A newly released book on Theological Education by Extension (TEE) offers global perspectives on the effectiveness of TEE as a response to the training needs of today’s Church, and also shows the model’s adaptability to varying contexts in different parts of the world. Participating in a recent digital book launch, leaders of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) applauded ‘TEE for the 21st Century: Tools to Equip and Empower God’s People for His Mission’ as a valuable resource containing research and stories that provide insights into how TEE has been used effectively to train the fast growing number of church leaders today.
WEA Secretary General Bishop Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher stated that “every believer willing to learn from Jesus, from the Bible, from the Church, should be offered a wealth of ways to learn it, which fit his context, his personality, his personal situation and the situation of his local church.
I like to transfer Jesus’ saying on the sabbath to education ‘Theological education was made for man, not man for theological education.’ So I think that TEE has found a way for a really good structure, which is needed in education to adapt to many, many situations around the world, where theological education is very much needed but cannot follow the traditional way. I congratulate all the authors and editors to this superb book.”
In the preface of the book, Dr. Michael A. Ortiz, International Director of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE), wrote: On occasions, the global landscape for theological education encounters the need for adjustments. Over recent years, a significant portion of the changes have stemmed from the call for theological education that is not from the top down, but rather driven from the bottom up, namely from needs grounded in the church. […] Throughout its history, TEE has provided accessible, relevant, practical, and contextual training for the church. ‘TEE for the 21st Century’ reassures its reader of TEE’s established model. Even so, still more remains to be done, and perhaps this work might enthuse others to innovatively draw future theological education nearer to, and for the sake of, the church.”
About the book
Theological education is at a global crossroads. Although many traditional programmes struggle to maintain student enrolment, today’s environment gives exciting opportunities to serve the global church in ways that are multi-level, accessible, and educationally effective. ‘TEE for the 21st Century’ utilizes missiological, educational, and sociological perspectives to explore theological education by extension (TEE) as a powerful contemporary tool for equipping the global church for its global mission. Multi-authored by a global team of discipline experts, brought together by the Increase Association, this book speaks to the real-life training needs of today’s church. Addressed to leaders, teachers, and practitioners, it offers a robust framework for critically evaluating the impact of TEE on the formation of whole-life disciples in a wide variety of contexts and locations. With a proven track record across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, TEE has a role to play in the future of the church, empowering every member to fulfil their God-given calling to ministry and mission.
