APPRENTICESHIP
What does it mean?
In the context of ministry training, an apprenticeship is a model for training that combines classroom education as well as hands-on experience. Unfortunately, most missionaries and church planters that come to Europe have been trained in a context that has not allowed them to gain practical experience.
Another much-needed advantage of this approach is that the local church is involved the entire time.
At the end of the training, the local church can affirm competency and send a fully-equipped church planting team that has demonstrated their calling.
COMPETENCY BASED EDUCATION
How does it work?
Like other competency-based programs, the ATI curriculum is designed with the end result in mind.
With the aid of fellow pastors and practitioners the development of the ATI curriculum began with the end goal in mind. Next, the Aquila team worked backwards to identify the full range of competencies necessary to achieve these goals. In this way the result of the curriculum can be more assured than through traditional approaches. The competencies themselves represent a unified body of knowledge, skills, and character traits that, when achieved, ensure the graduate is fully competent for church planting and marketplace missions.
Apprentices and their needs are at the heart of curriculum development, and the program supports and encourages personalisation in response to experience, personality, context, and pacing. The curricular design ensures that the level and complexity of the competencies are congruent with the achievements required.
The chart below explains the stages of development of the Aquila curriculum and how the various components fit together.
PROGRAM PURPOSE
The purpose of the ATI curriculum is to help churches train leaders and church planters who are competent to fulfil their calling through marketplace ministry.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Church planters in Europe must be Kingdom-minded, must have Godly character, and must contextualise their ministry. These make up the Aquila Program Objectives.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Often known as classes or modules, these are the areas of study that embody the Program Objectives. They summarise the knowledge, character traits, and skills that the apprentices will master.
Competency in each Learning Outcome is developed through the following process:
INPUTS
The sources used to build knowledge in the apprentice.
OUTPUTS
The activities that give evidentiary support for the assessment of competency.
INDICATORS
The measurable criteria for evaluating competency.
COMPETENCY
The standards used to evaluate mastery of key areas within a Learning Outcome.
The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Apprenticeship Journey
OUR LEARNING OUTCOMES
APPRENTICESHIP
What does it mean?
In the context of ministry training, an apprenticeship is a model for training that combines classroom education as well as hands-on experience. Unfortunately, most missionaries and church planters that come to Europe have been trained in a context that has not allowed them to gain practical experience.
Another much-needed advantage of this approach is that the local church is involved the entire time.
At the end of the training, the local church can affirm competency and send a fully-equipped church planting team that has demonstrated their calling.
COMPETENCY BASED EDUCATION
How does it work?
Like other competency-based programs, the ATI curriculum is designed with the end result in mind.
With the aid of fellow pastors and practitioners the development of the ATI curriculum began with the end goal in mind. Next, the Aquila team worked backwards to identify the full range of competencies necessary to achieve these goals. In this way the result of the curriculum can be more assured than through traditional approaches. The competencies themselves represent a unified body of knowledge, skills, and character traits that, when achieved, ensure the graduate is fully competent for church planting and marketplace missions.
Apprentices and their needs are at the heart of curriculum development, and the program supports and encourages personalisation in response to experience, personality, context, and pacing. The curricular design ensures that the level and complexity of the competencies are congruent with the achievements required.
The chart below explains the stages of development of the Aquila curriculum and how the various components fit together.
PROGRAM PURPOSE
The purpose of the ATI curriculum is to help churches train leaders and church planters who are competent to fulfil their calling through marketplace ministry.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Church planters in Europe must be Kingdom-minded, must have Godly character, and must contextualise their ministry. These make up the Aquila Program Objectives.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Often known as classes or modules, these are the areas of study that embody the Program Objectives. They summarise the knowledge, character traits, and skills that the apprentices will master.
Competency in each Learning Outcome is developed through the following process:
INPUTS
The tailored sources used to build knowledge in the apprentice.
OUTPUTS
The contextualised activities that give evidentiary support for the assessment of competency.
INDICATORS
The measurable criteria for evaluating competency.
COMPETENCY
The unchanging standards used to evaluate mastery of key areas within a Learning Outcome.
SO HOW DO YOU PROGRESS?
Moving through the curriculum
Pick a Learning Outcome
Look through the Learning Outcomes and pick one that is strategic and interesting for you.
Mentor Team Confirms
Inputs / Outputs
Mentor team meets to determine the most strategic inputs and outputs for the apprentice.
Do Inputs
Turn in Outputs
Work through the inputs and outputs at your own pace.
Receive Assessment
(Improve if Necessary)
Mentors assess outputs and offer feedback. If necessary, work is redone or inputs are added to grow in competency.
Pick another Learning Outcome
Look through the Learning Outcomes and pick one that is strategic and interesting for you.
Achieve Competency
Once competency is demonstrated through outputs done in the context of ministry, it is awarded.
ACADEMIC BOARD OF ADVISORS
What is it and what do they do?
Every trade has a guild.
The guild is made up of leaders and experts of their trade who together set the standards and chart the trajectory of that trade. Our trade is marketplace missions, church planting, and leadership development. We have created what we believe is a unique approach to church planting in the post-Christian west that is sustainable, local church minded, and strategic. We are engaging in this manner of church planting ourselves because we believe in it.
In our context (western Germany) modern accreditation makes less sense than the apprenticeship model, which is more traditional and, we believe, more biblical.
At this point, all our current apprentices have a greater desire for church-based training than for an accredited theological degree. As a guild of sorts, the Academic Board of Advisors work together to help sharpen our curriculum to ensure that the training we provide is relevant, up-to-date, and directly transferrable to ministry in the twenty-first century. This approach helps protect us and our apprentices from a curriculum created in an echo chamber.
The members of the Academic Board of Advisors serve as necessary correctives, wise counsellors, seasoned practitioners, and godly examples. Together they review our curriculum and provide feedback that will help us ensure our apprentices will be thoroughly prepared and equipped for marketplace missions and church planting.
