Canadian Youth Leaders studying in the Czech Republic

Every two years a unique gathering brings Canadian youth leaders studying at Acadia Divinity College (Canada) together with youth leaders from across the European Baptist Federation family of nations. In May this year, this powerful gathering took place once again in the Christian mountain retreat centre KAM in Malenovice (Moravia) Czech Republic. Thirteen Canadians and eleven youth leaders from Europe and the Middle East joined to be challenged in Growing into Leadership by speakers Steve and Jo Griffiths. Steve is a Anglican rector and a youth leadership specialist and author. He is the past president of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry and the founder of The Journal of Youth and Theology. Time and time again, students who take part in this program are touched by the international friendships and exchange of thoughts around topics relating to working with youth. The Canadians were able to go and visit for four days with the European and Middle Eastern counterparts in their home countries (Italy, Belgium, Lebanon, Estonia and Croatia) and to learn first hand how youth work is done in Europe. Jeff Carter, the Youth Leadership Training Coordinator for the EBF and European host for the event stated: "This event is simply one of the most pivotal and transformational events in the work we do with leaders, each year young leaders come away challenged and touched by the lives of others, in some cases it changes completely the way they do ministry" . Dale Stairs, Director of the Youth Ministry Program at Acadia Divinity College also was instrumental in rallying the Canadians and also sees this event as a highlight in the partnership between Acadia and the EBF. Students from Acadia take in the event for course credit while the European participants attend it as a conference. The next event is scheduled for May 2013 in the same location.

For more information on this event of future events contact

Jeff Carter
jcarter@ebf.org

Acadia Divinity College to Offer Doctor of Ministry in Prague

Acadia’s rapidly growing Doctor of Ministry programme is set to expand again. Beginning in the fall of 2012, ministry leaders based in Europe and elsewhere will be able to study toward an Acadia DMin in Prague, Czech Republic.
This new international Doctor of Ministry programme is a joint initiative of Acadia Divinity College (ADC), Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM), the International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS), and the European Baptist Federation (EBF). Students admitted to the programme will take courses at the IBTS campus in Prague and will also take courses at Acadia’s Wolfville, Nova Scotia teaching site in Canada.
Dr. Jeff Carter will provide leadership for the new programme as part of his role as a member of the Global Field Staff of CBM. He will continue to serve as Youth Ministry Training Coordinator for the EBF and as a Lecturer at both IBTS and ADC.
Acadia offers Canada’s largest Doctor of Ministry programme, enrolling students from more than 20 denominations and 30 different ministry vocations. Students in the programme live in all Canadian provinces as well as in the United States and overseas.
“We are delighted to partner with other ministry organizations who have a heart for encouraging and equipping seasoned ministry leaders,” says ADC’s Director of Doctoral Studies, Dr. Bruce Fawcett. “This partnership will be great for our Canadian DMin students since it will allow them the opportunity to study in Prague as part of their DMin experience, and in some of their classes in Wolfville they will now have the opportunity to connect with Christian leaders from Europe.”
Applications will be received starting in October 2011 for fall 2012 admission. For more information, contact Dr. Jeff Carter.