The New Ground Academy is a training community for church leaders and church shapers – mainly, but not exclusively, connected to the New Ground family of churches.
The New Ground Academy is based in London, UK, but since September 2015 there has been a satellite training base in The Hague hosted by Redeemer International Church. Satellites have also been launched in Edinburgh, Paris, Guernsey, Zimbabwe and Brazil.
What is this about?
At the New Ground Academy, we believe that Jesus wasn’t joking when he told his followers to: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). We believe he was being serious when he promised: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
We believe that God has not come back on his promise that, through Jesus, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). The purpose of the New Ground Academy is to train the church leaders and church shapers God will use to fulfil these promises.
Who is this for?
Academy is a training course for men and women called by God to have significant influence in his church through leadership.
The minimum entry requirement is that you are a member and committed attender of your local church. We would expect most people attending Academy to be serving in some sort of leadership capacity already and may give preference to those who are if we have more applicants than available places.
We believe that God uses ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things for him by the power of His Word and His Spirit. We encourage you to consider applying for the New Ground Academy and to allow us to develop you into the church leader or church shaper God has called you to be.
What is the plan?
The New Ground Academy runs a two-year training course. Students begin the course in September and graduate in the July of their second year. The New Ground Academy consists of 10 training blocks a year for two years, with August and December as holiday. These blocks take place monthly on a Thursday evening and a Saturday.
A month before each training block begins, students will be sent four half-hour teaching videos to watch and some interactive notes to provoke their thinking ahead of the Thursday evening gathering. These videos lay the theological foundation for the training block and prepare the students to grow in a particular area.
On the Thursday evening of each training block, the students gather in small groups locally with the Academy mentors in their church. They connect in with the other groups online to discuss what they have learned means for them personally and for their local church.
On the Saturday of each training block, the students gather together as a large group at their training base, with all of the other students from across a range of churches. The Saturdays are focused on the practical application of their learnings from the Thursday evening. For example, a Thursday evening of studying what the Bible teaches about prophecy might be followed by a Saturday of practical coaching in how to prophesy. Similarly, a Thursday evening of studying what the Bible teaches about the earthly ministry of Jesus might be followed by a Saturday of practical coaching in evangelism and in helping the poor and marginalised to find their dignity in God.
It is costly each month to invest a Thursday evening and Saturday into developing your leadership gifting. But it is worth it. Jesus doesn’t call his followers to daydream about great things, but to take up their cross to follow him. We’ll never multiply disciples from the comforts of our easy chairs.
Fruitful Christian leaders are those who grasp that God calls each one of us to invest in our potential by putting ourselves in a place where he can speak to us and teach us. If you are willing to invest in your own potential, then we would feel privileged to invest in your life with you.
Language
We’d love to get the teaching materials translated into Dutch in the future, but at this point it’s not there yet, which means that currently the language will be mostly English. However, we will make sure that the interactive discussion will be accessible also for Dutch speakers.
Costs
We have worked hard to make the New Ground Academy as accessible as possible to church leaders and shapers. Our satellite base is supported by New Ground in that the London base provides us with all the teaching materials.
If this proves to be too much in your current situation, bring it to the attention of your church leaders to see how they can support you.
How can I apply?
Please contact Catherine Nieuwveld (if you are a member of Redeemer The Hague), Dean Wilding (if you are a member of Redeemer Delft) or send an email to academy@redeemerchurch.nl
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact us by sending an email to academy@redeemerchurch.nl.