Looking ahead: 2024 training opportunities and events

It’s that time of the year when we start making plans for the new year ahead. Once the Christmas plans are sorted, I like to make some holiday plans and consider what personal development options are available. Here are a few training opportunities and events that might work for you.

Festival of Learning

Australian Lutheran College (ALC), together with the Uniting College for Leadership and Theology, is holding its annual Festival of Learning from Tuesday 20 February to Thursday 22 February 2024. Under the theme, ‘Challenging boundaries – life at the edges’, online presentations run for 50 minutes.

The program is still to be released; however, Craig Heidenreich is presenting on ‘Welcoming Refugees in Jesus’ name: engaging humanitarian entrants as they transition to a new life in Australia/New Zealand’. Craig writes, ‘Many refugees come from parts of the world that have been closed to the gospel, so in this session, we will explore this real mission opportunity and why these newcomers are more likely to respond to us than other migrants. We will look at who these people are, ways to connect, and the “window of opportunity” when they first arrive’.

I am also presenting at the Festival of Learning and have chosen the topic of ‘Challenging our digital boundaries – social media and web presence as missional opportunities’. My blurb for the presentation is: ‘For all our talk of missional renewal, church planting and reaching our multiethnic society, we in the church still seem to struggle to actually move from a preservation mindset, where the care of our members is the primary concern, as worthy as that is, to an outwardly oriented mindset. This presentation will provide some practical website and social media tips and tricks to assist your church in blessing your local community.’

For more information about the Festival of Learning, visit ALC’s website.

Study at ALC

Undertaking study through ALC is a great option for personal development. Many units are available, as well as several study options, such as fully online or online units supported by Zoom classes. Did you know you can audit units, too? Auditing a unit means you get the benefits of learning without the hassle of writing assignments. Auditing a unit is a cheaper option, too, though you won’t receive any credit for your study.

One study option is ALC’s Diploma in Ministry, a practical one-year course that can be done full-time or up to four years part-time. If you’re looking for a mission-focused unit, I would love you to join me online in Semester 2 for Introduction to Christian Mission.

Choosing the right course and selecting units that work for you can be daunting. I would recommend you get in touch with ALC’s dean, Dr Merryn Ruwoldt.

For more information, visit about studying at ALC, visit ALC’s website.

Study through Frontier

Frontier School of Mission offer week-long intensives that can be undertaken for audit or credit. Its 2024 program is still being finalised; however, Rev Nathan Hedt and I will be running the unit ‘Missional Discipleship’ in Semester 1 from 18 to 22 March 2024.

Check out the Frontier website for updates.