ROANOKE, Va. — Partnering with the John Leland Center, the Southwest Virginia Christian Leadership Network will host three new teaching sites this fall semester.
Undergraduate classes will be offered for the first time at Randolph Memorial Baptist Church in Madison Heights and at First Baptist Church in Staunton. In addition, a class for masters’ degree students will be offered on the campus of Bluefield College.
The Network is a ministry of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board.
Courses to be offered at the new sites include:
• Baptist Beliefs and History. Instructor, Derik Hamby. Monday, 6-8:50 p.m. Randolph Memorial Baptist Church, Madison Heights.
• Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels. Instructor, Mitch Luckie. Thursday, 6-8:50 p.m. Randolph Memorial Baptist Church, Madison Heights.
• Introduction to New Testament. Instructor, Steve Traylor. Monday, 6-8:50 p.m. First Baptist Church, Staunton.
• Church Administration. Instructor, Leon Castle. Thursday, 6-8:50 p.m. First Baptist Church, Staunton.
• Introduction to Christian Ethics. Instructor, Tracey Stout. Tuesday, 6-8 p.m. Bluefield College.
Classes will be offered at ongoing sites in Glade Spring, Martinsville, Nickelsville, Roanoke (undergraduate and masters) and Wise.
A full list of classes offered at all sites is available at www.vachristianleadership.net.
These classes are ideal for ministers, those exploring a call to ministry, volunteer church leaders or those who simply desire ongoing spiritual growth. Classes begin the week of Aug. 23 and conclude the week of Dec. 13.
These courses allow students to pursue 48 hours of undergraduate credit or 20 hours of master’s academic credit. Then, for those desiring to pursue a full bachelor’s or master’s degree, agreements with other colleges and seminaries are in place to transfer Leland credits. Students can also take individual classes or audit a class.
Tuition for college classes is $375 per class while auditing students pay $188. Master’s tuition is $700 per class while students who audit pay $350 per class. Tuition scholarships for both college and master’s classes are available for members of Baptist General Association of Virginia churches.
Establishment of the Southwest Virginia Christian Leadership Network began with a group of ministers from the Roanoke Valley Baptist Association meeting in 2003. This group, chaired by Robert Moore, pastor of Bonsack Baptist Church, was convinced of the need for a program of continuing education and leader training for ministers and laypersons in the Southwest region of Virginia. Their vision was to bring the campus to students rather than asking students to come to the campus.
The outcome, in partnership with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, was creation of the Network on Dec. 1, 2004. Gary Chapman was selected in December 2004 as director. The office for the Network was located at Bonsack Baptist Church in Roanoke.
The Network’s mission is to provide practical church training and theological study for laypersons and ministers in Southwest Virginia in order to further the cause of Kingdom Advance, enhance the ministry of our churches, and provide spiritual renewal for individuals. Target groups include full-time staff ministers, bivocational ministers and laypersons.
For further information and registration, please contact the Christian Leadership Network by phone (540.777.3014 or 1.866. 223.9344, toll-free) or by e-mail at gary.chapman@vbmb.org.