T.E.E. at the popular or “Grass-Roots” level grew out of the Latin American church
explosion of the 1960/70s. In 1971, for example, only 20% of the 100,000 South American Protestant pastors had received any
formal theological training. The vast majority had had less than secondary education, yet these men were spiritually alive
and planting churches. Recognizing therefore:
1.
that the purposes of God go beyond evangelism
2.
that application and obedience to Christ’s teachings has to be
the hallmark (proof) of discipleship,
3.
and that the church functions best when all it’s members’ gifts are recognized
and developed,
priority theological education started to focus on the whole people of God and actively involve
them in the ministry of the church. Churches across the denominations, therefore, wanted access to tools to enable them to
envision, train, mobilize and equip all their people for ministry and service. It was also perceived that such training
programmes needed to be disciplined, affordable, non-academically exclusive, relevant and locally sustainable, and furthermore,
be incorporated as a natural part of church life.
Popular Level TEE emerged to meet this grass-root need. It is agreed
that adults learn best when
Ø their past experience is recognised, taken seriously and build upon,
Ø when they are active participants,
Ø when they are doing effective ministry, and
Ø when they can see prompt and effective results from good models with the use of the learnt
material.
Therefore, encapsulating the educational principles of knowing, being and doing, TEE was established as a three-pronged
educational system of:
(1) HOME STUDY,
through carefully programmed material based on a simple (though not simplistic) method of progression
and carefully graded reinforcement. This enables the student to study at home
at his or her own pace and to prepare thoroughly before coming to the weekly group meeting.
Each lesson has its own objectives by which the student can test himself.
(2) GROUP
DYNAMICS
Under the guidance of a local church based, pastoraly orientated tutor/group leader (NOT a teacher)
and a prepared leader's manual; the student meets with others in a small group of not more than 8 or 10. The work is then checked and problems and questions are dealt with in a mutually supportive way. The
group becomes:
• An
arena for discussion
• A community
for fellowship and prayer
• A springboard
for action
• An
opportunity for everyone to share in the joy of learning from God and from each other
The group reflects on both the biblical truth taught in the home study and on their ministry experience.
(3) MINISTERIAL ASSIGNMENTS and PROJECTS
With the collaboration of the church and tutor, the principles learned are immediately applied through field
experience within the student's daily life, home, work, church or wider community as a natural extension of the learning process.
True
Theological Education by Extension requires that the TEE students do the work of ministry whilst studying.
This sharp tool has been developed on a 2 Tim.2:2 principle that those trained would
be able to train others also. The principles are to:
Ø envision,
Ø train,
Ø prove
Ø
and multiply national workers and leaders.
