Practical skills for serving God

Ministry Skills is a practical subject that will help you contribute more effectively to your church or other Christian group, as well as deepening your own experience of faith. Topics covered include: the foundations of ministry, reading the Bible aloud, worship leading, praying in church, and leading small groups. The subject is presented by two Ridley College lecturers, Tim Foster and Rhys Bezzant.
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Dean of Missional Leadership, Lecturer in Christian Thought

Dr Rhys Bezzant

Rhys lectures in Church History, Theology and Christian Worship at Ridley College. He studied at Ridley and has served as an Anglican Chaplain among tertiary students at Latrobe University and the University of Melbourne. He joined the Ridley Faculty in 2004. His doctoral thesis investigated the ecclesiology of Jonathan Edwards, and this led to Rhys establishing the Jonathan Edwards Center at Ridley as a satellite of the JEC at Yale. Rhys describes himself as a seriously serious coffee drinker. He enjoys hiking in Tasmania. In addition to Edwards, Rhys’ other heroes are Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Billy Graham.

Subjects: Ministry Skills; Reformation Revisited

Vice Principal

Dr Tim Foster

Tim lectures in Ministry Foundations, Evangelism and New Testament at Ridley College. He studied at Moore College, and completed a Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Seminary. Tim founded Youthworks College, and has extensive experience in parish ministry. He is married to Alison, and they have three children (Caitlyn, Harry and Lucy). Tim is interested in developing theology for everyday life, in better understanding the dynamics of evangelism and in giving ministers the skills to lead their churches in mission in our post-Christian context. He lists his heroes as Homer Simpson, Barack Obama and Eugene Peterson.

Subjects: Ministry Skills, Revelation Unwrapped, Revelation Unwrapped for Small Groups,

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Overview

  • 2

    1 What is ministry?

  • 3

    2 Small Groups

    • Overview

    • Video Lecture 2A

    • Video Lecture 2B

    • Ministry Skills Lesson 2 Handouts

    • Lesson 2 Quiz
  • 4

    3 Public Reading

    • Overview

    • Video Lecture 3

    • Lesson 3 Handouts

    • Lesson 3 Quiz
  • 5

    4 Reading and Prayers

  • 6

    5 Worship and Church Services

    • Overview

    • Video Lecture 5A

    • Video Lecture 5B

    • Lesson 5 Handouts

    • Lesson 5 Quiz
  • 7

    6 The Shape of our Services

    • Overview

    • Video Lecture 6A

    • Video Lecture 6B

    • Lesson 6 Handout

    • Lesson 6 Quiz
  • 8

    Final

    • Final Quiz

    • Feedback Survey