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Author: Richard Jones, President, Maritime Christian College Over the past twenty-five years of my business and ministry career, I have been involved in strategic planning for many different organizations.  The size and type of organizations have ranged from multi-billion-dollar enterprises, early-stage information technology startups of only a few people, local charities, Christian ministries, and local churches (including my home church where I have served as an elder for twenty years).  I have also been engaged as a “startup coach” for hundreds of different technology startups during their early formation and market development stage. Even though I have been involved in an extensive amount of strategic planning initiatives in my career, what I have learned in the past five years about strategic planning for faith-based organizations has significantly changed the way I approach it now.  I’d like to share my learnings with you so you can apply them effectively to your organization, your ministry, and your church.      First, let’s be clear on a couple of definitions.  Corporate strategy  refers to a companywide approach aligned with the organization’s vision and objectives. Its aim is to create value by considering the overall nature, ecosystem, and ambition of the company. This strategy optimizes resource utilization and allocation across the firm [1] .   In essence, it’s about creating specific business strategies, implementing them, and evaluating results in line with an organization’s overall objectives [2] . Late spring and early summer is a season in the higher education world where there is generally a lot of planning and preparation going on for the next academic year that starts in September.  At Maritime Christian College, our staff is working diligently to execute on several new initiatives we have recently announced. These initiatives are a result of feedback we have sought from students, leaders of churches, and supporters of MCC over the past couple of years.  While it is exciting to see these new initiatives take root and be offered to students, it comes with a reminder that the higher education industry, and especially the Christian higher education sector, is facing unprecedented times of change, uncertainty, and opportunity.  In fact, it is often hard to discern whether a new idea is a threat to our existing model, or an opportunity to advance our mission. Sometimes it is both a threat and an opportunity! Like all Christian higher education organizations in North America, MCC is attempting to navigate the extreme uncertainty of the past five years in the Christian higher education marketplace.  MCC’s Board and staff have spent countless hours on strategic planning efforts over that time period to chart a path forward that would allow us to fulfill our mission of equipping men and women for Christian service, while recognizing that the methods the College has used in the past for doing that equipping won’t lead us into the future.  Here’s an example of that strategic planning in action at Maritime Christian College.  In the latest version of the Messenger , Maritime Christian College’s quarterly newsletter, I referenced a new Certificate we are launching this September, called Disciple Maker’s Path . This course is being offered to respond to feedback from MCC supporters, students, and church leaders that there is a need for an entry-level Certificate to help followers of Jesus understand the what, the how, and the why of sharing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus with others in their lives.  We call this Certificate a practical “tool kit” of disciple making essentials.  Each of the three courses in the program are of 8 weeks duration and the entire Certificate can be completed in less than one year. MCC designed this course for people who aren’t ready to commit to an undergraduate level of academic study that is found in our regular 13-week Certificate courses.  I encourage you to read more about it from our website at www.mccpei.com/disciple-makers-path . In 2022 Maritime Christian College made a decision to develop a new Master of Arts (MA) program that focused on disciple making.  We immediately started working on developing this program and recruiting the first students, and we expect our first graduates at the end of 2024 in our Master of Arts in Disciple Making & Ministry Leadership program.  We are excited by the impact these first graduates will have on the ministries they are currently leading and the new ministries they will be leading in the future.  We are recruiting a new cohort of students to start this MA program and are offering two courses in September.  In fact, all of the degree programs and certificates that Maritime Christian College is offering in the fall of 2024 did not exist in January 2020.  Over the past four years MCC has completely redesigned its programming to focus on the theology and practical application of disciple making.  But even this significant undertaking is not going to stay unchanged if MCC is to thrive in the future. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned about strategic planning in the past five years comes from following the example of the leaders at an influential first century church mentioned in the Bible. I believe we need to adopt the posture of the leaders of the church in Antioch in the first century when presented with a clear calling from the Holy Spirit. The following passage of Scripture deserves to be the default for 21 st  century strategic planning for churches and organizations that support churches, like MCC.  It is from the book of Acts, chapter 13: 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.   2   While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  3  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4   he two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. (NIV) This act of the Holy Spirit calling Barnabas and Paul (Saul) to leave Antioch was the start of what we traditionally call Paul’s first missionary journey.  It was the first of four missionary journeys recorded in Acts that Paul took.  These journeys took Paul far from his home territory in the eastern Mediterranean area – eventually all the way to Rome – and were the catalyst to spreading the Gospel in an unprecedented burst of disciple making.  I suspect Paul didn’t have a clue about the vast distances the Lord would be sending him when he and Barnabas started out on this first journey.  But notice this point from Acts 13:  the Holy Spirit called  them and they were sent on their way  by the Spirit.  Paul and Barnabas were faithful and obedient to the calling they received from the Lord, even when they couldn’t clearly see the road ahead and the incredible journeys that lay ahead of them (especially for Paul).  I mentioned at the start of this article that MCC is busy preparing for the fall 2024 semester.  At the same time, our Board and staff are also looking past this fall to discern the direction of the Holy Spirit for the next season of helping make disciples.  The Spirit seems to be bringing new opportunities to our door that we have previously not been aware of.  We are praying about these opportunities for expanding MCC’s higher education programs into new areas with students we have never been able to effectively engage. Like Barnabas and Paul in Antioch, we are trying to go where the Spirit is leading us.  That desire to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit takes me to something that I have been sharing with MCC’s Board of Directors for several years about our strategic planning process.  It is from an excellent article by John Pellowe, CEO Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, titled “Characteristics of a Faithful Strategy” [3]  (emphasis mine): 1.  It invites God into the Process The ministry belongs to God As leaders, we are stewarding the ministry on God’s behalf Our stewardship needs to reflect the ways of the owner 2.  It uses both Godly wisdom & human wisdom Human wisdom comes from the gifts & abilities God gave us (it is not worldly wisdom) Human wisdom is good but it is not enough Godly wisdom is discerned through biblical theological reflection 3.  It is alive to the Spirit It is the Spirit who keeps the church fresh, relevant, and ever-renewing The message is always the same, but the methods can and do change Ministries must be responsive to new opportunities as they arise The strategic plan is not the master of your ministry but is a servant to it 4.  It leaves room for God Our plans need to be big enough for God to contribute what only he can contribute A bold strategy that isn't a sure thing might just be what God wants to support! This discussion is about risk, vision, boldness, and courage 5. It models God’s character We are committed to sound Biblical doctrine and obedience to it Our adherence to doctrine should also model God’s character traits like love, grace, and compassion   Here is a quote from John Pellowe’s article that I feel is very appropriate for organizations like MCC that are operating in an environment of extreme uncertainty in this third decade of the 21 st  century:    “Ministries with faithful strategies will not only have good strategic planning in place but they will also have a strategy that pleases God and attracts staff and volunteers who want to serve in a ministry which is thoroughly Christian in word and deed.” Another excellent resource on strategic planning and being open to following the lead of the Holy Spirit is from a book that Maritime Christian College uses in one of our courses.  It is a book called The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes , by Gary Hoag, R. Scott Rodin, and Wesley Kilmer: Prayerful strategic planning is a process of faith that is filled, led, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, where we as ministry leaders seek together to hear God’s voice and discern His will regarding the future in a way that enables us to pursue kingdom outcomes with organizational passion (unity of vision) and Christ-like excellence (obediently offering our very best). [4] Here is the major learning I’ve gotten in the past five years of working on strategic planning at Maritime Christian College:  when you truly set your heart on prayer and fasting to discern what the Holy Spirit wants to tell you, you need to be prepared to go where he calls you . It is almost certain to be challenging and to require a leap of faith for your leaders to commit to the journey.  Based on my experience, the Holy Spirit may be calling you to start out in a direction you don’t even want to go!  It is perfectly fine to use man-made strategic planning tools to help guide discussion among the leaders of your organization.  I have used many different methods and tools to help develop and implement strategy.  At Maritime Christian College we are currently using the “Objectives & Key Results” framework for our planning and execution.  But none of these approaches should be used in a “silo” separate from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It starts with prayer and fasting to seek the Holy Spirit’s calling, and then taking the next step of faith once you and your leaders have discerned that calling. I will close with an encouragement to those of us leading Christian organizations.  Let’s commit to think and act strategically just like the early church leaders in Antioch, who were worshipping, praying, and fasting and who courageously answered the call to make disciples of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father. [1]   https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/corporate-strategy/  article by Prakhar Gajendrakar, March  20, 2024 [2]   https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/strategic-planning/ , Corporate Finance Institute.com [3]   Faithful Strategy: Working God’s Way , John Pellowe, Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, 2022 [4]   The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes, Gary Hoag, R. Scott Rodin, Wesley K. Wilmer, 2015, p. 65-67 Photo Credits: Photo by Jason Goodman  on Unsplash 15316223  ©  Madmaxer  |  Dreamstime.com Photo by Benjamin Davies  on Unsplash

by Tom Marshall, Academic Dean, Maritime Christian College “ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also ” (2 Timothy 1:5, NIV). I would like to suggest this verse provides an excellent framework for understanding church leadership.   Unfortunately, I have noticed whenever the topic of church leadership arises the average church leader will turn to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and jot down the list of 16 or so qualifications in each passage and begin the process of checking them off. The list of qualifications makes for a quick and easy list to assess an individual as a potential elder or deacon candidate. But is it the best starting point?   Dr. Robert Lowery, PH.D. from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and was the New Testament Professor at Lincoln Christian Seminary who authored Revelation’s Rhapsody.   Dr. Lowery stressed in our exegesis class the necessity of understanding context for sound exegesis. He would often ask three questions: What comes before the passage you are studying? What comes after the passage you are studying? What would happen if the passage were removed from its current context as if it did not exist?   Context began with the word and moved outward like concentric circles to the sentence, the paragraph, the chapter, the section, the book, the other writings of the author, the New Testament and ultimately the whole Bible. The Bible is one giant story of God’s love made up of multiple books of diverse genres, literary styles, and vocabulary.   Take for example the context for appointment of elders on Crete. Titus 1:5 states, “ The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you” (NIV).   Paul writes to Timothy, “ As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies ” (1 Timothy 1:3-4a, NIV).   In each case Paul is performing task theology. Each church needs qualified leaders and Paul lists the qualifications needed. Simply put, there is a problem and Paul is providing the fix in his letter. The problems in each church are individuals who have rebelled against sound teaching and are spreading false teaching. “ They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain ” (Titus 1:11, NIV).   The context provides the occasion for Paul’s letter and his no nonsense approach to fix the problem. But could it be possible that if Paul had time, he would have provided more guidance? Or is it possible Paul is also assuming a certain level of spiritual maturity among the recipients?   I think there are clues in the immediate context and the wider context. For the immediate context in Titus 1:9 Paul adds this packed sentence, “ He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it ”  (NIV). The first part of the verse, “ He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message ” fits into one of the qualifications of a church leader. But the phrase “ as it has been taught ” is the context to everything required by leaders.   “ As it has been taught ” is a reference to the many witnesses who have passed along their account of Jesus’ resurrection. Take for example Paul’s recounting of the eyewitnesses in his letter to Corinth. " Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born " (1 Cor 15:3b-8, NIV). This is not a list he came up with but received “ as it has been taught .” He states, “ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance ” (1 Cor 15:3a, NIV).   He used the same phrase earlier in reference to what he had been taught about the Lord’s Supper, “ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you ”  (1 For 11:23a, NIV).   Paul was not one of the twelve apostles selected by Jesus early in his ministry. On the contrary, Paul, or Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee zealous for the law and actively sought out followers of the Way and imprisoned them (see Acts 6:8-9:31). He was not present for Jesus’ ministry. But how did he come to be known as the Apostle Paul?   Before the day of Pentecost, when the Church officially began, Peter stood up among Jesus’ followers and laid out the reasons why they should select one to take the place of Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:15-26). They selected Matthias. It’s the first and last time we hear of Matthias as an Apostle in the New Testament. I believe Jesus had someone else in mind for the position—and his name was Saul of Tarsus.   The resurrected Jesus appeared to Saul on the Damascus Road. Paul recounts this in Galatians 1:11-24 about how Jesus revealed to him personally what he must do. He states, “ I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ ”  (Gal 1:11-12, NIV).   Paul is adamant his gospel was received from Jesus and not from men. Paul points out in Galatians 2:7-10 how the leaders in Jerusalem accepted Paul’s gospel and extended the right hand of fellowship to him. “ t hey recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised ”  (v. 7) and “ James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised ”  (v. 9, NIV).   It is clear from Paul’s writings how he received the gospel, either by what was passed to him like the Lord’s supper and the resurrection eyewitness accounts (1 Cor 11 & 15) “ as it has been taught ” or by direct revelation from Jesus.   On the one hand the “ as it has been taught ” refers to disciple-makers passing along the gospel message and practices of the Way. Take for example Priscilla and Aquila discipling Apollos, (Acts 18:24-26). Paul must have also received invitations like theirs, “ they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately ”  (NIV).  On the other hand, Paul is also receiving discipling from Jesus.   Now let’s go back to the framework statement at the beginning of this post. I quoted from 2 Timothy 1:5, “ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also ” (NIV). This passage is still from a larger context of Paul’s qualifications of church leaders.  Note how, it too, falls within Paul’s reference “ as it has been taught ” in Titus 1:9.   Timothy received instruction from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Paul identifies Timothy’s faith as a “ sincere faith ” which is also found in Lois and Eunice. This would be classic family disciple-making in practice. Lois and Eunice shared with Timothy from the Old Testament. How many Bible stories did they tell him about God blessing all people through Abraham? How did they correct and rebuke Timothy as he grew?   One thing is clear, Timothy had his own faith as Paul reminds him in 2 Timothy 1:5. If I was to develop an elder training program, I’d flip 2 Timothy and 1 Timothy. The latter is practical theology as I stated above. While the former is Paul’s reflections, his last words to Timothy about what is essential to know and act as a believer.   There is no concise nice list in 2 Timothy like there is in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.  There is much more; 2 Timothy contains the framework, if you will, for everything the elder and deacon qualifications rest upon.   Paul has a different purpose in 2 Timothy—though some can argue it is still task theology—but the context is different. The problem is how can someone who has sincere faith carry on the task at hand? Paul is speaking about character just like Jesus spoke about what it means to be a disciple in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7).   Before anyone desires to become a leader within the Church, they must first be a follower of Jesus-a disciple of Jesus who lives out the Sermon On the Mount within their own lives to the best of their ability. Jesus has called his followers to take up their cross and follow him and Jesus has commanded us to love one another and obey his commands. These are foundational principles which identify a follower of Jesus from the average person on the street. When the Jewish officials examined Peter and John following a miracle, they noted this about Peter and John, “ t hey marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus   (Acts 4:13, NIV) .    Too often our practical side overrules Jesus’ kingdom context—to select able bodied people who fit the criterial of Timothy and Titus’ elder lists without asking the obvious question: Can we tell they had been with Jesus ?

Author: Richard Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Maritime Christian College One of the people I admired when I was starting my professional career nearly 40 years ago was my uncle, an entrepreneur who had started many successful small businesses. Whenever I asked him for advice, he would willingly offer his input. But he had a saying that he always used as a caution for me: “free advice is worth what you pay for it”. There was wisdom in his words. He was telling me that although he was giving me his best advice under the circumstances, if I would have been paying for his advice, I likely would have received something with deeper research, a broader perspective, and more thoughtfulness. These words from my uncle are wise advice that people should heed when they are considering any kind of training to improve their Kingdom impact as a disciple maker. For the purposes of this blog, I will use the word “student” to describe the person seeking to get more knowledge and practical training on how to be a better disciple of Jesus. But more specifically, I am really identifying a person who wants to get better at being a disciple who makes disciples . I am also making an assumption that anyone reading this article is interested in exploring whether a higher education format that a person gets from university-level course is right for them. Of course, there are many other options to get training on disciple making that offer a tuition-free online Bible Colleges alternative that doesn’t involve taking a higher education course at all: reading books (starting with the Bible as the “go to” manual on how Jesus did it), watching videos, attending seminars, and getting personal coaching from another disciple. I have personally used all of these options. All of these have their place in a continuum of learning opportunities, and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. There is something special, however, about a well-designed and well-delivered higher education course that can accelerate a student’s learning in ways that the other types of learning can’t. One important factor differentiating a good higher education course is that it requires a level of discipline and critical thinking that is usually absent from almost all the other alternatives. Investing time and effort in a higher education course is a type of spiritual discipline for a student that can create a deep and lasting impression. In a well-designed course, the other students you are interacting with will create a sense of discipline and motivation, in addition to the instructor's input. Regarding critical thinking skills, a great higher education course should accelerate both the pace and depth of learning. The online higher education option is especially relevant when the student is not close to a local Bible college to attend in-person classes or is not part of a local church where the DNA is one of disciple making and it isn’t being lived out daily in the programs of the church and through the leaders of the church. So now that I have hopefully made the point about the unique value of higher education courses, let’s turn to an evaluation of the various options for higher education courses. As a disciple of Jesus who wants to get better at making other disciples by using a higher education framework, there are a wide range of choices. Every choice needs to have a foundation of solid biblical theology that focuses on teaching the core principles of disciple making, as well as a focus on helping the student translate this knowledge into practical application in their life. Every higher education course on disciple making should incorporate these two elements – knowledge plus application – into their approach. Why? Because this is the way Jesus taught his disciples. Whether the student is taking a tuition-free online Bible college course at an undergraduate level or a paid in-person graduate level degree, I believe there are four attributes a student needs to evaluate in deciding which kind of higher education Bible college course to take: The type of learning environment a student will be using. The quality of the course development process that includes biblical theology and practical application. The quality of the online instructor in providing individualized “coaching”. The overall value provided by the course in terms of learning outcomes versus cost. Attribute #1 : This first attribute is the type of learning environment a student will be using. The learning environment for courses focusing on disciple making needs to support the “knowledge plus application” foundation that is critical to any effective disciple making course. Maritime Christian College’s Director of Online Learning, Dr. Jerry Scripture, recently wrote a blog post on this topic that you can read here https://www.mccpei.com/post/practical-theology-pathways . In his blog, Jerry pointed out that there are several approaches to delivering online Bible courses to students. One approach to theological education is taking courses on campus at a college or university. This requires the student to leave the comfort of their home, take time out of their busy schedule to drive to and from campus and be willing to sit to hear in-person lectures from the professors. Generally, there is very little interaction between students and the instructor due to the larger number of students in the class. A second approach is taking courses through self-paced modules that have minimal instructor interaction. A person can work through the modules whenever and wherever they want, but independent learning is just that, learning by oneself. There is nobody to share ideas or discuss the course material with. This is the most common form of free online Bible college course currently available. Another approach is called blended learning. This is a combination of online learning with weekly live class sessions. Usually there is a specific time the students need to log into the online course room and the instructor presents a lecture on the material. Usually, the classes range from 2-4 hours in duration. The remainder of the course work is completed online in the form of assignments turned in to the instructor. The challenge is when the specific live course time is not compatible with the student’s busy life schedule or there are time zone challenges. With this approach, there remains minimal interaction between the instructor and peers because the live sessions are usually lectures from the instructors with no class discussions. Maritime Christian College has a unique approach to providing a practical theology learning environment that supports someone in gaining a robust theological foundation and disciple making/ministry leadership practical real-world application. This approach uses blended learning, where the student can study at a time that fits their schedule. But instead of having to log into an online course at a specific time for live interactions, MCC courses engage the student in an ongoing digital dialog with the other students in course as well as the instructor during the week. This dynamic involves discussing a topic based on that week’s material, and allowing every student to post their response. The power of the engagement comes from requiring other students to comment on each others’ posts. MCC has seen this result in extraordinarily rich insights and sharing and the students build powerful relationships from this open, ongoing, and thoughtful weekly exchange. Attribute #2 : The second important attribute is the quality of the course development process. By way of example, I will draw from Dr. Jerry Scripture’s recent blog post to highlight how Maritime Christian College develops our courses. MCC selects course developers who are not only experts on the theological information but are living out what they are developing in their personal and professional lives. In other words, they have practical theology where they “walk the talk”. It generally takes several months and numerous iterations before the curriculum meets MCC high standards for quality in each of our online theology courses. Before a course is complete, several theological experts and disciple making practitioners review the curriculum to ensure the material and course design is interactive and exceeds the course outcomes. They also confirm that the course is engaging, interactive, biblically accurate, and practical to disciple making and ministry leadership. Knowledge and information are important, but applying what students learn to the real-world challenges is essential. Each course encourages the students to apply disciple making and ministry leadership concepts in their home community. I would encourage any student considering an online Bible college course – especially if they are advertised as tuition-free online Bible college courses on disciple making – to see if the college provides any details on the process it uses to develop its courses. Attribute #3 : The quality of the online instructor in providing individualized “coaching”. Again, I’ll use MCC’s approach as a way of describing this attribute. MCC is selective about who teaches courses. Each potential instructor is screened to ensure they meet the formal education requirements, but also the practical theology of disciple making and ministry leadership qualifications. Once an instructor is selected, they go through an instructor training program which provides up-to-date online instruction techniques, learning management system navigation, grading policies, and strategies to actively engage students in the class discussions. This focus on making sure an instructor actively engages students in the class discussions is a critical differentiator in whether a student comes away with a highly positive learning outcome using MCC’s unique blended learning approach. Not only is the student getting engaged in an online dialog with other students, the instructor is also acting in the role of a “coach” by providing feedback when marking assignments. Another unique aspect of this “coaching” perspective are the comments that an instructor gets to see when a student submits their Self-Reflection Journal for that week. There is often information revealed in these Self-Reflection Journals that a good “coach” can use to encourage or challenge a student. This is the role that a good disciple maker should be playing in the life of every disciple. I know that I have personally benefitted from the quality of the interactions with my instructor as a “coach” in the MCC online classes I have taken. There is a trust factor developed between the student and the instructor that is extremely rare in any form of online higher education I’ve been exposed to. Attribute #4 : The overall value provided by the course in terms of learning outcomes versus cost. Another way of stating it is this: did I get what I expected at the price that I was willing to pay? If you have read this far in this post, I hope you will have been convinced that Maritime Christian College puts a lot – I mean a lot! – of effort into developing courses and into instructing those courses. That’s why I want to encourage any student considering tuition-free online Bible college courses to critically evaluate whether the learning outcomes you are going to get will be as deep and impactful as courses that require the student to pay some tuition. As a potential student, you may be thinking that a tuition-free online Bible college course is better than doing nothing if you want to be a better disciple maker. I can’t make that judgment for you. But I will remind you there is more to cost than just monetary value. If you are going to consider any form of training, whether it is higher education or another option, there is another cost you need to factor in: your time. In his book “ What To Do Between Birth and Death ”, Charles Spezzano says that we really don’t pay for things with money, we pay for them with time. Think about that: everything we do, we pay for it with our time. And our time is the one resource that is the most limited in our lives – we can’t manufacture more of it! If you are going to commit yourself to taking a higher education course, then you need to put a high degree of emphasis on getting the most powerful impactful learning outcomes you can out of the time you are going to invest in it. So to bring this blog post full circle, I want to go back to that quote from my entrepreneurial uncle that “free advice is worth what you pay for it”. It is my hope that this blog post has helped compare and contrast the choices that a disciple of Jesus has when selecting resources on how to become a better disciple maker. If you are ready to invest in higher education as a means to accomplish that goal, but feel that the only option is taking tuition-free online Bible college courses, I trust that I have convinced you there may be a better choice. It is a question of value versus cost – and the high value of training and equipping yourself as a better disciple maker from a trusted source with a proven innovative course development and delivery model. Discover how Maritime Christian College’s online programs can equip you to be a better disciple maker here: https://www.mccpei.com/programs . If you want to ask a specific question in your search for the best fit for your education, please email Tim Cook at this email address: tcook@mccpei.com. He will be happy to set up a call or Zoom meeting to hear your story and offer some specifics to aid in your decision making.

Author: Richard Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Maritime Christian College The Christian higher edu cation landscap e has been undergoing significant foundational changes for the past twenty years. The changes were slow to see at first. I relate it to the root system of a tree - when the root structure undergoes stress and loses its health, all parts of the tree eventually show this lack of health. What type of roots have been revealed? Significant declines in membership for many mainline Protestant denominations in Canada have resulted in reduction in enrollment in many Bible colleges and seminaries. Declining enrollment for degrees focused on church ministry as young adults choose degrees for secular careers. Financial pressure on many Christian colleges and universities due to higher costs, shrinking enrollment, and generational changes in traditional donors. How are educators and administrators of Canadian Christian colleges reacting to this change? One resource is the organization Christian Higher Education Canada (CHEC) (see www.checanada.ca/chec/about_us for details). CHEC's mission is to “advance the efficiency and effectiveness of Christian higher education at member schools, including fostering institutional cooperation, and to raise public awareness of the value of Christian higher education in Canada [1] ”. In Christian Higher Education in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities , a collection of papers given at the CHEC Symposium in 2018 and edited by Stanley Porter, president of McMaster Divinity College, ON and Bruce Fawcett, president of Crandall University, NB, the editors write: “ Christian institutions share the common belief that God has called them to a particular institutional purpose and will, with that calling, provide what is necessary for them, whether that means expansion or retraction or even complete reconceptualization. In that regard, most authors realize that, no matter how optimistic they may be concerning the current situation, Christian higher educational institutions cannot be complacent, but must constantly evaluate themselves and how they relate to their constituencies and other spheres of influence further afield. A final theme of this volume is that there is probably no single and certainly no simple way forward for the diverse institutions that make up Christian higher education. Bible colleges face their own challenges, and even these are varied, but the same can be said of universities and university colleges, as well as of seminaries and graduate schools. This need for individual innovation provides a challenging opportunity for Christian higher education as it looks to its own future within the contemporary Canadian context.” [2] Ron Benefiel’s 2008 article, “The Ecology of Evangelical Seminaries,” states: “ There is a common feeling that the landscape of theological education has shifted. The view of the ministry and how people become ministers is changing. Competition from nonseminary sources weighs heavily on everyone’s table. In many circles, theological schools at one time cornered the market on training ministers. But that is no longer the case, thanks to the Internet, the rise of “virtual seminaries” and online courses, and the proliferation of popular conferences, workshops, and the like, often under the auspices of so-called teaching churches. Choices abound, and increasing numbers of leaders no longer look to theological schools as their primary source for the latest information on best practices, new ministry models, or developing strategic plans for reaching the culture.” [3] Another important observation from Benefiel is “ Perhaps the single most important movement emphasized by members of the task force was the need for seminaries to work more closely with the local church. The seminary needs the local church.” [4] He goes on to state: “ The point is that the seminary and the local church need each other in the work of preparing people for faithful and effective ministry in today’s world. For seminaries, this will mean listening closely to pastors and lay leaders and inviting experienced pastors into the seminary community and on to the seminary faculty. We have to aggressively listen to grass roots leaders not only for building relationships for funding purposes but also for the welfare of our curricular efforts to produce quality leaders for the church. In taking the local context seriously, seminaries must continue to engage it. ” [5] Since March 2020 many of the foundational institutions in Canadian society have been irreversibly shifted due to the COVID pandemic. Canadian higher education, I believe, is one of the segments of our society where this shift was already happening – COVID was just an accelerant. In Canada, Christian colleges, like many around the world, shifted abruptly from in-person learning to some form of “online learning”. Most of the time this online learning was just using video conferencing to connect professors and instructors to their students, and it was not a high-quality experience for either the teacher or the student. But this COVID-driven response did point out a few things about online Bible schools: there was potential in using modern technology to improve the way the Canadian Christian colleges taught students to fulfill Jesus’ mission to make disciples. Another factor influencing what Canada Christian colleges and universities were delivering for programs, and whether they were online Bible colleges , in-person only, or a combination of online and in-person, had to do with enrollment. Many Canadian Bible colleges and universities, and in fact many across North America, that have been focused exclusively on teaching theological subjects, have been experiencing declining enrollment for several years (see article on USA-based Christian Bible college enrollment in January/February 2022 issue of Christian Standard [6] ). I am highly aligned with the sentiment expressed here by these authors that any Canada Christian college needs to have a calling from God as a reason for its specific purpose. I believe every Christian-based organization needs to periodically evaluate whether it still has its calling from God. If the leaders discern this calling, then they also need to be prepared to deal with the societal context they are operating in, some of which was described in previous quotes. Let me explain how Maritime Christian College (MCC) has responded to this change, and why MCC has positioned itself as an online Bible college focused on training and equipping disciple makers at local churches. Our journey of repositioning started to pick up momentum in 2019. For several years previously, the MCC Board of Directors, staff, and supporters had been praying, fasting, and discussing how MCC could best deliver on its core purpose of educating and equipping men and women for Christian service. We engaged in discussions with the leaders of independent evangelical churches in our network in Canada and the United States about the trends they were experiencing. An example of this occurred in the spring of 2019 when I participated in a call with several church leaders in the Restoration movement in North America who were involved in planting and growing new churches. The team from MCC asked these church leaders for advice on how MCC might be able to better support the revitalization of declining churches and the planting of new churches in Canada. Their answer was very direct and simple: we should be focusing on making disciples first, and the revitalization and planting will naturally grow out of that activity. Based on this dialogue with churches, strategically examining the state of higher education and online Bible colleges, and listening to the Holy Spirit in prayer and fasting, MCC’s leaders came to the conclusion that our institution of Christian higher education should be clearly aligned with the mission that Jesus has given every one of his followers to go and make disciples. With this confirmation of its calling to offer higher education undergraduate-level courses focused on the theology and practical application of disciple making, it was also clear that MCC needed to shift from its traditional delivery model of in-person learning at our campus. MCC transitioned to a more intentional online Bible college format using the best online teaching resources we could find. This opened the concept of using asynchronous online learning and making our courses attractive to both full-time and part-time students working in their home churches while studying the theology and practical application of disciple making. These decisions were made prior to anyone knowing about the COVID-19 pandemic that was about to sweep around the world. Once MCC made the commitment to have courses ready for fall 2020, our efforts accelerated during the spring and summer of that year. Dr. Jerry Scripture joined our staff and was instrumental in guiding the structure and format of our online courses. We were able to attract several church leaders from across North America to develop and instruct specific courses on disciple making, and provide a high-quality experience for students. When we launched the first online courses in MCC’s Disciple Maker Certificate, we were excited to see 23 students sign up, many of whom had never taken courses at MCC before. The feedback we received from course developers, course instructors, and those students, combined with the direction we continued to discern from the Holy Spirit, gave MCC validation that our first experiment with an online Bible schools’ format, and disciple-making focus, have been successful. In 2021 we accelerated and expanded our plans, delivering two new Certificate Programs with specialized focus on disciple making for church leaders and for youth leaders. As Maritime Christian College focused exclusively on being an online Bible college for educating and equipping students in the theology and practical application of being a disciple maker, it became apparent that our full-time programs also needed to reflect this. Maritime Christian College recently announced a new Master of Arts in Disciple Making & Ministry Leadership starting in January 2023 ( www.mccpei.com/master-of-arts-in-disciple-making-ministry-leadership ). This fully online Masters degree will provide students with the knowledge and real-world application skills to be an impactful disciple maker in God’s Kingdom, offering a balanced blend of Christian theology, disciple making strategies, and ministry leadership. Students gain hands-on learning experiences from world-class disciple makers and leaders. Another link in MCC’s “reconceptualizing” (to use a term from the 2018 CHEC publication mentioned previously) was to focus our attention first on the leaders of local churches, not just on individual students within their church membership. MCC staff and Board members engaged first with the lead pastors and elders of local churches in MCC’s network to determine where their churches needed support in transitioning their church to a “disciple making DNA”. There were basically three types of responses to MCC’s outreach. Some of the churches MCC has worked with in the past three years have been focused on disciple-making since we first talked to them and embraced MCC as an online Bible college that could enhance their own efforts. MCC has been blessed with students actively sponsored by these churches. Some church leaders we spoke with felt they already good initiatives underway around disciple making and might not require MCC’s online format. There was a third constituency of church leaders who welcomed MCC’s offer to work with their leaders to transform their local church that had been in decline in attendance and vitality. MCC staff provided strategic consulting sessions to help their elders, pastors, and other leaders align their ministry focus to disciple making culture. These churches embraced the support MCC could offer in equipping their leaders and core disciple makers with the strong theology and practical application of disciple making that is enabled by MCC’s online courses. This deep engagement with church leaders has turned into one of the most important inputs MCC is using to continue to evolve its online programming to meet the needs of local churches. Most of the things I have described about the Christian higher education landscape in Canada and online Bible colleges are still a huge work in process. The earthquake of COVID since 2020 has shaken the foundations of many institutions in our society, and Canadian Bible colleges and universities are no exception. It is interesting to go back to the pre-COVID CHEC article from 2018 and read the assertion that “individual innovation provides a challenging opportunity for Christian higher education as it looks to its own future within the contemporary Canadian context”. [7] I strongly agree with that statement. I am hoping that as you have read this blog post, you will have gained an appreciation of why Maritime Christian College strategically viewed the Christian higher education landscape in Canada and picked a path of restructuring out focus to that of an online Bible college focused on training and equipping disciple makers in local churches. We are praying that churches and students taking our online Bible courses will experience a Spirit-led transformation in the way they study and apply disciple-making fundamentals, which in turn will catalyze a revitalization of disciple-making in existing and new churches across Canada and around the world. Discover our online courses and programs at www.mccpei.com/programs . [1] Christian Higher Education Canada website, “Our Mission” https://www.checanada.ca/chec/about_us [2] Stanley E. Porter and Bruce G. Fawcett, Christian Higher Education in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities (Hamilton: Pickwick Publications, 2020), page 10. [3] Benefiel, Ron, “The Ecology of Evangelical Seminaries.” Theological Education 44, no. 1 (2008): page 23 [4] Ibid, page 25 [5] Ibid, page 26 [6] Chris Moon, Christian Standard Magazine , https://christianstandard.com/2022/01/january-february-2022/ , p.32 [7] Stanley E. Porter and Bruce G. Fawcett, Christian Higher Education in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities (Hamilton: Pickwick Publications, 2020), page 10.

Author: Richard Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Maritime Christian College THE PROBLEM – DISCIPLESHIP MEANING DIFFERENT THINGS Over six years ago our eldership was asked by a church consultant: what is our church’s definition of a “disciple”? I remember our elder team’s attempt to answer that question – everyone had a different answer! Our answers weren’t incorrect, and we all emphasized different points of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The word discipleship in particular caused confusion, with discipleship meaning different things to each of us. For me, it became a catalyst to explore what it meant to be an obedient follower of Jesus, a local church elder, the leader of several ministries, and a leader at Maritime Christian College. My journey started with the words of Jesus in Matthew 28, the “Great Commission”: 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV) Notice that I started with verse 16 and not verse 19. That’s because I want everyone to see the context of when Jesus makes this statement and to include the most incredible claim Jesus made after his resurrection. It is in verse 18, when Jesus says , “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. Think about it – Jesus declared to have all authority in heaven and on earth! He is clearly stating his position at the right hand of God after his time on earth. And then pay close attention to what Jesus says after making this claim to having all authority: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations”. This directive, to go and make disciples, seems simple. But Jesus didn’t give us a lot of strict guidelines on how to make disciples , except that we were to baptize them and teach them to be obedient to the commands and principles Jesus demonstrated to his disciples when he was on earth with them. So why is it that the overwhelming majority of churches in North America are NOT effectively making disciples of Jesus? This question confronted the reality that my church wasn’t doing this effectively. There was a lot of misplaced effort that wasn’t producing much in the way of new followers of Jesus. THE SOLUTION – HOW TO MAKE DISCIPLES FOLLOWING THE METHODS OF JESUS My journey to becoming a disciple of Jesus focused on obeying Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 had three basic steps. This journey was not a solo effort, as it also involved the elder team at my church. Step 1: Agree On The Definition of a Disciple Our first step on this journey was to agree as an elder team on a common definition of a disciple. We leaned into material produced by several of the best organizations and leaders who were focusing on making disciples in North America, starting with these two resources: “DiscipleShift: Five Steps That Help Your Church to Make Disciples Who Make Disciples”, by Jim Putman & Bobby Harrington, with Robert E. Coleman (Zondervan, 2013) . “Real-life discipleship training manual” by Jim Putman, Avery T. Willis, Brandon Guindon, Bill Krause (NavPress, 2010) . You can learn more about these resources and the people who wrote them by checking out www.discipleship.org . So here is the definition of a disciple in one of the most famous sayings of Jesus, from Matthew 4:19: “ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (ESV). From these ten words of Jesus we get a definition of a disciple that has three parts. A disciple is a person who… (1) Follows Jesus as Lord (“Follow me”) (2) Is being changed by Jesus (“and I will make you” i . e., “I will transform you”) (3) Is committed to the mission of Jesus (“into fishers of men”) [1] With this powerful and yet simple definition of a disciple, the elders at my church started to realize how much of the activity we were doing at our church was not directly related to making disciples. That’s when we had to move into the second step of the journey – figuring out how to be obedient to Jesus’ command in Matthew 28. Step 2: Become an Individual Disciple Maker How does one become a disciple maker? Consider in the past five years there have been thousands of leaders at local churches in North America who have realized the way their church is currently operating is not producing people who follow Jesus, or are being changed by Jesus, or even committed to the mission of Jesus. In other words, these leaders have figured out that their church isn’t making disciples. This has led to an outpouring of highly useful and valuable books and resources on how to become a disciple maker. Again, I would recommend consulting www.discipleship.org for an overview of some of the great resources available. But here is the key: discipleship is not just knowledge, but also application of that knowledge in our lives. Let me express this in a slightly different way: Discipleship = Becoming a disciple who makes other disciples One of the greatest errors made today by churches all over the world is to use the word discipleship meaning “studying the Bible and learning more about Jesus”. Yes, this is absolutely essential if we are to become a disciple of Jesus. But stopping at the “knowledge level” presents a wildly incomplete definition, because that definition allows us to learn about being a disciple without us having to put much of it into practice. That is not what Jesus told us to do! He said to “go and make disciples”! Jesus didn’t say “go and learn about making disciples”. This is why the definition of a disciple is so important – a disciple not only follows Jesus and is being transformed by Jesus, but a disciple is committed to the mission of Jesus. That mission, of course, is what Jesus gives us in Matthew 28:19-20. At Maritime Christian College we deliberately use the phrases disciple making, disciple maker, and how to make disciples when we are explaining our higher education resources to potential students. In fact, we probably over-use these terms! We do this because we don’t want to water down the Great Commission. We want our students to understand that discipleship is a powerful combination of knowledge PLUS application. This is the way we have designed our online courses as well – to not only impart knowledge but to initiate and sustain action as a disciple maker. This second step on the journey challenged each elder to develop effective practices to become better disciple makers, and this gave the word discipleship meaning that was broader and deeper than just individual study. But there was one more missing ingredient that we did not focus on enough at the start. Step 3: Become a Unified Elder Team That Makes Disciples If you would have asked me two years ago if our church has a unified elder team, I would have quickly replied “yes”. The four of us, which includes our lead pastor as our only paid elder, got along well with each other, encouraged each other, met frequently as a team, prayed together, and followed disciplined personal discipleship practices. But in my work at Maritime Christian College, I began to realize that just because our individual discipleship efforts were strong didn’t mean that we were doing a good job leading our church. What our elder team started to notice is that although people in our church were getting great teaching on discipleship, there wasn’t the follow-through in applying that teaching. From what we could tell, people at our church were excited about being “hearers of the word” but not as excited about being “doers of the word” (see James 1:22-25). We were not making disciples who in turn were making disciples. To put it bluntly: we were not teaching people how to make disciples. After discussing and praying about what our next steps should be to improve our church’s disciple making efforts, our elder team decided that we would commit – as a team – to study together what it meant to be a disciple making church and how to make disciples. Here we turned to Maritime Christian College and the online Disciple Making Church Leadership Certificate. In the fall of 2021 , the four of us signed up for the first course in that program, Introduction to Healthy Eldership. Our online course instructor was Brandon Guindon, one of the authors of the “Real-Life Discipleship Training Manual”. Taking the Introduction to Healthy Eldership course together was quite transformational to the way our elder team functioned. We all started using common language, with discipleship meaning something we could explain consistently with a more complete understanding of the term. We learned to be better at sharing what was going on in our personal lives in a more authentic and transparent way, and we learned how to deal with the inevitable pain of leading in a church in a way that made us stronger. Perhaps most importantly, we became more convinced that our path forward as a church was to spur on our members to apply what they were learning about discipleship. In other words, we became much more intentional about making disciples who in turn became intentional about making disciples themselves. Our elder team and our church are still a work in progress as we continue to put more emphasis into our own individual and church discipleship efforts. There is a lot of hard work to be done to reach people in today’s society with the life-changing message of the Gospel and to lead a church that is single-minded in making disciples. But we are tackling this challenge now with a new focus and unity among our leaders that has been helped by our involvement with Maritime Christian College and the organizations it partners with. Call to Action Do your church’s elder team and ministry leaders need more resourcing about how to make disciples and to make the transition to a disciple making church? You can discover more about MCC's Disciple Maker Certificates here https://www.mccpei.com/disciple-making-church-leadership . [1] “Real-life discipleship training manual”, p. 26

Author: Tim Cook, Lead Planter, 419 Ministries Canada and Church Relations, Maritime Christian College What is a disciple and what is discipleship? It is important for church leaders to understand these terms in today’s context because being a disciple and making disciples is about having an eternal purpose. I made a decision to follow Jesus in 2006 and at the time I wasn’t quite sure how I would answer the question: what is a disciple? I was also unsure what discipleship meant. Since then, I have been blessed to come alongside hundreds of churches and I have noticed that many would answer the questions about “What is a disciple?” and “What is discipleship?” very differently. The great commission is clear in that we are called to make disciples, but there is a second part of the great commission that speaks of teaching people about what Jesus commanded. I believe that the two go hand-in-hand because discipleship is connected to disciples making disciples. Just before Jesus ascends back into Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, He says: “All Authority in heaven an on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20) [1]. This scripture is packed with answers to the questions about what is a disciple and what discipleship is. The role of the church is to have disciples making disciples, and this is accomplished through discipleship. Some might describe this as offering classes to teach people more about the bible. Bible classes are good, but does this always lead to disciple making? Are we equipping disciples to go and make disciples that make disciples if we are only feeding them in a class? Jesus certainly did preach and teach to the masses on many occasions, but it is notable that He spent most of His time working with the twelve disciples and even more with the inner three. He modelled what disciple making looked like and spent time with people in relationship. One of my mentors from Real Life Ministries Texas says “Relationship is the glue that holds it all together”. Proximity and time are the two ingredients for growing these relationships. That requires that we spend a lot more time with people than on Sunday mornings only or being in a class together. Brandon Guindon, author of “Disciple Making Culture” [2], is the Lead Pastor at Real Life Ministries Texas and one of the adjunct professors at Maritime Christian College. He identifies four pillars that are required to create a culture where there are disciples making disciples. I believe these pillars will help us to better understand the definition of discipleship because discipleship is the process of growing spiritually as a disciple. The first pillar is a sound biblical foundation, otherwise, what are we making disciples of? [3] The second pillar is intentional leadership, where disciples personally live out the life of a disciple maker and they teach the same to those they are discipling. [4] Many times disciple makers need to cut out unnecessary distractions in their lives. The third pillar is a relational environment where people have safe places to play and disciple making can occur naturally. [5] Real Life Ministries has created eight guidelines for small groups which help to make the group a safe place for discipleship to occur and to have disciples making disciples. In these relational environments, which we refer to as small groups, there is a sacrifice made by disciples so that disciple making can become a church family affair. It’s “life on life” and a relational disciple making model which Jesus taught and His disciples lived out. The last pillar is a reproducible process; there needs to be a system that trains disciple makers to live out disciple making culture. [6] Disciple makers will require training that helps them to multiply efforts by training them be disciples making disciples. Fasting and praying for alignment in this disciple multiplying process is key. It’s important that the church body has a clear definition of what is a disciple, so there is unity in the body which brings freedom. Where the head goes, the body follows, therefore the head better be clear that the purpose of the church is to make disciples that make disciples. This requires that we have a clear definition of a disciple. My wife and I are currently planting 419 Ministries Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia out of Real-Life Ministries Texas. Our definition of a disciple is a person that is not only following Jesus, but is changed by Jesus and on mission for Jesus. Pastor Brandon shares that the definition is in the invitation. Matthew 4:19 says: “And He said to them, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19) [1]. To put this in context, after His baptism, Jesus is tested in the wilderness by the devil for forty nights and days. Then He hears about John the Baptist being in prison and decides to leave Nazareth and head for Galilee. Matthew 4:17 says: “ From that time on Jesus began to preach saying” Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17) [1]. Then Jesus is out walking beside the sea of Galilee and He saw two brothers named Peter and Andrew who were fishermen. In Matthew 4:19 Jesus says “come follow me” . What an amazing invitation! Because of our faith, we are invited to follow King Jesus, who is now sitting at the right hand of the Father. This is because we have faith in what He has done on the cross. Nobody is perfect, but because of what He has done for us, disciples can be seen as 100% in the eyes of God. We can accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour and let Him lead. We have the opportunity as disciples, to be in relationship with King Jesus and follow Him rather than trying to do everything in our own power. Jesus called out to Peter, who was fishing, and invited him to be a disciple and to follow Him. Peter believed that Jesus is the Messiah and therefore he backed up his belief with his actions and followed Jesus. In John 12:26 Jesus says: “Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honour anyone who serves me” (John 12:26) [1]. Jesus leads and we follow, which means a disciple is following Jesus. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus also says, “I will make you”. King Jesus is not a dead man or somebody who has just vanished without a trace because Jesus is alive. We have faith that He rose from the dead just like He said He would. He has the power to rise from the dead and He has the power to change us. A disciple is changed by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in us. A disciple chats with Jesus through prayer, reads God’s Word, and hangs out with other disciples. A disciple has a relationship with God and with others as we become children of God and our character changes. You can tell when somebody is being changed by Jesus as they grow in love for people and for God. Who wouldn’t want to be changed in that way? Notice that Jesus says He will make His disciples fishers of men. Let’s keep in mind that Peter’s fishing crew had just brought in a mega catch of fish thanks to the instructions that Jesus had given them, which you can read about in Luke chapter 5. I think Jesus was using language that these guys could clearly understand. He is telling his disciples to fish for people. Jesus is asking His faithful disciples to fulfill His great commission and make disciples of all nations. This is the mission that Jesus came to accomplish. He came to make disciples that would make disciples, which is why the role of the church, a body of believers who are following Him, and changed by Him is have disciples making disciples. A faithful disciple makes a head level decision to follow Jesus. Luke 9:23-26 says: Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26) [1]. Jesus is calling disciples to deny themselves, to share their faith and to save their life. This is an eternal purpose, and it just doesn’t get any better. Jesus is calling disciples to be changed at a heart level. When we make a decision at the head level to follow Jesus, then our character can be changed as it moves to our heart. Disciples start to love God and others more through the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul describes it this way in Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2) [1]. This can take some time as it’s an ongoing process but look what Paul says in Ephesians 3:16-19: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19) [1]. Who wouldn’t want to be a disciple filled to the measure of all the fullness of God? Disciples are called to be on mission with their hands because we are so thankful for what God has done for us. Disciples stay close to God through worshipping, praying and reading His Word. This is what propels a disciple to be on the mission of making disciples, and the good news is disciples don’t need to do all this alone. A disciple is following Jesus, changed by Jesus and on a mission for Jesus and we get to do this in relationship with one another as a church. At Maritime Christian College, we desire to come alongside the local church to help them be filled with disciples making disciples. We offer a level one and level two disciple making certificates, which are designed to raise your game as a mature believer who makes disciples that makes disciples. You can take one course at a time and work towards a level one certificate, which is a total of five courses. You will receive foundational theology from world class disciple makers on how to become disciples making disciples. You will receive practical hands-on mentoring and peer coaching to ensure that the knowledge you gain is applied with a quick start approach to apply your learning immediately. The program is designed for: A person who has experience at leading a small group of up to twelve people or is interested in starting one. Someone who is looking for a better approach to help people in their group grow in their spiritual maturity. A person who wants to give people in their group the Biblical foundation combined with the practical hands-on coaching to help them make disciples who, in turn, make disciples. Someone who takes the Great Commission seriously but doesn’t know what to do next. We also offer a unique Master’s Degree in Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership. What you will learn: Foundational theology from world-class disciple makers on how to become a disciple who makes disciples. How to use the message and methods of Jesus to Learn and apply Jesus’ model of intentional leadership in your own life as a disciple maker. Insights and cutting-edge practical application on how to build unified ministry leadership teams with a healthy culture focused on making disciples. How to engage cultural issues facing the church in these precarious times. The courses are asynchronous, which means that you can do the work on a day and time that works for your calendar. We use a learning management system called Populi which allows you to work virtually alongside your classmates all week long. We have enjoyed having disciple making students from all over the world. Begin your journey by logging onto: www.mccpei.com/disciple-maker-certificate for info on the discipleship certificate or https://www.mccpei.com/master-of-arts-in-disciple-making-ministry-leadership for the masters program. In my role as church relations, I would be happy to assist you with registration as well as applying for a bursary. In many instances, we are able to award students a bursary that might pay for up to half of the class registration fee. You can reach me at tcook@mccpei.com . Discover Our Disciple-Making Certificates [1] Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ [2] Guindon, Brandon. Disciple-Making Culture Nashville, HIM Publications, 2020. [3] Ibid, 29-63 [4] Ibid, 75-101 [5] Ibid, 111-139 [6] Ibid, 149-183

Author: Tom Marshall, Academic Dean, Maritime Christian College Are you thinking about a Bible theology degree but unsure where to start? Often individuals who begin serving in some capacity want to learn more, and the best way to do that is by pursuing a Christian ministry degree. Here are ten reasons to apply for the Master of Arts in Discipleship and Ministry Leadership at Maritime Christian College. 1. Begin Today Like any new habit, you need to begin today. Procrastination never works. The only way to begin is by doing it. Contact the school and talk to a representative who can answer your questions about a Christian Ministry degree and direct you to the right course to begin your journey. Visit https://www.mccpei.com/programs to find out more about our disciple making programs and courses. 2. Disciple Making Is Needed Now Aaron Earls reported, “ In 2019, approximately 3,000 Protestant churches were started in the U.S., but 4,500 Protestant churches closed, according to estimates from Nashville-based Lifeway Research ” (Earls, 2021). People are avoiding organized religion but their interest in God remains. More than ever, the Church needs disciple makers who are willing to share their lives with other people. God’s Word provides answers to life. But who will tell others the good news? Is God calling you to step up and become a disciple maker for Him? 3. The Joy of Making a Difference Adults are choosing to leave their jobs for a second career because they want to make a difference. Christian service is about helping people—it’s about encouraging and raising up others to follow Jesus. The satisfaction from studying Bible theology and applying what you learn in real life is the difference between the joy of making a difference and punching a clock until you retire. 4. Willingness to Learn The willingness to learn is a gift, and those who love discovering new things will appreciate disciple making because it is an ongoing learning process. One challenge is tearing down negative stereotypes people have about God. A Christian ministry degree can help prepare you to answer the tough questions raised by non-believers effectively. This, in turn, will open doors for you to share the gospel with them. 5. Love to Encourage Others Every person is different, with complex pasts and unhealed hurts. Jesus often stopped and became a part of people’s lives while travelling along the street. He knew their issues because he was God’s Son. On the other hand, we’re not Jesus, and we need to listen to people. We cannot solve their problems for them, but we can come alongside them. We can let them know that with our presence, they are not alone. The question of how to do this is the basis of problem-solving. 6. Hands-On Experience Disciple making requires interaction with others, and for many, it means getting out of the chair. Jesus called us to love one another daily. The best way to love one another is to serve with a local charity or church, volunteer at the hospital, or get involved with a mentoring program. These volunteer experiences fulfill the hands-on requirement for the disciple making master’s program. 7. Student Interaction = Accountability A Bible theology degree is not just about the degree but about the camaraderie built among one’s peers. Other student disciple makers are facing the same fears and challenges you are. They want to make disciples but need training in how to do it. The formal class setting is an excellent place to meet others who think and act like you. Student interaction is a wonderful way to spur on each other’s work. Jesus sent out the twelve by twos because he knew two people working together could overcome great odds. Your classmates become your accountability partners. By holding each other accountable, you are more likely to tackle the challenges each of you faces. Likewise, world-class disciple makers will come alongside you to encourage your efforts. 8. Learn from Home Maritime Christian College is online, and one of the benefits is your ability to learn from home. We use Populi, our Learning Management System (LMS), to integrate and interact as a class. The LMS acts like an on-campus site where everyone can come together and discuss and share what they are learning. An internet connection and a computer are all you need to get started. 9. Online Library Resource Maritime Christian College encourages students to purchase a year subscription with Perlego.com to provide academic texts from major Christian publishers like Baker, Eerdmans, IVP, Zondervan, and others. Perlego.com is an online platform allowing a student to have access to most of the books being published today, and their copy-and-paste feature enables documentation to become a breeze in any academic style like Chicago, APA, or MLA. 10. Complete in 2 Years Maritime Christian College’s Master of Arts in Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership is a hands-on Christian ministry degree which can be completed in 2 years. Two classes are offered each semester beginning in September, January, and May. Each course is 14 weeks in length. Contact Tim Cook ( tcook@mccpei.com ) for information and how to get started with expanding your Bible theology today. DISCOVER MORE: https://www.mccpei.com/master-of-arts-in-disciple-making-ministry-leadership References: Earls, A. (2021, May 26). Protestant church closures outpace openings in U.S. Lifeway Research. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://research.lifeway.com/2021/05/25/protestant-church-closures-outpace-openings-in-u-s/

Author: Dr. Jerry Scripture In a world where theological information is at our fingertips, what separates higher education programs and their practical application from each other? Let’s explore the different approaches to gaining a practical theology education and what makes Maritime Christian College certification courses and Master’s Degree in Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership uniquely distinct from other educational methodologies and online theology courses. One approach to theological education is taking courses on campus at a college or university. This requires the student to leave the comfort of their home, take time out of their busy schedule to drive to and from campus and be willing to sit to hear in-person lectures from the professors. Generally, there is very little interaction between students and the instructor. A second approach is taking courses through self-paced modules that have minimal instructor interaction. A person can work through the modules whenever and wherever they want, but independent learning is just that, learning by oneself. There is nobody to share ideas or discuss the course material with. Another approach is called blended learning. This is a combination of online learning with weekly live class sessions. Usually there is a specific time the students need to log into the online course room and the instructor presents a lecture on the material. Usually, the classes range from 2-4 hours in duration. The remainder of the course work is completed online in the form of assignments turned in to the instructor. The challenge is when the specific live course time is not compatible with the student’s busy life schedule or there are time zone challenges. With this approach, there remains minimal interaction between the instructor and peers because the live sessions are usually lectures from the instructors with no class discussions. Maritime Christian College (MCC) has a unique approach to providing a practical theology learning environment that supports someone in gaining a robust theological foundation and disciple making/ministry leadership practical real-world application. Students can take MCC’s online theology courses from anywhere in the world as long as they have internet access. MCC has a distinctive online education approach that is embedded throughout each course and program we offer. We embed a strong theological understanding with practical application to disciple making and ministry leadership in each of our courses. It starts with the selection of course developers. MCC selects course developers who are not only experts on the theological information but are living out what they are developing in their personal and professional lives. In other words, they have practical theology where they “walk the talk”. Each course developer follows our interactive and engaging course development process led by our team of curriculum design and theological experts. A template is followed throughout course development to ensure consistency in design and structure. It generally takes several months and numerous iterations before the curriculum meets MCC high standards for quality in each of our online theology courses. Before a course is complete, several theological experts and disciple making practitioners review the curriculum to ensure the material and course design is interactive and exceeds the course outcomes. They also confirm that the course is engaging, interactive, educational and practical to disciple making and ministry leadership. Knowledge and information are important, but applying what students learn to the real-world challenges is essential. Each course encourages the students to apply disciple making and ministry leadership concepts in their home community. MCC is selective about who teaches courses. Each potential instructor is screened to ensure they meet the formal education requirements, but also the practical theology of disciple making and ministry leadership qualifications. Once an instructor is selected, they go through an instructor training program which provides up-to-date online instruction techniques, learning management system navigation, strategies to actively engage students in the class discussions, grading policies, etc. In our master’s degree program, a Zoom online session is scheduled for the class around the mid-way point. This one-time optional real-time session allows the students and instructor to get to know each other more personally and ask any questions they may have. At MCC we have found that the students and instructors enjoy this opportunity to meet each other in person and get to know one another on a deeper level. Feedback from the students is important for us at MCC to consistently improve our course quality to meet the learners needs. Before the completion of each course, an optional Zoom online session is scheduled with all the students in order to receive feedback on course quality, workload, what they enjoy about the course, as well as what the challenges of the course are. This information is used to improve and adjust the course accordingly. MCC also allows the students to provide written feedback after the course is complete as well. When MCC combines all these learning strategies to their courses, the result includes exceptionally well designed and instructed courses that exceed the students expectations leading to proactive disciple makers and ministry leaders throughout the world. Discover Your Practical Theology Pathways With MCC's Online Theology Courses and Programs!

Author: Tom Marshall, Academic Dean, Maritime Christian College A Typical Case Study Recently Emily asked rhetorically, “ Why do we allow an 18-year-old to make financial decisions when they have no clue what they are doing? ” Emily is now 27 and amid paying back her student loans. She is an example of many of today’s young people working to pay off a university education. In her case she attended the University of Maine (Stephen King’s alma mater). Her brothers, on the other hand, chose to attend a junior college before completing their last couple years at Northern Illinois University. All three received their degrees and are working in their selected fields: records information management, engineering, and accounting. To manage costs Emily’s brothers moved in with their grandparents while she lived all four years in the dorms. She cut living expenses by working as a resident assistant for three of her four years. The boys, on the other hand, did not pay rent (grandma would not accept it) but they were expected to run errands, clean, and help around the house and yard. There are plusses for on-campus and off-campus life: on-campus life equals camaraderie with fellow residents and co-workers, meal plans, and sports facilities, while off-campus equals free meals with the grandparents, no obnoxious neighbours, and no distractions. The minuses include the following: on-campus means dealing with obnoxious neighbours, need for on-campus employment to cut costs, and constant distractions, while off-campus means transportation issues, no social life, and the same restaurants week after week with the grandparents. These are a few plusses and minuses for each option. The big question becomes do you want to pay the $10,000 per year for room and board or deal with relatives? In each case Emily and her brothers made their own choices. Emily wanted the social interaction for an on-campus education while her brothers were willing to forego the social interaction to save money. As of this writing Emily’s younger brother (the accountant) has paid off his undergrad and grad school loans. Her older brother (the engineer) will have his loans paid off this year—for both his undergrad and grad school loans. Emily, on the other hand, (records information manager) still has years of payments ahead of her because she chose not to accelerate her payments nor cut costs by living with her grandparents. This leads back to Emily’s rhetorical question: “ Why do we allow an 18-year-old to make financial decisions when they have no clue what they are doing? ” Even though Emily knew her older brother cut costs by attending the cheaper junior college (Rock Valley College) rather than NIU and boarding with his grandparents, this did not dissuade her from choosing the higher cost option. She paid a premium for in-person interaction of a university campus. Cost is probably the largest determining factor between on-campus and off-campus education. Room and board make up around half of the costs of an education and if a student chooses to not live on-campus they can achieve quite a savings. This concept of savings leads to the online option as a means of acquiring an education or at least supplementing it with a course or two. A Change in the Wind In May of 2020 Covid-19 forced many North American universities and colleges to shift to some form of online presence due to the large outbreak of illness. The subsequent year and a half changed the way schools delivered their courses. Online became necessary. Before Covid-19’s disruptive arrival a trend was already underway in online education. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) keeps track of all education trends within the United States and other nations. One trend they studied is the rise of students taking online undergraduate classes. A report revealed that the percentage of students taking one or more online undergraduate classes increased from 15.6% in 2004 to 43.1% in 2016 (Snyder, Brey, & Dillow, 2018). [1] One impact of Covid-19 was its ability to accelerate online education across the board. Students needed to complete their school year while new students would be starting university or grad school in the Fall. Adapt or die became the new reality for most institutions. Online education became a viable option. Universities discovered they could provide distance education while students realized they could save money by choosing an online option. Undergraduate and Graduate Online Theology Degrees The trend toward an online undergraduate degree is growing. The NCES reports, “ The percentage of undergraduate students taking fully online degree programs increased from 3.8% in 2008 to 10.8% in 2016.” [2] Undergraduate students are considering cost over social interaction in a market where student debt has skyrocketed. With the impact of Covid-19 upon online courses, universities and colleges are increasing their course offerings in a new format and students are responding in kind. Maritime Christian College (MCC) shifted to an online format in 2019 to reach a mature audience for its disciple making certificates. Covid-19 did not create chaos for MCC as it was already in transition toward an online presence based upon their research and planning. In January 2023, MCC will be offering an online theology degree at the graduate level: Master of Arts in Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership. The decision to offer a master’s degree was based upon the number of current students over the age of 30 enrolled in its courses. While 18-year-old enrolment in ministry related fields has dropped in recent years, mature students and second career students have increased in the same ministry related courses. Second, accreditation is essential to moving forward and MCC’s best option for accreditation is toward a master’s degree. Returning to our case study, Emily attended Simmons University in Boston after completing her undergraduate degree. She selected a master’s in library science but completed it all online. Her perspective had changed after calculating her budget for living in Boston verses Charlottetown. This was a blow for Emily at first because she enjoyed her U. Maine experience of living on-campus all four years, “ I like the accountability of going to class and I thrive best in an environment when I can be a class clown, which is hard in online environments. ” But after considering her budget and the costs for a graduate degree she concluded, “ Online was handy because I could work at Starbucks pretty well full time and do school full time, and not move because the cost of living in Boston. ” “ A survey showed that 52% of graduate students in the U.S. found their online college-level education to provide a better learning experience than their college-level classroom education (Duffin, 2019).” Likewise, Online learning also appeals to graduate students who study toward a master or doctorate degree. In a survey conducted by Learning House, Inc. and Aslanian Market Research (2018), it was found that out of 1,500 graduate online students, 86% believed that the value they obtained from their online degree equaled or exceeded what they paid for. [3] For Emily the cost and convenience were important in her decision to attend graduate school online. The same would apply to any other online degree. For an undergraduate student, they need to consider either in-person or an on-line education—students must decide if cost and convenience outweigh an in-person experience. For the graduate student searching for an online theology degree cost and convenience are the motivating factors. Online has become the norm. “ According to the report of Snyder, Brey, & Dillow (2018), the percentage of graduate students who took entirely online graduate (postgraduate) degree programs has increased from 6.1% in 2008 to 27.3% in 2016.” [4] Employers are also accepting online education degrees if the type of education received is theoretical. Doctors and engineers, on the other hand, are still required to have in-person courses due to the tactile nature of their profession. The National Center for Education Statistics stated, “ 61% of employers believe an online education is comparable to on-campus education .” [5] Technology Leads to an Online Environment Whether they realize it or not students are making use of technology to complete most of their courses. For example, “ In a survey, it was found that 67% of American college students used their mobile devices to complete all or some of their course-related activities. ” [6] In effect the iPhone and Androids have created a mobile classroom and online learning is becoming the way of the future. The university or college which adapts their course offerings and delivery systems to fit a mobile phone user’s preference will have a market edge. Another study found that students believe mobile devices provide them with easier access to coursework. They also make for improved communication with other students and instructors, as well as help enhance their work quality and knowledge in their field of study (Seilhamer, et.al., 2018). In this regard, facilitators can engage more learners when they make their courses, materials, and activities accessible through a mobile phone or tablet. [7] Technology has allowed for an online theology degree to be possible for mature students who have full-time employment and are settled in a location away from the college’s physical footprint. With an online presence a potential student from a foreign country can work toward an online degree when cost restrictions prohibit their ability to attend in-person courses. Accessibility within an online environment allows a school to reach more students within their current context where they can apply their course material to their own setting. Within the context of ministry, foreign churches would save money to send a potential church leader to the institution for training with the expectation the student will return and bless the congregation. Often, though, a foreign student from a poorer economic background will often be influenced by the wealth and lifestyle of the institution’s country. Following four years of education the student often becomes acclimated to a higher economic culture and might not want to return to their native country where earnings and cultural practices are less than the country where they studied. An online program allows foreign students to learn and apply their training immediately within their native country. This is good stewardship and extends the cause of Christ around the world. Summary Covid-19 forced many institutions to rethink how they provide education to their students. For some schools who have read the signs of the times, online courses are a matter of course, but for those schools entrenched within an in-person mode of education Covid-19 provided a wake-up call to the future of education. Undergraduate students must decide if they want to cut costs by pursuing an online theology degree or pay a premium for in-person instruction. Either one provides a degree employers accept when hiring. Technology has enabled students to complete most of their schoolwork on their phones and indicates an online mode of learning. The question is whether universities will leverage this mobile trend by innovating new ways to incorporate course work via iPhones and Androids. Graduate education has embraced the online mode of education because it allows for the student to work full-time and remain in their hometown without moving and disrupting their families. Maritime Christian College is offering a masters in Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership for their online theology degree to increase disciple making within Canada and around the world. For more information please visit: https://www.mccpei.com . [1] . “50 Online Education Statistics: 2021/2022 data on Higher Learning & Corporate Training.” 2020. Research.com. June 30, 2020. Https:/research.com/education/online-educationstatistics#TOC1. Research.com used information from Digest of Education Statistics 2016: 52nd Edition (970 pages). The National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017094.pdf [2] . Ibid. [3] . Ibid. [4] . Ibid. [5] . Ibid. [6] . Ibid. [7] . Ibid.

Author: Tim Cook, Lead Planter at 419 Ministries Canada, Church Relations at Maritime Christian College and Regional Director for Renew.org Happy New Year! This a time of the year when many of us like to make plans for the next twelve months. Sometimes we make plans about how we will earn a living or maybe how we will make changes in a relationship. It is a great time to look back on the previous year and reset. Can you change the course of your career with an online ministry certificate ? I wasn’t really trying to do so, but that is what happened to me. Back in January 2006, I made a decision to reset. I had a successful career as an IT sales professional, working for the largest technology company in Canada. However, I wanted to have my own business. My decision to reset in 2006 was much bigger than shifting from working in the corporate world to becoming a business owner. I made a decision to trust and follow King Jesus and became a disciple in January 2006. By 2007, I was studying at Maritime Christian College (MCC) because I wanted to learn more about the Bible. In 2014, I was ordained and planted a church in a movie theatre. What a reset all of that was! I went from working in the corporate world for my personal gain to equipping disciples to make disciples. I continued to take courses through MCC and in April of 2017, I completed my Bachelors of Bible and Ministry Degree. It was something that I could do from anywhere and was able to complete over a period of years while I was working bi-vocationally. In this current season, I am planting 419 Ministries which is a ministry focused on making disciples that makes disciples. My studies at MCC made it very clear to me that making disciples was the ultimate goal. I currently host a monthly men’s breakfast where a growing group meet on a Saturday morning at a local restaurant to eat and discuss a story from the Bible. Many that attend are new to hearing the great news of the Gospel which makes this such a joy to be a part of. My wife and I host small groups in our home where adults meet in a relational environment to learn more about becoming a disciple that makes disciples. Our vision is to see these groups branch to create more groups and multiply through a reproducible process which I learned about in my studies at MCC. Our 419 leaders all have the opportunity to be better equipped through studies at MCC and they are encouraged by our leadership to do so. Bursaries are available, making a great opportunity for those who are raising a family or have other financial obligations. Now that I have completed my Bachelor of Bible and Ministry Degree I am starting an additional course of study through an online ministry certificate - Disciple Making Church Leadership. In my bi-vocational work, I fulfill a part-time contract with MCC in a role called Church Relations. A major part of my role is to come alongside the local churches and help them equip disciples to make disciples. One of the ways we do this is through our programs where local church leaders can work towards an online ministry certificate. I help them to choose the best courses for them, and then we work through the simple online registration process together. In some cases, we have been able to serve entire leadership teams at a church. I love watching students apply the knowledge in their local churches and seeing the fruit where disciples are making disciples. What about your plans for 2023? Perhaps you could consider an online ministry program? Would it change the course of your career? We have students from all over North America and around the world working on their online ministry certificates. As the new year begins, many disciples are making plans about what they will do differently in their church life in the coming year. MCC is focused on teaching about disciple making; providing opportunity for church leaders to take an online ministry certificate t hat helps disciples make disciples. But why all this focus on disciple making and should your personal 2023 plans include becoming more intentional about being a disciple maker? Signing up for a course in disciple making or healthy leadership is a great way to kick start your 2023 plans. But what is in it for you to do so and why would you make that your 2023 purpose? In Luke 5, Simon Peter is having a bad morning. Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John are just back from a bad fishing trip. They have already met Jesus (from what we can tell from the gospel of John) and they have spent a few months with Him. Now Jesus is officially calling Simon Peter to follow Him and become a disciple. These guys fish for a living and they had been out on the water all night and had caught nothing, so you can just imagine the mood Simon Peter is in. He is scrubbing the nets when he hears voices and there is a crowd coming who are following Jesus. Jesus stops and asks Peter to use his boat so that the people can hear Him better while He speaks from out on the water. Luke tells it this way: Luke 5:1-3 – One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat (NIV). [1] Whenever Jesus speaks, the crowd always seems to be amazed. When Jesus wraps up His teaching, He sends the people away. Simon Peter is probably relieved that he gets to go home now but Jesus has a different idea, He wants to go fishing. Luke 5:4 – When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” (NIV). Peter is exhausted and knows that the place to catch fish is in shallow water, not deep water and at night versus day and on top of all that, he had just finished cleaning the nets. Luke 5:5 – “…Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (NIV). Simon Peter is the fisherman, what does Jesus know about fishing? In our context, we might wonder what Jesus knows about my finances, my friendships, or my education for that matter. Simon Peter does let down the nets, but he is not very excited about doing so. Luke 5:5-7 – 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink (NIV). Jesus really does know something about fishing it seems. He also really knows what He is talking about when He gives us His last words before ascending to Heaven. Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and The Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV). Jesus also really does know how relationships work, how to manage money, friendships, work relationships, marriages, making disciples and the purpose for our lives. Simon Peter’s emotions change. Luke 5: 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” (NIV)! What he is really saying is that he doesn’t think Jesus needs him. We might say: “My 2023 plans don’t include Jesus using me for a purpose.” What would have happened if the virgin Mary said, “There is no way that the baby Jesus can be born of a virgin”? What would happen to Christmas and our lives? What would happen if Peter were to give Jesus the use of his boat but not allow Jesus to use him? We probably all watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” over the Christmas season. What would happen if George Bailey wasn’t around to save his brother Harry from going through the ice? Harry wouldn’t have saved hundreds of men during the war and wouldn’t have received the transgressional medal of honour. There are results of disciple making and it has a purpose. In the Real-Life Disciple Training Manual , it says: “Mathematically if one disciple makes three disciple makers every five years and if those disciples do the same every five years, in ten years there will be almost 180,000 disciple makers. If they continue, in seventy years there are fourteen billion disciple makers. Twice the number of people occupying the planet.” [2] But what about you? What is in this for you? God has a 2023 plan for all of us. We have a purpose as disciples of King Jesus to not only follow Jesus but be changed by Jesus and on mission for Jesus. Luke 5: 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people” (NIV). Jesus is using language that these guys can understand. Go and fish for people. Jesus came to seek and save the lost and part of His plan is that disciples will make disciples. Jesus wants us on His team. Peter doesn’t just catch boats full of fish. He ends up preaching an amazing sermon at a feast called Pentecost. After his sermon over 3,000 people get baptized. Now that’s a powerful sermon empowered by the Holy Spirit! Those 3,000 people started what we know as the body of believers called the church. I think we all want to be part of a church where disciples are growing in maturity and are learning how to become spiritual parents, equipping more disciples to become disciple makers. This results in healthy growing disciple making movements and aligns with what King Jesus commissioned us to do. The final verse of this story: Luke 5:11 “So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him” (NIV). Maybe you have plans to enroll at MCC this year? The results are huge for disciples. King Jesus has given us a purpose to multiply. Every disciple has a purpose to make disciples in 2023; what a great way to wake up every day in the coming year. Committed to the mission of our Creator who created you for a purpose. At MCC we offer an online ministry certificate in disciple making church leadership. We also offer a certificate in disciple making that is great for anyone in the church. Our new Master of Arts in Disciple Making and Ministry leadership is offered through the same online platform. We serve disciple makers all over the world. Other online ministry certificates are offered in youth disciple making ministry and co-vocational ministry. No matter where you are, we have the perfect program for you. This coming year, you can change the course of your career. Please contact me to discuss any of these programs at tcook@mccpei.com . [1] Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ [2] Putman, Jim; Willis, Avery; Guindon, Brandon; Krause Bill Real -Life Discipleship Training Manual , Navpress, Colorado Springs, 2010.

Author: Tom Marshall, Academic Dean, Maritime Christian College James desired to improve his biblical knowledge but is unsure if free online Bible study courses are better than courses offered by a college or university. The price for free courses is right but is there a catch? Every time he clicked on a link to find out more information, he landed on an email request page to enroll. Plus, he happened upon one website for a free online Bible study course but found out later it was one of those groups who do not believe Jesus is God’s Son. A friend of his had warned him about organizations using biblical-sounding language in their advertisements. Still, the organization did not believe Jesus rose from the grave and even denied Jesus was God’s Son. James shook his head in frustration because this complicated his task in finding the right Bible study course. He was beginning to think free wasn’t necessarily a great deal after all, especially if he signed up to an online course sponsored by a group denying Jesus’ divinity. James continued his search and found Michael Chen’s website: https://www.notta.ai/en/blog/free-online-bible-study-courses , which listed the ten best free online courses. The website identified the institutions behind the courses which James could double-check. The schools offered free courses as an incentive to take other classes they offered at the institution. So why not enroll in a seminary course and complete a program instead of messing around with a free course? James had been toying with the idea of working in a church. He enjoyed helping others, and he discovered Jesus wanted him to be a disciple-maker. His friend encouraged him to continue studying about Jesus and told him he was a great team player. James considered his friend’s suggestion and wondered if getting a master’s degree might be the answer. James noticed that free online Bible study courses can be completed at your own pace. Like many people, James is a procrastinator. Deadlines are a necessary evil in order to get his work done. Over time he has become a bit cynical when things are “free.” His dad often said, “ If you don’t put your own money in, then you’re not serious. Money equals ownership .” James wanted to get serious and knew he would have to pay. It had to come out of his own pocket. It’s what he wanted to do. The newfound ownership made all the difference because he would be learning something he wanted to learn. James contacted his friend’s alma mater, and they got back to him. He spoke to a guy named Tim, who answered his questions and explained how the Masters program worked online. Tim informed him he would be a part of a cohort. A cohort is a group of like-minded students who are either serving in a church or are involved in some form of volunteer ministry. The cohort would take classes together and learn within a peer-to-peer relationship with experts guiding their study. The benefits of the cohort system are the relationships a student builds with their classmates, the delving into the why about disciple-making, and the experience one gains by applying what you learn within a cohort to their own life. These relationships can last for years and is one of the benefits of participating in a master’s program. Tim explained how the courses were asynchronous (teacher and students not meeting at the same time) and had been developed by experienced online course developers and taught by knowledgeable instructors. Tim also explained that Maritime Christian College is part of the Restoration Movement of independent Christian churches who use the Bible as the main “textbook” without an overall denomination head office to explain church policy and doctrine. In fact, MCC’s bylaws state that the Bible shall be the College’s chief textbook and that course developers and instructors must adhere to this principle. But Tim pointed out that students with differing denominational perspectives are still encouraged to take MCC courses as long as they are willing to engage in a biblically supported defense of their denominational position and to maintain academic integrity and Christian unity. The Masters of Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership offers two courses per semester, and a student can expect to graduate in two years if they complete the two courses per semester offered in September-December, January to April, and May-August. James liked the semester approach because it was like undergrad school, and he’d be forced to complete the work before the end of the semester. James happens to live in the USA, and Tim pointed out how the exchange rate today is excellent for studying in Canada online. A 3-hour credit course, at $825 CAD translates very favorably into $612 USD per course at current exchange rates. Tim also mentioned MCC has bursaries available to help cut costs, but one must apply early before they were all taken. James went online and checked how much a course would be from another theological seminary and found it was $858 US. Other US courses were similar in price, but the exchange rate made MCC attractive. When James compared MCC’s master’s courses in their MA program to the free online Bible study courses, he noted the concentration in disciple-making courses at MCC rather than the wide range of topics covered in the free courses. His friend explained the seminary experience is a deep dive into a particular area of study. His friend also pointed out MCC’s vision is to help churches to make disciples who make disciples. Its curriculum is focused on disciple-making as a way to help church leaders and students recapture this core mission of the church that Jesus gave his followers. James grew up in the church, and over the years, he had noticed most of the regular attenders are now gray-haired and tired after years of faithful service. He looked around and noted how many people his own age were not there. At some point, people his age quit coming to church. Something had changed, but he wasn’t sure what it was. His friend kept talking about the need for disciple-making and James wondered if this might be the answer. James realized a change must take place within the church but was unsure how to go about making that change. He also knows he must make disciples but is unsure how to do that as well. He wants to do something but what? Tim encouraged him to sign up for a course, get to know the professor and students in the course and ask God to clarify what he should do. By stepping out in faith in taking a course God will either open up new opportunities to serve or he’ll let you know it’s not for you. James’ friend often spoke about how twelve Apostles carried the gospel message to the ends of the earth following Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. These apostles faced severe challenges and opposition, but their persistence and the work of the Holy Spirit made the difference. The gospel’s spread impacted the Roman Empire to the extent that paganism no longer had a hold as people accepted Jesus. Social institutions began to change for the better because the gospel brings people together rather than divide them. James wondered if a similar change could occur in his own life if he were to sign up for a course. It is a big dream. James is committed to telling others about the gospel message but wants to learn how to do it best. He has learned God sent Jesus to free him from the bondage to sin, and now he wants to share this with others. Maritime Christian College offers a Masters in Disciple Making and Ministry Leadership Link: https://www.mccpei.com/master-of-arts-in-disciple-making-ministry-leadership . Enroll today: https://www.mccpei.com/apply-ma Discover MCC's Vision for our Future and Why Online Programs Are Perfect For You! Link: https://www.mccpei.com/mcc-vision

Author: Tom Marshall, Academic Dean, Maritime Christian College Do you have Bible questions but cannot find the answers? Or do you want to get serious about your walk with Jesus but do not know where to begin? Have you gone through several Bible studies but felt disappointed because they didn’t satisfy your longing to know more about God? As a new believer I was frustrated because I wanted to learn more about God but when I asked my Sunday school teacher a question he laughed, shook his head, and went on without answering my question. Later I found out the answer on my own when I enrolled in an Old Testament survey course at a local Bible college. The difference between a Bible study and academic course is the depth of knowledge one attains. Bible studies are like journal articles. They are polished, discuss a specific topic, and overall make an impact in one’s life with an “aha moment” like Oprah coined on her shows. But have you considered what was left out of the journal article? What did the author of that article learn? A Bible college course is like all the research the author gleaned in their in-depth study. It is a deep dive into a specific topic like the book of Genesis with readings from scholars, class discussions, research, and writing. It is intense! It forces you to think and to examine things up close and discuss and defend a position you might take on a topic. Another way to describe the difference are the two types of books you will find in a Christian bookstore. Devotional books which are inspirational, give principles to live by, and are quite practical. The other type of book is academic which looks at a particular topic in depth. Go to the local Christian bookstore and ask the salesperson if they have anything on textual criticism. They will invariably walk you past a whole bunch of books on the sales floor and to an out of the way shelf where the university or academic books are located. You will probably see commentaries in this area as well. Open the textual criticism book and look for a capital A as one of the topics of discussion. This “A” is a reference to a copy of the Bible name Alexandrinus. Take a few minutes and learn about Codex Alexandrinus. When you’ve had enough put the book back or buy it. Now walk over to any of the other shelves in the middle of the store or in front and grab a book. Open it and read a bit. Can you tell the difference? Devotional books have their place just as academic books are useful as well. But just as you find online bible studies and devotional books everywhere you will have to search a bit to find academic books or a Bible course at a local Bible college. Is one type of book better than the other? No. It is good to have a blend, but if you want to know more about God then you will have to go deeper. Commentaries are another way to tell the difference between devotional and academic. Devotional commentaries will be thin compared to their heftier academic cousins. Also open the commentary. Are there Greek or Hebrew words on the page? Are there lots of footnotes? A good academic commentary will deal with the original language. Word Biblical Commentary is an excellent academic commentary series, which have blue or green covers based on Old Testament or New Testament books. These types of commentaries deal with grammatical issues and point out the meaning of words in each text along with all the possible other interpretations for the same text. An excellent critical commentary will provide years of service and are considered tools by Biblical scholars. Remember the question I had when I was a new Christian. Do you want to know what the question was? We were studying Acts 15 and one word kept popping up again and again. So, I asked the teacher the following question: What is circumcision? I was the only young person in the class of adults, and everyone giggled and hemmed and hawed. I guess they thought I was cracking a joke. But I wasn’t. Obviously, circumcision was an important concept to the early church. It was the center of the discussion in Acts 15 but what was it? Little did I know then, but my one question was the key to understanding quite a bit of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Of course, on my own it would have taken quite a bit of time to figure it out. But even then, I still wouldn’t have understood all the nuances behind the word. This is where Bible college became a huge resource for understanding God’s Word. Let’s consider the word “circumcision” for a moment. Within the Old and New Testament, circumcision is a sign of the covenant. But what is a covenant? Are there different types of covenants? In the Ancient Near East there were three major types of covenants: Suzerain-vassal, Kinship, and Royal Grant. The Suzerain-vassal type of covenant is the type God makes with Israel, and it is this type of covenant that is marked by circumcision. But if you want additional details about these covenants you will have to look it up. In a bible study you might not go in depth into different types of covenants when discussing Acts 15; in fact, you probably do not want to go in depth during a bible study because it will turn people off. But what if you do? Bible colleges have instructors who can guide you through the overwhelming amount of information available in today’s world. They have navigated the way and can aid your search and keep you from getting lost. Likewise, Bible colleges have fellow students like you who are also learning and may discover something from the lesson reading you might have missed. And the comradery from sharing with one another adds to the pleasure as well as the insight into God’s Word. Some people love learning, and the average bible study does not satisfy them. This is normal. I wanted to know more about the Bible and spent 10 years in higher education plus another 20 years adding to my knowledge by teaching university courses covering Old and New Testament books, apologetics, church history, and practical ministry classes. In a recent Life of Christ course, a student asked, “How do you know so much about a verse in the Bible?” I laughed and referred to my 30 years of constant study—of diving deep into the text to understand it. A university education encourages life-long learning. Think of it as a bank account. Instead of money the student is depositing knowledge/experience into their bank account. Every time you read an entire book of the Bible or read the whole Bible each year, you are depositing into your account. Every encyclopedia article you read or paper you write is adding to the savings in your account. And in time, with enough deposits, others will consider you an expert. The best way to begin to invest is by selecting Maritime Christian College Disciple Maker Certificates: https: www.mccpei.com/disciple-maker-certificate . Ten courses have been selected and provide an excellent foundation for disciple making. Old Testament survey reveals how God worked through the family of Abraham by promising them a nation, land, and a blessing. Mission Perspectives reveals God’s master plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and the Gospels reveals Jesus’ 3-year ministry and his death, burial, and resurrection. Acts of the Apostles continues the story of redemption with the beginning of the Church and its expansion from Jerusalem to Rome. Romans through Revelation reveals the various letters written to the early churches. Apologetics answers the question of how we defend the faith. Biblical Theology for Discipleship clarifies the various doctrines of the Church. Becoming a Disciple Maker assists you on the task of fulfilling the Great Commission. Disciple Making and the Local Church provides practical advice of how you can apply what you have learned in a local setting. World Religions reveals the basic beliefs of other faith systems found within the world. The word “Strategic” in the title raises an important point. How can someone with a bachelor’s degree in psychology or marketing be prepared to serve in ministry? The above courses cuts to the heart of the 4-year Bachelor of Bible degree. They are an excellent foundation for the individual with a BA degree from a university needing a quick biblical background for their employment or personal bible study. Who has time to go back to school? We all have jobs and families, and our college days are behind us. But with today’s technology new possibilities to participate in classes online have changed the face of education. One no longer must move to a far city to attend school or commute to a class. Distance learning brings quality education into your home and with asynchronous learning (without being present for lectures) a student can complete the readings and assignments anytime during the week. With the high cost of today’s education, online learning eliminates half of student expenses from a traditional college or university because they do not have to pay for room and board. And for the individual who is already employed the online option allows them to continue to work at their present job without fear of losing it to go to school. But you want to make disciples? Sharing Jesus with another person is simple and you’re already prepared by telling the other person how Jesus has made a difference in your life. It’s as simple as that. You’ve done you part now it’s up to God to do His part, and up to the person to do their part. That’s all you can do. But what if they raise a question about Jesus not really dying on the cross. With the Maritime Christian College Disciple Maker Certificate, you can answer this question because you had covered it in your apologetics class. College course do not take away from disciple making but enhance it by preparing you with the foundational answers to God’s working through one family and Jesus being the culmination of His ultimate plan to bring salvation to all people. When I first asked that question in my teen years about circumcision, I did not know it would lead to a deep and abiding relationship with God and Jesus. One day I was asked to speak at a senior’s college about Christianity. The lady who spoke the week before was Jewish and had shared the week before about Judaism. During my presentation an elderly lady asked me if I was ever going to talk about Christianity and I looked at all my notes on the black board about Abraham, King David, and Jesus and said, “ I have been all this time. The New Testament is based upon the Old Testament. Jesus was Jewish. He brought about salvation for all people by dying as a Jewish sacrifice during a Passover meal .” After my presentation the Jewish lady asked me a question about why Miriam was turned leprous but not Aaron. Having considered this question during my own research, I answered, “Aaron was the High Priest, and he would have been disqualified from being the High Priest if God had turned him leprous.” I’m not a Jewish scholar but I could tell my answer impressed her. I emphasize how it is not necessary to know much to make disciples. You must be willing to share your life with another person. Likewise having a biblical foundation can also give you opportunities to speak with someone whom you never thought you might be speaking to like the Jewish woman at the senior’s college. Do you want to grow in your spiritual life? Discover how with Maritime Christian College’s Disciple Maker Certificate courses. Click to learn more: https://www.mccpei.com/disciple-maker-certificate .