Porterbrook Seminary Prospectus
Introduction Porterbrook Seminary provides affordable, non-residential training for church leadership with a strong missional dimension, enabling students to study in the context of their ministries. Three-year diploma in church leadership Three-year diploma in church planting These programmes are designed as a ministry-based alternative to Bible college. The core content of these two courses is the same with different specialist tracks. They are taught through a mixture of distance learning modules, five annual seminar days, two annual week-long residentials and one annual intensive two-day workshop. They combine a rolling programme that all students complete together and a nonrolling programme that students complete in their year groups. In time we hope to add additional specialisms in urban ministry and cross-cultural mission. One-year certificate in missional leadership This programme is designed as an in-service course for those already in church leadership who want to understand missional theology and practice. It generally incorporates the following elements (indicated in the curriculum below with an asterisk):
Gospel Change (two-day workshops) Gospel Coaching (two-day workshop) Applied Biblical Theology (residential-based module) Ministry Project (self-directed study) Missional Reflection (residential workshop plus workbook) Missional Life and Leadership (distance learning module) Lifelong learning Porterbrook Seminary also offers a lifelong learning programme for those who have completed training, but wish to continue to develop their theological development in the context of ministry. This programme involves three facilitated seminar days each year and the option of attendance at Porterbrook Seminary residentials or days within our residentials.
Endorsements Andrew Baughen, Vicar of St James Clerkenwell What I love about Porterbrook Seminary is that those teaching continue to be thoroughly immersed in planting and growing churches. Deep theology is firmly integrated with wise practice. Jason Clarke, UCCF Director of Training Over the years we have had staff who have benefited enormously from the training at Porterbrook Seminary. Led by gospel ministers with considerable experience, Porterbrook Seminary provides excellent courses that will stretch and equip gospel ministers in a variety of mission contexts. John Coffey, Professor of Early Modern History, University of Leicester Porterbrook Seminary is an exciting and strategic initiative. Led by respected Christian thinkers and church planters, it offers holistic training that is both practically oriented and intellectually stretching. Dr John Frame, Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary, USA For many years I have advocated a greater level of integration between theological study and the work of ministry in the church. Iʼm delighted to see that Porterbrook Seminary seeks to bring about that sort of integration. I would encourage students who want to do their theological study in a ministry environment to consider this program. Matt Hatch, Mosaic Church, Leeds, and Newfrontiers Church Plant Task Force Leader For busy church leaders seeking first class theological training that can
be immediately applied to life and ministry, I would highly recommend Porterbrook Seminary. Marcus Honeysett, Director of Living Leadership Porterbrook Seminary is a vibrant learning environment for leaders. Biblical, missional and strongly rooted in the life of the local church, Porterbrook provides cost-effective training and access to world-class leaders and trainers. Rather than training leaders away from the local church, Porterbrook is breaking new ground by bringing high quality theological training and leadership development right into the heart of local church leadership. Every church in Britain would be strengthened by their leaders being involved. I am delighted to support Porterbrook wholeheartedly in this task. Dr Michael P Jensen, Lecturer in Doctrine, Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia Porterbrook Seminary offers an outstanding model of rigorous theological reflection for ministry and mission. The integrated programme ensures students connect profound biblical truth with the complexities of experience. The course should be the envy of many more established colleges. Mark Meynell, Senior Associate Minister, All Souls Langham Place Itʼs been very exciting to see how Porterbrook Seminary has evolved over the years into its present form. It uniquely combines a passionate commitment to theological truth with practical missional experience, and so I thoroughly recommend it. Michael Reeves, Head of Theology, UCCF Today there is a desperate, crying need for just what Porterbrook Seminary is offering: quality, affordable, ministry-based learning and training. Father, please bless it!
What students say Itʼs hard to imagine how part-time theological study could get any better! If Iʼd set out to design a training programme ideally suited for me it would be Porterbrook Seminary. Porterbrook Seminary has been extremely useful, teaching us to do theology in the context of local church ministry and giving us the solid foundations we need. Porterbrook Seminary was the perfect solution to my situation. I was co-leading a local church and working part-time so I wasnʼt in a position to take three years out for Bible college. I needed a flexible approach to study and Porterbrook Seminary was the answer! Porterbrook Seminary has been the perfect solution for me. Iʼm an elder and wanted to continue to learn and grow in my study of the Bible, but could only spare 1-2 days to do it. Porterbrook Seminary is brilliant because it is cheap (as chips). Itʼs flexible and tailored to your needs while also giving you good breadth and depth. It very much puts into practice what John Stott called ʻdouble listeningʼ since everything I learn about I automatically apply to my context, my congregation and my mission field. On top of that I have not only learned lots I have also ʻlearned how to learnʼ since I have developed reading, discussion and reflective skills that will stand me in good stead for a lifetime of learning. I cannot recommend the Porterbrook Seminary more highly. Porterbrook Seminary has been a real blessing. Everything we study is directly applicable to the world we are involved with in the church.
Porterbrook Seminary has helped us gain a sound biblical theological understanding, but also left us room to reflect at some length on theological issues pertinent to our own current and future ministry situations. The seminar days and residentials have been especially helpful: great fun as well as great learning, and real times of sharpening one another as iron sharpens iron. Superb value for money! Iʼd recommend Porterbrook Seminary to anyone. The monthly seminar days have been invaluable to my learning and applying learning to my context. I have very much enjoyed learning alongside fellow practitioners. Porterbrook Seminary is great! Porterbrook Seminary is both rigorous and practical in its study of theology a safe forum to explore theological ideas and test assumptions under the authority of Scripture. Working in a very activist student ministry environment, Iʼve found it very hard to prioritise the ʻimportant but not urgentʼ of stretching oneʼs theological thinking. Porterbrook Seminary has been so useful on many levels. It caters for many different learning styles, it covers a range of biblical and theological issues and the ʻplug and playʼ nature of many of the assignments means that I can use them straight away in my ministry context. Itʼs also enabled me to help my own staff in their theological and pastoral development.
Curriculum Non-Rolling Programme First Year Students Self-Directed Study Gospel Character 25hrs self-study + tutorial Residential-Based Modules Biblical Theology 30hrs self-study + 12hrs contact time Two-Day Workshop Modules Gospel Change Part 1 * 30hrs self-study + 8hrs contact time Rolling Programme 2012-2013 Biblical Studies: Distance Learning Modules Doctrine: Mission: OT Narrative and Prophecy focusing on 1 Kings and Isaiah 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Soteriology 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Culture and Context 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Residential Lectures and Workshops plus guest lecturers Seminar Days Mission History Overview 15hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Bible Teaching Skills 5hrs self-study + 12hrs contact time Missional Reflection 6hrs contact time Five Seminar Days 125hrs self-study + 30hrs contact time
Second Year Students Character Project 25hrs self-study + tutorial Applied Biblical Theology * 30hrs self-study + 12hrs contact time Gospel Change Part 2 * 30hrs self-study + 8hrs contact time Third Year Students Ministry Project * 25hrs self-study + tutorial Gospel Coaching * 10hrs self-study + 8hrs contact time 2013-2014 2014-2015 Paul and his Writings focusing The Gospelsfocusing on the on Romans Gospel of Mark 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Ecclesiology and Eschatology 50hrs self-study + 3rs contact time Specialist Tracks: Church Leadership OR Church Planting OR Missional Life & Leadership * 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Bible Language Tools 10hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Bible Teaching Skills 5hrs self-study + 12hrs contact time Missional Reflection 6hrs contact time Five Seminar Days 125hrs self-study + 30hrs contact time = approximately 380 hours of self-study and 86 hours contact time * Certificate in Missional Leadership God and Christology 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Evangelism and Apologetics 50hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Church History Overview 15hrs self-study + 3hrs contact time Bible Teaching Skills 5hrs self-study + 12hrs contact time Missional Reflection * 6hrs contact time Five Seminar Days 125hrs self-study + 30hrs contact time
Delivery Character and Ministry Projects This is a programme of self-directed study tailored to each student. These projects are not assessed. Seminar Days The aim of seminar days is to develop the ability to reflect theologically. They take an inter-disciplinary approach in which each student presents a paper looking at a common theme from a different perspective. For example, a day on ʻjustificationʼ might include papers on righteousness in the Old Testament, an exegesis of Romans 3, justification in Lutherʼs thought, an assessment of the New Perspective, the pastoral implications of justification and so on. Over a year each student writes papers across the different theological disciplines. Seminars are normally delivered in cohorts of 4-6 students. Residential-Based Modules These modules are taught during a residential with additional reading and a follow-up assignment. Two-Day Workshops These modules are taught intensively, usually over a Friday- Saturday, with pre-reading and a follow-up assignment. Distance Learning Modules These modules are taught through guided reading. Students
receive a workbook to accompany two or three set texts for each module. Assessment is through essays or ministry-based assignments (sermons, project proposals, case studies). Modules are normally introduced or concluded at residentials. Residential Lectures or Workshops These modules are taught in residentials through lectures or workshops with some additional reading. They are not assessed. Online Forum Students get access to our online forum for discussion and sharing ideas. Schedule The week-long residentials are held at the beginning and end of the academic year in September and June. The gospel change weekend is in February and the seminar days are normally in October, November, January, March and May. Accreditation Our qualifications are currently not accredited by an external institution. Please note that the programme is subject to change.
Diploma students Contact Time Per Annum five seminar days: 30 hours two week-long residentials: 48 hours one two-day workshop: 8 hours total: 86 hours Expectations of Students ten hours a week private study five seminar days two week-long residentials one two-day workshop Assessment Per Annum five seminar papers five module assignments peer reviewed ministry project (third year only) Cost 950 per year (2012-2013) 150 deposit plus two instalments of 400 payable in September and February. This includes tuition fees and residential costs, but not travel or books.
Certificate students Contact Time two week-long residentials: 48 hours one two-day workshop: 8 hours total: 56 hours Expectations of Students five hours a week private study two week-long residentials at least two two-day workshops Assessment four module assignments peer reviewed ministry project Cost 950 150 deposit plus two instalments of 400 payable in September and February. This includes tuition fees and residential costs, but not travel or books.
Background director associate director Dr Tim Chester Dr Jonny Woodrow Porterbrook Seminary is the new name of the Northern Training Institute (NTI). NTI was established in 2005 to provide an affordable, Bible college-level programme of study that enables students to integrate theological training with involvement in ministry through residential weeks, seminar days and guided reading. In 2012 we changed our named to Porterbrook Seminary. Porterbrook Seminary is part of The Porterbrook Network. The Porterbrook Network also runs Porterbrook Learning, a distance learning programme in church planting and missional church with over 2,000 students training through 30 learning sites across four continents. The Porterbrook Network is evangelical, Reformed and missional, believing in the sovereign grace of God in salvation, the inerrancy of Scripture, substitutionary atonement and the missional identity of the church in every context. Porterbrook Seminary subscribes to the doctrinal basis of Affinity. Students need to accept that this is who we are.
Dates for 2012-2013 September Residential: 10-14 September 2012 Gospel Change Part 1 Workshop: 15-16 February 2013 Gospel Change Part 2 Workshop: 22-23 February 2013 June Residential: 17-21 June 2013 To apply Students can apply online at www.porterbrookseminary.org or by contacting the administrator on 0114 267 6704 or emailing info@porterbrookseminary.org. For more information associate director Dr Jonny Woodrow 01509 553996 jonny.woodrow@porterbrookseminary.org administrator Laura Critoph 0114 267 6704 info@porterbrookseminary.org
Porterbrook Seminary theology for mission 215 Sharrowvale Road, Sheffield, S11 8ZB, UK Registered Charity No 1138563 Registered Company No 7210185 www.porterbrookseminary.org