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Ministry of Acolytes I : A New Order For Groups","description":"

If the greatest among us are the servants, then acolytes have earned many crowns.

For as long as Christ has called leaders into ministry those leaders have needed helpers. This is where acolytes come in. In this course Roger Speer and Sharon Ely Pearson detail the history, theology, and practice of acolytes. Students who take all five courses in this series can earn a ChurchNext Certificate in Acolyte Leadership. Here are the titles of the four video presentations in this first class:

Origins
Acolytes Today
Yearning for the Holy
Discerning a Call

This course is ideal for those wanting to learn more about the ministry of acolytes whether or not they ever serve as one.

For Groups
This course is designed for group study. We've formatted the material so that you can begin at the next step - then pause at the end of each video lecture and talk about what you've learned. Pick and choose the videos you want or proceed in the sequence we've designed - your call.

Included are two manuals you may find helpful - a Facilitator's Guide and a Participant's Guild. Both contain helpful material for your learning, including tips, prayers and discussion questions for each lecture. You may want to print these up and make copies before you proceed. You will notice that each video features a brief introduction, which the leader or someone else might want to read before each lecture.

Here's a video preview:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take me to complete this course?
It will take an average group about 45 minutes to complete this course. You can pause at any time and come back. You can even re-take lessons. Each course features 3-6 video lectures that are from 5-7 minutes in length. Also included are downloadable Facilitator's and a Participant's Guides.

Who’s teaching this course?
Our instructors come from a variety of traditions, mostly mainline Christianity - Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. They meet two criteria: 1) they are well-studied, even experts, in their fields, 2) they offer a moderate viewpoint.

How long will I be able to access the course material?
Those who purchase individual courses (for $10) can access all the course materials for 6 months from the date of purchase. Those who purchase individual subscriptions ($9/mo unlimited) can the course materials for all of our courses as long as their membership is current.

Is this course downloadable?
The Facilitator's Guide is. However, the video lectures are only accessible online. To take the course in a small group, feel free to hook your computer up to a projector or big screen.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
You bet. It's easy, look for instructions as well as answers to more questions in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Also, a technical note:
Our learning platform works best with certain browsers. If you find yourself running into problems, please go to the Trouble-shooting section of our Frequently Asked Questions page and ensure that the browser you are using is one that works well with our courses.

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This course is specifically designed for groups. Registration includes:

24/7 access to all video presentations, downloads, and course content.
Video presentations with Sharon Ely Pearson.
Downloadable Facilitator's Guides designed so anyone can lead.
Downloadable Participant's Guide.

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