New Course Pilot

Posted on June 12, 2024

As part of our pursuit of academic excellence for our students, we have recently rolled out a tenth module of the Foundations Course, “From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Earth,” a global Christianity and church history class.  

Written by our own Dr. Lionel Young III, this course has been piloted in Kenya, India, and Guatemala. Feedback from students and faculty has helped to sharpen the course material as it is added as a possible capstone course for future graduates. 

Scripture itself gives us great encouragement to learn from the past through a beautiful discourse in the “Hall of Faith”:  

“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,” – Hebrews 12:1 

The stories of other Christians around the world (past and present) can be a source of inspiration and encouragement in our call to follow Christ. Dr. Young enthusiastically declares to students: “These stories are given to you to bless the people of God!”

The modern questions and struggles of gospel practitioners can be daunting, but they are not new. The redeemed of God have long grappled with issues of violence, widespread disease, political unrest, division within the church, and false teachers. How did they overcome? What did they believe? 

Applied history in this field tasks its learners to hear these testimonies of believers around the world and throughout time and to apply them to life and ministry today. We want our Foundations graduates to analyze this question: what are the unchanging lessons we can draw from believers of the past to apply to our ministry today?

We are thrilled to expand the equipping work of each local leader, believing that as they understand God’s immutable ways, they will each courageously embrace their place in His grand redemptive story.