Vision Colleges Provides Ongoing Support To Church Bible Colleges
With Vision Colleges, starting a Local Church Bible College or a Ministry Training Program is a straightforward and easy process that is readily affordable.We believe the best people to teach and train the church members are the ministry team that God has given you. We encourage you to use those members of your church who can teach. They may not have secular qualifications. Yet, gifted teachers at the local church level can offer greater insight and instruction as they are anointed to the task. The local church college provides a most excellent opportunity for teachers and an opportunity to develop the skills of your members.
Of course, it can be helpful to have qualified teachers for some subjects, and at the end of the day, a skilled and anointed teacher is the best option. However, we make no such demand. You are free to run your college as you see best.
There are some things that you will need to consider to run a college. While large churches have different needs than smaller churches, we recognise that every church is unique.
We have no special requirements, but here are a few things you need to be sure of:
Willingness
You must have a willingness to teach.
Commit
You must commit to training and developing your church members for ministry in your community.
Sponsorship
You must have two or three members willing to stand with you to make your college work.
Established Group
You need at least five students to start a formal college in your local church.
And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJV
What Do You Need to Know To Start A Bible College?
1. Your Church Is The Ideal Campus
You can hold your college in your existing facilities. You can have as many classrooms and as many teachers as your facilities permit, however using the recommended Vision Colleges programme, you offer one subject per month, so you only need one classroom and one teacher at any given time. The church is an ideal location for Bible College.
2. The Teachers Are Already In Your Church
We recommend you use your ministry team. God has placed them in the church as needed.
No matter how small the church is, the giftings are present. What better way to use those gifts and ministries than in a bible college? We have no objection to qualified teachers, but the men and women in your church will rise to the challenge given the opportunity.
We provide you with the material. All you have to do is present it in the best way for your church.
3. Use Vision Colleges’ Existing Grading Infrastructure
Our team is qualified to assess which relieves the local church of the task so you can be about the business of promotion and teaching. All exams are returned to the Vision offices for marking. The same standard is applied to all students around the world. Every Vision College graduate has achieved the same high standard regardless of where they live or their circumstances.
4. Use Vision Colleges’ Award Infrastructure
All awards come from the Vision office and carry the same value. From Certificate to Degree, the student can be confident that they have been treated and recognised equally.
Starting A Church Bible College: More Considerations
We do not seek to impose on you or your church a system but rather work hand in hand with you. In starting your Bible College or training centre, you should consider these following points →Who will administer your Bible College?
We have no set requirements, but we suggest that while the Senior Pastor should be fully supportive of the Bible College, someone else should administer it as often the Pastor is too busy. You need someone who sees the Bible College or training centre as their ministry.
Who will teach?
The Bible College is your college. Vision lecturers will come to teach by invitation, but it is expected that each college or training centre shall provide its teachers. You do not need professional or qualified teachers, but you need men and women to teach. It is an excellent opportunity to open ministry opportunities and development to your church members.
Will the college be recognised for ministry training?
Vision Colleges are recognised in over 150 countries worldwide, and your local church college will enjoy the same status.
What could we teach?
You select the subjects from our curriculum of over 100 subjects, and you can tailor your college to suit the needs of your people rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum.
Do we need qualified teachers?
No, all you need are people willing to teach, your ministry team, or call on other churches for teachers. Of course, there is no reason why teachers should not be qualified, but within the ministry, gifted men and women are often the best teachers.
How do we assess?
You do not assess the subjects. The assignments are returned to Vision for marking. This ensures the same standard throughout our network and leaves you free to promote your college, attend to local administration and teach the subjects.
What about practical training?
Practical training is left to the local church ministry team. You know your people their strengths and weaknesses. Who better to train than the local ministry team on the coal face of local church ministry?
Does Vision appoint and send students or graduates elsewhere?
No, never, we do not have churches of our own, nor do we establish ministries. We provide teaching and leave the ministry opportunities to the local church.
Do you have a sufficient student body?
There is no minimum number of students to run a local church bible college. However, to be formally recognised by Vision Christian College and enjoy the status and discount of a Resource Centre, you will need a minimum of 5 students.
Download Informational Books
The books “Introducing Vision Christian College” and Introducing Vision International College” will provide you with information on what can be taught in your training centre, the awards and study options.
Start A Taster Programme Trial
Consider starting with the “Taster Programme“. It is an obligation-free opportunity and at a minimal cost to see if Vision Colleges is right for you. You get to teach a subject and introduce the concept to your student body without being committed to the college or large fees.
Choosing Subject Material
There are more than 100 subjects to choose from in 8 streams of study. While we will provide the Resource Centre with a “Model” curriculum on request, we encourage the Resource Centre to select one subject from each stream in a rotation. This process provides the Resource Centre with greater control over the subjects taught while maintaining depth and breadth of learning.
Download and Complete the Application Form
Download and complete the application form, send it to the Vision Colleges office, or email it to us. We will consider your application and respond to you within a few days. Where possible, we will arrange a meeting with you to discuss the colleges in detail with you, your ministry team, and any prospective students. Click the link to go to the Resource Centre Application Form.