Christians across western culture are facing profound challenges and fresh opportunities. The long era of ‘Christendom’ is coming to an end. We now live in a plural society, with multiple religious options alongside the prevailing secular assumptions, in which Christianity has lost its position of dominance and privilege and churches are on the margins of society. Although we seem to be declining in numbers and influence, this context offers many new possibilities – if we have the courage and imagination to grasp them..

Crucible is a training programme for Christians with courage and imagination, who suspect:

• We live in a mission context and need to think like missionaries.
• We need to think creatively about church in diverse and changing cultures.
• We serve the God who constantly does new things on the margins.

- on the margins of society among the poor and disenfranchised- at the margins of culture, where creative thinking explores new possibilities
- within the margins of the familiar, those spaces all around us neglected or ignored but full of potential

What is a Crucible?

• A melting pot, where old structures are made pliable and reshaped for more effective purposes.
• A place in which different cultures or styles can mix together to produce something new and exciting.
• A time characterised by the convergence of powerful intellectual, social, economic or political forces.
• Watch crucible in action

Crucible, which ran for the first time in 2005-06, consists of three intensive training weekends each year to equip Christians to follow Jesus on the margins. In 2010-11, as last year, two streams will be available on each weekend, offering a wider range of subjects than before and addressing issues raised by participants in past years:

Stream 1

After Christendom (5-6 November 2011) investigates the opportunities, as well as the challenges, that the end of imperial Christianity presents.

Urban Challenge (28-29 January 2012) examines the dynamics of mission and ministry in multicultural urban communities, where Christendom has faded first.

Creating New Churches (12-13 May 2012) offers resources for pioneering new churches - and new kinds of churches - in emerging cultures, and renewing existing churches.

Stream 2

Restoring Hope (5-6 November 2011) asks how, in light of God's mission to bring shalom (peace) to all creation, we can live towards that hope and create communities of peace.

Becoming Human (28-29 January 2012) explores the dynamics of discipleship in a multi-everything culture and asks how we can become more fully human as followers of the Son of Man.

Jesus Unplugged (12-13 May 2012) imagines how we can re-tell the story of Jesus today in ways that connect with contemporary cultures.

Dates for 2012/13 to be announced.

Where: International Mission Centre, 24 Weoley Park Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6QX

Times: Saturday 10.30am - Sunday 4.00pm

Costs:For participants who do not want accreditation but are simply attending one or more of the weekends (and/or an unsupervised placement), the fee is as follows:

One weekend: £50
Two weekends: £100
Three weekends: £130

There are reduced fees for unemployed participants: £40 per weekend or £110 for all three.

The Crucible course will be taught by a team of experienced trainers, all of whom will have practical experience of creating new churches on the margins and the ability to reflect theologically on the implications of mission in a changing culture.

These trainers will include:

• Andrew Grinnell. Andrew works for The Salvation Army helping to develop strategies to plant new churches and communities in deprived neighbourhoods. Andrew holds an MA in Christian Spirituality.
• Juliet Kilpin. Juliet is an Urban Expression staff member with responsibility for equipping and networking church planting teams.
• Stuart Murray Williams. Stuart is the founder of Urban Expression and works as a trainer and mission consultant under the auspices of the UK Anabaptist Network. He has experience as a church planter in East London.

The Crucible course provides three forms of learning:

• Tuition and interactive learning over three weekends spread over a year
• Online learning material for home study between these weekends
• Placements for reflection on the practical application of this learning

Although it is possible to participate in the course without engaging in all these forms of learning, we hope that most participants will want to apply what they learn and so we regard the placement component as very significant.

We are offering three kinds of placements:

• Existing placements - where participants use the present location to work out the practical application of what they learn throughout the year.
• Arranged placements - where we offer opportunities for participants to work alongside church planters or others involved in urban mission for the year.
• Intensive placements - where we provide short-term block placements for participants who cannot be involved throughout the year in other placements.

Where participants bring existing placements with them, we will ask for some details of the situation and for someone to be designated as placement supervisor.

We will put participants wanting arranged placements in touch with church planters and others who are offering placements (and who will act as placement supervisors), leaving those involved to work out the practical details.

Providing there is sufficient interest, we will arrange an intensive block placement each year, usually in East London, and we will provide a supervisor for this.

We encourage participants to keep a reflective learning journal throughout their placement to reflect on issues that arise and experiences that are significant.

For participants who want to gain credits for their placement activities, it is possible to present a portfolio of work at the end of the year (or after the block placement) and a report from their placement supervisor.

For the existing and arranged supervised placements there is a fee payable of £25 to cover administration and assessment costs. There is no fee payable for unsupervised (non-accredited) placements. For the intensive placement there is a higher fee payable of £50 to cover additional administration and assessment costs.

We are offering (in partnership with Spurgeon's College) an online learning module to supplement the weekends. Three modules are currently available. Participants can either study these just for interest or present some written work to gain credits.

Online Learning ModulesFor participants who want accreditation through studying the online learning modules, these are available at a special discount price of £70.00 (usual price £105.00). For those who want to study these modules without presenting essays for credit, they can be purchased at £40.00 each.

Recommended Reading

The Crucible course is available in three modes:

• Audited: participants are involved in one, two or all three of the weekends but do nothing beyond these days.
• Applied: participants are involved in one, two or all three of the weekends and also work in a placement in order to apply what they learn and reflect on this. Three kinds of placements are available (see the section on placements).
• Accredited: participants are involved in one, two or all three of the weekends, study one, two or all three of the online learning modules, and/or work in an assessed placement.

It is possible, by agreement, for participants to transfer from one mode to another as the course proceeds.

The accredited mode

Participants doing the accredited mode of the course have the opportunity of gaining up to 40 credits during the year:

• 10 credits are available for each weekend plus an associated online learning module.
• 10 credits are available for an assessed placement.

There is written work to submit for each of the online learning modules and a portfolio for the assessed placement.

The value of credits

The Crucible course is validated by the University of Wales under the auspices of Spurgeon's College. This provides accountability and ensures quality control for all aspects of the course. It also means that any credits gained can be transferred when participants move on to other relevant courses.

40 credits represents one third of the 120 credits required for a University Certificate (level 1 of a degree course).

Spurgeon's College offers a range of further online learning modules which may be of interest to participants in the Crucible course. For further details of these modules, see www.spurgeons.ac.uk. Other theological colleges also offer online or open learning modules.

The course fee includes tea/coffee throughout the weekend, but not food. Participants can choose to bring their own food, eat out locally or book in for lunch and/or dinner at the International Missionary Centre. Charges for meals are £19.00 per day (£38 for the weekend)

Participants needing accommodation can either make their own arrangements or book accommodation at the International Missionary Centre. The charge for accommodation and all meals from Friday evening until Sunday is £65.00 (or £70.00 with an evening meal on the Friday). The charge for accommodation and all meals from Saturday morning until Sunday is £45.00. If accommodation at the Centre is full, we can arrange other options in the vicinity, although the price may be slightly higher.

We have a limited number of bursaries available for those who are unable to cover the full costs of the course. If you wish to apply for one of these bursaries, please contact us.