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.
Breaking new ground
What makes the Aquila Theological Institute so unique?
THE VISION
The big picture
The Aquila Theological Institute offers theological training coupled with apprenticeship in a local church and Business in Mission (BIM) to give potential church planters relevant training and in the field experience, so that they are thoroughly equipped for the work ahead.
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Our emphasis is building up the local church toward multiplication. This means apprentices must be part of a local church, studying is done in conjunction with their local church, and graduates are approved and subsequently sent out by their local church, to reproduce it rather than themselves.
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A unique aspect of our Apprenticeship model is the Business in Mission training. We desire to equip people with the theological and business skills necessary to go into a new city and start up a mission-minded business. This business will serve to financially support the church planters, quickly build relationships in the community and be used as a platform to share the gospel and plant the church.
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KEY DISTINCTIONS
Mentors
Each apprentice is discipled
through their training by 3 mentors.
Competency
The goal is demonstrated competency in the context of ministry, so the pace and material is adapted to the needs of the apprentice.
Business in Mission
Apprentices are also trained in the context of a local business to equip them for faithful stewardship and sustainable church planting.
THE AIM IS COMPETENCY
We define the targets and then work backward.
Below is a list of the qualities that we hope to see in Aquila apprentices before they complete the curriculum.
It is a high standard, because God has a high standard for those who serve in His church, those who disciple others, and especially those who teach His Word.
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Able to Give Reason for Hope
(E.g., Isa 26:4; Jer 17:13; Ps 18:2; Eph 1:18; 1 Pet 3:15) -
Able to Counsel
(2 Pet 1:3) -
Able to Train Leaders for the Church
(E.g., Matt 28:19–20; 1 Tim 1:2; Col 3:16) -
Clear Sense of Call
(Jer 1:5; Heb 3:1; Acts 13:1–3; 2 Tim 1:8–10) -
Considers Others More than Self
(Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31; Phil 2:3) -
Courageous
(Deut 31:7; Ps 27:1; Josh 1:9) -
Desire to Live in Community
(Ps 133:1–3; Eccl 4:9–12; Acts 2:42–47; 1 Cor 1:10; Gal 6:2; Col 3:14) -
Disciplined
(1 Tim 3:2) -
Effective in Preaching
(1 Tim 3:2) -
Entrepreneurial Spirit
(Acts 13:1–3) -
Ethical in Business
(Lev 19:13; Deut 8:18; Prov. 11:1; 16:8; Jer 22:13; Rom 13:8; Matt 5:37; 6:24;
1 Cor 9:19–27; James 5:4) -
Generous
(2 Cor 9:6–8; 1 Tim 6:17–19) -
Gentle
(Isa 42:3; 1 Tim 2:24–25) -
Good Testimony
(Deut 4:6–8; Isa 42:6; Matt 5:14–16; 1 Tim 3:7) -
Gracious
(Exod 34:6; Ps 86:15; Ps 103:8; 145:8; John 4:2; Rom 5:2, 15, 17; 1 Cor 15:10) -
Heart for Evangelism
(E.g., Matt 28: 16–20; Acts 13:4–5; 1 Cor 9:19–27) -
Hospitable
(Gen 19:1–10; Mark 9:37; Rom 12:13) -
Household in Order
(1 Tim 3:4) -
Humble
(Matt 23:12; Lk 14:7–11; 17:7–10; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12; James 4:10) -
Intercultural Communicator
(Acts 17:22–34; 1 Cor 9:19–27) -
Knows and Consistently Applies Spiritual Gifts for
Building up the Church
(1 Cor 12–14; Rom 12:1–8; Eph 4:1–16) -
Knows Weaknesses
(Matt 7:3–5; John 15:1–27; 2 Cor 12:9) -
Life-Long Learner
(1 Cor 13; 2 Tim 4:13; 2 Pet 1:5–8)
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Lifestyle of Discipleship
(Matt 28:19–20; Titus 2:1–10; 2 Tim 1:1–14)
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Lifestyle of Prayer
(Mark 1:35; 1 Thess 5:16–18)
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Lifestyle of Worship
(Col 3:17) -
Motivates People
(E.g., Prov 3:5–8; Rom 12:11; 1 Cor 15:58; Col 3:23)
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Not Easily Offended
(Prov 12:16; 19:11; Rom 12:3; Phil 2:5–8)
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Passion for Church Planting
(Matt 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; Rev 7:9)
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Person of Integrity
(2 Tim 2:22–23)
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Personable/Relatable/Relational
(Prov 18:24; Eccl 4:9–12; Matt 7:12; John 15:12;
Acts 20:17–38; Rom 12:15; Eph 4:32; 1 Tim 1:2; 1 Pet 3:8) -
Reliable
(Prov 6:16–19; 11:3; Matt 5:37; Col 3:9–10)
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Self-Controlled
(Acts 24:25; Gal 5:22–23; 2 Tim 1:7; Titus 1:7–8; 2 Pet 1:6)
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Self-Motivated
(Rom 12:11; 1 Cor 15:58; Col 3:23)
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Servant Leader
(Lk 17:7–10; 22:25–28)
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Sober-Minded
(1 Tim 3:2)
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Skilled in Business
(Deut 8:18; Prov 31:10–31; Eccl 9:10; Matt 6:19–21)
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Steadfast
(Ps 112:7; 1 Cor 15:58; Titus 2:2; Jms 1:12)
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Steward of Finances
(Matt 6:25–34; 1 Tim 6:10, 17–19; Jms 1:17)
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Strong Work Ethic
(Prov 13:4, 11; 22:29)
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Submission to the Authority of Scripture
(Ps 119:142, 160; Matt 5:17–18; John 16:13;
1 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16–17; Heb 4:12; 2 Pet 1:3–4) -
Teachable
(Ps 143:10; Prov 1:5; 15:5, 32; 18:2; 1 Thess 5:21)
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Team Player
(E.g., Acts 13:1–3; 15:36–41; Rom 16; 1 Cor 12–14)
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Unafraid of Conflict and Skilled in Conflict Resolution
(Matt 18:15–17; Rom 12:17–21; 1–2 Cor)
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Uses Influence Well
(Prov 13:20; 27:17; Matt 5:13–16)
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Visionary
(E.g., Acts 15:6–35; 15; 36–41; 20:17–38)
FACULTY
The centrality of mentoring
Apprenticeship in the context of local church ministry means that mentors are foundational. That's why each of our apprentice gets three. The first mentor is their Ministry Mentor, who is their local church pastor/elder. The second mentor is an Academic Mentor who helps ensure the academic rigour and personal adaptation of the curriculum. Finally, a Network Mentor is strategically selected from the larger Aquila network to help the apprentice achieve their specific calling and vision for ministry.
Academic Mentor
Subject matter expert
Network Mentor
Expert in
business/counselling/church planting
Ministry Mentor
Your pastor/elder
THE INITIATIVE
Being part of something more
ATI is part of a larger picture. The larger organisation is called Aquila Initiative.
Aquila Initiative seeks to establish a network of like-minded churches who partner together to engage in church multiplication by apprenticing leaders who will establish Christian community through marketplace missions.
To fulfil this greater vision, Aquila Initiative established Aquila Theological Institute to help churches train up leaders for church planting.
Click the link below to learn more about the Initiative.
