Human and Social Studies Religious and Ethical Foundations of Society

Church Models In Christian Theology For Contextual Application Training

SAQA US 115969 | NQF 5 | Credits 6 | Duration 3 Days
From $967 per delegate

Description

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of various church models in Christian theology, equipping learners with the tools to analyse and apply these models in diverse contextual settings. It bridges theological theory and practical ministry, enabling participants to design culturally relevant and effective church structures that meet contemporary needs.

Learning Outcomes

  • Analyse different church models in Christian theology, including their historical and theological foundations.
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each model for specific cultural and social contexts.
  • Apply biblical and theological principles to design a contextual church model for a given community.
  • Demonstrate the ability to adapt traditional church structures to address contemporary challenges.
  • Assess the impact of contextual factors such as culture, socio-economic conditions, and denominational traditions on church practice.

Target Audience

This course is designed for pastors, church leaders, theologians, seminary students, and anyone involved in church planting or ministry development who seeks to deepen their understanding of ecclesiological models and their contextual application.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, a basic understanding of Christian theology is recommended.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Church Models in Christian Theology

Objectives:
• Understand the theological basis for diverse church models in Christian tradition.
• Identify key historical and contemporary church models (e.g., hierarchical, congregational, charismatic).
• Analyse how ecclesiology shapes church structure and mission.
• Recognise the role of context in shaping church models.
• Apply foundational concepts to evaluate local church expressions.

Topics:
• Introduction to ecclesiology: what is the church?
• Historical overview of church models: from early church to Reformation.
• Key models: hierarchical (Roman Catholic, Orthodox), presbyterian, congregational, and charismatic.
• The relationship between church model and theology of ministry.
• Contextual factors: culture, society, and mission.
• Case study: comparing a traditional and a contemporary church model.
• Group discussion: identifying models in participants' own contexts.

Day 2: Contextual Application of Church Models

Objectives:
• Analyse how different church models function in diverse South African contexts.
• Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of each model for specific settings.
• Develop criteria for selecting appropriate models for contextual ministry.
• Apply biblical principles to adapt models without compromising core theology.
• Create a preliminary contextual church model for a given scenario.

Topics:
• Contextual theology: the role of culture, socio-economic factors, and history.
• Case studies: African Independent Churches, urban cell churches, and rural traditional congregations.
• Strengths and weaknesses of hierarchical vs. flat leadership models.
• Biblical principles for contextual adaptation (e.g., Acts 15, 1 Corinthians 9).
• Practical tools for assessing community needs and resources.
• Workshop: designing a contextual church model for a specific community.
• Peer feedback and refinement of proposed models.

Day 3: Advanced Integration and Practical Implementation

Objectives:
• Synthesise theological, contextual, and practical insights into a coherent church model.
• Develop an implementation plan for transitioning or establishing a church model.
• Address potential challenges: resistance, leadership, and sustainability.
• Evaluate the missional effectiveness of different models.
• Present and defend a contextual church model for real-world application.

Topics:
• Missional ecclesiology: how models enable or hinder mission.
• Leadership development for model sustainability.
• Managing change: strategies for transitioning between models.
• Legal and ethical considerations in South African church context.
• Final project: participants present their contextual church model with rationale.
• Group critique and refinement.
• Action planning: steps for implementation in participants' ministries.
• Course wrap-up and integration with Unit Standard 115969 outcomes.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 09 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Tue 29 Sep 2026 Thu 01 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Mon 19 Oct 2026 Wed 21 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Wed 09 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Tue 12 Jan 2027 Thu 14 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Wed 17 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Wed 03 Mar 2027 Fri 05 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Thu 11 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Wed 17 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Wed 09 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Tue 29 Jun 2027 Thu 01 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Mon 19 Jul 2027 Wed 21 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Wed 08 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Tue 28 Sep 2027 Thu 30 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Wed 20 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Wed 08 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Tue 28 Dec 2027 Thu 30 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Wed 12 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,230 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Wed 12 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $4,552 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,447 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $3,148 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $4,552 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Wed 16 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 07 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 27 Oct 2026 Thu 29 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Wed 16 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 20 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 23 Feb 2027 Thu 25 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Wed 10 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 23 Mar 2027 Thu 25 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Wed 16 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 07 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 27 Jul 2027 Thu 29 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Wed 15 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 06 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 26 Oct 2027 Thu 28 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Wed 15 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 05 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 25 Jan 2028 Thu 27 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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