Continuing Professional Development

Do you long to be a better leader?  Perhaps you lead in a church or Christian organisation and want to reflect on your leadership and to grow in it in ways that are biblical and intentional.

In this course we are eager to learn from Jesus to lead like Jesus.  He himself draws a sharp contrast between patterns of leadership in the world and the heartfelt commitment that he expects from those who lead in his name (Mark 10:42-44).

So we will search the Scriptures to consider God’s vision and priorities for Christian leadership.  We will cover specific topics such as leading change, overseeing teams and shepherding the flock through times of conflict or crisis. We will also look at various models of leadership to help us reflect on and refine our own current practice.

There's interactive classroom teaching and discussion, with reading and exercises to be completed for the next day, plus some pre-reading supplied in advance to help you make the most of the experience.

The course runs over two weeks, meeting from 9am to 1pm each day on Monday 1st July to Friday 5th July and Monday 8th July to Friday 12th.

This is an in-person-only course taught at Oak Hill.

Christian Leadership is taught by Kev Murdoch.

Kev is a graduate of Oak Hill and has been the minister of Euston Church in London since it was planted 14 years ago.

 Cost: £350                                                                                                   This includes a 3-course lunch each day.

Register here.

Who doesn't love a good story?  Evidently God does because he breathed out around three-quarters of Scripture in the form of story  -  some deliberately fictional (parables) and lots historical.

Here's a common experience.  You're studying one of the many true stories or narratives in the Bible, preparing to teach or preach it.  You can see lots going on in the passage  -  some wonderful, some exciting, some maybe confusing.  What is the heart of its message really?  Is this character good or bad?  What do all these events actually add up to?  And what should I say to people about God in all this?

Preaching Better Bible Stories is ideal for someone who is already teaching or preaching the Bible regularly and who wants to become a more discerning interpreter and better communicator of the Bible's stories.

The course goes like this:

Why is so much of the Bible story?  What are stories designed to do to people?

Then we spend a lot of time walking carefully through biblical narratives, learning to listen well to them, getting a rich feel for how the Lord wants us to engage with them.  There are some very useful academic insights to draw on here.

We finish up very practically…

Should sermons and talks be story-shaped?  If so, how?

How can we become skilled storytellers ourselves?  (Workshop with Richard Garnett).

How have Bible stories been used effectively in cross-cultural mission?

The course runs as follows:

-  Monday 1st - Friday 5th July, 11.15am - 3.45pm each day                                  -  Monday 8th - Wednesday 10th July, 11.15am - 2.50pm each day.

Around two hours of out-of-class reading or other resources will be provided before the course starts, and the same amount to prepare for each day.  Participants who are able to engage with this get the most out of the course.

This course can be taken in-person at Oak Hill or on Zoom.

Preaching Bible Stories Better is taught by Oak Hill lecturers Eric Ortlund and Tim Ward, with a couple of guest specialists.

Click to hear Eric and Tim talking about the course:

 Cost:  £300                                                                                                   For in-person participants cost includes a 3-course lunch each day.

Register here.

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course.  It combined clear and compelling teaching with stimulating interactive discussion.  The content was a great mix of academic theory and principles of interpretation with hands on practical application. The highlight for me as a pastor/preacher were the sessions with Tim and Eric working through Old Testament and New Testament examples. I’d highly recommend the module for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding and improve their teaching of Biblical narrative."

Andy Cole, senior pastor of Monyhull Church, Birmingham.

Hear from someone who's taken this course:

Are you someone who has a responsibility for the children and youth ministry in your church? Perhaps you are a church leader and want a greater understanding of how these specific ministries fit into the life of the wider church.  Or you might be an assistant minister or employed as a youth worker.  Maybe you are a keen volunteer wanting to be better equipped for your role.  If so, this course will be perfect for you! 

Over the course of a week we will be covering the relationship between church, family and child, and considering the theological foundations which they set.  Practical skills will be discussed which come from those foundations, linking theology and practice.  

Each day will consist of interactive classroom teaching and discussion, with reading and exercises to be completed in the evenings.  It also comes with some pre-reading supplied and required before the week to help you make the most of the experience, build good foundations where you are, and take the next step forward in your ministry.

The course will run Monday through Friday, 1-5 July, 9.55am - 4.50pm.

It can be taken in-person at Oak Hill or on Zoom.

Foundations for Youth, Children and Family Ministry is taught by Oak Hill lecturer Robin Barfield, who brings over twenty years of experience in these ministries in a local church.

 Cost:  £300                                                                                                   For in-person participants cost includes 3-course lunch each day.

Register here.

'This is a goldmine for anyone in youth and children's ministry or church leadership. Robin brings years of experience and encourages you to think critically and theologically about every area of youth and children's ministry, and how it relates to the church as a whole. As someone who hopes to be in youth and children's ministry for a lifetime, these lectures gave me a firm foundation to lean upon for years to come.' 

Daniel Armond, Oak Hill student.

Have you been involved in youth, children and family ministry for a few years and want to build up your theological wisdom and practical skills? You might be a keen volunteer who wants to give more by gaining more training. Perhaps you are an employed church worker, or even a church leader, and you feel like your ministry is stuck in a rut. This intensive course is ideal for stretching you to think more deeply and minister more effectively. 

Over the course of a week we look at different models for ministry, some that might attract you and some that you may not choose to use, to help us reflect on our current practice in ways that will stimulate, sharpen and refresh us.  We will discuss, try out and work through some practical skills that are linked to theological roots which have good foundations. 

Each day will consist of interactive classroom teaching and discussion, with reading and exercises to be completed in the evenings.  It also comes with some pre-reading supplied and required before the week to help you make the most of the experience, build good foundations where you are, and take the next step forward in your ministry.

The course will run Monday through Friday, 8-12 July, 9.55am - 4.50pm.

It can be taken in-person at Oak Hill or on Zoom.

Building Up Youth, Children and Family Ministry is taught by Oak Hill lecturer Robin Barfield, who brings over twenty years of experience in these ministries in a local church.

Cost:  £300                                                                                                      For in-person participants cost includes a 3-course lunch each day.

It is possible to combine this course with ‘Foundations for Youth, Children’s and Family Ministry’, which runs the week beforehand. Together they’ll make a fantastic difference to how you engage in your local-church ministry.

Register here.

"This course equipped me to understand the what and why of my role as a youth minister. Why do we deliver sessions this way? What are our goals for the young people? Why might this content or delivery produce this outcome? Since attending I've had a clearer theology of my ministry. While it was a great course for me, it would be even better for church leaders to attend as they consider how they frame church life for gospel growth." 

Jonathon Burrows, youth minister.