News & Opportunities: September 2010

on Friday, September 10th 2010

D.Min. Application Deadline

The deadline for application to the D.Min. program is September 30th.

Please note the important adjustments made to improve its service:

Seminar Format Options:
You now have the following formats from which to choose for your doctoral seminars:

1. On-site, multi-day seminars in locations chosen by the Antioch School.
2. Online, multi-day seminars via video-teleconference. You will be participating in the same seminars, just using technology to do so.
3. Live, partial day seminars via video-teleconference. These will be special modules offered more frequently using technology so that you can participate when you are ready and able.

Leadership Series I:
Since many of those interested in our D.Min. don't have much previous experience using our Leadership Series I courses (the backbone of the B.Min. and M.Min. programs being offered in their churches), we have created a D.Min. track for those who want to combine teaching Leadership Series courses with the paradigm-level studies of a doctoral program. Essentially, D.Min. students will do advanced-level work in the core Leadership Series I courses while also participating in Paradigm Transformation Seminars and Projects.

Contact us right away if you are interested in applying to the D.Min. program.

• Call: 515:292-9694
• Email
• Register for an e-Workshop on the D.Min. program.

D.Min. Application Deadline

Earn credit for individual BILD courses to transfer to programs at other academic institutions. The Antioch School's accreditation greatly facilitates the transfer of credit. Examples include the following.

• Register in advance, complete the course, demonstrate competency in the e-Portfolio, request transcript to be sent to the other institution for transfer of credit.
• Complete the course (you may have done so years ago), register, demonstrate competency, request transcript to be sent.

This is the marvel of competency-based education. If you can demonstrate the competencies, the Antioch School will grant the credit.

View Individual Credit Options and Pricing »

Antioch School Testimonies: Rancho Community Church

on Thursday, August 26th 2010

Watch as Pastor Scott Treadway of Rancho Community Church in Temecula, CA interviews two members of their Antioch School Degree Program.

The Antioch School allowed his vision of the church being a training center that would prepare the next generation of church leaders for their church and a network of churches to be fulfilled more than 5 years ahead of his projections!

Their first cohort was a young group that will be the backbone of their church planting efforts. The second cohort (and more to come) are serving both emerging and existing leaders in the church, including elders and seminary graduates.

The Antioch School is Accredited!

on Thursday, June 10th 2010

The Accrediting Commission of DETC met on June 4-5, 2010 and granted accreditation to the Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development.

The Antioch School is the first truly church-based and competency-based academic institution to receive accreditation by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). We are very proud of this accomplishment because DETC does not grant accreditation quickly or easily. Our process took several years that included extensive Self-Evaluation Reports, a thorough Curriculum Review, an intense Site Visit by a six-member team, and specific Progress Reports.

Accreditation means that the quality of the Antioch School's degree programs has been affirmed by a rigorous peer review process of a respected, independent agency. The Antioch School will be listed in the next edition of the Directory of Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions published by CHEA. This will greatly facilitate transfer of credit and acceptance of prerequisite degrees by other academic institutions.

However, DETC accreditation is just the most recent form of affirmation of the quality of Antioch School programs. We have already been endorsed by leaders of churches, church planting movements, and church networks, as well as other high profile ministry leaders.

Please rejoice with us in the news of this great achievement.

Launch of Ongoing Certification e-Training

on Monday, November 17th 2008

If you were unable to participate in the ongoing certification at our International Summit in November, you can still maintain your certification by participating in at least one Leadership Series workshop and one Paradigm Transformation Project workshop per year through Ongoing Certification e-Training.

Ongoing Certification e-Training is a series of web-enabled conversations with Antioch School certified leaders about the design and use of core Leadership Series courses and the implementation of partner programs within the boundaries of the church-based paradigm. If you have a web-enabled computer, a mic-enabled headset, and availability between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. CST on the first Monday and Tuesday of any month, then you can participate in Ongoing Certification e-Training.

Beginning in December 2008, the following Ongoing Certification e-Training will be available to certified leaders:

December: Pauline Epistles
January: The Church Doing Theology in Culture (PTP-II)
February: Essentials of Sound Doctrine
March: The Church as Missions (PTP-III)
April: Leaders and the Early Church
May: The Church as a Hermeneutical Community (PTP-IV)
June: Interpreting the Word I
July: The Church as Christian Education (PTP-V)
August: Theology in Culture
September: The Law
October: Theology in Civilization

Certified leaders can register for any Ongoing Certification e-Training through our WebEx web conferencing center. Each e-Training will be limited in number and limited to registrants who commit to both 4-hour sessions on Monday and Tuesday at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST. Each registrant will receive a set of PDF documents to read in preparation for the e-Training and will also be expected to acquire the actual course material in advance of sessions involving a Leadership Series course.

At the beginning of the e-Training, each registrant will be required to verify that their equipment is capable of seamless two-way voice communication. It is absolutely essential for each participant to use a fully functional headset, without exception! We recommend the Logitech Premium Notebook Headset or an equivalent.

For more information, please e-mail us or call our office at (515) 292-9694.

3 Easy Ways to Learn More

on Wednesday, September 17th 2008

We are pleased to announce the launch of 3 different tools that make it even easier for you to learn more about the Antioch School and help you introduce it to others. We have created several tools that allow us to come to you via web-conferencing.

E-Luncheons are 40-minute online versions of what we do when we come to specific locations to introduce the Antioch School to groups, often during a luncheon. Sorry, but there is no food served at an e-luncheon. Register for an e-luncheon.

Webinars are 4 hour online versions of our more comprehensive Antioch School introductory seminars. Like the e-luncheons, webinars are interactive, using online video segments and live interaction with Antioch School staff. Register for a Webinar.

E-Workshops are 1 hour online events for leaders of Antioch School programs addressing issues of general importance, such as Student Finance (what do you do when someone says he wants to enroll in the Antioch School, but can't afford it right now?). These include presentations by Antioch School staff, but also shared wisdom from partners with first-hand experience with Antioch School programs in their churches. E-Workshops are intended exclusively for certified leaders of Antioch School partners. If you are a certified leader and aren't getting invitations or if you have suggestions for e-workshops that would serve you, please contact us.

Low Tuition, High Impact

on Monday, September 15th 2008

Tuition is still low for the Antioch School. And it seems even lower when compared to traditional higher education. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported that the average cost of tuition and fees for private 4-year colleges is now $23,712 per year or $94,848 representing an increase of 6.7% (Almanac, Aug. 29, 2008, p. 29). Tuition for Antioch School programs remains at $4800 for those who are admitted during Fall 2008. This is only 5% of the national average.

Students in the Antioch School are not paying for ivy-covered walls on elaborate campuses or expensive faculty research unrelated to ministry. Much of the cost of education for Antioch School programs is built into its unique relationship with churches. Tuition primarily supports the mechanisms necessary to sustain assessment and validation of academic quality in order to ensure that Antioch School degrees are trustworthy. This includes costs associated with accreditation and other innovative assessment tools, such as the e-portfolio.

Further, Antioch School students don't have to pay all their tuition up-front or at the beginning of each semester. Rather, they are able to pay $100/month for four years. If you don't think you can afford the tuition, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the real problem? Is it really a matter of finances or it financial priorities? Is it really that I'm fearful of the workload or academics? Am I really committed to church-based leadership development?
• How might I find the money? Have I let the need be known to family and friends, particularly those who are keen to fund ministries such as mission trips? Have I pursued opportunities with my employer or in my community?
• How could my church help? Do they know about my situation? Are they making it a matter of prayer? Are there funds in the church budget or privately with church members that could be used as a loan to get started?