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1. improve the theological and ministerial competence of those who minister in the church today.
2. strive to provide ministerial training that is from the church, for the church in the church.
3. utilise educational resources.
4. provide church based accredited ministerial training at the post-graduate level.
5. deliver the educational experience in creative ways to ensure that no one who qualifies for ministerial training is excluded.
6. deliver ministerial training without the student necessarily having to leave the pastorate or place of employment.

Participants Do Not Need to Take Leave from Their Lives or Ministries: The program is designed to meet the time constraints and demands placed on today’s adult learners. The curriculum is stretched over three years to enable enough time for the process of learning. Six terms: ?Doing Theology in Context ? Leading and Building community ? Communicating the Gospel ? Leading People in the Presence of God ? Missional Church Service and ? Spiritual Formation are taken over this period. Each term takes twenty-one weeks to complete.

Real World Application: Students will be equipped with the necessary problem-solving skills, theological method and content to respond to what God is doing in our world.

Three phases of study are envisaged for each module.

1. Reading phase

Reading phase (twelve weeks). The learner as part of a cohort group is guided through a reading program that explores the different dimensions of local church practice. Traditionally, theological studies utilize Old and New Testaments, Systematic Theology, Church History and Pastoral Theology as the organizing themes in a course of study. For the sake of integration, this course will rather use the dimensions of local church practice as the organizing themes and allow the traditional biblical and theological disciplines to inform these themes. This creates the opportunity for the learner to reflect critically and constructively on local church practice. Relevant doctrines and topics in biblical and theological studies are explored in the light of the stated outcomes of each module. The reading are made available weekly to each learner through an online learning site over the twelve week period.

We understand that continuing your education can be a significant financial commitment for working adults with family responsibilities; and that your life is complex enough without having to examine small print to find out what a module or program of study will cost. Accordingly, we have established a simple pricing structure for our modules to make it easier for students to budget.

Open Seminary in working in association with a network of local churches in Cape Town (South Africa), Melbourne (Australia) and Philadelphia (United States of America).

Tabor Victoria has been granted accreditation by the Office of Training and Tertiary Education (OTTE) Victoria to offer the Master of Arts in Church Practice (MACP).

For information on Eastern University's accreditation, please go to: http://www.eastern.edu/welcome/accredpartn.html

Generic outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Analyze a situation, identify problem behaviour and thought and through critical reflective thinking seek solutions.
• Work in team with others. The learning methodology employed in this programme requires that students work in cohort groups with other students. Since this programme is delivered through distance and residential methodologies self-management will be developed.
• Gather, analyse, systematize data for critical analysis.
• Able to communicate their findings in the small group setting as well as in written form.
• Use technology and research methodology.

The focus is on "interpretation" as a essential skill for ministry. The three areas of interpretation envisaged are:

1. Interpreting the sacred texts of the church
2. Interpreting the context of the church
3. Interpreting the living human document

Students can choose to complete the Openseminary curriculum through two Higher Education providers:

• Palmer Seminary of Eastern University, USA. Here you will complete a Master of Theological Studies

• Tabor College Victoria, Australia. Here you will complete a Master of Arts in Church Practice

It is a 3 year part-time, fully accredited masters degree program that seek to employ the wisdom of experienced practitioners and academics. Through this program we aim to equip leaders for the church who are able to think critically and constructively about the ways in which the church shapes its life to respond to what God is doing in our world.

Australia

South Africa

North America