Spring 2000 Newsletter

If you have not been to a NAPCE conference in awhile, this will be a great year to join us once again, and if you are a familiar face at the conferences, this is not one that you will want to miss. This year’s conference will impact you in a variety of ways.

#2 You will experience the riches of a different culture
Toronto is one of the world’s most multi-cultural cities, and we plan to take full advantage of the educational opportunities that this city provides. There will be time for you to explore the city on your own and there will be structured "Field Trip" options for which you can register and become exposed to one of the many dynamic Christian ministries in the Toronto area. For more information see the "Field Trips Options at the Toronto Annual Conference" article by Mark Senter.

#3 Your professional life will be developed
Whether you are a new professor or a veteran, there is always room for improvement in our teaching and our scholarship. This year there will be a vast number of practical seminars. Some seminars will be specifically related to the theme of the conference, while other seminars will focus on more general areas of professional development. Seminars will include: Writing for Publication, Sharpening your Research Skills, Christian Education and Theology in Dialogue, Christian Education and Missions in Dialogue, Teaching for Justice, Writing Research Grants, Distance Learning, Creative Teaching Skills, and Family Life Education to name a few.

#4 Your teaching will be enhanced through current research
If you are looking for the most current research in Christian education this is the place to be. Our teaching is always enhanced when we stay current with the latest research. A variety of research presentations covering a myriad of topics will be yours to choose from. If you are involved in cutting-edge research there is no better place to present your scholarly work than the NAPCE conference. For information on presenting a research paper please see the "Wanted: Current Research Presentations" article by Kevin Lawson.

#5 Your stress level will be reduced (at least for a few days) through fellowship
Our opening plenary session will be a time of celebrating NAPCE at the turn of the century as we explore the lessons we have learned from the past and the implications of those lessons for the future. There will be time to relax together, worship together, renew old friendships and ignite new ones.

1. What are my top ten prayer needs? Eph. 6:18,19.

2. "What exactly do you do?" Only the housewife is more questioned about their task. Col. 1:28,29.

3. What would happen if we required our educational ministry/Christian education students to share Christ regularly or else they wouldn't graduate? (A missionary friend from Mali does not graduate his Bible institute students unless they plant a church!) II Tim. 4:5

4. Does my family know how much I love God and them? Deut. 6:4_9.

5. What three computer tools do I need to learn for my ministry in 2000? II Tim. 2:15.

6. Who is a friend I need to email, call, or visit? Heb. 10:24,25.

7. Who would I consider the top 100 Christian educators of the 2nd millennia since Christ's birth? (I'm using this one as an assignment in Historical and Philosophical Perspectives of Christian Education class next semester.) Heb. 13:7.

8. What are the qualities of these top 100?

9. Am I likely to find these kind of people in my classroom and at my school?

10. If I would happen to have one of the top Christian educators for the next millennium in my classroom, would I recognize them?

11. What are three pressing needs in the church that I feel need to be addressed? II Cor. 11:28.

12. If I could write one article in the first quarter of 2000, what would be the title? III John 13,14.

13. If I could read one book over break, which book would it be? II Tim. 4:9.

14. What area of the world would I like to visit to sharpen my perspectives of ministry? Rom. 15:23,24.

15. What three ministry websites (besides NAPCE’s) do I need to check out?

16. If I could borrow something from another school for my ministry, what would it be?

17. What song do I need to write, or learn to sing, or just enjoy? Eph. 5:19.

18. What spiritual discipline would be profitable for me to nurture? I Tim. 4:8.

19. What "temple maintenance" do I need to do? I Cor. 6:19,20.

20. Is there a thank you note you need to write? I Thess. 5:12,13. Allow me a postscript. Judy Ten Elshof and her team did a marvelous job for our conference in San Diego. Thank you. Let's ask God for another building and stretching time in Toronto!

21. What are three take-away learnings from the San Diego conference? Allow me to answer this last one in a little more depth.

A. I am taking away an appreciation for the sharpening of the fellowship of my NAPCE colleagues, e.g., a workshop where two professors testified of God's goodness in their friendship over the past year as one had experienced some tough times.

B. After engaging in the learning with Rick Dunn, I am challenged to teach with creativity and passion.

C. I came away with more resolve to serve my Lord well through Christian education. This happened through hearing of Don Joy's ministry, having a conversation with Ted Ward at a lunch, a brief greeting with Warren Benson, and catching up with what Dennis Williams is doing. These people are my heroes!

This year's theme is "Reaching the Nations Through Christian Education." Research presentations in this area are especially encouraged, but need not be restricted to this topic. If you are interested in making a presentation, send a 1-2 page single-spaced abstract of your research effort to:

Kevin E. Lawson, Ed.D.
Talbot School of Theology
13800 Biola Avenue • La Mirada, CA 90639
Phone: (562) 903-6000 x5528
Fax: (562) 903-4759
Email: kevin_lawson@peter.biola.edu

Deadline for applications is September 1, 2000. However, if space is limited, those who apply early and are accepted will be given preference. This is a great opportunity to share what you have been working on, receive feedback from others, and stimulate others to extend your work into new areas. Join us for a great conference, and share your work with us!

Nominations will be taken up to October 1st. The NAPCE Board will then discuss the slate of nominees and contact the prospective board members to confirm interest in serving on the board. The slate of new officers will then be presented during the annual meeting luncheon on Friday, October 27th. Please send your list of nominees to:

Greg Carlson - NAPCE President
Grace University
1311 South Ninth Street • Omaha, NE 68108
Phone: (402) 449-2842 • Fax: (402) 341-9587
E-mail: carlsondrg@aol.com

NAPCE Online!
Mark Simpson, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

NAPCE has its own domain name on the Internet. You are invited to access the NAPCE web pages through the URL http://www.napce.org. This permanent URL should make locating the NAPCE web pages easier if/when a change in Internet Service Provider (ISP) is necessary.

Mari Gonlag serves on the NAPCE Board as Placement Coordinator. As Mari receives data on placement opportunities and available personnel, she posts the information online through a discussion group provided by the School of Christian Education and Leadership of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. All NAPCE members have guest access to these postings; login and registration is not necessary. To access the postings, please go to http://celead.sbts.edu/scripts/
webclass.cgi and select the NAPCE folder.

Research Grants
James Davies, Simpson College

NAPCE, through the generosity of David C. Cook Church Ministries, has funds available to assist members with research projects related to the field of Christian education. David C. Cook Church Ministries has the option of publishing the research in cooperation with the NAPCE Board. The results will be made available to all NAPCE members and their schools biennially. Agreement to publication is a condition for funding.

In February, a research grant of $750 was awarded by the NAPCE Board to Donna Thoennes for her dissertation research.

Persons interested in submitting a research proposal for consideration should submit a current curriculum vitae and a proposal outline (1,000 word maximum) addressing the following questions:

1. Type of Research: Is the research descriptive, evaluative, or archival?

2. Quality of Proposal: Does the research project have clearly defined problems and goals, appropriate research methodology, and a realistic budget?

3. Promise of the Applicant: Does the applicant have the necessary background and skills for the project, hold promise for solid scholarly work, demonstrate need for this funding, and demonstrate skill in writing for publication?

4. Potential Contribution: Will the research project address a significant question/issue for Christian education, benefit scholars and practitioners in the field, and strengthen and give focus or direction to the discipline?

5. Potential for Completion: Does the project have access to the necessary resources and a clear time schedule with the promise of completion within two years?

The following principles will influence the review of proposals:

1. NAPCE Research Grant applicants/recipients must have been members of NAPCE for at least two years.

2. In awarding funds, preference will be given to:

a. Applicants who have never received any research funding from other sources

b. Applicants who have not received research funding from NAPCE in the previous 5 years or

c. Non-dissertation research proposals.

3. Funding will not usually be available for expenses related to travel, tuition for courses, or attendance at conferences or seminars.

4. Funding will normally be limited to a maximum of $1,000 per funded proposal.

5. Awardees will sign an agreement to handle the funds with accountability and submit a written summary of 20 to 50 pages on the results of the research project by a mutually acceptable deadline (normally January of the following year).

6. A committee appointed by the NAPCE Board will serve as editors for a potential publication of the results. They will work with David C. Cook Church Ministries to produce said volume within the stated financial limitations.

Funding is on a first come basis. Please send research proposals to:

James Davies
Simpson College
2211 Collegeview Drive • Redding, CA 96003
Phone: (530) 224-5600 x2149
Fax: (530) 224-2051

News Briefs

Dean Blevins Completes Ph.D. Degree
Dean Blevins of Trevecca Nazarene University received his Ph.D. from Claremont School of the Theology in May 1999. His dissertation was entitled "John Wesley and the Means of Grace: An Approach to Christian Religious Education."

Writing Conference Announced
Lin Johnson is directing the Write-to-Publish Conference, which will be held June 7-10 at Wheaton College. If you want to get published, this is a great way to find out how to do so and to make contacts with magazine and book editors. For a brochure, email Lin at linjohnson@compuserve.com.

David C. Cook Article Service
David C. Cook Church Ministries makes available a free Christian Education Article Service. This service provides magazines with excerpts from significant writings across a variety of vocations in Christian education ministry. Please contact Dawn Boden for additional information if you are responsible for a magazine or other publication: 4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, phone (800) 708-5550, x3983, e-mail MinistryRelations@cookministries.org.

Internet Degree Completion Program
The Florida Baptist Theological College located in Graceville, Florida introduced an Internet degree completion program in February of 2000. Students holding an associate of arts or equivalent can earn a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies by completing fifty-one upper-level hours through the FBTC online campus. Students are required to complete or transfer nine additional upper-level hours into the program from other sources.

Selected seminaries have demonstrated interest in articulating agreements allowing A/Div students to complete the undergraduate requirements through the FBTC online degree completion program. Because the degree is regionally accredited, holders of the degree will be eligible for Masters-level degree programs. Hours may be transferred into other undergraduate institutions.

The first term of the program resulted in 26 course enrollments, most of whom were degree-seeking students. It is anticipated that the program will benefit on-campus students who are interested in taking summer-term courses without being required to maintain residence, or students who need additional hours to qualify for financial aid. The program is attracting students who have earned degrees but want to pursue additional biblical knowledge.

Florida Baptist partnered with ecollege.com of Denver, Colorado to provide the educational software and support for the program. The software allows professors to design courses with the same basic educational integrity that is experienced in the classroom.

For information, contact Dr. Jack Cunningham, Director of Distance Education (jrcunningham@fbtc.edu) or visit the online campus at www.fbtconline.org.

What’s News with You?
If you would like to update your mailing profile or share information about yourself or another Christian educator for publication in the Newsletter, please send your updated information, news item, name and institution name to Mark Simpson: 2825 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40280, or e-mail msimpson@sbts.edu.

NAPCE Membership
Dennis Williams, Executive Administrator

The membership in NAPCE has continued to grow each year, indicating the strength of the association. Members receive the NAPCE Newsletter, the Christian Education Journal and, from time to time, free books provided by publishers.

Many who receive this newsletter have not renewed their membership. We invite you to do so for the coming year.

Membership is open to persons who teach Christian education in institutions of higher learning, persons who teach in related areas, persons who formerly taught Christian education in colleges or seminaries, and leaders of related Christian education organizations. Full membership is $50 per year and student membership is $25 per year. Checks should be made to NAPCE and payable in U.S. funds. Memberships are now being accepted for the 2000-2001 membership year. Please send your membership fee payable in U.S. funds along with your name and title, address (indicate home or work), home phone, work phone, fax line, e-mail address, and school/organization to NAPCE:

Dennis E. Williams
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
2825 Lexington Road • Louisville, KY 40280
Phone: (502) 897-4813
Fax: (502) 897-4004
E-mail: celead@sbts.edu

Please indicate if we have permission to post your membership on our web pages (excluding home address and/or home phone of course).

Help Promote the Annual Conference
Dennis Williams, Executive Administrator

Enclosed with this newsletter is our annual conference brochure. We hope you will use it to register for the conference as soon as possible. If you have already registered, please pass the brochure to a colleague and encourage him or her to attend. If necessary, feel free to duplicate the brochure as needed. We would like to have a large attendance at the conference again this year.

It is not too early to make reservations for the Toronto conference, particularly for hotel accommodations and airline travel. You will especially want to renew your membership using the form on the conference brochure.

Reaching the Nations Through Christian Education