England

Hermeneia Bible Training Centre

CANDIDATE

               Number of Graduates: 153 | Churches Impacted: 32               

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MISSION

To provide biblically faithful training that equips pastors for expository ministry and prepares church members for service in all areas of church life.

KEY DETAILS ON HERMENEIA BIBLE TRAINING CENTRE

About

  • We exist to equip Christians to know, understand, and apply Scripture accurately in every area of Christian life with a priority on equipping men to be faithful shepherds of local churches throughout the United Kingdom.

    • Train aspiring and existing pastors in expository preaching

    • Establish literal grammatical-historical contextual hermeneutics

    • Plant healthy churches in major cities in the U.K.

    • Provide biblical counseling training to combat U.K. church’s dependence on psychology

    • Equip church members to do the work of the ministry

  • We use an intensive model, meeting one day per month for lectures. Students complete assignments using Google Classroom. Students in the Diploma in Expository Preaching program are thoroughly trained in exegesis and expository preaching and then are required to preach in preaching lab each month with constructive feedback. This is accompanied by going through the first two stages of ACBC certification as their biblical counselling training. The students pursuing pastoral ministry are mentored by a pastor meeting at least once a month for encouragement and accountability in ministry.

Training

    • Bible Survey: A one-year intensive survey of the Old and New Testaments as a foundation for further biblical studies.

    • Biblical Studies Certificate (BSC): A two-year program for pastors and church members who have at least a secondary school level of education. Focuses on bible knowledge, biblical theology, Bible interpretation, and theology.

    • Diploma in Expository Preaching (DEP): A two-year program for existing and aspiring pastors (who have completed the BSC) focused on understanding and applying exegetical principles to studying the Bible and developing and preaching expository sermons.

  • Hermeneia began in 2018 as a ministry of GraceLife London based on the need for pastors to be trained in expository preaching and lay Christians to know what the Bible teaches in order to serve their local church. It began with 20 students in the Bible Survey class in Woodbridge Chapel in central London and has grown to over 50 students from various regions of England and seven faculty members across three academic programs.

  • Our goal is to develop into a full seminary, training both full-time and bi-vocational pastors in the next five to ten years. Our vision is to make training available for men across England and all the U.K. while they continue to serve their local church expanding church-based theological education to men around the U.K.

Context

  • Population:  68,459,055 (2024 est.) 

    Ethnic Groups: White 87.2%, Black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.) 

    Languages: English

    Note: The following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.) 

    Religions: Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.) 

    Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

    Refugees (Country of Origin):  21,904 (Iran), 15,615 (Eritrea), 11,371 (Sudan), 12,155 (Syria), 10,259 (Afghanistan), 8,009 (Pakistan), 7,699 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 255,060 (Ukraine) (as of 12 March 2024)  

    Stateless Persons: 5,483 (2022)

    Stats from CIA.gov

  • England has historically led the way in developing parliamentary democracy and advancing literature and science in the continent of Europe. The United Kingdom was formed in 1707 when England and Scotland joined under the Acts of Union. Ireland later joined in 1800, Wales having been part of the kingdom of England since the 16th century. Notwithstanding the loss of the American Colonies, Britian rapidly expanded globally well into the 19th century. At its height, the British Empire sprawled over one fourth of the earth’s surface. Two World Wars left a heavy toll on the nation’s resources, but the latter half of the 20th century saw the UK emerge as a modern and prosperous European nation. A founding member of NATO and the commonwealth of Nations, the UK is also one of the UN’s five permanent members. In 2016, after lengthy negotiations, the UK became the only nation to ever leave the EU. A major challenge facing the UK is the high immigration rate, especially in London and other key urban areas. Almost every nationality in the world is represented in London. A high Muslim demographic presents unique opportunities and challenges for the evangelical church in England. Christians likewise face the problems brought on by an increasingly secular and atheistic culture. 

    Compiled from CIA.gov, Operation World, and Joshua Project

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