Launch of Ongoing Certification e-Training

on Monday, November 17th 2008

If you were unable to participate in the ongoing certification at BILD's International Summit in November, you can still maintain your certification by participating in at least one BILD Leadership Series workshop and one Paradigm Transformation Project workshop per year through Ongoing Certification e-Training.

Ongoing Certification e-Training is a series of web-enabled conversations with Antioch School certified leaders about the design and use of core BILD Leadership Series courses and the implementation of partner programs within the boundaries of the church-based paradigm. If you have a web-enabled computer, a mic-enabled headset, and availability between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. CST on the first Monday and Tuesday of any month, then you can participate in Ongoing Certification e-Training.

Beginning in December 2008, the following Ongoing Certification e-Training will be available to certified leaders:

December: Pauline Epistles
January: The Church Doing Theology in Culture (PTP-II)
February: Essentials of Sound Doctrine
March: The Church as Missions (PTP-III)
April: Leaders and the Early Church
May: The Church as a Hermeneutical Community (PTP-IV)
June: Interpreting the Word I
July: The Church as Christian Education (PTP-V)
August: Theology in Culture
September: The Law
October: Theology in Civilization

Certified leaders can register for any Ongoing Certification e-Training through our WebEx web conferencing center. Each e-Training will be limited in number and limited to registrants who commit to both 4-hour sessions on Monday and Tuesday at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST. Each registrant will receive a set of PDF documents to read in preparation for the e-Training and will also be expected to acquire the actual course material in advance of sessions involving a BILD Leadership Series course.

At the beginning of the e-Training, each registrant will be required to verify that their equipment is capable of seamless two-way voice communication. It is absolutely essential for each participant to use a fully functional headset, without exception! We recommend the Logitech Premium Notebook Headset or an equivalent.

For more information, please e-mail us or call our office at (515) 292-9694.

3 Easy Ways to Learn More

on Wednesday, September 17th 2008

We are pleased to announce the launch of 3 different tools that make it even easier for you to learn more about the Antioch School and help you introduce it to others. We have created several tools that allow us to come to you via web-conferencing.

E-Luncheons are 40-minute online versions of what we do when we come to specific locations to introduce the Antioch School to groups, often during a luncheon. Sorry, but there is no food served at an e-luncheon. Register for an e-luncheon.

Webinars are 4 hour online versions of our more comprehensive Antioch School introductory seminars. Like the e-luncheons, webinars are interactive, using online video segments and live interaction with Antioch School staff. Register for a Webinar.

E-Workshops are 1 hour online events for leaders of Antioch School programs addressing issues of general importance, such as Student Finance (what do you do when someone says he wants to enroll in the Antioch School, but can't afford it right now?). These include presentations by Antioch School staff, but also shared wisdom from partners with first-hand experience with Antioch School programs in their churches. E-Workshops are intended exclusively for certified leaders of Antioch School partners. If you are a certified leader and aren't getting invitations or if you have suggestions for e-workshops that would serve you, please contact us.

Low Tuition, High Impact

on Monday, September 15th 2008

Tuition is still low for the Antioch School. And it seems even lower when compared to traditional higher education. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that the average cost of tuition and fees for private 4-year colleges is now $23,712 per year or $94,848 representing an increase of 6.7% (Almanac, Aug. 29, 2008, p. 29). Tuition for Antioch School programs remains at $4800 for those who are admitted during Fall 2008. This is only 5% of the national average.

Students in the Antioch School are not paying for ivy-covered walls on elaborate campuses or expensive faculty research unrelated to ministry. Much of the cost of education for Antioch School programs is built into the unique relationship of churches using BILD International resources. Tuition primarily supports the mechanisms necessary to sustain assessment and validation of academic quality in order to ensure that Antioch School degrees are trustworthy. This includes costs associated with accreditation and other innovative assessment tools, such as the e-portfolio.

Further, Antioch School students don't have to pay all their tuition up-front or at the beginning of each semester. Rather, they are able to pay $100/month for four years. If you don't think you can afford the tuition, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the real problem? Is it really a matter of finances or it financial priorities? Is it really that I'm fearful of the workload or academics? Am I really committed to church-based leadership development?
• How might I find the money? Have I let the need be known to family and friends, particularly those who are keen to fund ministries such as mission trips? Have I pursued opportunities with my employer or in my community?
• How could my church help? Do they know about my situation? Are they making it a matter of prayer? Are there funds in the church budget or privately with church members that could be used as a loan to get started?