What is Education for Ministry (EFM) Education for Ministry (EFM) is a distance learning programme of theological education for lay people. There are four years, but participants commit for one year at a time, meeting in small groups for study and practice to them in discovering and nurturing their call to Christian service.
EfM is not only Bible study. EfM participants study what the Bible says, but they also learn how to understand the Bible within its historical context and literary setting. Biblical studies form the primary work of the first two years. EfM is more than a Bible study in which one reads the Bible, seeks to understand it, and then applies it to daily life. EfM takes seriously God’s revelation through all of Christian tradition, from the earliest biblical messages, through the development of liturgy and theology, and even in the context of the challenges we face in our own times.
There are four years, each year having a different theme and is the central throughout the Reading and Reflection Guide (RRG) and interlude books:
Volume A: Living Faithfully in Your World; 2021 -2022
Volume B: Living Faithfully in the Global Village; 2022 - 2023
Volume C: Living as Spiritually Mature Christians; 2023 - 2024
Volume D: Living into the Journey with God; 2020 - 2021
Each Volume contains Part One, the reading and reflection directions and; Part Two, has the supportive materials, such as methods of spiritual autobiography and theological reflection.
EFM participants progress through the four years starting with Year One then the subsequent years:
Year One: A Short Introduction to The Hebrew Bible
Year Two: Introducing the New Testament
Year Three: Christianity; The first three thousand years.
Year Four: Ethics, liturgics, and theological issues
Reverend Deborah Rivet - 250-709-4017
Laura Dey - 250-929-8591
EMAIL: EFM@stjohnscobblehill.ca
