Mary Andrews College has decades of history, while Youthworks College has been in operation just a few short years. But faculty members from the two colleges are looking to work together to equip men and women for Christian life and ministry.
Faculty members from the two colleges recently met together to share notes on how best to teach the Diploma of Theology course.
“Since each College is engaged in training Christians for more effective ministry, the meeting between the colleges was arranged so that we could to talk with each other about the ways we’ve packaged and delivered the material for each subject area, and share resources we’ve found particularly useful,” said Alison Daly, registrar of MAC. “Sometimes it’s in the sharing of methods that new ideas can be generated.”
Both colleges prepare students for the Australian College of Theology’s Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Theology and Ministry.
“Diploma level training is aimed at helping students interact with the sort of questions a thoughtful church member would ask about the Bible and Christian life,” said Andy Stirrup from Youthworks College.
The Rev Graham Stanton, Dean of Youthworks College, and Alison Daly teach the same survey of the New Testament subjects in the Diploma course. With
so much material to cover, including the book of Acts and all the letters of the New Testament in just twelve weeks, Mr Stanton said the course presents a challenge in deciding what to include and what to leave out.
“It was beneficial to talk together about how we can best integrate the need to prepare students for a written examination, with the more basic concern of equipping them for Christian life and ministry.”
While MAC’s ministry is mainly to women, Youthworks College specialises in training for children’s and youth work, with most of the student body made up of young adults.
But despite the apparent differences, there are important similarities between the two colleges. Many MAC students are involved in children’s and youth ministries through Sunday School and Scripture teaching. Youthworks has also attracted mothers with families seeking to build their knowledge of the Bible and their skills in youth and children’s ministry.
Mr Stanton said both colleges are keen to explore the links and where they fit in the overall training strategy in the Diocese.
“Youthworks and Mary Andrews have a lot in common - we share a deep love for the Bible, we’re both teaching the Diploma of Theology, and we’re both
Anglican colleges in Sydney that sometimes get overlooked as a result of everyone’s familiarity with Moore College,” he said.
Alison Daly, who met Mr Stanton when both were students at Moore College, said neither Youthworks or MAC aim to duplicate what Moore is providing.
“But we have an important role in helping Christian people to think more deeply about their faith and to be equipped for the varied ministries that are before them,” she said.
Mr Stanton said the colleges would play a key role in Strategy Three of the diocesan Mission - multiplying the number of trained workers. “But I think strategy one is really where the action is at: dependence on God in word and prayer,” he says. “We talk to our students all the time about the importance of who they are in Christ rather than how much they know or what they can do.
“As we see graduates from both our colleges move out into ministries in the church and the world - paid and unpaid, in official roles or as committed members, working with children, young people, or adults - our great prayer is that they would be the salt and light in the world that Jesus calls us all to be.”
