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Disciples of Christ:
History, Polity and Ethos

Class Running Now!

Rev. Dr. Jerry Gladson explores the history and polity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from its origins in the early 1800s to the present. Emphasis focuses on the pioneer founders of the denomination, Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Barton Stone, and Walter Scott, and their influence on the movement that emerged out of their efforts.

Click here for details.

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Disciples of Christ:
History, Polity and Ethos

Class Running Now!

The growth of the denomination will be viewed in the context of national and international history as it grew to take its place among the established, mainstream churches of modern times. Attention will also be given to the Restructure of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that has shaped its modern identity, polity, ethos, and mission.

Click here for details.

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Disciples of Christ:
History, Polity and Ethos

Class Running Now!

The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as a movement, a denomination, and a community of faith. It will explore some of the sweep of Church history and context in which the Disciples of Christ came into being.  Key figures, issues, documents, and events will be cited.

Click here for details.

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Lent: Dying, Rising, and Living Anew

Class Just Ended May 7!

This course explores the Hebrew Bible lections for Lent in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, beginning with the alternate suggested reading for Ash Wednesday (Isaiah 58) and ending with the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Lectures for the Sundays in Lent will be followed by a brief conversation between Rick and the Rev. Linda McRae, senior pastor of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis.

Click here for details.

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Lent: Dying, Rising, and Living Anew

Class Just Ended May 7!

This course explores the Hebrew Bible lections for Lent in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, beginning with the alternate suggested reading for Ash Wednesday (Isaiah 58) and ending with the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Lectures for the Sundays in Lent will be followed by a brief conversation between Rick and the Rev. Linda McRae, senior pastor of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis.

Click here for details.

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The Dick Hamm Workshop
On Church Transformation!

Another Class Coming Soon!

Dr. Dick Hamm teaches this five-part on-line course titled "Recreating The Church: Leadership For The Post-Modern Age", based on his TCP Leadership Series book of the same title (Chalice Press, 2007). Use the "Dick Hamm Workshop" menu above for details.

Click here to see production stills from the videotaping and a music sample.

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Available Here On-Line Now!

Another Class Coming Soon!

This five-session course helps us make sense of the new context in which we of the church find ourselves and provides practical models by which to understand how our congregations need to change.

Click here to see production stills and a music sample.

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Available Here On-Line Now!

On-Line and Interactive!

Participate in the on-line version of this workshop from your home or office at any time day or night individually or in groups. All you need is a broadband connection and a Web browser. Use the "Dick Hamm Workshop" menu above for details.

Click here to see production stills from the videotaping and a music sample.

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Available Here On-Line Now!

Includes Bonus Concert!

In addition to Dick Hamm's course, we have included an on-line concert by John Tracy performing Participate in the on-line version of this his original music or new arrangements of traditional hymns.

Click here to see production stills from the videotaping and a music sample.

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Available Here On-Line Now!

High-Definition Video Production

All video was produced as an original production shot on location at Central Christian Church of Dallas in 1080p high-definition using three sychronized professional cameras, one mounted on a boom for dynamic over-the-audience shots.

Click here to see production stills from the videotaping and a music sample.

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Available Here On-Line Now!

Interact with Classmates and Instructor

Watching the videos is only the first part of our process. After watching each session of the videos, go on-line to discuss each video. Ask questions, engage in discussions or compare experiences. Interaction greatly amplifies your whole learning experience.

Click here to see production stills from the videotaping and a music sample.

Our Spring-2013 Term: "The Disciples of Christ -- History, Polity and Ethos"

jerry_gladson_photo_200w.jpgHurry! Late registration closes February 18, 2013!

For more than a decade, Dr. Jerry Gladson has prepared and taught a foundational course for all those who enter ministry in Georgia: The Disciples of Christ -- History, Polity and Ethos. Dr. Gladson has offered this course, through Christian College, for those who were enrolled in the Institute for Christian Ministry and for Seminarians enrolled in five graduate theological seminaries in the Greater Atlanta Area.

Many who have transferred their standing to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through the Region of Georgia have also completed Dr. Gladson's course.

Dr. Gladson’s course is now available for online completion in the Winter of 2012 on the TransformingTheChurch.org system.

This is a one-semester course, and usually requires about 75-90 days to complete. The course will begin upon enrollment, but the student MUST plan his or her schedule in order to complete the course no later than May 1, 2013.

Click here for full details.

Click here to register for the course.

Major Upgrade To Our Streaming Media Platform

In time for our Spring 2013 term, we just completed a major upgrade to our media platform that includes, among other things, support for mobile devices such smartphones and tablets, including Apple iOS and Android devices. Now, all of our high-quality video is available to both desktop and mobile devices.

The upgrade includes changing all of our media servers to the new Adobe Media Sever v5 Extended (from FMS v4.5) and a new multi-platform media player embedded in all media pages; they work together synergistically to provide high-quality video to all devices.

Click here for details and samples.

Now Running: "Lent: Dying, Rising, and Living Anew"

RL-02_rick_image_1_cropped_200w.jpgGetting ready for Lent involves some thinking, praying and setting the stage for the changes that we hope to introduce into our lives in the weeks ahead.  Even though we may think we may be hidden away until we are ready, we find in the Hebrew Scriptures of the First Testament that God is not waiting around for the seasons to change.

 God is relentless: From the first day of Lent, the Ash Wednesday, the Scriptures we hear (and read and study) make God’s call to us clear: “Return to me with your whole heart.” The first month of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere may seem too soon to begin thinking about Spring, and the lengthening of days which we know as the “Lenten Season.” But it isn’t…especially not for the busy pastor who will be faced soon enough with “Ash Wednesday."

RL-02_rick_image_2_250w.jpgAnd this is why Christian College of Georgia and TransformingTheChurch.org have partnered to prepare a way for busy pastors and all others who are seeking a depth of understanding of the First Testament Scriptures which are our “highway in the wilderness” leading us to Easter. We have endeavored to make this course as RELEVANT and as ACCESSIBLE to as many Pastors as possible. Our pricing is set in order to ensure that even those on a “lean” professional development or educational budget can participate. This is not only fresh, new content for Lenten preparation, but affords several hours of direct interaction with the instructor/scholar.

RL-02_rick_and_linda_image_1_cropped_250w.jpgJoin us in this weekly journey of video lectures by Dr. Rick Lowery, followed by video dialogue between Rick and his pastor, The Reverend Linda McCrae, as we prepare ourselves for the experience of study and preparation like the early church prepared converts before baptism on Easter Eve. What better way to discover meaning for TODAY than to join with colleagues in this video course and its weekly live conference calls with Dr. Lowery in advance of each Sunday’s text.

The course will consist of six weekly video-on-demand sessions, each featuring Dr. Lowery's lecture and a discussion of the text between Dr. Lowery and Rev. McCrae. Also included in the course will be six weekly live conference calls with Dr. Lowery for interactive discussions and Q&A.

The six live session will be:

  • January 31 at 11 A.M. CST - Covering VOD Session #1 for Ash Wednesday.
  • February 7 at 11 A.M. CST - Covering VOD Session #2 for the first Sunday in Lent.
  • February 14 at 11 A.M. CST – Covering VOD Session #3 for the second Sunday in Lent.
  • February 21 at 11 A.M. CST - Covering VOD Session #4 for the third Sunday in Lent.
  • February 28 at 11 A.M. CST - Covering VOD Session #5 for the fourth Sunday in Lent.
  • March 7 at 11 A.M. CST - Covering VOD Session #6 for the fifth Sunday in Lent.

Click here to order the course online for sermon prep for $79.99 per student.
Click here to see a free video sample of this course.
Click here for course details.
Click here for the flyer PDF file.
Click here for the brochure PDF file.
Click here to read the course syllabus.
Click here to read press release #1.
Click here to read about Rick Lowery.
Click here to read about Linda McCrae.
Click here to read the anticipated course outcomes.

Also Available for Bible Study Groups

For this Lenten season, we are offering "Lent: Dying, Rising, and Living Anew" to support Bible study groups. We have configured two additional specialized products to facilitate groups want to use our materials for a congregation-wide Lenten studies:

  • A Group Public-Use License that trains a Group Leader and provide a special license for viewing the course's videos in a group setting (more below.)
  • An Individual Access License for Members of a Group that allows each member of a group their own user account and the right to view the videos on their own outside of the group setting (more below.)

Click here to order the Group Public-Use License for $99.99 per group.
Click here to order the optional Individual Access License for Members of a Group for $12.99 per user.

Group Public-Use License

Normally, our courses are licensed for individual use; for being used by a single student or, occasionally, a husband-and-wife ministry team.

To support the use of our courseware in group settings such as Bible studies or small-group exercises, we also provide a Group Public-Use License which allows our video to be shown to groups of people in a church setting.

An example of the use of a Group Public-Use License would be for a group of congregants meeting together in a church- or middle-judicatory setting to watch our videos over a series of weeks (typically viewing one video per week) and, while in the group setting, discuss the material among the group while being facilitated by a group leader.

A single Group Public-Use License covers a group meeting in a single defined venue (a church, a ministry group, etc.) and lasts for the duration of the course (five weeks, six weeks, etc.) Also, the organization hosting the group and using the Group Public-Use License is welcome to assemble a group of any size from several people to hundreds of people.

A Group Public-Use License cost a few dollars extra to help defray the production costs of the courseware. In exchange, the group can “legally” show the video to the entire group with the blessings of the course’s copyright holder. Additionally, each of our Group Public-Use License includes one normal license for the Group Leader. Using this normal license, the Group Leader can participate in the fully-interactive course and Virtual Classroom where the interactive activities with other students and instructors will help prepare the Group Leader to lead the Bible Study or small group. It is assumed that each group will need at least one leader. However, if more leaders are desired, additional Group Leaders can be trained through the purchase of as many additional normal licenses as needed.

Individual Access License for Members of a Group

Individual participants of a group covered by the Group Public-Use License DO NOT receive the right to individually log into the Virtual Classroom and stream our video individually. The Group Public-Use License only covers playing the videos in a public group situation from the Group Leader’s account BY the Group Leader. Individual members of the group cannot access the Group Leader’s account.

However, for a small additional fee, each member of a group can purchase access to a specialized Virtual Classroom to view our videos from their home or offices outside the meeting times of the group. Individual Access Licenses provides the individual members of a group with their own access whenever they wish during the term of the class. Using this option, each individual member of a group can view or review our videos as many times as they wish. Also, the specialized Virtual Classroom provides limited interactive functions such as an interactive Class Forum and a few other functions that allow direct participation for the individual members of the members of the group.

Individual Access Licenses for Members of a Group are highly recommended for every member of a group. They have proved very successful for groups and are very popular. However, they are optional. Typically, certain cohorts of a group (those without personal computers or broadband connections) can be served by the public viewing and within-the-group discussion of the Group Public-Use License WITHOUT the individual access option. However, for those members of the group with the technical resources to benefit, Individual Access Licenses for Members of a Group provide a great benefit for a very small fee for each user.

Coming Soon: The Next Class With Dick Hamm

This is a fully-interactive media-rich online learning course composed of five high-quality video-on-demand sessions and five one-hour fully-interactive sessions with Dr. Hamm. In addition, participants are provided with an interactive online learning community to discuss classes and application topics with other students under the supervision of Dr. Hamm. As a bonus, the course includes a sixth video-on-demand session that is a music concert by John Tracy singing songs about change and personal transformation.

"Recreating The Church: Leadership For The Post-Modern Age," by Dr. Richard (Dick) Hamm, is intended for clergy, lay leaders and members of church congregations. This course is based on the book, also by Dick Hamm, of the same title, TCP Leadership Series, Chalice Press, 2007 and supplemented by up-to-date findings from recent consultation. Click here for details.

This five-session on-line course helps us make sense of the new context in which we of the church find ourselves, provides practical models by which to understand how our congregations need to change, describes a visioning process by which we can discover what God is calling the church to be and do now, and provides practical advice and counsel to those who provide leadership for change.

Click here for details.

Click here to register for the course.

Click here for a larger version.

Transformation Is About Change!

Church transformation is about change. 60% of mainline churches across all denominations are in the last half of their life cycle and need change. However, the leaders and members of many of these churches have no idea about what needs to change or how to change or even why they need to change.

logo_200h.jpgTransformingTheChurch.org will help churches, their clergy, lay leaders and congregations, to understand the process of church and congregational transformation, as well as provide guidance and best-practices to navigate the long-term systematic changes needed for true transformation.

TransformingTheChurch.org will provide affordable access to education, training, consulting and coaching to guide you along. We use on-line education and virtual meeting technologies to make our content and interactions with some of the best practitioners in the greater Church accessible to all facets of the leadership of a church: clergy and laity alike. Using nothing more than a web browser and broadband Internet connection, we provide a source for fully-interactive education and personal guidance without the need to travel across town or across the country.

Comming Soon! Video Interview with Dr. Anil Henry

anil_henry_interview_still_03_250w.pngFor one of our first Connected Community Free Events, we will be showing a video interview with Dr. Anil Henry, medical director of the Christian Hospital of Mungeli, India. Dr. Henry was visiting Sandy Springs Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in August and sat down for an in-depth interview. 

Dr. Henry, a member of Brookmeade Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Nashville, Tennessee, also serves the Synodical Board of Health Services of the Church of North India.

Join the Connected Community (membership is FREE) to learn more about the wonderous work of this Global Ministries medical missionary.

Click here for a FREE membership in the Connected Community.

Welcome GADisciples!

gadisciples_priv_community_225w.pngMembers of the Georgia Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are welcome here and invited to join our Connected Community. Membership is FREE, all you have to do is register!

Also, we have created a Private Community as a private meeting space off of our general-purpose Connected Community. When you sign up for the Connected Community, will will also be given access to the GADisciples Private Community.

Join today for up-coming events, discussion, news and access to all of our Connected Community Free Events.

Click here for details.

Click here for your FREE registration of the Connected Community.

Watch ... Discuss ... Do!

Our church transformation curricula is intended to be used by busy members of real-world congregations, including both clergy and laity. To help the way these type of students fit additional education and training into their busy lives and schedules, we have developed a methodology that is both simple and powerful.

Our "Watch ... Discuss ... Do!" method is designed to be both efficient and effective as well as provide even the smallest (or largest) congregation with affordable access to the best practices and instructors/leaders in the field of church transformation.

Click here for details.

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming calendar events.