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BC-203: THE LOCAL CHURCH


About this course

The meaning of Church comes from the Greek word ‘Ekklesia’ which refers to a gathering together of people who have been called out, for a specific purpose. As believers, we, are the church - the physical expression of the spiritual body of Christ and a complete representation of the Lord Jesus in a geographical location to minister and to carry out the Lord’s purposes. The mission of the church is the Great Commission itself and it is God’s strategy reaching the world with the Gospel and for discipleship. The New Testament paints many pictures of the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ, the Family of God, the Pillar of truth, an army, the Bride of Christ, a house of prayer and worship, the temple of God and more. Each picture reveals what the Church was intended to be on the earth. And then, there is the natural side of the church, its organization, administration, and practical functioning. This course is intended to help us understand the purpose and function of the Church and give us a blueprint on how to establish, nurture and build strong local churches that have influence and impact, locally and beyond. The Church has indeed left the building and will never be the same again!

This is an instructor-led course. Recordings of classroom lectures will be released weekly. Complete the objective type questions, quizzes and other assignments that are given as you progress through the course. It is recommended that you keep up with the lectures and assignments on a weekly basis. This course starts the week of Tuesday August 01, 2023 and will complete on or before Friday November 24, 2023 (23:59 UTC).

Requirements

The pre-requisite for this course is simply to have a deep hunger for the truth presented in God’s Word – allowing His Word to change all areas of your life especially the way you ‘do’ church.

What you will learn

In this course you will learn about:

Section One: Origins And Purpose

  • The Church – Its Spiritual And Natural Dimensions
  • The Purpose Of The Local Church – Its Mission, Message, Methods
  • The Government And Structure Of The Local Church
  • Stages Of Growth And Development
  • What Makes A Strong Local Church
  • Church Growth Principles

Section Two: God's Blueprint

  • God's Blueprint For The Local Church
  • The Local Church - The Body Of Christ
  • The Local Church – The Family Of God
  • The Local Church - The Pillar Of Truth
  • The Local Church - As An Army
  • The Local Church - The Bride
  • The Local Church - A House Of Prayer And Worship
  • The Local Church - The Temple Of God
  • The Local Church - Zion : God's Chosen People
  • The Local Church - The Vine And The Branches
  • The Local Church - The Lampstand
  • Building According To God's Design

Section Three: Divine Order

  • Sacraments Of The Church
  • Church Discipline
  • Church Order In Gatherings
  • Women In Ministry

Section Four: Ministry Organization And Development

  • Systems And Processes Within The Local Church
  • Nurturing & Equipping The Saints
  • Nurturing And Developing Leaders
  • Church Administration
  • Organizing Small Groups
  • Megachurch And Multisite Church

Section Five: Reaching Out

  • The Local Church In Relation To Other Churches
  • Shepherding The City
  • Urban Evangelism
  • Church Planting And Missions

Section Six: Closing Thoughts

  • Pitfalls To Avoid : Lessons From The Seven Churches

And more.

Get your certificate

This course is part of the second year Bible College curriculum. Completing this course is a requirement to work towards your two-year or three-year degree. Once you complete this course successfully, you will immediately receive a digital copy of a Certificate of Completion. Churches and Christian Ministries may use this Certificate of Completion to ensure that their staff and volunteers have the required training for specific roles in ministry.

Meet your instructor

Course Staff Image #1







Roshan Jonas

Youth and Associate Worship Pastor, APCWO, Bangalore

Equipped with 4 years of work experience in the corporate sector and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, majoring in Church Music Leadership from ‘The Bangalore Conservatory,’ Roshan taught music and worship for 5 years at the same college. Roshan joined APC in October 2018.

Roshan has been in worship ministry since 2007, and has travelled across India with the band Living Waters leading and teaching on worship. He has also worked in the corporate sector for four years and two years for an online evangelism organization called Christian Vision, popularly known as yesHEis. Roshan’s passion is to help people become true worshippers of Jesus; to see him in the beauty of His holiness. Roshan currently serves as the youth and associate worship pastor at All Peoples Church.

Credentials

  • December 2011 - Bachelor of Music Degree in Church Music Leadership
  • Bangalore Conservatory College of Music, Bangalore, India.

Course evaluation

This is an instructor-led course. Course lecture videos will be released on Friday, each week.

You will be evaluated for this course as follows:

Students will be given three graded assessments during the course of the Semester. Each of these assessments will be in reference to all content covered till that point in the course. These will contribute towards the final grade as shown below:
Mid September  25%
End October       25%
End November   50%

Course will be graded as follows:
91% - 100%   Grade A+
76% - 90%     Grade A
51% - 75%     Grade B
35% - 50%     Grade C
Below 35%    Grade F (Fail)

Course cost/tuition waiver

All Bible Courses are being offered FREE during Fall 2023 semester. The regular cost per course is Indian Rupees 500. Tuition waiver will be available for all students in financial need for all upcoming semesters.

Frequently asked questions

What web browser should I use?

The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari.

Can I view the course offline?

No. To view the course content, you need an active internet connection.

Can I pause in between a lesson, log out, and continue at a later time?

Yes. You can pause in between a lesson and log out. When you log back in the next time Open edX will take you right back to where you left and you can continue your lesson.

What is the difference between "Self-paced" and "Instructor-led" courses?

In self-paced courses, all the course content is available as soon as a course is released. They do not have a fixed schedule for assignments, so you can complete the course at your own pace. In instructor-led courses, the course content is released at specific intervals as the course progresses. They have a fixed schedule. The course team sets specific due dates for assignments and exams, and you complete the course within a defined time frame.

Will I be able to ask my questions and clear any doubts I have, while doing this course?

Yes. There is a discussion board where you can post questions. You can also view questions asked by other students and engage in discussions. APC Staff will respond to your questions.

Can I do some courses ON-CAMPUS, some ONLINE and some via E-LEARNING?

Regardless of the learning option you choose (ON-CAMPUS, ONLINE or E-LEARNING) once you enroll, you are considered a student at APC Bible College and receive the same certificate/degree on completion of the program requirements. We also offer you the flexibility of completing some courses ON-CAMPUS, some courses ONLINE and others via the E-LEARNING platform. Your student Id remains the same. Please enroll in a course only in one learning option at a time (Example: Please do BC-101 either in Online classes or in E-learning during a particular semester. If you fail to complete BC-101 while doing it in Online Classes, in a future semester you can repeat BC-101 in E-learning).

Can I take courses in any order or should I follow the order specified by the college?

We strongly recommend that you follow the sequence of courses outlined by the college, semester by semester, year by year. However, at your discretion you are welcome to take courses in any order and sequence. Kindly ensure you successfully complete all courses required for a particular program (C.Th., Dip.Th., or B.Th.) in order to receive that certificate.

Are the requirements to pass a course exactly the same in all three learning options?

Not exactly. The course content remains the same in all three learning options (ON-CAMPUS, ONLINE or E-LEARNING). To successfully complete a course for ON-CAMPUS and ONLINE classes you must have both (A)minimum 85% attendance and (B)obtain a passing grade 35% marks or higher (grade C or better). For the E-LEARNING option, you must (A)watch all the lecture videos and (B)obtain a passing grade 35% marks or higher (grade C or better). The course assignments for ON-CAMPUS, ONLINE and E-LEARNING students may differ, and is left to the discretion of the Course Instructor.

Do you offer transfer credit for completing a certificate program?

We offer a certificate, diploma or bachelors degree from APC Bible College. We do not offer transfer credit for completing a course(s) or certificate program. Recognition of APC Bible College can vary based on the church/ Christian ministry/ institution/ organization/ agency that is reviewing your credentials and the country/region of their location and is the sole determination of the receiving church/ Christian ministry/ institution/ organization/ agency. Governmental agencies can also vary in their recognition of APC Bible College. At their discretion, the receiving organization may choose to give you transfer credit for the course(s) and certificate you have received from APC Bible College.

Will Christian organizations offer employment based on course(s) or certificate programs from APC Bible College?

This is the sole determination of the receiving church/ Christian ministry/ institution/ organization/ agency. Many APC Bible College graduates are successfully and fruitfully engaged in Christian ministry, some working independently and some working with Christian and other organizations.

Which version of the Bible should I use?

While you are welcome to use the version you are most comfortable reading, we recommend using the New King James Version of the Bible.

  1. Course Number

    BC-203
  2. Classes Start

  3. Classes End

  4. Course Length

  5. Estimated Effort

  6. Level

  7. Price

    • FREE
  8. Language

    English
  9. Video Transcript

    English
  10. Course Type

    Instructor-led
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