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The Wildewood Academy is a ministry of Wildewood Christian Church. Address: 1255 Royal Drive, Papillion, NE 68128Phone: 402. 331.1575Email: info@wccomaha.comWeb: www.wildewoodacademy.comDirector: Mark S. Krause, markk@wccomaha.comAll donations for the support of the Wildewood Academy are given through WildewoodChristian Church, a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of Nebraska.As a ministry of Wildewood Christian Church, the Wildewood Academy admits students andemploys faculty based on the general and historic tenets of faith of this church. The WildewoodAcademy prohibits harassment and discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth or relatedmedical conditions, race, color, gender, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability,medical condition, marital status, or age.The program and course offerings of the Wildewood Academy are taught as college-level, adulteducation courses. They are not accredited by any accrediting body, nor is the WildewoodAcademy. Some courses may be offered through Partner Colleges and, therefore, be accreditedunits based on that institution’s accreditation.The Wildewood Academy is committed to making reasonable accommodation for any studentdisability in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).While this document is intended to be accurate and complete at the time of publication,changes may be implemented, as necessary.Version 21.3Publish Date: 1 August 2021 Wildewood Academy
Calendar . 12021 . 12022 . 1Personnel . 1History and Mission . 2History . 2Mission of Wildewood Christian Church . 2Mission of the Wildewood Academy and Key Verse . 2Wildewood Academy Seminars . 2Admission to the Wildewood Academy Certificate of Ministry Program. 3Requirements for Certificate of Ministry . 4Year 1, Focus on Leadership and Soft Skills for Ministry . 4Year 2, Bible, Theology, and Practical Ministry Courses . 4Grades . 4Design and Sequence . 5Financial Information . 5Year One . 5Year Two. 5Totals . 6Scholarships . 6Pathway Diagrams . 7Course Descriptions . 8Wildewood Academy Courses (First Year) . 8WWA101 Personal Evaluation and Inventory for Church Leaders (3 units) . 8WWA102 Personal Discipleship (3 units) . 8WWA111 Leadership Planning, Organization, and Time Management (3 units) . 8WWA112 The Church and Its Ministries (3 units) . 9College Partner Courses . 9Old Testament Survey (3 units) . 9New Testament Survey (3 units) . 10Bible Study Methods and Tools (3 units). 10Christian Theology in Current Culture (3 units) . 10Mentored Service . 10Continuation or Dismissal from the Certificate of Ministry Program . 11Disclaimer . 11
2021September 2September 9 – October 21September 24 – 25October 28-November 18,December 2-16December 3 – 4Wildewood Academy Orientation Night (6:00 – 8:00 PM)Class Module 1 (Thursdays, 6:00-8:00 PM, 7 weeks)Wildewood Academy Seminar (Friday, 6:00 – 9:00 PM,Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)Class Module 2 (Thursdays, 6:00-8:00 PM, 7 weeks)Wildewood Academy Seminar (Friday, 6:00 – 9:00 PM,Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)2022January 20 – March 3March 11 – 12March 17 – May 4April 29-30Class Module 3 (Thursdays, 6:00-8:00 PM, 7 weeks)Wildewood Academy Seminar (Friday, 6:00 – 9:00 PM,Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)Class Module 4 (Thursdays, 6:00-8:00 PM, 8 weeks)Wildewood Academy Seminar (Friday, 6:00 – 9:00 PM,Saturday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)Griffiths, James. M.S., Central Michigan University, Instructor in Leadership DevelopmentKrause, Mark S. Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Director, Instructor in Bible/TheologyParrack, Desiree. A.A., ITT Tech, Administrative AssistantWymer, Ron. D.Min. (ABD), Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Associate Director, Instructor inPreaching and MinistryZiegenfuss, Robin. D.W.S., Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies, Instructor in Worshipand Spiritual FormationOther adjunct faculty will be used both from within the Wildewood Christian Churchmembership and from other churches in the Omaha area.1
HistoryWith the close of Nebraska Christian College in 2020, Wildewood Christian Church (WCC) wasleft without a local educational partner to train leaders for future staff positions in ministry (asare other churches in the Omaha metro area and beyond). Because of this, the elders of WCChave determined to develop a church-based ministry training program to be called WildewoodAcademy (WA). This will be a college-level, adult program designed to prepare men and womenwho are called to ministry for life-long service to WCC and other churches. This was not a newdream for WCC. The church’s Senior Minister, Ron Wymer, has long held the vision of a churchbased program for adults that would lead to more and better church leaders. While this is adultlevel education and training, the Wildewood Academy seeks to offer this program at a low costto enrolled students.In August 2020, WCC hired Mark Krause, the former Academic Dean at Nebraska ChristianCollege, to join the church staff with the primary purpose of developing and implementing theWildewood Academy. While WCC will initiate and operate this program, it invites otherinterested churches to participate in it to offer a church-based program for their own membersand to meet their own staffing needs. Students completing the requirements of this two-yearprogram will be awarded a “Certificate of Ministry” from the Wildewood Academy.The program draws on models from other churches. In particular, the Wildewood Academy hasbeen influenced by models in operation at: Compass Academy (Compass Christian Church, TX)Develup Program (The Crossing Church, IL)Mission of Wildewood Christian ChurchWildewood Christian Church is a congregation committed to making disciples throughevangelism and nurture.Mission of the Wildewood Academy and Key VerseThe Wildewood Academy serves Wildewood Christian Church and the larger Christiancommunity by offering adult education, training, and mentoring to develop competent,confident, and faithful leaders for the service of the church.Key Verse: We are called to “equip God’s people for works of service, to build up the body ofChrist.” (Ephesians 4:12)As part of its ministry to WCC and other churches, the Wildewood Academy will offer two-dayseminars featuring scholars and practitioners to do training on a special area of expertise in2
church ministry. These will be held quarterly, usually in September, early December, March, andMay. They will usually be held as a Friday evening, Saturday morning event, about six hourstotal. The cost for the seminars will be moderate and depend on the costs involved in bringingthe speaker to Omaha. All seminars will be held at Wildewood Christian Church.Speakers for the seminars will be a variety of national leaders and authors as well as local churchleaders. Some of these seminars will be live streamed for paid participants who are unable toattend in person.Wildewood Academy students are required to complete eight of these seminars to receive theCertificate of Ministry.Formal admission is required for those students wishing to pursue the Wildewood Academy’sCertificate of Ministry. Admission will require: Age 17 or older. Some students still in high school may be considered for enrollment in theWildewood Academy on an individual basis. Submission of the personal application form. This may be done online. Submission of two required essays (300-500 words each). This may also be done online.o “My personal testimony.” This essay answers these questions: How did you come to be a Christian? What does being a Christian mean to you now?o “My future role as a church leader.” This essay answers these questions: What motivates you to serve the church in an enhanced capacity? What sort of call to ministry from God have you experienced? What do you hope to do with the training you receive in the Certificate ofMinistry program? Completion of the WCC classes, taught on a regular, rotating basis as part of the WCCprogram:1. Membership Matters2. Discover Wildewood Approval of application by the Admissions Committee.3
The program would have a two-year cycle. Including service and courses, it would take at leasttwenty-four months to complete. A new cohort will be recruited each fall, beginning inSeptember. Admission to Year 1 would not make admission to Year 2 automatic. There will be anevaluation by the admissions committee. Admission to Year 2 would be tailored to specific interests of the student and needs of thecongregation (worship, children’s, student, women’s, men’s, production, pastoral).Related to this, the program requirements would not be replaceable with previous work done.Year 1, Focus on Leadership and Soft Skills for Ministry1. Completion of four two-day, one-event seminars2. Completion of 250 hours of mentored service (20-25 hours per month)3. Completion of four college-level leadership courses taught by WA people: WWA101 Personal Evaluation and Inventory for Church Leaders (3 units)WWA102 Personal Discipleship (3 units)WWA111 Leadership Planning, Organization, and Time Management (3 units)WWA112 The Church and Its Ministries (3 units)Year 2, Bible, Theology, and Practical Ministry Courses1. Completion of four additional two-day, one-event seminars2. Completion of 500 hours of advanced mentored service, involving program leadership (40hours per month). Included in this will be a specific ministry project in which the studentdemonstrates active disciple-making as part of the ministry of WCC.3. Completion of four college-level Bible and theology courses taught by partner college foracademic credit. Old Testament Survey (3 units)New Testament Survey (3 units)Theology for Ministry (3 units)Christian Theology in Current Culture (3 units)To meet the Certificate of Ministry requirements, courses must be taken for credit and receive agrade. Courses may be taken as pass/fail but will not be counted toward the completion of theCertificate of Ministry. Admission into a course on a pass/fail basis must be approved by thedirector of the Wildewood Academy.4
The grading scale will be as follows:A100%-90%4.0 on GPA scaleB89%-80%3.0 on GPA scaleC79%-70%2.0 on GPA scaleD69%-60%1.0 on GPA scaleF59%-0%0.0 on GPA scaleTo receive the Certificate of Ministry, a student must finish course work with a 2.0 Grade PointAverage (GPA).First year classes for the Wildewood Academy will be held Thursday nights, 6:00 – 8:00 PM.Classes will be seven or eight weeks in length. These will be hybrid classes using the CanvasPlatform as a Learning Management System. Students will use Canvas to access and submitassignments and participate in weekly discussion threads as part of each course.Second-year courses will be taught according to the standards of the partner college that theWildewood Academy is using. These will usually be taught as eight-week modules.Each student will be assigned to a mentor, normally a staff person at WCC. Students andmentors will meet face-to-face at least twice a month (sometimes in mentor groups). Mentorswill monitor and report the hours of service each student has completed toward meeting the“mentored service” requirement for the Certificate of Ministry.Attendance at each class session is expected. A student may miss no more than two classsessions for each course and be given a passing grade. This requirement may be waived underspecial circumstances as approved by the director, but all course work must be completed.The leadership of Wildewood Christian Church is committed to keeping the costs for theCertificate of Ministry program low. The church has given the Wildewood Academy significantresources in order to be successful.Year OneEach Wildewood Academy course will cost 150. This will be a total of 600 for the first year,not including required books. Some courses may have additional fees for tests administered.Payment should be made before each course begins.Year TwoIn year two, students will be taking college courses offered through the Academy’s partnercolleges. A low rate will be negotiated, perhaps 300 per course.5
Students admitted into year two of the program will be eligible to apply for paid “residency”positions as part of their mentored service requirements. These would be compensated staffpositions for WCC with a stipend up to 1,000/month. There will be a limited number of thesepositions available, depending on funds and needs.Totals Year One: 600Year Two: 1,200Books and fees: Approximately 200Total estimated cost for the Certificate of Ministry program: 2,000ScholarshipsFriends of the Wildewood Academy have offered to pay some costs for students needingfinancial help. WCC also has some scholarship funds available. WCC does not want any studentto be deterred from participation because of finances. Those who require assistance shouldcontact the director personally to make arrangements.6
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Wildewood Academy Courses (First Year)All Wildewood Academy courses (WWA) will be taught in seven- or eight-week modules. Theywill be hybrid courses meeting one night per week (2 hours) and having other assignmentsonline (Canvas). These will usually include reading, one or two video lectures to watch, and abrief written assignment (1-2 pages). Time expectation will be six-eight hours per week plus theweekly class session, eight-ten hours total per week.WWA101 Personal Evaluation and Inventory for Church Leaders (3 units)Description: Study of the expectations and demands of those who are interested in beingchurch leaders (church staff members). Seven weeks.Topics:A. Orientation to the current state of church leader ministry at WCC and in EvangelicalChurches in general.B. Taking and using three personal inventories to better understand the student’spersonality and potential fit as a church leader.a. Strengths Finderb. Enneagramc. DISC AnalysisC. Formulation of goals for life-long church leader ministrya. Short term (2-year)b. Long term (10-year)D. Development and presentation of Personal TestimonyWWA102 Personal Discipleship (3 units)Description: Enactment of the WCC mission statement into the student’s life: “WildewoodChristian Church is a congregation committed to making disciples through evangelism andnurture.” Seven weeks.Topics:A.B.C.D.E.F.Biblical basis for discipleshipTheological basis for discipleshipThe four-chair model of discipleshipElements of personal discipleshipDiscipline othersChurch leaders as disciplersWWA111 Leadership Planning, Organization, and Time Management (3 units)Description: Instruction in the practical elements of successful church ministry, the “soft-skills”necessary for a church leader. Seven weeks.8
Topics:A.B.C.D.E.F.G.Establishing priorities in one’s lifeOrganizing one’s calendar and scheduleDos and don’ts of email, texting, and social mediaHow to run a successful meetingRecruiting and retaining volunteersFinding peace in the sometimes chaotic world of church ministryPersonal spiritual disciplinesWWA112 The Church and Its Ministries (3 units)Description: Introduction to the Ministries of Wildewood Christian Church, how they work, thepurpose behind them, and the involvement by church leaders in these ministries. This coursemay include an optional 3-day excursion to another city to explore cultural trends today. Eightweeks.Topics: These will be presented as follows over an eight-week session: Worship Ministry (1 week)Children’s Ministry (1 week)Student Ministry (1 week)Women’s Ministry (1 week)Pastoral Ministry (1 week)Preaching and Teaching in the Church (3 weeks)College Partner CoursesCost: It is anticipated that each course will cost 100 per credit hour, 300 per course. This willnot include the cost of books or materials.Format: Courses will be taught in eight-week modules. They will be hybrid courses meeting onenight per week (2 or 3 hours) and having other assignments online (Canvas). Assignments onCanvas will include video lectures, readings, written assignments, and discussion boards. Timeexpectation will be 10-15 hours per week.Old Testament Survey (3 units)Description: This course is designed to give an overview of the historical framework of theevents recorded in the Old Testament as well as the types of literature found in this diversecollection of writings. The course will include selected readings with analysis from many of theOld Testament books. It will study the Old Testament as both the sacred writings of the ancientnation of Israel and as the foundational writings for the New Testament and Christianity. Thecourse will seek to understand the various genres of Old Testament literature, the developmentof the Old Testament canon, and the historical backgrounds and cultural contexts that led to thecreation of these books. The focus of the course will be on the content of the books of the OldTestament, with high engagement on texts thought to be significant for the church today.9
New Testament Survey (3 units)Description: A study of the background, history, and emphases of New Testament documentsas they relate to the development and theology of the early church as recorded in Acts. Thecourse will examine the historical/cultural context of the New Testament Era (approx. 30 BC –AD 100) with special emphasis on the 27 books written during this period that make up our NewTestament. Attention will be given to the author, audience, place of writing, genre, and contentof each book. There will be high engagement on texts thought to be significant for the churchtoday.Bible Study Methods and Tools (3 units)Description: A study of the principles of biblical interpretation and the tools available forsuccessful study. The course will develop the individual skills of each student in correctlyinterpreting the Bible for personal study, use in small groups, in preaching, and in teaching. Theorientation of the course will be the study and use of the Bible as the authoritative Word ofGod, a resource of inestimable value for the church and the individual Christian. The basis forinterpretation will be standard methods employed in Evangelical churches today.Also discussed will be the English Bible translations in current use and how to evaluate them.Christian Theology in Current Culture (3 units)Description: An understanding of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, as they are found inthe Bible, essential for church leaders. The proper study of theology will help produceintellectual understanding, spiritual formation, and practical Christian living. The course will seekto apply the enduring principles of Christian theology to the challenges of today’s culture. Areasof theology to be covered will include:1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.Theology proper – The study of the nature of God, especially as CreatorBibliology – The study of the Scripture (inspiration, authority)Anthropology: The study of human beingsHamartiology – The study of sinChristology – The study of ChristPneumatology – The study of the Holy SpiritSoteriology – The study of salvationEcclesiology – The study of the churchEschatology – The study of the end timesBy the end of the second week of each semester, each student will be confirmed in a serviceassignment within WCC’s ministries (or other churches if approved). This service will require: A supervisor willing to assign tasks, track hours, and report hoursA mentor (which may be the supervisor) willing to meet at least twice monthly for onehour to discuss progress in ministry tasks10
First year: A minimum of five (5) hours of service to WCC each week, 70-80 hours persemester.Second year: A minimum of ten (10) hours of service to WCC each week, 140-160 hoursper semester.It is assumed that all students in the Wildewood Academy’s Certificate of Ministry program willbe growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ and have an active relationship with Wildewood ChristianChurch. Students in good standing will be allowed to continue to completion of the Certificateprogram, even if participation may be paused for necessary reasons.Dismissal from the program may be necessary if:1. A student ceases participation without presenting valid reasons to the director.2. Moral failure as determined by the admissions committee.3. Failure to meet financial obligations.Dismissal will be done by written notice. Appeal may be made to the elders of WCC.Reinstatement will require re-application and approval by the admissions committee.While this is intended to be an authoritative and reliable guide to the Wildewood Academy’Certificate of Ministry program, changes may be necessary. When the program administratorsdetermine a change must be made, students will be notified in a timely manner. Changes willnot impact students in financial matters once they begin the program.11
4.0 on GPA scale 3.0 on GPA scale 2.0 on GPA scale 1.0 on GPA scale 0.0 on GPA scale To receive the Certificate of Ministry, a student must finish course work with a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). First year classes for the Wildewood Academy will be held Thursday nights, 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Classes will be seven or eight weeks in length.
