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From the beginning, several principles guided our activities. These
principles have affected the development both of our core values and of our approach. The following
are the eight principles and the effects that they have had on our approach
to ministry:
1. Utilizing
the traditional educational means at our disposal, neither mission agencies
nor nationals will be able to provide the education necessary for increasing
numbers of churches with their leadership and training needs.
Hence, we are seeking to utilize the new opportunities
afforded by computer and Internet technologies that have the potential to
reach far larger audiences.
2. Neither
Greater Europe Mission nor any other agency can make the best use of these tools in isolation.
Hence, we have sought from the beginning
to discover other expatriate mission agencies working in this area and to
join our efforts with theirs.
3. Nationals
responsible for church growth and Christian education need to be engaged
with expatriate mission agencies in this project from the beginning.
Hence, we have sought out nationals in
many countries to be involved with us at the conception and development
phases.
4. Distance learning, particularly learning mediated at a distance by electronic
means, can be only one part of a comprehensive and effective education
system for the church.
Hence, we have sought to add distance
learning to the toolbox of educational methods and activities already in
use, rather than to attempt to replace such methods.
5. What
is variously called e-learning, online learning, computer-based training,
and a host of other names is not simply the reduction to a browser-accessible
format of books or lectures, but is learning in a new medium whose appropriate
exploitation requires attention to educational outcomes, instructional
design, and the collaborative possibilities of the medium.
Hence, we have sought to enable individuals
to study the methods available in this medium and to avail ourselves of
expertise in developing electronically mediated learning opportunities.
6. Though
we desire to produce learning opportunities, our goal must be more the
training and equipping of nationals to produce their own distance learning
vehicles within a comprehensive education system than for us to produce
educational products.
Hence, the development of training centers
and learning opportunities for nationals to use in their induction into
distance learning has been a part of the plan from the beginning.
7. Distance
learning is a means of providing learning opportunities at all levels
of maturity in the Christian life – including evangelism and pre-evangelism
– and at all levels of informal and formal education.
Hence, we have sought to develop opportunities
at all levels and approaches, including evangelistic Web sites to engage
seekers, learning opportunities for adult believers, informal leadership
development and issue-oriented seminars, and formal training at pre-college,
college, and graduate levels.
8. Technology has the potential to be an effective tool in reaching out to communities and must be done in a way that promotes Christian beliefs and values.
We are developing methods and tools for local churches to reach out to their communities. This will be done through the development of computer training classes and offering the computer resources. We will also be training nationals in the ethical use of technology to accomplish the desired goals.
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