An alternative training model

In an era when full-time ministry training will set you back £75,000, taking you out of circulation for at least three years to boot, an institute in the north of England is quietly running an alternative model.

According to Tim Chester, its director, the Northern Training Institute (NTI) is designed for ‘graduates or those who have significant ministry experience’ and offers a model of training that takes into account the changing face of evangelical ministry and the changing face of secular Britain.

Spin-off

NTI is a spin off from the successful Northern Training course (formerly Northern Cornhill). It was established with a three-fold aim. First Tim wanted to provide a solid biblical training regime in the country’s north, as the lack of something like NTI was draining the area of good people.

‘With little evangelical training on offer in the north people often go south’, said Tim. ‘The problem is that many don’t come back. As a result churches are weaker in the north and there are large areas with no evangelical church at all’, he added.

The soaring financial cost of theological education is a second major reason for the establishment of NTI. Tim was concerned at the low level of funding on offer, and consequently the level of debt incurred by many who want to study full-time.

Prohibitive dosh

‘Recently someone who went to a college sent out a letter in order to raise £75,000 for fees and living costs for their three year degree’, he said. ‘The reality is that in most churches people don’t have that level of funding.’

Tim believes that such costs are prohibitive both to those who would have to give up a full-time career to study, and also to younger students who will find themselves burdened with huge debts when they graduate.

By contrast, NTI costs just £600 per year, and combines training with involvement in paid ministry or secular work.

Rooted in practice

This study and work combination is the third string to NTI’s bow. ’We wanted to offer a theological education that is integrated with the rest of life’, said Tim. ‘NTI ensures that theology is rooted in practice, and that practice is rooted in theology.’

Tim is adamant that this model creates an environment for such a symbiotic relationship to occur. ’When our students are looking at Pauline Theology or Christology, they are already exploring the ministry questions’, he said. ’We don’t have to bring them into the classroom. The converse is also true, with ministry being reflected on theologically.’

Tim cited the example of students who are sharing the gospel with a Muslim friend in their church context in which the issue of the Trinity became not simply an abstract classroom debate, but an apologetic and evangelistic opportunity.

Small numbers so far

As would be expected for a project in its infancy — NTI is being piloted for an initial two years — the student numbers are quite small. Five young men are taking part: two are assistant ministers, another two are leading church plants, and one is training with IFES in order to lead a student work in Greece.

According to Tim, NTI plays into a model of ministry that is slightly different, with less emphasis on ’professionalism’ and more on providing a training that allows you to continue in what you are currently doing.

Despite its size, Tim is pleased with the academic rigour of the programme and the enthusiasm which its initial students have bought into the model.

How it works

‘We have three elements to the programme’, said Tim. ‘Two week-long residentials, a guided reading component, and a monthly seminar day.’

The guided reading covers biblical theology, doctrine and church history, and mission and ministry. According to Tim, the changes that technology has wrought in our culture over the past decade have been of enormous benefit in this area. ’There are lots of great resources that are available now,’ he said. ’You no longer have to go to a theological library to access them.’

For Tim, however, the genius of NTI is in the monthly seminar days, when the students get together and bring an inter-disciplinary approach to a theological topic. ’We take topics as diverse as the incarnation, what it means to be human, mission after Christendom or marriage, and have the students prepare a paper to present to the group’, he said.

‘Prior to the seminar each student prepares their paper from a separate discipline.’ The result is that the group explores each topic from the perspectives of biblical theology, church history, systematics, missiology, and pastoral care. The day is spent in an ongoing discussion, with all the disciplines receiving an airing during that time. Throughout the year each student will cover each discipline at least once.

Advantages

For Tim this approach has a number of advantages. ‘Apart from a whole lot of fun, we are training people to think theologically’, said Tim. ‘Each person has to present a paper, but they also have to provide feedback on the other disciplines.‘ Guided reading will give them the information, but the seminar days are about getting people to take that information and use it in their own settings’, he said.

The final seminar day of the year is given over to reflections on the ministries in which each person is involved, and topics as diverse as working in a Greek culture, ministering to ex-offenders, and the role of children in the local congregation are placed on the table.

Tim is pleased with the academic level of the papers being presented by the students, and the quality is such that he has decided to make available the best of the seminar papers on the NTI website. The PDF format papers are available from the NTI website: http://www.northerntraininginstitute.org.

Tim also said he welcomes any queries about NTI and can be contacted via the site for further information.