JT English (Still) Isn't Talking ABout the Brookside Institute in this Audio Segment. But in a Lot of Ways, He (Still) Could be.

A little more than a year ago, I highlighted an audio segment where JT English talks about the Institute at The Village Church.  (Click here to see that.)  I love hearing people articulate a passion and vision for biblical & theological equipping in the church and for the church - because of how closely this aligns with what we're trying to do with the Brookside Institute.   And so I figured then that I'd highlight what The Village Institute is doing, and trust that people can connect the dots in some right ways over to the Brookside Institute.

Well, Dr. English is back at it. 

Recently, I listened to this audio segment from the Village Church Podcast Show (Episode #30 - May 26, 2016) where JT English gives an explanation of their Institute and an update on it.   The whole episode is worthwhile and I encourage you to check it out - below you'll find the first 10 minutes (unedited) where JT English speaks most directly on the Village Institute, because of how closely it touches on certain things we're trying to do with the Brookside Institute.  

​Remember: Dr. English is talking about the Institute at the Village - he's not talking about the Brookside Institute.  Don't expect 100% overlap.  There are certain things they've chosen to do there that we've chosen not to do at the Brookside Institute.  But there's still A LOT of overlap.

Listen in and you'll hear a lot of things I found myself nodding my head to throughout the course of the segment.  And for those of you already familiar with the Brookside Institute, you'll see how so many of these same emphases have taken shape - independently - in our own context.  

​Here's the audio:

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Here are a few notes I was scrambling to type as I listened along - these may pull you into listening, if you're still on the fence:

• We need think about what we're trying to teach: What sorts of outcomes are we trying to produce?  The Village Institute landed on the Bible, theology, and Christian formation.  In all of this they're trying to orient people to the kingdom of God, shaping and orienting their loves.  These same values have shaped the Brookside Institute's own core curriculum: classes on the the Bible, Christian theology, and Christian formation.
• The Village Church Institute includes a number of equipping environments: (1) the Forum ("one and done" seminars on important topics); (2) semester long classes on the Bible, and topics like church history, etc.; (2) the Training Program - a 36 week discipleship training program including Bible, theology, and Christian formation.  Over 400 applications came in for this Training Program.  (The Village Institute accommodated almost 200 of those.)  In the same way, we're doing all we can to multiply ways we equip others - check out our ideas here. 
• People want theology and the Bible!  If you raise the bar, people tend to raise with that bar.  We're not asking too much of people; we're asking too little.
• There's lots of time in Scripture, and the Training Program is built around a cohort model.
• Graduates don't finish - they're commissioned back into the local church: children's ministry, small groups, parking lot team, etc.  This coincides so well with the Brookside Institute's own value of "Launch Well."  

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By the way, this isn' the first time I've heard JT English affirming things that the Brookside Institute is all about.  Here are some additional posts from this site where you can see what else he has to say:

• JT English Isn't Talking about the Brookside Institute in this Audio Segment. But in a Lot of Ways He Could Be
• Yes, Yes, and YES! I Love What JT English Says about Making Theology Accessible in the Local Church

​Or check out what other like-minded ministries are doing as well.  All of these reinforce certain values we're pursuing and affirming at the Brookside Institute.

• Andy Naselli Isn't Talking about the Brookside Institute in this Video. But in a Lot of Ways He Could Be
• Todd Wilson Isn't Talking Specifically about the Brookside Institute in this Article. But in a Lot of Ways He Could Be