FEATURE

The Committee on Christian Education is pleased to announce its Spring 2012 MTIOPC courses. Register now for Ecclesiology, taught by the Rev. Dr. A. Craig Troxel; Defending the Faith (Presuppositional Apologetics), instructed by the Rev. Dr. William D. Dennison; and The Westminster Standards, taught by the Rev. Dr. Chad B. Van Dixhoorn. These three courses will have mandatory Intensive Training on May 15-17 at Grace OPC in Vienna, Virginia. A fourth course, Pastoral Theology will be taught by the Rev. William Shishko. Intensive Training for that course will be held April 28-May 3 in the OP Church of Franklin Square, New York.

Orthodox Presbyterian pastors, elders, licentiates, and men under care have an opportunity to take one of four classes offered by the Ministerial Training Institute of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Ministers or ministerial candidates of sister denominations also may apply.

• The Ecclesiology course helps students to understand the biblical and historical foundations of Presbyterian church government and its principles and practices for the church.
• Defending the Faith (Presuppositional Apologetics) introduces the student to presuppositional apologetics and its importance in the church.
• The Westminster Standards helps the student to analyze and understand the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter catechisms.
• The Pastoral Theology course guides the student to learn a biblical approach to the office of pastor.

MTIOPC's newest instructor, the Rev. Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn, will teach the course on the Westminster Standards. Van Dixhoorn serves as associate pastor of Grace OPC in Vienna, Virginia, and is a Cambridge scholar who has focused 11 years of study on the Westminster Assembly.

Classes begin on February 1, 2012, with online contact with instructors. All students are required to attend one of two Intensive Training sessions, the dates and location of which depend on the course.

• Intensive Training for Ecclesiology, Defending the Faith, and the Westminster Standards will be held on May 15-17 at Grace OPC, in Vienna, VA. Men travel on May 14.
• Intensive Training for Pastoral Theology will be held April 28-May 3 in the OP Church of Franklin Square, NY.

Registration deadline for the courses is January 23, 2012. All the classes are two-credit courses and some seminaries accept credit for the courses.

OPC pastors, licentiates, and men under care receive free tuition and travel scholarships to attend Intensive Training. OPC elders will be charged $50 for tuition and men from other denominations will pay a $100 fee.

All students must pay a $50 per course registration fee when they submit their application. The fee is fully refunded when the student successfully completes his course.

For more information and an application, look at the OPC.org website, under Christian Education, then MTIOPC, or contact Pat Clawson, MTIOPC coordinator. To reach her, call 215-830-0900 and when the message starts, hit *828, or e-mail CCEsec@opc.org.