Growing Leaders who make disciples
Formation SCHOOL
Pro s pectus 20 17 –20 1 8
Contact Us
Contents
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Contact Us
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Email:
[email protected]
Introduction to Formation School
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Telephone:
023 80228275 (this is the number for Above Bar Church where you can leave a message for us to call you back)
From the Director
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The Formation School Vision
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Address:
69 Above Bar Street, Southampton SO14 7FE
Formation School Values and Ethos
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Who is Formation School for?
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The Six Dimensions of Formation School
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Track 1: Understanding the Mission of God
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Track 2: Experiencing the Blessing of God
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Track 3: Spiritual Leadership and Missional Church
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Track 4: Growing Disciple-making Disciples
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Track 5: Relating Gospel and Culture
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Huddles
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Core Team
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Time and Dates
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Location 31 Cost
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Applications
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Frequently Asked Questions – by Potential Students
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Frequently Asked Questions – by Sending Churches
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Introduction to Formation School Do you wish you were better equipped to help others grow as Christians? Do you want to reflect how to lead well in today’s context? Would you love to be more effective in reaching people who are not Christians? Formation School is here to help you by equipping you for making disciples, leadership, and mission. Apply for Formation School and invest a year in going deeper into the Bible, growing as a Christian, and developing new skills, all within a supportive learning community of tutors and participants. This exciting, innovative, and life-changing course will inspire, challenge, and train you. Don’t settle for staying as you are now.
‘Formation School blows my mind every week. In-depth teaching and discussion that challenges and changes me. And with so much practical application. Brilliant. What a privilege to be learning about our amazing God and his big picture for reaching the nations from such a strong, faithful team.’ 4
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From the Director Formation school brings together a strong and rigorous training opportunity for leaders and developing leaders at many levels within the local church. It has enormous potential for equipping believers to contribute fully to the life of the church and to the growth of the kingdom of God. The course lasts for a year and is based around twelve Tuesday evenings and two Saturdays per term making it accessible to lots of people to gain from this opportunity. Our prayer is that many will! Our approach is shaped by two core convictions: 1. God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12: God’s mission is to call a people to live under his blessing, through whom he will bring his blessing to all the nations of the world. To be the people of God, therefore, means to share in his mission to bless the nations. This promise touches every area of human life and incorporates gospel proclamation and compassion, words and deeds, evangelism and social action. 2. The basic New Testament definition of spiritual leadership: equipping, encouraging, and releasing disciples who make disciples so that ‘the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ’ (Ephesians 4:11–13). The Formation School team brings an extraordinary range of gifts and experience and, under God, will continue to deliver a course which enables students to grasp biblical principles and apply them fruitfully in their lives, families and ministry. We are also thankful for the involvement and encouragement of leaders from churches across the region, and look to see these partnerships strengthened in coming years. We are eager to encourage students from different churches to apply. This diversity has already brought a richness to the experience of students taking part. We realise that this is a major commitment for those who apply, but the investment will be life-changing! Paul Allcock
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‘I would wholeheartedly recommend Formation School to anyone seeking to grow as a disciple of Jesus – whether in an up-front role, or as a small group leader, parent, mentor or those whose main “frontline” is in the workplace.’ – Ruth Norbury, Formation School Administrator 7
The Formation School Vision Formation School grows leaders who make disciples. ‘You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings – what kind of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured.’ 2 Timothy 3:10–11 When the Apostle Paul wrote these words to his friend, fellow worker, and son in the gospel, he left a record for future generations of how he had trained Timothy as a leader. Not only had he taught him the good news of God’s grace in all its truth, but he had also taken him on as an apprentice leader and had immersed him in everything that he was doing.
Formation School takes these three elements of teaching, apprenticing, and immersion seriously. It nurtures men and women to be disciples who make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our goal is to grow leaders who are captivated by the wonder of the gospel and equipped to lead for mission and disciple-making. A number of key points mark out leaders who make disciples: • They learn to worship in spirit and in truth: worship is their most strategic commitment. • They understand and teach the mission of God from the word of God: worship leads to mission. • They experience the blessing of God, overflowing to be a blessing to others. • They engage together with the world as communities of mission. • They grow as disciples who make disciples who make disciples. • They bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the culture where God has placed them.
‘If Jesus had written a discipleship course this wouldn’t be it, but it comes close!’ – PJ Brombley, Highfield Church 8
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Formation School Values and Ethos
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being part of a learning community of others who are similarly committed to grow in disciple-making
Formation School is
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equipping participants with a rounded set of skills (including expository Bible teaching for those so gifted)
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ease of access, and low time demands due to the local delivery of the training
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rigorously biblical
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passionately missional
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instinctively generous
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grace filled in ethos
It delivers substantial biblical and theological teaching, but with a clear focus on forming people for effective, disciple-making leadership. Formation School takes place ‘within the church, for the church’ at a level that is designed to be appropriate for leaders of missional communities, small groups, Alpha courses, or similar groups within churches. It provides excellent training for church interns, and has also been deeply appreciated by experienced church pastors.
Formation School is quite different from other training options, so we invite church leaders to visit the course and see it in action. This provides an opportunity to spend time with team members looking at what we deliver, and exploring how participants can be discipled and developed in their local context.
Distinctive elements of our approach include: •
a strong emphasis on grace and spiritual formation, growing Christ-like character alongside theological and skills-based input
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a clear focus on leading to make disciples, and a missional view of the church
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a recognition that biblical depth and robust theological understanding are critical for all church leaders, whether or not they have an up-front ministry
‘Formation School has brought the Bible to life for me in a way I never imagined. The great teaching has equipped me to feel confident in leading others, and has taught me new things about myself. What a fantastic year this will be to look back on.’ – Leila, Above Bar Church 10
‘Formation School is a unique opportunity for any follower of Jesus to grow in their understanding of God’s heart.You will be challenged to learn, and put into practice, whole-life discipleship that will bring change to all areas of your life.’ – Bettina Collins, Lead Tutor 11
Who is Formation School for? Formation School is ideal for those who lead (or who may lead at some point in the future) missional communities, youth groups, small groups, children’s ministry, Alpha courses, and all kinds of other local church activities. Formation School is also suitable for those who meet with others in one-to-ones, CAP befrienders and debt coaches, toddler group leaders, and those who simply long to be a more effective disciple in the workplace. Formation School is an excellent training programme for church interns, too, and even for full-time church leaders. Experienced pastors have taken the course previously and found that many aspects of it challenged them in exciting new ways. The idea of giving an evening a week over a year to a course like this is, of course, a major challenge for a leader who is already very involved in church life. We encourage churches to creatively explore ways to release people for a year to invest in their leadership. A missional community, for example, could send someone this year so that they are very well equipped to lead the group next year, allowing the current leader to go through the course. There often needs to be some creative thinking to make it possible for a busy person to do the course. For example, a home group could support someone both financially and by providing practical help such as babysitting or weekly meals.
‘It has really enriched and added a freshness to the areas in which I am serving, as well as giving me a real boost in my own walk with the Lord and equipping me in talking to others about my faith.’ – Sim, Portswood Church 12
The Six Dimensions of Formation School Formation School grows character and confidence in the ways in which God gifts us and sends us. Five theme tracks unpack how the Bible equips us to live for God in today’s world, while a sixth dimension – huddles – grounds the teaching and provides mutual support and accountability. 1. Understanding the mission of God 2. Experiencing the blessing of God 3. Leading in communities of mission 4. Growing disciple-making disciples 5. Relating gospel and culture 6. Huddles These are explained in detail over the following pages. The learning together at Formation School is intensely practical. We expect students to look for opportunities to disciple others, engage with people who are not Christians, and learn more about missional opportunities in their local area.
‘I’ve been challenged, encouraged, and equipped for mission. I’ve been taught, loved, and inspired by the people I’ve met here. Above all, I’ve been amazed time and again by the depth of God’s love and the reach of His grace.’ – Anna, Portswood Church 13
Track 1: Understanding the Mission of God Lead tutor: John Risbridger Human beings are creatures in search of a story. We desire to know who we are, for what we exist, and how life is best lived. But we can only answer these questions with reference to a greater story in which the particular story of our own lives fits and finds significance.
Undergirding the whole track is the deep conviction that the Bible is the written word of God and is therefore both utterly trustworthy and centrally important in the task of disciple-making to which we are called.
The Bible answers to this deep longing within the human condition, teaching us that it is God’s own story – the purpose (mission) he is pursuing in creation and salvation. That is the true context in which our lives belong. The implication is that we only live our lives as they are intended to be lived to the extent that they are conformed to the Great Story: the mission of God himself. This track follows the mission of God through creation, de-creation (fall), re-creation (redemption), and new creation (the restoration of all things). It challenges us to make God’s story the defining story of our lives. The track also opens up some of the major themes that weave their way through the biblical narrative. However, it will never be sufficient merely to understand the story and locate ourselves within it. God’s mission is not only personal in its scope; it is universal. We cannot grasp it truly, without taking to our hearts the need to communicate it in our words and make it visible in our lives so that others – ultimately people from all the nations – may discover it for themselves. So this track does more than teach the story; it will equip you to teach it in its various forms to others. You will learn how to understand, apply, and teach different parts (genres) of the Bible, first to yourself and then to others, exploring in more depth a gospel, a New Testament letter and a minor prophet.
‘Formation School genuinely is my highlight of the week.’ 14
‘Formation School has given me so many good tools for understanding the Bible and teaching from it. It’s invaluable!’ 15
Track 2: Experiencing the Blessing of God Lead tutor: Bettina Collins The good news is not just a distant memory of something God did 2000 years. Churches are not antiquarian societies which meet to discuss ancient texts and events from ancient history. No, we claim that God is the Living God who raised Jesus from the dead and is thoroughly active in his world and in his church by his Holy Spirit. The Bible expects that we should know and encounter God in our real experience. Our lives and our leadership in Jesus’s church are meant to be full of testimony about what God is doing now, as well as back then. This track explores how we normally expect to encounter God and experience his blessing. It takes the Abrahamic promise of being blessed by God in order to bless others as its starting point. The starting point for understanding biblical, spiritual leadership is receiving and living in
the grace of God, and subsequently becoming channels of that grace to others. As the Apostle Paul says to the churches in Philippi and Corinth we are made to enjoy God. Undergirding the track is a conviction that the Holy Spirit uses the good news to transform our hearts and lives as we get to know God. The track is deeply experiential and concentrates on life-transforming truths about your identity in Christ including: • justification by faith, righteousness in Christ and adoption into God’s family •
experiencing the unmerited grace of God
• walking in repentance and faith •
loving God through disappointment, failure and suffering
You will develop grace-filled rhythms and patterns of life for growing as a disciples of Jesus, including: •
experiencing the Holy Spirit and growing in his gifts
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growing in worship
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growing in praying and fasting
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fighting sin by standing on the promises of God
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learning to forgive
It is impossible to separate out the task of leadership from the character of leaders. This track will help form you as a Christ-exalting, worshipping leader who helps others grow as disciples out of that centre.
‘Formation School gave me an expanded view of the gospel and a fuller sense of my identity in Christ.’ – Martin, Above Bar Church 16
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Track 3: Learning to Lead in Communities of Mission Lead tutor: Paul Webber The UK church in the 21st century needs to see itself as a missionary church. Christians have become a minority group which is marginalized in society and so our perspective must change from maintaining an institution to becoming a movement on a mission. Traditional methods and strategies will not be effective in a post-Christian and post-Christendom world. So it’s great that we can learn from Scripture how the early Christians ‘turned the world upside down’ (Acts 17:6) and how we apply these principles today.
communities which will both disciple Christians effectively and be salt and light in the world so that you can shape and change culture. Term 2 will give you first hand experience of reaching people who are not Christians as we plan two culturally sensitive outreach events, one seeking to reach people on our high street and the other giving our friends and relatives the opportunity to consider the claims of Jesus. In Term 3 we consider the nature of Christian leadership and how it differs from the world’s definitions. You will learn tools to understand yourself and the impact you have on others. Finally, we also explore how to achieve change and build effective teams.
In term 1, you will learn about the challenges and opportunities of being a missional church. You will be equipped to build radical, authentic
‘I have realised that mission is a shared task for all Christians and not simply those called to serve overseas – therefore I have a responsibility to engage in mission.’ 18
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Track 4: Growing Disciple-making Disciples Lead tutor: Thompy Wright Being a disciple of Jesus is not easy. But it is the life designed by our Creator for our benefit. We are invited to live the kind of life that Jesus lived himself: a life of holiness and love, a full and abundant life – a life we always wanted. This is a life worth living; the only life worth resurrecting. It is a life of discipleship, focused on wholehearted, singleminded devotion to Christ. It is not a life without difficulty and pain but, ultimately, it is deeply satisfying and liberating – a life that makes a real difference. Disciples make disciples. Jesus expects it and churches aspire to it, yet it remains rare to find many people who are fully committed to disciple-making, despite all the current talk about it. This track helps to familiarise you with the biblical terminology and to build convictions about the reproducing life of being a disciple.
However, it is much more focused on living a life rather than simply talking a talk. Having laid careful foundations, we examine in depth how you can help others follow Jesus. Within a framework of appreciating discipleship as a journey, we explore the practical implications of discipling others along a maturing process in four key stages: •
discipling not-yet-Christians
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discipling spiritual infants
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discipling spiritual young adults
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discipling new and potential leaders
As we walk with others on this journey, we enjoy the adventure and endure the adversity of taking up our cross to follow Jesus. We experience the unforced rhythms of grace that overflow naturally from the disciple’s life, multiplying into others for the glory of God.
‘Formation School is great equipping, not only for the growth of my own faith, but also for helping me to know how to reach others in practice.’ 20
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Track 5: The Gospel in Today’s World Lead tutor: Tony Watkins It is vital for us to understand the world in which we live if we are to lead and disciple others effectively. British society, along with almost every culture, has been through huge changes in recent years.
You will discover how the gospel relates to a post-truth world, technology, and media, and how it can have an impact when Christians engage in the public sphere. The track also equips you to engage with some of the key issues which are points of conflict between the gospel and today’s world. We look specifically at questions about sexuality, other religions, and science.
Technology and the media now dominate our lives, transforming not just how we behave, but how we think about ourselves and relate to others. We now live in a post-truth world in which feelings matter more than objective facts, and it is harder and harder for the Christian voice to be heard clearly in the public square. If we are to make disciples in this context, we must understand how others view the world. What do they believe? How do they view themselves? Where have their beliefs come from? How do they make moral decisions? On what are they trying to base their lives? Track 5 helps you understand some key aspects of today’s world and how the gospel speaks into it. You will learn why we need to understand other worldviews and a simple tool for exploring them.
‘In a society which is turning its back on Christianity, there is no greater need than for the church to be growing robust disciples who make more disciples. Our culture needs Christians who understand it, love it, and demonstrate the transforming power of the gospel within it.’ – Tony Watkins, Lead Tutor 22
‘Formation School has encouraged a greater depth to experiencing God in my life, and given me more understanding about how we pass on the gospel to our society.’ 23
Huddles Many churches are finding that huddles are great places for growing leaders who make disciples. They are small groups for reflection and discussion, designed to help leaders to be disciples who make disciples who make more disciples. By emphasising the corporate nature of discipling, a huddle is a place where leaders find support and accountability. ‘Huddle’ brings to mind huddling together to keep warm, coming close to experience comfort, and companionship in harsh conditions. Emperor penguins huddle together for warmth through the long winter months when temperatures average 20 ºC below freezing.
These two powerful images – the penguins and the football team – remind us that, in the midst of all the demands of Christian leadership, God has given us one another. We stand side by side in the grace of contending together with our enemy, not the grief of competing with one another. Huddles have become a vital part of the course as they have enabled deep and significant friendships to flourish within the group, producing a great sense of being a vibrant learning community.
Spiritual leadership brings real rewards but, sometimes, it can feel cold and isolating. God gives us one another as a key means of growth and support, and huddles are a strongly practical means to open us up for God to equip us for his work in his way. Accountability as disciples means holding each other to our best within grace-filled relationships, and is God’s way of sustaining us in the demanding role of leading others. Sports teams huddle together before play and during breaks to urge each other on and to plan the next move. Huddling performs an important function of uniting the team in its primary purpose over the long haul.
‘A careful reading of the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that leadership in the church is much more about making disciples than managing organisations. Nevertheless, ordering the organising of churches so that leaders make disciples, now there’s a thing!’ – Thompy Wright, Course Co-director and Lead Tutor 24
‘If you want to grow in your knowledge and love of God, and learn how to be a disciple-making leader, then Formation School is the best course I know.’ – Paul Webber, Lead Tutor 25
Core Team Paul Allcock – Director Paul spent many years teaching science before being appointed to the staff of Above Bar Church in 1999. He retired from his role as one of the ministers in 2013 and, with his wife Di, then spent two years in Uganda, with Africa Inland Mission, training church leaders and discipling individuals.
Bettina Collins – Lead Tutor Bettina has degrees in both Psychology and Theology. She worked as a therapist and teacher at a university in California. An experienced Bible teacher, she is currently a staff worker with Living Leadership. She is also a wife and mother of three.
John Risbridger – Lead Tutor John is Minister and Team Leader at Above Bar. He studied Maths and Economics before working in NHS management. Prior to joining the team at Above Bar Church, he spent ten years in student ministry with UCCF. He is Chairman of Keswick Ministries and has written The Message of Worship in the Bible Speaks Today series.
Tony Watkins – Lead Tutor Tony is a speaker and writer on culture, media, and the Bible. He is the Network Co-ordinator for the Lausanne Media Engagement Network, and teaches regularly at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communications, Norway, and Norwegian School of Theology. He is part of the Above Bar Church leadership team.
Paul Webber – Lead Tutor Marcus Honeysett – Co-director Marcus’s passion is that leaders love God and are excited about his grace in their lives. His big hope for students of Formation School is that every one will be a leader who is deeply in love with Jesus. Marcus is the director of Living Leadership, a network dedicated to growing disciple-making church leaders, and elder for training and discipleship at Crofton Baptist Church.
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Paul Webber is a minister at Above Bar Church. with a specific responsibility to encourage the church to bless the city. Paul met his wife on the OM ship, Logos 2. They have two boys and are also foster parents. Paul leads sung worship at the FIEC leaders conference and the European Leadership Forum.
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Thompy Wright – Co-director and Lead Tutor Thompy is highly motivated by two concepts: disciple-making and the local church. After many years working with The Navigators, he was very excited about Formation School putting disciple-making at the heart of local church. He has been very involved since the beginning, and still claims he learns more than he teaches.
Ruth Norbury – Administrator Ruth is a member of Above Bar Church, wife to Pete, and mum to Sam and Ethan. She works part-time as Formation School administrator, and is also involved in her local missional community. She loves watching students grow in their love for Jesus and God’s word, and be further equipped to be a disciple who makes disciples.
Time and Dates Formation School takes place on 36 Tuesday evenings and 6 Saturdays over three term, starting in September 2017.
Tuesdays The Tuesday evenings start at 6:00 pm and finish by 10:00 pm. It is an early start to the evening to make it possible to cover a wide-ranging, but thorough, curriculum. While this does present a challenge to some people, the sacrifices involved in making it possible are small in comparison to the benefit of experiencing such life-transforming training. And it is only for less than a year. Students are welcome to bring some food with them. We provide drinks and snacks.
Saturdays Saturdays run from 9:30 am until 5:00 pm. We provide lunch as well as refreshments during the day.
Introductory weekend The year begins with a Friday evening introduction, followed by the first of the Saturdays. •
Friday 8 September 2017: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
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Saturday 9 September 2017: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Term 1 Tuesday evenings, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm • 12, 19, 26 September 2017 • 3, 17, 31 October 2017
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Location
• 7, 14, 21, 28 November 2017 • 5, 12 December 2017 Saturdays, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm • 28 October 2016
Formation School mostly runs at Above Bar Church in the centre of Southampton. Four of the six Saturday sessions will take place at other churches in the area.
Term 2 Tuesday evenings, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm • 9, 16, 23, 30 January 2018 •
6, 20, 27 February 2018
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6, 13, 20, 27 March 2018
Saturdays, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm •
6 January 2018
• 24 March 2018 Map © Google. Used by permission.
Term 3
Car parking
Tuesday evenings, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
There is plenty of parking in the city centre, though charges apply to most car parks until 8:00 pm. The outside parking in Harbour Parade (close to the West Quay shopping centre) is free from 6:00 pm, and a ticket to park for 30 minutes before then is free. It is just five minutes’ walk from there to Above Bar Church.
• 17, 24 April 2018 • 1, 8, 15, 24 May 2018 • 5, 12, 19, 26 June 2018 • 3, 10, 17 July 2018 Saturdays, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm • 14 April 2018
There is very limited parking at Above Bar Church, which is generally restricted to staff. However, students who are travelling some distance to Southampton may ask for a space to be reserved for them, and we will do our best to make it possible.
• 2 June 2018
Public transport Above Bar Church is just five minutes’ walk from Southampton Central railway station. Most city bus routes stop very close to the church.
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Cost The cost of Formation School for 2017–2018 is £600 per student, which includes course materials and light refreshments (and a main meal on the Saturdays). This is equivalent to just £12.50 for a Tuesday evening, and £25 for a Saturday. It is possible to pay the full fee at the start of the course, or in instalments at the start of each term. Some individuals and small churches may find this difficult financially, so we encourage prayerful and creative thinking. Some within your church family may be willing to support someone to do Formation School. For example, Above Bar Church has a bursary scheme to which a few members have contributed, and that enables them to support those who would struggle to fund the whole amount themselves. We have also had several examples of students who have paid half the fees themselves while their church has paid the rest.
Applications Fill in an application form and send it to us. You’ll need to give us the details of two people to be referees: a senior leader in your church and someone else as personal referee. This is because we want to be sure that Formation School is right for you, as well as that you are right for Formation School.
Frequently Asked Questions by Potential Students How do I apply? You can apply online at formationschool.org/apply or, if you prefer, fill in an application form (you can download one from the website) and send it to us. You’ll need to give us the details of two people to be referees: a senior leader in your church and someone else as personal referee. This is because we want to be sure that Formation School is right for you, as well as that you are right for Formation School.
I don’t feel like a ‘leader’, so is Formation School really for me? Jesus calls many people who don’t ‘feel’ like leaders to make disciples of others. So whether you’re leading (or would like to lead at some point in the future) a one-to-one, small group (house group or cell group), missional community, youth group, or other group, it would benefit you in your ministry. Or maybe you are – or would like to be – a toddler group leader, a CAP befriender or debt coach, or you would simply be a more effective witness in your workplace. This course will help you, too.
How would I fit Formation School into my life when it‘s so full? Could you ask your church leaders to release you from some responsibilities for this year so you can be further equipped for your roles? If you’re a home group leader, why not send someone else in the group this year so that they are very well prepared to lead the group for you next year while you do Formation School? Why not suggest that the
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group supports you both to do the course – financially, by providing babysitting, or in other practical ways.
Arriving by 6:00 pm doesn’t give me time to eat, so can I bring something with me?
Do I need to be there for every session?
Yes, feel free. Just be considerate of other students on the course – it’s probably best not to bring something too smelly or messy!
Yes! To get the most out of Formation School, you really need to commit fully to the course. The six dimensions complement each other, and to get the most out of Formation School you need to attend all the sessions and be willing to contribute to discussions.
How much time would I need to commit outside of the sessions?
But Saturdays are important family days for us! We do appreciate how important Saturdays can be for family time. We hope that by giving you the dates now, you will be able to work out childcare for the six Saturdays involved. Remember it is just six Saturdays in total over the year – just one per half term.
Does it matter if I’m unable to get there for 6.00pm each week? By law, workplaces have to consider requests for flexible working, so ask if you could arrange your hours so you can leave early enough to arrive in time for the first session. If you have children, could you find someone to babysit for an hour before your spouse returns from work so that you can make it for the start? Of course, we know that life throws up all kinds of things that interfere with our plans. We understand that you may need to miss a session or arrive late occasionally. We would just ask that you commit to being there as much as you possibly can.
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We have a suggested reading list, and encourage students to read the core texts for each track, but how much you read is up to you. Throughout the year, we encourage you to meet up with your mentor once a month, and there will be a talk to prepare, but apart from that there is no time commitment outside of the course hours.
Do I need to buy lots of books? There is a suggested reading list, including a key book for each track. You only need to buy what you want to: some students buy and read many of the recommended books; some don’t read any. Several students have bought Kindle editions, which are usually cheaper, or have borrowed books from former students. We also try to bulk-buy the core texts so that they are a bit cheaper.
What should I do if I can’t afford the fees, or I can’t pay upfront? We are happy for students to break down the fees to pay termly, or even monthly. It would also be worth asking if your church would be able to help pay for some of the course. If you’re a home group leader, how about your group contributing to the costs? If you are excited about the possibility of doing Formation School, why not pray that God would provide the financial means for you to do the course?
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How will Formation School fit in with looking after my young children at home? Are there people in your small group who could help support you during Formation School by babysitting to free you up to do it? Could someone else in your family arrange flexible working hours for the year to enable you to come?
How accessible is the location of Formation School for those with disabilities? The Formation School evenings, and two of the Saturdays, take place at Above Bar Church, in the centre of Southampton. The building has two lifts, and has excellent wheelchair access. Four of the Saturdays will take place at other churches, but we ensure that all the venues we use have good accessibility.
I’m still not sure. Can I come and visit? Come along and find out more! We’d love to welcome you one Tuesday so you can talk to the team and current students about the course and whether it would be suitable for you. Drop us a line if you’d like to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions by Sending Churches Is Formation School just for church interns or student/ youth workers? Absolutely not. We are convinced that equipping leaders at all levels of church (not just ‘senior leaders or paid staff) will help churches become generally disciple-making churches, growing in size and depth. Our heart is to equip people in ‘secular’ jobs to be able to serve their churches more effectively in their spare time and in their workplaces. Do you have volunteers who lead small groups (e.g. home groups or cell groups), Alpha/Christianity Explored groups, missional communities, or other groups? This is for them! Would you like to be raising up more people to lead like that? This is for them too! Who do you have who is naturally gifted at ‘gossiping the gospel’? Who leads your toddler group, CAP Money course, or other missional projects? The course is deliberately practical to help people grow in each of these roles.
Is Formation School also appropriate for interns, youth workers and others? Yes – we love to welcome them too! And student, youth or children’s workers, elders, deacons, and others. With our practical emphasis on disciple-making, leadership, and spiritual formation, people in all kinds of leadership positions will find real benefit from the course. We’ve even had a couple of very experienced pastors doing the course, who loved it.
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Formation School sounds super, but isn’t it designed around the vision of one particular church? No. Formation School is a partnership between Living leadership (which works with a wide spectrum of churches across the country) and Above Bar Church. Its ethos is passionately evangelical, solidly biblical and strongly missional. The course is overseen by a strategy group which includes people from a number of different local churches from various backgrounds. The speakers on Formation School are drawn from a wide range of local evangelical churches, organisations and colleges.
How can I find out more? We’d love to welcome you one Tuesday so you can talk to the team and current students about the course and whether it would be suitable for anyone in your church.
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Living Leadership training and sustaining biblical leaders
Above Bar Church is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, registration no 6959469. Charity registration no:1131075. Registered office: Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7FE.
