics in the Early Church, natural theology, Holy Scripture; and the doctrine of God were covered in this pilot event. Additional topics will be covered in July this year and in January 2017. These are christology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Christology covers that part of theology that relates to Christ, ecclesiology is the science that relates to the church, and eschatology is the teaching of the last things. The entire course has been designed in close collaboration with the Theological Services of the New Apostolic Church International.
Answers to today’s questions
The attendance is open to all African District Churches. This is what the District Apostles had decided at their conference in October last year. In addition to South African Apostles and Bishops, delegates from Zambia also attended the four-day course at Deenekraal.
This course is the implementation of a decision taken by Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider during the meeting of African Apostles over Pentecost 2015 in Lusaka. On account of rising education among our members, ministers are facing entirely new challenges, he said. Ministers have to be able to convey the doctrine in a convincing and understandable way. “Please make sure that you really master the doctrine. The Holy Spirit will not tell you what it says in the Catechism, you have to learn it!”
Online modules
Lively conversations and exchanges of perspectives ensued during the four days the group was together. District Apostle Helper John Kriel of the District Church Cape said that the course certainly opened up new perspectives and helped gain a better understanding. Now there is some homework to be done: there are online modules to be covered by each participant in his own time and at his own pace. Assessment questions at the end of each e-learning module will ensure that the content has been mastered to satisfaction. Judging by the conversation at the conclusion of the training it was clear that those present were looking forward to the follow-up course which is scheduled for July this year.
Similar courses are being offered by other District Churches; more on these soon.