Our church is excited about the opportunity to train young men and women to serve God. Below you will find information about the Our Generation Training Centre that will hopefully answer many of your questions. If you are interested in applying or would like more information, you may contact us at 028 7122 6164 or by email.
A Word from the Director
A Word from the President
Calendar
Class Schedule
Statement of Faith
Mission Statement
Philosophy of Education
Campus Life
Student Conduct
Admissions Information
Financial Information
Academic Information
Academic Programme
A Word from the Director
As the pastor of Northwest Baptist Church and Roe Valley Baptist Church, I am delighted to be able to provide an opportunity for training for future missionaries, pastors, and ministry leaders. At our church, we are committed to training young men and women who believe they have a call on their lives to reach the world for Christ. We will strive to give each student one-on-one discipleship training. Each student will receive traditional classroom instruction covering the core doctrines and disciplines for the degree they pursue. In addition to this instruction, students will also spend large amounts of time with myself and my staff as we conduct the daily ministry of Northwest Baptist Church and other churches that we may start from time-to-time. Students will get hands-on training in every area of the local church ministry.
The OGTC programme is designed to produce excellent leaders. While there are many traditional aspects of the college, the goal is not to produce the traditional college graduate. The product the OGTC seeks is a graduate who is well equipped to step right into ministry and who is already an experienced leader. The staff is committed to only working with a small group of students each year in order to spend the time necessary to accomplish these goals.
Because the OGTC programme has been developed to include personal training, students are able to complete a Bachelor’s degree in three years which will include 6 to 9 months of overseas training.
While emphasis is placed upon world missions and missionary training, the OGTC realizes that not everyone will be going to the foreign field. Therefore the staff has developed appropriate training in other areas as well. Men training for the pastorate will get the same leadership training and discipleship that a missions students does. These students will also benefit from training in a local church ministry that will prepare them for all aspects of starting and pastoring a church in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Ladies will be able to get training in office administration and Christians work. While there are many different areas of ministry in which to work at the OGTC, all students will receive training from a world evangelism perspective. Pastors, missionaries, and educators alike will leave with a heart for reaching the world in “our generation.”
The OGTC here in Northern Ireland is operated in conjunction with the OGTC located in Alpharetta, GA, which is a ministry of our sister church, Vision Baptist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Austin Gardner. You will find a word from Austin Gardner, the president of the OGTC, on the following pages. Please prayerfully consider training for the ministry here at the Our Generation Training Centre. We would love for you to visit with us, see the ministry at Northwest Baptist Church in Derry/Londonderry and Roe Valley Baptist Church in Limavady, and discuss how we can help you prepare for the ministry.
Travis Snode, Director
A Word from the President
We are indeed honoured that you would consider the Our Generation Training Centre as your place of preparation. The heartbeat of God and of those of us at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, and the Our Generation Training Centre is to reach the world with the gospel message in our generation.
I believe with all of my heart that you could go to no better place to get hands-on training in the ministry. Here the philosophy of ministry will not be so much theory as life. We practice an intense life-on-life discipleship. That means trying to do it the way Jesus did it. He had an intensely personal interest and relationship with His disciples. That is our goal here. This method was good enough for the apostle Paul also.
Here you will take the academic classes but much more than that you will do the ministry. The ministry will cause you to have more questions, pay more attention, and be much more interested in every course of study because it will not be talk about something you will do one day but what you are involved in right now.
I think that it should be made very clear that this training centre is just that. It is a training centre not a Bible College. We are here to get you involved now in the actual work. We are here to prepare really only two groups of people, missionaries to the world, and pastors who will start and pastor churches.
I hope you will prayerfully consider whether or not the Our Generation Training Centre is God's will for your life. We are here to help you on the way to accomplishing God's will for your life
Austin Gardner, President
Calendar
A detailed calendar for all events and activities will be given to the student each trimester upon arrival. This calendar will include exam dates, missions trip dates, conference schedules and all other pertinent information. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire and keep this calendar and be prepared for all events. Should the calendar be updated or changed, students will be notified and required to adjust their schedules as necessary. Daily schedules may vary due to the need of training and discipleship opportunities. Students are expected to remain flexible and cooperative in the event of any last minute schedule changes.
The 2010/2011 school year runs from 31 August 2010 to 19 August 2011.
Autumn Trimester: 31 August – 10 December 2010
Spring Trimester: 4 January – 15 April 2011
Summer Trimester: 10 May – 19 August 2011
The 2011/2012 school year runs from 30 August 2011 to 17 August 2012.
Autumn Trimester: 30 August – 9 December 2011
Spring Trimester: 3 January – 13 April 2012
Summer Trimester: 8 May – 17 August 2012
The 2012/2013 school year runs from 4 September 2012 to 20 August 2013.
Autumn Trimester: 4 September – 11 December 2012
Spring Trimester: 8 January – 16 April 2013
Summer Trimester: 14 May – 20 August 2013
Class Schedule
Classes meet from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Tuesday through Friday for all trimesters. Due to the nature of modular courses, the summer trimester schedule will be announced a few months prior to its commencement.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to fulfil the great commission in “our generation.” The goal is to train 100-fold, 60-fold, and 30-fold Christians to be involved in getting the gospel message to every creature. Matthew 13:23 tells us, “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Every person has differing abilities but we know that it is with those differing abilities that we are part of the body of Christ and as the body we are to work with those that follow after the doctrines of Christ to accomplish God’s command of world evangelism. Missions is about God declaring His glory, through preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that He might receive glory from all peoples.
Philosophy of Education
Jesus Christ set a model for training leaders. Our philosophy of education is based on the three-year ministry with Christ and His disciples. He chose twelve men to be with Him, which is the perfect example of life-on-life discipleship. We believe class instruction is important but a very important part of learning is taking a student and showing them how to do the ministry and how to work through the many situations/circumstances they will encounter.
Campus Life
Derry/Londonderry is the second largest city in Northern Ireland with a population of more than 100,000 people and is a social, economic and cultural centre with a confident, modern outlook. The city has for a long time been strategically important because of its position at the mouth of the Foyle, and it has a rocky history that runs deeper than its part in the well-documented Northern Ireland conflict. Londonderry is the jewel in the crown of the beautiful region of County Derry, and you can expect a warm welcome from the friendly people here.
Housing—Since the goal of the Our Generation Training Centre is to train men and women, all students are required to live in the housing provided unless they are already living within driving distance of the OGTC. All single students must either live in the OGTC housing or be given permission to commute from their parent’s residence. Due to the nature of the college programme, the OGTC highly recommends that students not living in the housing provided live in a very close proximity to the campus. Students are expected to participate in all school and church activities regardless of residence location.
The living quarters are not set up like a conventional residence hall. Instead, the student will be treated as a regular tenant with a few additional rules concerning the opposite sex.
Student Conduct
The students who attend the Our Generation Training Centre represent the next generation of Christian leaders that will make an impact on this world for Christ. While their opportunities are great, the OGTC staff members’ expectations are demanding. Students are expected to live lives that are above reproach. Each student is personally responsible for their walk with God and their reputation before the world. Each OGTC student’s life reflects the college as a whole, their home church, the field of missions and most importantly, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Admissions Information
Application
Each student must make formal application to the OGTC to be considered for admission. The OGTC does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender or national origin. The OGTC does reserve the right to refuse admission to any student who fails to meet the requirements for admission and/or to whom the administration believes is unable to succeed based upon their academic, Biblical, and/or moral background.
Requirements
--The applicant must be saved, baptized by immersion, and an active member of a fundamental Baptist church.
--The applicant must be in good standing with their local church and pastor.
--The applicant must provide a letter of recommendation as required in the application forms.
--A transfer student must provide official transcripts for all school(s) previously attended and must have left in good standing academically, financially and behaviourally.
--The applicant must exhibit the ability to accomplish the requirements for students attending the OGTC.
Church Membership
The OGTC does not desire or solicit students to join Northwest Baptist Church while they are in training. The OGTC was created to help local Baptist Churches train the young people that God has given them. If prospective students apply to the OGTC who are not already members of a fundamental Baptist church, they will be required to become a member of Northwest Baptist Church during their enrolment in the OGTC.
All students are required to faithfully attend Northwest Baptist Church or Roe Valley Baptist Church while enrolled as a student unless other arrangements are made with their pastor and home church. On breaks and holidays, students are to attend all services at their home church. Students commuting from their parent's home must attend Northwest Baptist Church or Roe Valley Baptist Church.
References
Each student is required to provide references as outlined in the application form. No student will be admitted without the referral of their parents (if under 18) and their pastor.
Dismissal
Failure to comply with any of the policies of this catalogue, maintain a passing grade average, attend classes, maintain godly character, regularly attend church, and fulfil financial obligations will result in dismissal from this school. Furthermore, insubordinate or divisive behaviour will likewise warrant dismissal.
Financial Information
Fees are kept to a minimum and education is maintained at an affordable rate for students of the Our Generation Training Centre. Two factors greatly reduce the cost of education:
--Support of American Baptist Churches
--Accelerated Study Programme—Three Year Bachelor Programme
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for 1 Trimester: £300.00
--Can be paid up front or with our 12 month plan of £75/month.
--Per credit hour cost: £20/credit hour
Trimester Books and Materials
--Estimated cost: £50.00-£100.00
Foreign Trips
--Each trip will be based on current airfares and cost of living in each country. Students will be encouraged and trained on how to raise offerings and monthly support for each trip.
Housing
Housing for single students living in the OGTC provided flats cost approximately £150.00 to £200.00 per month. These prices are based rates for flat rent and utilities so they are subject to change. The price includes all utilities with the exception of telephone expenses.
Meals
Students living in the flats provided by the OGTC will have the needed amenities to prepare their own meals at their own cost.
Other Fees
All payments are due between the first and fourth day of each month or new semester as applicable. Full monthly payments are due even in months with holidays and/or missions trips.
Payments not received by the applicable due date will accrue a late fee of £10.00 per week late. Students will not be allowed to take missions trips, graduate or receive transcripts if they have outstanding balances. While it is not the desire of the OGTC to dismiss students for financial reasons, if the administration determines that the student is not making sufficient effort to fulfil obligations, dismissal will result.
Students with an outstanding tuition bill of £800 or more will be asked to drop out of classes and continue them via correspondence until the bill is brought below £800 and a debt reduction plan is presented and approved.
Work
The weekly class schedule is such that will allow students ample time to work and earn money to offset the expense of their education.
All students needing financial help are encouraged to find employment in the Derry/Londonderry area. Work schedules must be agreed upon with the employer that will not hinder the student from attending any regularly scheduled church service. Students are not allowed to work at any establishment requiring them to serve alcohol.
The OGTC offers a Bachelor in Biblical Studies for Missions for all students that complete the prescribed coursework.
Academic Information
The Bachelor in Biblical Studies for Missions is a course filled with Bible teaching, practical training, and real experience. Each year consists of three 15-week trimesters: autumn, spring and summer. If fulfilled consecutively, the degree programme can be completed in three years. The OGTC offers an intensive training system while still allowing for seven weeks of holiday time to be with family each year. Students may enter the programme at the beginning of any trimester. Throughout the year there will be intense modules courses often taught by visiting missionaries/pastors.
Ministry Training Opportunities
Below is a brief description of the practical training offered at the Our Generation Training Centre.
Mentorship
The OGTC is a place to learn to disciple as Christ discipled. Students are expected to work and train alongside of selected college and church personnel where they will learn to disciple others while they are being discipled themselves.
Every student will receive practical training in personal soul-winning and discipleship. Students will be expected to win and disciple at least three individuals prior to graduation. The OGTC staff will work alongside the students to help them develop the skills and the experience necessary to accomplish these requirements.
On-the-field Training
We believe students who train for the field should train on the field. The entire staff of Northwest Baptist Church and the Our Generation Training Centre has served on the mission field. One trimester must be completed at the Our Generation headquarters in Alpharetta, Georgia, USA. One trimester must also be completed at the Our Generation satellite campus in Arequipa, Peru, South America. A third optional on-the-field trimester may be completed in one of the Our Generation satellite ministries of the student’s choice depending on availability: Argentina, Chile, China, Morocco, Peru, or South Africa.
The overseas trimesters with the OGTC may be completed between the fourth and eighth trimesters. The student may opt to take the trimesters successively or split them up. Each overseas trimester will consist of thirteen weeks (around three full months) on site and two weeks of debriefing at the Our Generation Training Centre in Northern Ireland. All foreign missionaries who work with the OGTC have been trained through the programme and are some of the sharpest missionaries in their fields that have a heart to train others.
One other trimester between the fourth and eighth trimester will be spent at the Our Generation Training Centre Headquarters in Northern Ireland, receive further training by Pastor Travis Snode and the staff there.
Ministry
The most important part of the training is being part of the growing vibrant group of believers at Northwest Baptist Church and Roe Valley Baptist Church. Each student is expected to be personally involved in ministry and outreach at church. Ministry opportunities include but are not limited to soul winning, youth ministry and international outreach to the many ethnic groups in the Derry/Londonderry area.
Students will be exposed to practically every area of a church’s ministry and will be given the opportunity to apply and practice what they have been taught. Students will participate in the development and administration of global outreach conferences, business meetings, Sunday school organization, children and teen ministries, bus ministry, evangelism training, summer camp programmes, and music ministries. Students will be trained in all vital areas of church ministry and will participate in such ordinances as baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
A large part of the student’s training will be actual ministry involvement. Students will be expected to be proficient in a broad base of church leadership and ministry skills.
An important part of the programme is evaluating what the student can actually do, not just what he can learn. Consequently, each mission’s student is required to teach and/or preach a minimum of one hundred times before graduation. Obviously, ladies will only teach, and men will have a combined total of preaching and teaching. The staff will assist and evaluate the students in their preparation and delivery.
Degree Requirements
The Bachelor in Biblical Studies for Missions degree programme requires a total of 128 hours of study, involving up to 98 hours at the Our Generation Training Centre and at least 30 credit hours at an overseas Campus.
Below are requirements each student must complete before receiving a diploma from the Our Generation Training Centre. This list is subject to change at any time but will not affect a third year student.
--Preach and/or teach 100 times.
--Disciple three people into faithful Christian maturity.
--Baptize five people (men only.)
--Perform the Lord’s Supper service (men only.)
--Prepare 100 sermon or lesson outlines.
--Show consistent daily accountability in personal devotions.
Credit Hours
Each trimester at the OGTC is worth approximately fourteen credits. A trimester normally lasts 15 weeks, and a class period is 50 minutes long. Classes meeting one period a week for one trimester earn one credit hour. Modular classes will be taught on a much shorter basis including class time plus an additional amount of work to be completed outside of class.
Modular Courses (Mostly During the Summer)
The modular courses offered throughout the year at the OGTC are specifically designed to allow for high-impact mentoring. The courses taught are largely practical courses with emphases on immediate application. Actual ministry and practice is an expected component of each modular class. With relatively small class sizes, the practical training received through these modular courses is second to none.
Correspondence Course Credit
College credit for correspondence courses is granted provided that the course meets the requirements and standards of the Our Generation Training Centre as determined by the school.
Academic Programme
Autumn Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 14 credits total
Bible Doctrines I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Baptist Distinctives & Hermeneutics . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
New Testament Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Evangelism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Creation vs. Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Introduction to Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Discipleship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Personal Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Spring Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 credits total
Bible Doctrines II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Old Testament Survey I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Cults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Biblical Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Methods of Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Personal Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Calvinism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Summer Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 credits total
(See “Modular Classes” near the end of this section. Specific classes offered each summer will vary depending on which missionaries/pastors teach.)
Year Two
Autumn Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 credits total
Bible Doctrines III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
World Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 credits
Homiletics I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Old Testament Survey II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
The Gospels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Brokenness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Indigenous Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Spring Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 credits total
Bible Doctrines IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Counselling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
The Christian Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Church Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Pastoral Epistles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Adult Ministries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
History of Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Summer Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 credits total
(Location: Our Generation satellite campus—Arequipa, Peru, South America)
Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 credits
Practicum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Independent Study—Baptist History . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 credits
Specialized Coursework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 credits
(Choice of Campus Director)
Year Three
Autumn Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 credits total
(Location: Our Generation Headquarters–Alpharetta, Georgia, USA)
Homiletics II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Mobilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Church Planting I-II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 credits
The Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Teen Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Music Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Missionary Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Spring Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 credits total
Church Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
The Pentateuch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Linguistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Pauline Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Biblical Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Comparative World Religions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Missionary Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Summer Trimester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 credits total
(Location: Northern Ireland or Our Generation satellite campus—student choice)
Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 credits
Practicum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Independent Study—Missionary Biography . . . . . . 3 credits
Specialized Coursework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 credits
(Choice of Campus Director)
Modular Classes
The specific courses offered will vary depending on visiting missionaries and the location of the coursework.
Muslim Evangelism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Christian Persecution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Catholic Evangelism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
The Church in China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Prayer & Spiritual Warfare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Introduction to Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
History of Islamic Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Missions Work in Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Issues in Missiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Church Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Area Study (16 hours) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Missions in the Old Testament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Missions in the New Testament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Pre-field Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 credit
Ladies Electives
Ladies’ Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Biblical Modesty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
The Christian Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
The Missionary’s Wife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Women of the Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Children’s Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Teaching Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
Office Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 credits
