Education for the Next Generation
Rev. David Shepherd, District Superintendent, Western
Ontario District
Rev. Richard Hilsden, District Superintendent, Eastern
Ontario and Quebec District
Rev. David Slauenwhite, District Superintendent,
Maritimes District
Rev. Earl Batstone, General Superintendent, The
Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland
Positional Contributors
Dr. Carl Verge, President - Eastern Pentecostal Bible
College
Dr. Van Johnson, Dean - Canadian Pentecostal Seminary,
East
Preamble
In May, 1999 the Western Ontario, Eastern Ontario
& Quebec and Maritimes District Conferences “approved in principle”the
concept for a new institution as presented in the following document. The
approval “in principle” keeps the door open for modifications as the final
design is put in place for final adoption at the respective conferences in the
spring of 2,000.
Until this process is complete and implemented (summer
of 2,001), Eastern Pentecostal Bible College and the Canadian Pentecostal
Seminary East will continue with their present mandate of training today’s
Pentecostal leaders. The period of transition from these institutions to the
new structure will be eased as the presently unknown factors are discovered,
put in place and the new infrastructure emerges out of the two. The following
document is not intended to address every question but rather paint a conceptual
picture. The reader should absorb this material with that context in mind.
Education for the next Generation
The training and equipping of Pentecostal leaders has
been an integral part of our movement since our first educational institute was
formed in1939. Huge changes have taken place in society, the church and the
educational world in the six succeeding decades. Yet we are convinced that the
need for Pentecostal training is needed now more than ever.
In recent years The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada’s
national leadership has grappled with the current education issues via the
Symposium on Education. Out of these discussions came recommendations that were
made to the General Executive and, in turn, to the 1998 General Conference in
Saskatoon. The General Conference clearly embraced the conviction that
Pentecostal education is the onus of the Districts by incorporating this
ownership in the newly revised General Constitution. Any new major educational
programs initiated by one of our institutions must now receive the endorsement
of the sponsoring constituencies.
The Newfoundland Accord was planned with the intent of
discovering areas of common agreement regarding a new paradigm for Pentecostal
education in the future. Dr. Carl Verge and Dr. Van Johnson were invited to
attend as guests to bring their personal positions to the table. These days
proved to be profitable. The following document summarizes the results and
recommendations birthed out of the discussion.
The Issues
As we approached the table the following subjects surfaced
regarding our present philosophy and product of education:
- Profile of a Pentecostal Minister
in the 21st Century – the “end product’
- Student debt loads
- Who we are attempting to serve –
“the client base”
- Type of teachers need in the new
Millenium
- Distance Education
- Internship/Mentoring
- Seminary/Graduate Studies
- Seminary relationship with Tyndale
Seminary
- Discipleship Schools
- Credential Standards
- Financial support of the training
Institutions.
- Desire by Eastern to embark on
graduate education
- National’s role in education
- Opting out option for Districts in
future educational endeavors
While all of these topics deserved our attention
several items received only a cursory discussion and should be the subject of
further meetings.
Who We Are Serving – The Client Base
It was agreed that the primary purpose of pentecostal
post-secondary education is to train and equip ministerial (vocational) leaders
for the local church i.e. Pastors/teachers, evangelists etc. A secondary but
not less significant role is to provide theological education to lay persons
who desire to be active leaders within a non-vocational context of the local
church.
Local
Church Lay Leadership Base
Credentialed Ministers
While it should be understood that the local church
must be faithful in its responsibility to train the local body in the Word and doctrine
there exists a continued need for pentecostal education at a concentrated
level. Post-secondary pentecostal education, however, must not be delivered in
isolation from the local church. We must find ways to enhance the partnership
between the local church, our education institutions and the Pentecostal
Assemblies of Canada infrastructure.
The End Product – Leadership for the 21st Century Pentecostal Church
Thoroughly
Pentecostal is deemed to mean:
-
a commitment to our distinctive belief in the initial
physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit
-
the current use of the varied gifts of the Spirit
including leadership gifts
-
a dependence on the supernatural empowerment of the
Spirit
-
a commitment to holiness where the work of the Spirit
impacts every area of the believer’s life
-
evidence of the fruit of the Spirit
-
belief in signs and wonders within the context of
Scriptural accountability that exalts Christ and His redemptive work on the
cross
-
training from mentors who model leadership in the
Spirit
2.
Ministerial training must provide thorough Biblical Knowledge from a Pentecostal
perspective.
The graduating
student must:
-
be well versed in the Scriptures
-
have a disciplined approach to Biblical learning
-
have a balanced understanding of Biblical and
Systematic Theology
-
have a Pentecostal approach to hermeneutics
-
have come to closure on Pentecostal issues in Scripture
3.
Ministerial training must provide Practical Leadership Skills in a Pentecostal context.
The environment
of training must include:
-
an extensive period of internship in a Pentecostal
setting
-
concurrent practical experience in all areas of
ministry involvement to match the intended area of ministry following
completion of studies
-
mentoring by faculty and leaders who currently
function in Pentecostal leadership and ministry within in a local church
4. Ministerial
training must result in a person with a Disciplined Character living out the Pentecostal experience.
The
product (the graduate) of this training must:
-
have developed maturity in Christ, and personal
Biblical holiness
-
have a comfort in his/her call and gifts within a
Pentecostal context
-
have demonstrable evidence of the fruit of the spirit
-
understand and operate in the gifts of the Spirit
-
be able to disciple and mentor others in Pentecostal
leadership
While assumed, at present, that a successful graduate
from one of our institutions should be qualified for credentialed ministry, it
is our conviction that future credentials should not be granted until all four
areas above are satisfactorily met.
To do so means a change in our approach to
credentialing. At the last General Conference a new National Credential
Standards Committee was established to rethink the requirements for ministerial
credentials. The new standards will require likely require testing in all areas
of Pentecostal leadership. Education would be one component in the skill
set required during the evaluation of an individual’s preparedness for
ministry. Without downplaying the need for higher learning, this would allow
individuals who may have attained their Pentecostal theological belief system
outside the traditional institutional environment to head toward credentials
within The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.
It would be critical that periodic examination of an
individual’s progress would occur during the training years. Such a system
would “filter out” or redirect candidates that do not meet the standard long
before appearing before the Credentials Committee.
Three Streams of Delivery of Pentecostal Leadership
Training
In 1993, The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada’s General
Executive adopted a Philosophy Of Education which included the concept
of providing biblical, theological and practical education through a
multi-level approach of:
1.
Discipleship Training
2.
Bible College Education
3.
Seminary Education
Following a review of this plan (which was never fully
implemented) the Newfoundland Accord concluded that this three-legged approach
to delivery of training was well suited for the next millenium.The Newfoundland
Accord altered the terminology to “discipleship school, undergraduate college
and graduate studies”. The Newfoundland Accord added flesh to this skeleton
with following recommendations.
Undergraduate
Studies
In 1939, Eastern Pentecostal Bible College (EPBC) was
created as an off-campus-training center based out of Evangel Temple in
Toronto. As it grew and relocated to Peterborough, Ontario it became a
residential campus under the persuasion that good ministerial training was best
delivered when the student studied in an
environment free from the distractions of his/her
world. To ably serve the breadth of the constituency the residential campus
became a necessity.
For many decades, the residential campus was our
primary form of delivery of theological and pastoral training. A major shift in
focus occurred as technology provided a means to receive education without
having to be physically present at the College. EPBC has been a leader in
Distance Education with Internet Courses, Distance Education sites and
accredited correspondence programs.
As the distance education component grew in
popularity, the Bible College experienced a downturn in the on-campus program.
Recent studies reveal that this trend is likely to continue in the years to
come.
While the residential program has served its purpose
well there is a growing call for more practical subjects and “on site”
application of the teaching. These demands are difficult to achieve in
Peterborough with its limited population and opportunity for local church
ministry. Serious consideration should be given to the possible relocation to a
metropolitan city such as Toronto. In the short term the Newfoundland Accord
agreed that the present residential campus program continues to have merit but
will likely level out at a student body of 300.
More Distance Education sites are needed with a strong
emphasis on “church based learning”. Ideally this could take the form of a
“co-op” program where students study on site at a local church while working
within their church setting. Internet based education likewise allows the
student to study while living at home and participating in active ministry
under the mentorship of the pastor/supervisor.
All Bible College graduates would need to pass the
national credentials standards to be credentialed with The Pentecostal
Assemblies of Canada.
Graduate Studies
In 1996, the Canadian Pentecostal Seminary (CPS)
received approval by the General Conference. The implementation of this new
institution was met with mixed reviews. Ownership of the seminary was not clearly
defined until the General Conference of 1998.
The initial need for a Pentecostal Seminary grew out
of the increasing number of University trained students seeking ways to enter
credentialed ministry within the PAOC. At the outset the founders of the
seminary entered into a relationship with Tyndale Seminary in the East and
Trinity Western University in the West.
The degrees granted by these institutions are
augmented by courses coordinated by the CPS Deans that allowed the graduating student
to qualify for credentials.
The great strengths of the Canadian Pentecostal Seminary are its
commitment to be a church-based institution and the relative low cost of
operations.
In the winter of 1999 the Canadian Pentecostal
Seminary was divided into two parts: CPS East and CPS West and became directly
accountable to the respective sponsoring districts.
The Newfoundland Accord concluded that for CPS East to
have credibility as a truly “Pentecostal” seminary the number of courses taught
by Pentecostals within a local pentecostal church context must be greatly
increased. Although the relationship with Tyndale provides immediate
accreditation for the degree, concern was raised as to how “pentecostal” an
education the student can receive. The day may come that the new
seminary/graduate education program receives its own accreditation and
affiliation with an outside institution like Tyndale may not be necessary.
However, to completely isolate CPS East from the broader evangelical world
raises the same concerns some may have with the current Bible College program.
The Newfoundland Accord ascertained that a closer
relationship must be built with the Undergraduate College (Bible School)
without loosing the unique thrust of the seminary.
The Graduate Studies program would eventually lead to
other graduate degrees such as an M.T.S. designed for Bible College graduates
who intend to further their education.
Credentials would be an option for graduate students
who pass the requirements set out by the National Credential Standards
Committee.
Discipleship
School
The third level of education proposed in the 1993
Philosophy of Education paper called for a church based discipleship-training
program. Though this concept has not been instituted in eastern Canada,
programs of a similar nature have become the new wave of leadership training in
many parts of North America.
The discipleship school would be modeled after the “Master’s Commission”
program founded by Phoenix First Assembly of God, Phoenix Arizona. Students
would commit themselves to one, two or three years of full time Christian
service within a church that sponsors and directs an affiliated discipleship
school. The emphasis of the program is on practical ministry, personal &
spiritual disciplines and leadership development.
The education component of the school would be
governed by the districts in cooperation with our educational institutions,
ensuring a level of training that may allow the transfer of a limited number of
course credits to one of the other educational streams. (perhaps up to one
year of study credit)
Graduation from the Discipleship School would lead to
an entry-level credential upon meeting the requirements established by the
National Credential Standards Committee.
A Transitioning
Institution with a New Name
It is the recommendation of the Newfoundland Accord
that these three entities of Pentecostal training come under the banner of one
name and one governing body.
1.
Assure a common philosophy of church based theological
training
2.
Provide portability of course credits between
educational streams
3.
Provide efficient use of people and resources (faculty
and finances)
4.
Assure a complimentary rather that competitive relationship
between training programs
It is our conviction that neither Eastern Pentecostal
Bible College nor the Canadian Pentecostal Seminary should grow into leading this
banner institution. The Newfoundland Accord recommends that a new institution
be created with a new name reflecting the broad scope of its mandate. (It
may prove to be economically beneficial to operate under the charter of the
existing Bible College and appeal to the government for the changes to allow
for the new programs)
The new institution would have one President giving
visionary leadership to all three educational entities. He/she would be
accountable to a Board of Governors made up of representatives selected by the
supporting District Executives.
Each educational stream or entity would be
administered by its own Dean, directly accountable to the President. Each Dean
would have an Administrative Committee to assist in managerial leadership and
the fulfillment of the entity’s unique mandate. Each Administrative committee
would include members of the new Institution’s Board of Governors.
Personnel
To protect the integrity of the “new” Institution
neither the present Dean of CPS East nor the President of EPBC would be
considered candidates for the office of President.
The President
must be:
-
thoroughly pentecostal in belief and practice
-
academically qualified for credibility in the
community and able to function in the educational world
-
committed to the church-based philosophy of education
-
experienced in the pastoral field
-
able to provide linkage for the three entities
-
committed to equipping leaders for the local church
-
able to represent the institution to the constituency
-
credentialled with the fellowship
The Deans must be:
-
thoroughly pentecostal in belief and practice
-
academically qualified for their respective positions
-
committed to the church-based model of education
-
understand their individual role as complementary to
the other entities
-
administrative qualified to give leadership to their
respective entities
-
credentialed with the fellowship
Faculty/Staff
All current faculty/Staff associated
with the existing college or seminary would be required to reapply if desiring
to be part of the new institution. Academic qualifications must be matched with
pentecostal ministry orientation and practical experience.
Administration
The administration of the three entities would be
centralized under the new Institution while the management of courses would be
overseen at the offices of each entity.
Internship
Program
The goal of the new design is to provide a direct
linkage of the core values of the Districts regarding education into the
internship/coop programs so that students complete their studies with a
maturity of leadership skills matching the needs of our constituency.
The internship/co-op programs would operate under the coordination
of the districts, yet tied to the new institution. Internship would be based
out of local Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada churches or approved
organizations. There would be linkage between the four Districts’ internship
programs to maintain common standards and objectives. District leaders
overseeing the internship program should be directly linked to or on the Board
of Governors of the new Institution to preserve flow and integration of the
whole system.
Implementation
It is the opinion of the Newfoundland Accord that
implementation of the new Institution will take two years from the time of
approval in principle by the respective conferences.
Ingredients of
Implementation
-
present the proposed redesign of our educational
programs to the District Conferences in 1999 for debate and feedback
-
propose a resolution for approval in principle
-
propose a resolution extending the mandate of CPS East
for two years while the new institution is developed
-
Graduate Studies at Eastern would be put on hold in
light of proposed new institution.
-
final proposal to be presented for approval at the
2,000 District Conferences
-
A new President would be appointed upon final approval
of new institution to begin implementation of the redesign.
-
programs would but put in place for commencement in
the fall of 2,001.
During this
period of transition the leadership of the Districts must assure that the
transfer of authority from the former Boards of Governors is smooth and due
consideration is given to all legal matters including the transfer of assets
and liabilities.
Submitted by
The Eastern Canada Superintendents
Rev. Richard T. Hilsden (chair)
Rev. Earl Batstone (Secretary)
Rev. David Shepherd
Rev. David Slauenwhite