Elim Missionary College

SEMINAR PROGRAMS

EMC is currently accepting applications for the 2012 Missionary Training Program. This program will be conducted from the 5^th of February to the 10^th of June, 2012.

For more information, please download the 2012 Missionary Training Program Info Flyer.

Also available is the Information Brochure with more details about the program, and the Application Form for those planning to attend. The application deadline for the 2012 MTP is the 1^st of November, 2011.

VISION, MISSION & AIMS

Our Vision

Elim Missionary College's vision is to be a private, self-supporting, Christ-centred educational institution that supports and facilitates the mission of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement of Australasia. We aim to be a college with high standards of Christian morals and scholarship; a college which pursues a holistic educational ethos in harmony with the principles contained in the Bible and expressed in the writings of Ellen G. White; a college which produces uniquely identifiable graduates who are strong to think and to act--leaders in Christian enterprise who are imbued with spirituality, initiative, and a continuing quest to pursue truth, challenge, and opportunity in taking the everlasting gospel of Christ, and Him crucified, to the world. Our aim is to be a college that will glorify God by reflecting the high ideals He has established for institutions of learning under the third angel's message.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to prepare persons for effective Christian ministry in God's cause under the auspices of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement of Australasia. In carrying forward our mission we are dedicated to:

• pursuing excellence in all our activities for God's glory alone.
• making Christ and Him crucified central in all our instruction.
• uplifting the Bible as the fully inspired revelation of God's will for mankind.
• discovering, contemplating and imparting truth, knowledge and skills through enthusiastic and excellent scholarly activity.
• seeking productive and cooperative relations with other educational institutions of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement worldwide.
• personal responsibility, morality and integrity of both staff and students;
• justice in procedures and efficiency in operations.

Graduate Profile

The cause of God needs "educated workmen," "well disciplined... young men and women of high intellectual culture in order that they may do the best work for the Lord."⁽¹⁾ In meeting this need, Elim Missionary College aims to send forth graduates who are "strong to think and act," "who are masters and not slaves of circumstances," "who possess breadth of mind, clearness of thought, and the courage of their convictions."⁽²⁾

We desire our graduates to be identifiable by their unique blend of spirituality, initiative, enterprise, adaptability, compassion and strong communication skills. They will demonstrate:

• spirituality by striving to reflect Christ's character in all their pursuits.
• initiative by their ability to think and act for themselves in harmony with sound, Biblical principles.
• enterprise by their ability to identify needs, and plan and executive decisions to meet those needs in effective and innovative ways.
• adaptability by working on projects as an individual or as part of a team and in a variety of settings.
• compassion in dealing with people and their problems through an understanding of human nature.
• strong communication skills by articulating the gospel message effectively in writing and speaking assignments.

Educational Ethos

We believe that true education involves the whole person for the whole of life, both here and in the hereafter. It is the harmonious development of Christian character and prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of service in the world to come.⁽³⁾ It begins with "the fear of the LORD"--a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the source of all truth and life. This is the foundation upon which a student's learning experience must be built if their education is to be successful. To be of true worth, the head knowledge acquired must take root in the spiritual heart and be demonstrated by the practical application of that knowledge in service for Christ. With this in view, the College takes a holistic approach to learning that incorporates the intellectual, the spiritual, and the practical.

This particular approach to education is founded upon principles revealed in the Word of God, and summarized and explained in books such as "Education" by Ellen G. White. We endeavour to apply those principles to all areas of learning.

In her book, "Education", published in 1903, Mrs White wrote that it is the work of true education to train students to be "thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men's thought."⁽⁴⁾ She recognized that education that has "to do chiefly with the memory," tends "to discourage independent thought." This "has a moral bearing which is too little appreciated. As the student sacrifices the power to reason and judge for himself, he becomes incapable of discriminating between truth and error, and falls an easy prey to deception. He is easily led to follow tradition and custom."⁽⁵⁾ "The power to discriminate between right and wrong we can possess only through individual dependence upon God."⁽⁶⁾ The other extreme, she cautioned, is the educational view that "man needs only to develop that which is within him. Such education leads the student to self-sufficiency, thus cutting him off from the source of true knowledge and power."⁽⁷⁾ Our work then is to teach students how to reason and judge for themselves while maintaining individual dependence upon God, the source of all true knowledge and power.

Our method of education will combine the traditional didactic (lecture-classroom) approach, particularly with respect to required core knowledge, and the self directed approach (research-project-assignment), teaching students not only what to think but how to use their analytical, evaluative and generative thinking abilities to acquire knowledge for themselves and utilize that knowledge in efficient and innovative ways. The spiritual will be key here, as students are to recognize that God is their Creator and the source of all truth and they are to depend upon Him for their sufficiency and inspiration. The core spiritual material and worship activities will facilitate an uplifting environment conducive to developing a relationship with and dependence upon God. Thus the spiritual will be central in all our educational activities. Students will be encouraged to apply themselves in all areas of learning, not for self-satisfaction, or scholastic honour, but that the knowledge and skills they acquire will be used in practical and productive ways for the glory of God and the uplifting of humanity.

Graduate's Expectations

Graduates of Elim Missionary College will find wide fields of service for the Lord in a variety of settings. Opportunities for service will be found in families, churches, communities and the work place. Some graduates may be called into denominational work or be invited to commence an internship by the Australasian Union Conference (AUC) of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement. Others, in the spirit of the Waldenses, may choose to continue their vocational education at another institution using their education gained from EMC as a foundation for effective student witnessing. Whatever their calling, graduates may go forth from Elim Missionary College with an enriched Christian experience that will place them in good stead for a life of joyful and effective Christian service.

Our Challenge to You

The cause of God needs persons who are not only missionaries, but visionaries-people with a Godly vision-who will do and dare for the cause of Christ. Like their master, Christ's apostles, "expected much, and therefore they attempted much."⁽⁸⁾ We make no pretense as to what we are offering you as a student. We have a vision for Elim Missionary College that is largely unrealized. By the grace of God you can help fulfill this vision and share in the blessings. There will be challenges to our faith, courage, and God-given abilities that by God's grace we will have to meet and master. If you want a character building education that is intellectually challenging, spiritually uplifting and physically rejuvenating then Elim Missionary College is for you.

Please read over the information presented for educational opportunities which may be available to you.

Notes

(1). Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 42.
(2). Education, p. 18.
(3). Ibid., p. 13.
(4). Ibid., p. 17.
(5). Ibid., p. 230.
(6). Ibid., p. 231.
(7). Ibid., p. 230.
(8). Acts of the Apostles, p. 594.