SPABC Membership
[Functions, Membership, Full
Membership, Associate Membership,
Statement of Faith, Core Values,
Evaluation and Accreditation
Procedures, COS Manual]
Functions: The functions
of the Association are:
1. To facilitate in every possible way the work of its member colleges
in training of students for growth in discipleship and for effective Christian
ministries in the home culture or cross-culturally.
2. To encourage the development of programs of evangelical theological
education which embrace in one integrated whole the spiritual, behavioural,
practical and academic formation of Christian leadership.
3. To foster excellence in theological education among member colleges
by establishing clear criteria and guidelines for regular evaluation.
4. To recognise and approve formally the programs of colleges which have
successfully completed the evaluation process as having merit, worth and
integrity.
5. To establish the reliability, standing and integrity of colleagues
within the Christian community by virtue of their membership in SPABC.
6. To promote mutual fellowship and collaboration amongst the
evangelical Bible Colleges of the South Pacific area.
7. To facilitate transfer of credits among member institutions, and
foster academic recognition by other academic and theological institutions.
8. To facilitate the exchange of resources and methods amongst its
members and to provide opportunity for interchange of lecturing staff for
occasional visits.
9. To provide a united voice to government and other bodies on such
matters as may be of common concern.
Membership: Membership
of the Association is open to any evangelical college of the South Pacific area
(deemed to include Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the islands of
the South West Pacific) offering formal study in Bible, theology, ministry or
Christian service, and/or spiritual growth which complies with the following
general conditions and the specific conditions for the appropriate category as
listed below.
1. Maintains agreement with the statement of faith of the world
Evangelical Fellowship (appended).
2. Offers regular courses of at least three months duration that lead to
specific awards.
3. Demonstrates stability of operation for the previous five years.
4. Evidences capable leadership and administration.
5. Exercises financial responsibility.
6. Consistently uses full-time staff possessing adequate qualifications
for its programs.
7. Demonstrates genuineness of ministry by a responsible relationship
with the Christian community at large.
8. Posses adequate resources and facilities to effectively accomplish
its programs.
9. Successfully completes the evaluation process of SPABC appropriate to
any one category of membership.
Membership is in the following sections and categories:
Section 1. Full Membership:
Colleges eligible for full membership must meet the general provisions as
set out above and provide full-time courses of two years or more. At least two
full-time qualified faculty members must be engaged. Colleges meeting the above
requirements will be classified for membership in one of the following
categories:
1. Inter-denominational and residential.
2. Inter-denominational and non-residential.
3. Denominational and residential.
4. Denominational and non-residential.
Section 2. Associate
Membership
Colleges eligible for associate membership must meet the general
provisions as set out above and provide short courses of between three months
and two years (or equivalent). Tuition and supervision of courses must be in the
hands of suitably qualified persons and the Colleges must share the ethos of
SPABC and the aim of preparing students for more effective discipleship and
ministry.
Colleges meeting the above requirements will be classified for membership
in one of the following categories:
1. Colleges offering full and part-time studies on a short-term basis
(including those offering evening studies, weekend, and full-time courses of
several months).
2. Colleges offering courses which meet the above requirement providing
tuition by correspondence and courses using the method of Theological
Education by Extension.
For
more details and the appropriate forms
click here to go to the COS Manual
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