Ukrainian Institute Comes to a Close

Dear friends and colleagues,

Today was the final full day of the Institute for Excellence here in Kyiv, Ukraine.  It’s been a wonderful time of learning and fellowship.  We’ve had excellent presentations, stimulating discussions, and a very positive spiritual tone throughout the week.

Yesterday during lunch I sat at a table with three staff members from a school in Moldova.  We were joined in conversation by three other participants, from a training program in a Central Asian country.  Due to a hostile environment, the training program is not able to operate openly, and yet it has around 80 students that periodically meet for week-long training in private homes.

The Moldovan school was asking the leaders of this other training program how they could further help.  Already they have trained several faculty members from this training program.  They send some of their own faculty into this Central Asian country to teach in some of these intensive week-long courses.  They send their own students on short-term mission trips to encourage this hard-pressed church.  And, now they were asking how else they could be of assistance.

This was incredibly encouraging to me.  This was not something that Overseas Council planned.  But, it was definitely, in the Lord’s providence, a significant outcome of our gathering this week.

This school in Moldova would not be known for its abundance of resources.  Moldova is, I believe, the poorest country in Europe.  But God has put it in their heart to reach out to the people of Central Asia, the so-called “stan countries”, all of which have Muslim-majority populations.  Over 200 students have already come to this Moldovan seminary from Central Asia for training, and have returned to their home countries, including the three brothers who were sitting together around the lunch table with their former teachers. (The Moldovan government readily issues student-visas for such students, unlike many other countries in this region.)

As God would have it, both Moldovans and the population from this Central Asian country speak a common language – Russian, a legacy of the Soviet Union’s influence in both countries – the Russian language functioning in this part of the world sort of like Greek in the time of the Apostle Paul, and with the same advantage for the Gospel.

So, as we talked (well, I mostly listened through translation), we brainstormed about other ways this Moldovan school could be of further help.  Other schools in this region have also reached out, using their own resources, to this particular training program by sending part-time teachers, for instance.

This sort of Kingdom collaboration, springing up before my eyes, brings joy to my spirit.  In some cases, Overseas Council is involved in facilitating or prompting such cooperation between seminaries.  Sometimes OC, at Institutes like this one, simply provides the space for such collaboration to take place, moved, as we are by God’s Spirit.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us this week.

The Institute Goes to Ukraine (with a close up on Christians in a closed country)

Dear friends and colleagues,

Today, at a Christian retreat center on the outskirts of Kiev, Ukraine, we began our Institute for Excellence for Eurasia.  The 120 participants, all Russian speaking, are from seminaries and training programs from Russian-speaking republics that were once part of the Soviet Union.  While most of the schools that are represented here are located in either Russia itself or Ukraine, for the first time we have participants from a Christian leadership development program operating covertly in a closed country nearby.

This closed country is in Central Asia.  It has a secular, totalitarian government within a nominally Muslim context (90% of the population).  While Eastern Orthodox Christianity is tolerated, this is only for the ethnically Russian segment of the population.  On the other hand, for ethnic nationals following Christ is a road often leading to harsh government persecution and hostility.  To quote Wikipedia, “The government indulges in massive persecution of Christians. There is strong pressure on Christians from a Muslim background in remote areas.”  The ministry organization, Open Doors, ranks this country as one of the top 10 on their watch list of countries around the world where Christians are most severely persecuted.

Another Christian website describes the situation like this: “Churches in [this country] are often shut down and church leaders can be jailed for conducting worship services. Nevertheless, stories have emerged of pastors continuing with their ministry following their release from prison and of churches growing despite harassment by police.” Here is an example of one of the countries in Central Asia on this website: (http://www.worldprayermap.co.uk/centralasia/uzbekistan.html)

We have the wonderful privilege of having three Christian leaders from this country with us this week in Kiev for the Institute.  I heard the fascinating testimony of one of them, on the two-hour taxi ride from the airport.  This person,  now a thirty-something young man, came to the Lord as a university student in the mid-90s through a Campus Crusade worker.  It was near the beginning of the 10-year window following the collapse of the Soviet Union, when Western missionaries were most active in the country.  After finishing his degree, he went for training to be equipped for ministry, in seminaries in Moscow and now (part-time) in Austria.

This person pastors an underground church in the capital.  It’s a church-plant with three families, meeting in homes, on different days of the week.  He also coordinates the only formal Christian training program in the entire country.  He has classes in the capital as well as a half-dozen other cities.  Teachers and students meet secretly in homes in evenings and weekends.  All together 80 Christian leaders are being trained through this program, essential to the strength and growth of the Church.

The Institute is a unique opportunity for this person to be with 120 other Christian leaders, all involved in educating, training, and equipping other leaders in this region of the world.  And, it’s also a wonderful privilege for us, as Overseas Council, to encourage and strengthen the leaders of these seminaries and other training programs – in places like this one.

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

What is the Institute for Excellence in Christian Leadership Development?

The Institute for Excellence has been essential for Overseas Council to achieve its goal of assisting training centers around the world to train Christian leaders who make a difference in the church and society. So what is the Institute?

The Institute for Excellence is a 4 day gathering where a 1-4 person team from many training centers in a given region come together to discuss best practices, collaborate on regional focuses, and work through common regional challenges in their efforts to train effective Christian leaders.

This year, including an institute that starts next week in Ukraine, we will have completed 7 institutes, covering 5 continents. If we amalgamate the totals to display the overall impact of these Institutes, we will have had 148 training centers represented from 74 countries.

All 407 participants came to discuss Organizational Change and Financial Sustainability. Training Centers in Africa learned about innovative ways one school is using some of their property for a banana plantation that assists the school financially. Training Centers in South America are working on a collaborative training program. In India, several training centers are beginning to share trainers with one another in order to collaborate and be better stewards.

Here are a few updates on improvements the Institute over the past year:

Opt-In Model: Learning will more likely occur if it responds to a perceived need and is “owned” by the learner. A school should participate in an Institute because it is “pulled” to do so, not because we are “pushing” it. They should anticipate value and relevance in the Institute. They will participate because they want to learn about the topic of the Institute and be ready to make improvements.

More Participants Per Seminary: Organizational change is more likely to take place if there is a “guiding coalition” within the seminary

Pre-Institute Learning Activities: Learning will more likely take place where there are multiple interventions both prior to and after the Institute.

Ministry Action Plan: The MAP has four objectives. It facilitates learning during the Institute as participants from the same school wrestle with the implications of the content for their own situation, it provides a way for each school to identify and articulate the action steps as a result of the Institute, it provides a starting point for post-Institute interaction between the RD and seminaries which desire collaboration in the implementation of their plans. Finally, it provides a basis for discerning observable outcomes attributable to the Institute.

Regional Director Involvement, Regional Attentiveness and Communities of Learning were three other factors that will become increasingly influential in charting the Institute’s effectiveness.

Wrapping up Manila

Dear friends and colleagues,

As we focus on the theme of financial sustainability and organizational change at this week’s Institute in Manila, I’m struck by what many of the seminaries who are represented here are already doing, by God’s grace.  Yes, there is room for improvement.  Yes, the storm clouds are on the horizon.  Yes, many schools will need to envision and implement changes in their financial and educational methods.  But, given the current responsiveness of these schools to their current contexts and the quality of their leadership, I’m confident that they will be able to make the changes necessary to not only survive, but also to thrive.

Here’s a taste of the kinds of ministries represented by these 50 seminary leaders from around southeast and east Asia.

* A seminary here in Manila has a focused ministry on the Chinese community.  Over 100 of their students come from mainland China.  Over 200 alumni have already returned and are serving the Christian community in China, both official and “unrecognized” congregations.  Almost all of the students are given scholarships funded by the Chinese community in Manila.

* Another seminary here in Manila has as its vision to train Christian leaders who will impact society through the “7 mountains” of cultural influence – education, government, media, arts and entertainment, business, family, and religion.  They have agreements with various agencies of the Filipino government for the training of (for instance) army officers, university faculty, Christian business-people, and mayors and governors.  They offer a variety of educational programs through non-traditional means.

* Eight seminaries here in the metro Manila area have formed a consortium to offer masters and doctorate degrees with a variety of different subjects.  Each of the degrees is hosted by one of the eight consortium members.  This sort of deliberate collaborative effort allows for maximum use of resources.

* A seminary in South Korea focuses on those who desire to be trained in English rather than in the Korean language.  Most of the students are Koreans who will serve in mission fields around the world.  As a result of the Institute, the seminary wants to begin an online program in order to serve these alumni through continuing education.

This is just a slice.  Many of the other schools here are equally effective in serving their own churches and contexts.  But they realize that to become even more effective, and to be able to sustain these ministries into the future, for many, there will be changes ahead.

Pray for these leaders.  Tomorrow we will be wrapping up our Institute.  Each school will be finalizing its Ministry Action Plan – steps they will be taking to implement what they are learning this week.

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

Manila Update

The Institute for Excellence moves to Manila in the Philippines this week. So did Typhoon Pedring (http://bit.ly/pjEc8q). We are in close conversation with Dean of the Institutes, Scott Cunningham, and it looks like things are expected to be moving smoothly, in light of this weather. Scott has asked us to pray for those traveling to the Institute this morning. 

This is an interesting Institute, as this region has a wide variety of training centers with varying degrees of challenges. Some of the centers have strong donor bases, and some continue to utilize traditional models of training that prove to be effective and possibly sustainable in this region. There are also many training centers with stories significantly different from these.

Please pray with us:

1. For those traveling this AM

2. For the leaders to be refreshed and reinvigorated by working with their peers throughout this week

3. Training Centers to be augmented through the outcomes of this week

4. The Spirit to be filling the attendees throughout the week

Responsive Theological Education in Asia

Dear friends and colleagues, While the Institute for Excellence here in Bangalore this week has been focusing on financial sustainability as one of the pillars of effective theological education, my interaction here in India with various seminaries has directed my thoughts to another key quality.  To be effective in Christian leadership development, a seminary must be “responsive.” The seminary must respond to its context.  Who are its students?  What is being taught in the curriculum it offers?  For what purpose?  How is its education provided? – what we call the “mode of delivery.”  Who are its teachers?  Where and when do they teach? I prefer“responsive” rather than “relevant.”  Relevant seems to be reactive instead of proactive.  It seems to focus more narrowly on the needs of the church and society rather than a broader range of issues to which the effective seminary responds.  And, relevance seems to answer to the immediate and perceived need, but not necessarily to longer-term and less obvious needs that will sustain a mature church into the next generation. What brings this characteristic of effective theological education to my mind is how I have been so pleased to see it displayed by so many seminaries that are represented here this week. Let me illustrate responsiveness by mentioning some of variety that is represented here: TAFTEE must be one of the largest programs of “theological education by extension” (TEE) in the world.  It has 11,000 active students in its lower level certificate program, scattered around India, and in a wide variety of denominations. A seminary in Sri Lanka has 20 extension centers located around the island nation, with over 200 students. Several seminaries have broken away from English as the traditional language of education to offer full degree-level programs in local vernacular languages, increasing accessibility to higher education. Innovative programs are being offered, such as a Masters in Organizational Leadership; or a foundation course in the planning stages called “Abundant Life” aimed at new believers to be offered by TEE in 15 languages. SAIACS, our host school, is considering offering a new masters program in a “hybrid” model, combining distance education with an intensive module on campus lasting several weeks, a model that they have successfully implemented in a Doctor of Ministry degree. How can Overseas Council come alongside seminaries which want to become even more responsive to their contexts? Warmly in Christ, Scott

Responsive Theological Education in Asia

Dear friends and colleagues, While the Institute for Excellence here in Bangalore this week has been focusing on financial sustainability as one of the pillars of effective theological education, my interaction here in India with various seminaries has directed my thoughts to another key quality.  To be effective in Christian leadership development, a seminary must be “responsive.” The seminary must respond to its context.  Who are its students?  What is being taught in the curriculum it offers?  For what purpose?  How is its education provided? – what we call the “mode of delivery.”  Who are its teachers?  Where and when do they teach? I prefer“responsive” rather than “relevant.”  Relevant seems to be reactive instead of proactive.  It seems to focus more narrowly on the needs of the church and society rather than a broader range of issues to which the effective seminary responds.  And, relevance seems to answer to the immediate and perceived need, but not necessarily to longer-term and less obvious needs that will sustain a mature church into the next generation. What brings this characteristic of effective theological education to my mind is how I have been so pleased to see it displayed by so many seminaries that are represented here this week. Let me illustrate responsiveness by mentioning some of variety that is represented here: TAFTEE must be one of the largest programs of “theological education by extension” (TEE) in the world.  It has 11,000 active students in its lower level certificate program, scattered around India, and in a wide variety of denominations. A seminary in Sri Lanka has 20 extension centers located around the island nation, with over 200 students. Several seminaries have broken away from English as the traditional language of education to offer full degree-level programs in local vernacular languages, increasing accessibility to higher education. Innovative programs are being offered, such as a Masters in Organizational Leadership; or a foundation course in the planning stages called “Abundant Life” aimed at new believers to be offered by TEE in 15 languages. SAIACS, our host school, is considering offering a new masters program in a “hybrid” model, combining distance education with an intensive module on campus lasting several weeks, a model that they have successfully implemented in a Doctor of Ministry degree. How can Overseas Council come alongside seminaries which want to become even more responsive to their contexts? Warmly in Christ, Scott

Institute for Excellence in India: Update 3

Dear friends and colleagues,

In my previous update I described some of what makes North East India unique in comparison with the rest of the country.  Whereas the “mainland” of India is dominated by Hinduism and Hindu culture, for 150 years the tribal people of North East India have shown remarkable receptivity to the Gospel.  Large Baptist church buildings, usually located on the highest plot of each mountain village, dominate the skyline.

In God’s workings, the churches of NE India are strongly missional in outlook.  In the 1950’s the Indian government believed that Western missionaries were supporting the independence movements in this region, and expelled all Westerners.  The NE churches understood that the leadership of the church was now in their hands, as was the responsibility  of the unfinished task to carry the Gospel to parts yet unreached.  The result was a strong missionary movement, entirely resourced by the Indian Baptist congregations.

Local congregations are generous in their missions giving.  It’s not unusual for a congregation to devote half of their budget to cross-cultural missions.  These are not wealthy churches by Western standards, and so their generous commitment is all the more remarkable and exemplary.

Laiu Facchai, the Indian missionary I mentioned in my last update, now directs SIM’s sending office here in NE India.  Over the past two years they have been the vehicle for sending out 18 new missionaries.  The Baptist associations in this region are responsible for many, many more.

While it is difficult to obtain long-term visas for missionaries from the West who wish to work in India, missionaries coming from NE India obviously have no such problems.  And, so the churches in this part of India have a unique opportunity to share the gospel with their Hindu neighbors in the mainland.

Seminaries here play a strategic role in promoting missions among their student bodies.  Students go on short-term mission trips.  God’s redemptive purpose for all nations is taught in Bible and theology courses, as well as courses focused particularly on the practice of missions.  It seems that a sizeable proportion of students have cross-cultural ministry as a calling for ministry after graduation.

This missions movement is not of the old paradigm, “from the West to the rest” (if that ever was the old paradigm).  Rather, it exemplifies what is happening in many parts of the world where Christ is worshipped as the Lord of all nations.  The new paradigm is “from every where to every where.”

In a few hours Dr Ashish and I will be returning to Bangalore, in South India.  The Institute for Excellence, which begins tomorrow will be hosted by SAIACS, the South Asia Institute for Advanced Christian Studies.  Three dozen leaders of seminaries from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal will be learning to think about what it means to have a financially sustainable seminary, and how to move increasingly in that direction.  Following the example of total indigenous support for missions in North East India, Christian leadership development should also be “owned” by the churches themselves.  Pray for the Lord’s hand to move among us this week.

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

Northeast India: a culture defined by tribe and clan

Dear friends and colleagues,

North East India (NEI) is the backwater of this great country.  On a map you’ll see how it’s connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land bordered by Nepal and Bangladesh, and then opens up to become seven states known as “the tribal areas.”  While those in NEI are Indians by passport, the region is undeniably distinct from the rest of the country, and not only in its remote geography.

Economically, it is impoverished compared to the great cities of South and North India like Bangalore or Delhi.  Electricity goes off regularly during the high demand times in the evening.  Buildings are more modest in size and construction.  And, people prefer jeep-type vehicles to better negotiate the mountain roads.

The facial features of the typical NEI resident appear to be more closely related to those of Chinese or Southeast Asian extraction.  My new friends here tell me they are often mistaken as foreigners when travelling to other parts of their own country.

The culture in these parts is tribal in character.  While most of India is dominated by Hinduism with its caste system, here tribe and clan identity are more significant cultural markers.  Even the church is not exempt from this influence.  Every tribe, for instance, no matter how small in number, wants to have its “own” Bible college or seminary, regardless of the proximity of another seminary offering similar programs.

The most remarkable feature of NEI is the widespread receptivity to the Gospel, which was brought to these parts by Baptist missionaries 150 years ago.  Today Christianity is the “default” religion in the entire region and in some areas 9 out of 10 people would claim to be Christians.  For the most part these are evangelical congregations, though nominalism is a significant challenge.

While in Nigeria one of the first missionaries I met from a non-traditional sending country was Liau Facchai.  Liau and his wife Debbie were serving with SIM in a seminary in Ghana, West Africa.  It came as somewhat of a surprise to me to know of a missionary who had come from India, a country known to me previously as a destination of missionaries, not as a sending country!  “Some day I’d like to see for myself this significant pocket of Christian faith, sending forth the Light, even while surrounded by a sea of Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists.”  And, by God’s grace, I finally have the opportunity.

For three days two dozen seminary leaders from NEI have gathered to learn how to strengthen their relationship with their congregations and denominations.  It’s been a very encouraging time of discussion, reflection, and presentations.  While somewhat constrained by a traditional system of theological education (originating with the college started by missionary William Carey almost 200 years ago), the seminary principals here have voiced their intentions to respond more effectively to the real needs of Christian leadership.

Tomorrow Dr Ashish and I will be making our way on a four-hour journey over mountain roads to visit one of the seminaries taking part in this mini-Institute.  On Monday we’ll return to Bangalore where next week we’ll be holding our regular Institute for Excellence.

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

(Dean of OC Institutes)

Sensible Santiago

I write the evening of Day Two of our Institute for Excellence taking place in Santiago de Chile.  Eighteen schools, all training Christian leaders for Latin American churches, are represented by their principal accompanied by several other seminary leaders.  We are 47 in all.

Our host school here in Santiago is the Instituto Biblico Nacionale, a well-respected and highly influential seminary, founded by an American Assemblies of God missionary.  It is now independent and serving a wide variety of churches and is led by a Chilean, Daniel Ramos.

Choosing IBN as our host school as we conduct this Institute on the topic of financial sustainability was no accident.  Over the past few years, largely under Daniel’s leadership, the seminary has made substantial progress in becoming financially sustainable.  Not unlike many schools founded by Western missionaries, in earlier years it depended totally on donations from overseas for its operations.  Students contributed not a peso in tuition.  But IBN has experienced the unreliability of Western gifts, and has made a dramatic shift in the towards local and more dependable sources of funding for its expanding ministry.

Several years ago students began paying a modest amount of tuition fees, not so much that access is considerably restricted, but sufficient to provide a significant amount of dependable income.  Almost all students are part-time, meaning that they have some means of paying fees from their employment. Extension sites were started throughout Chile, not only expanding IBN’s reach, but increasing its financial base.

The main campus is located in a desirable downtown area, very close to a subway station and in the midst of a number of universities and academies.  They are also owners of an adjacent building, under-utilized in the past, and recently rented out to a music academy.  This provides a further dependable source of income.  There are plans to convert their parking lot into a multi-story parking garage, with almost certain profit from subway users.

The school started a modest Christian bookstore, aimed primarily at the needs of their students, but also generating some profit.  A small catering service does the same.

Yes, IBN is a “business”.  It pays salaries and utility bills.  It “sells” a service.  It conducts financial transactions, and can only do so as long as income meets expenses.  But, IBN is also a “school”.  It strives to have an effective educational model which results in competent graduates fit for service.  And, IBN also has a “mission” – to be a partner and servant of the Church in Chile.  To be truly financially sustainable, IBN must fulfill all three successfully; it must have a sustainable financial model; provide an effective education; and fulfill an appropriate mission in service of the Church.

Our goal this week is that other seminaries in this region will do the same.  Pray for God’s work among us this week – for each of the facilitators and participants.

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

Dean of the Institutes