School of Mission
Information Desk
Welcome - how can we can help you ?
28th January, 2002
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Sponsored by The DCI Trust, England
Do I have to enrol for the School ?
No, not at all. These are the studies from our original School of Mission in England. These materials are open and free to everybody, of all ages, male and female, poor or rich, younger or older and of all colours, races and backgrounds. They are also being taught in many churches and classes all over the world. This is our gift to you.There is no application form needed for this Internet version. We accept you and we will help you. Feel free to use the studies for personal growth and enjoyment and we will help you by e-mail if you need us.
How much does this Course cost ?
Nothing at all. This Internet version of the Schools of Mission and our time is free. A typical course, not ours, in the UK costs at least £2,500 / $4,000 plus a similar amount for accommodation and meals so you know how valuable this free gift is.
At no time will anyone from DCI Foundation or World Christians ask you for money, credit card numbers, cheques, donations or fees for these studies. If they do, they are not from DCI and you should not pay anyone, anything for these study materials. If you are blessed by this Course we will welcome a gift to help support our graduates and missionaries in their ministry.
How do I make a start ?
First of all you need to decide if you are doing the studies solely for your own personal enjoyment, or whether you want to complete them all in a disciplined manner and gain a diploma.
1. If you want to study for your own personal enjoyment and development, then just go ahead and make a start on the Introduction, then lesson 2 onwards. There is nothing else to do before starting the studies. You could follow these suggestions in the next section.
2. If however, you want to work through the Course in a disciplined way and gain a diploma, then you need to gain the agreement of your pastor or church/mission leader and find a supervisor who will read and mark your written work, listen to your reports of the practical work, talk things through with you and keep your records and registers.
Who could be a supervisor?At the end of your studies either your local church or mission leader or a similar professional must examine your work and your supervisor's records. Then if your work is up to standard the DCI Foundation in the UK will on request from the pastor, leader or professional officer authorise your church or mission to issue you with an official diploma under our name and auspices. See the section below on the Information page called <Can I get a diploma> for more information.
If you could get a few friends together, and a church leader to supervise you, then you have a new School of Mission under way which you can register with us for accreditation.
Can you send me the lessons by post ?
We are sorry but we cannot for financial reasons. The only way we can offer this free service is via the Internet which is very cost-effective for us. The cost of printing and posting thousands of packages would be very costly and we could never offer you the School free of charge. To avoid expense you can download all the lessons in about 10 minutes and print them out one at a time as you need them.What do I do first in each study lesson ?
The main study material on each page is to get you searching and thinking about the subject. We then emphasise the lesson with scripture readings and conversation. We give you a short essay to write and we ask to you to actually do something practical that will help you to turn the learning into experience.
A key word with us is flexibility. We don't mind in which order you handle the contents of each lesson. You can take things in order from number one in the list of studies, or you can begin in the category that interests you most. As long as all the work gets done, it is not important which order you choose. Whatever suits you best, that will also be fine for us, but if I can make a suggestion why not try this:
1. The Bible readings to set the context.
2. The actual study.
3. Memorise the verse.
4. Meditate on the given verse.
5. The written work.
6. The practical project.
7. The conversation.
8. Don't forget the two prayer times, beginning and end.
Please bear in mind that if you are doing the Course as an individual, which is just great, some of these items, like the 'Talk about this . . .' are really designed for small group use. Although I am sure your family and friends will not be bored with what you have discovered. You do not have to do everything at once, people often complete a study over a week.
Can I take just one section of the study programme ?
Yes, of course, please help yourself to as many or as few of the studies as you wish.
Have I really got to do the practical and written assignments ?
No, not at all. You will get the most from the study if you do but you can do the main section as a personal study and know that you are one of very many who are doing just that. No problem, go ahead. In some cases people simply cannot write well in English or even in their own language, and in some repressive countries if students try and do the practical projects they could end up in prison. We do not want that to happen.
As an alternative to our practical projects you could speak to your Pastor, and ask if he or she will employ you in church activities for two hours for each study. If you are studying for a Certificate then you should maintain a list of jobs done and hours taken. This has always been acceptable for us.
Do I need to buy books and how much will they cost ?
The only book you will need is a modern Bible in your language.
How long do I have to complete the Course?
We suggest that all the studies, assignments and practical work should be completed within a maximum period of two years, which is more than ample.
How long does it take to do all 85 lessons ?
Most people seem to do one lesson a week, but some have done one every three or four days. You need to give yourself space and time for the Bible content to go past your mind and take root in your heart and spirit, and you need time to do the assignments. There is no benefit in rushing through the studies.
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Do you issue certificates and diplomas ?
We recommend that the churches, missions and Bible Schools that are using these studies issue their own Certificates or Diplomas of Completion, if they wish under our official authorisation. Most schools issue a diploma free of charge to their successful students and these are very acceptable to churches, authorities, employers and officials in their local area.If you are a School or Church Leader please see this page of information on how to issue credible and valid certificates which can be authorised by the DCI Foundation, England. The certificates authorised by the DCI Foundation will only be honoured and verified if for the sake of proper accountability you register your credentials with us before you start classes, and provided that upon course completion you send us a list of your students and their examination marks.
If you are studying as an individual, please ask your minister, pastor, college principal, mission leader or similar professional officer to write with their credentials and we may be able to authorise them at once.
Why not start a school of your own from home or church. We can authorise you to issue diplomas provided that you work to acceptable standards. Write to us stating your credentials but don't be put off by the information requested, write anyway, we will see what we can do.
Can you issue a Diploma from England ?
Well, we can, but we would rather not because of the difficulties we have in supervision and verification at a distance. We will work with your church or Bible School or even with a new school that you start yourself, and we will do our best to authorise a church or school to issue diplomas under our name and auspices. See the first paragraph in this section.
Does a Diploma provide any academic credits ?
It is impossible to guarantee that any academic institution will accept outside certificates but many colleges and universities will certainly take your certified work into consideration. For example, a valid diploma issued under our name and auspices through an authorised local church or school may be taken into account by New Covenant International University in the USA in applying for credits towards their Higher Studies. NCIU have a website in English at www.newcovenant.edu and their e-mail is NCIUSA@compuserve.com in English only. You will need to download and return a completed assessment form in English, in order to have your academic position evaluated when applying for degree level studies.
Can I open a new Training School with your materials ?
Can my existing Training School use your materials ?
Yes, to both questions, provided that you let us know beforehand. All the studies and any advice you need are our gift to you free of charge. We will do all we can to help you and if you will maintain the standards that we require then we can authorise you to work under our auspices.
How do I open a new school in my church, mission or home ?
We have seen that there are many ways of offering training ranging from the formal to the simple, and all seem to work in their own context. We have a special page with a lot of advice about How to Open Your Own Training School with minimum expenses.
How can you help me ?
After reading this page if necessary you can write to us with your questions and we will work with you to help you get started. See How to Open Your Own Training School which is also packed with experience to learn on. We provide you with an official examination in the download file and will send you the answers for your students later on. We can tell you how to issue certificates and validate records. We will maintain our interest right through to graduation day.
Do the students need to be formally supervised and examined ?
Yes - we think so, especially if your church or Bible School wishes to offer a credible Certificate at the end of the Course. Yes - if the students wish to receive the full benefit of a disciplined course of study and certainly as people prove they have learned by being examined.
No - if people are taking the studies for their own enjoyment and personal growth as in a weekly Bible Study meeting at church.
Who could be a student supervisor ?
First of all a School Leader needs to have supervisors or else he or she will have handle all the workload alone. A supervisor does not need to be a 'professional' or highly qualified. We suggest that supervisors can be, for example - pastors, elders, assistant pastors, missionaries, retired church or missions leaders, parents, cell or home group leaders and retired folk as long as they are mature believers, responsible, people of integrity who know their Bible and who will spend time talking and praying with the student. We think that one man or woman can handle up to 6 students, more or less.
What do we do if we don't have enough supervisors in our church?
Well, why not think about asking for help from another church, maybe even from a very different kind of church altogether. Working together with other churches is very healthy and iron sharpens iron as the proverb says. Retired people, retired pastors and missionaries are often also very willing to help. That's how it normally seems to work. With a little patience and prayer, the Lord will bring someone to your mind or to your door.
What does a supervisor have to do?
We suggest the following from our own experience: A supervisor reads and marks students lessons, and most of all takes a pastoral interest in the students as well. Supervisors have to report to the senior pastor or course leader and should keep the following simple but careful records to fit it with the ready made studies:
(1) A register of the studies that a student has completed, with the date, and a signature to say he or she is satisfied that the student has learned the subject.
(2) A register of the written work that is part of each study with the date and with comments about the quantity and quality of work. The student must keep his work safe ready for later examination if necessary. Here is a guide to marking:
Because this Course is used worldwide among people who have English as their second or third language we keep the marking plan very simple. The same marking guide can be used for the examination.
A = 80% -100% Truly outstanding work, only awarded sparingly. Supervisors should only award an A or an A+ in the case of an extraordinarily good piece of work, otherwise there is no means of rewarding a special achievement.
B = 70% - 79% Very good work, clear understanding of the subject.
C = 50% - 69% Average work, could maybe do better.
D = 50% and less. The lesson or examination needs to be repeated for the student to grasp the meaning.
Each grade could have + or - as well, for example a B - or a C+
(3) A record of the goal and the results of the practical work with the title and the date. We never look for instant success on every occasion, rather that every outreach would be a learning experience.
How does you mark the essays as A,B,C etc.?
You have to judge the length of the work, 350/400 words would be a page for me. Then I see if the student has actually answered the question asked and not written an answer to a hasty glance at the question. Then I look at content, I ask myself whether the student is answering within the boundaries of the subject, then of course I look for truth, accuracy and presentation, neatness and legibility. I would consult with a local high school teacher for the locally understood way of judging work. Some cultures value some things far more than others and it is important to know what they might be.Where is the examination ?
You will find it in all the download packages and it comes with a guide to how to offer the examination either in parts or as a whole at the end. The marking scale is seen above. At the end of the course a church or Bible School leader may write to us stating their credentials and ask for the file of sample answers.
What happens at the end of the course?
We suggest that at the end of the studies, before issuing any Church or School Certificate of Completion, the senior pastor or head of the school or mission should review and approve the following:
1. The three kinds of record sheets detailed above together with the supervisor's opinions and private recommendations.
2. The examination results.
3. The student's behaviour and willingness during the course.
Normally the certificates are issued at a Graduation Ceremony which all the church, families and friends are invited to attend. We would ask each student to publicly state their vision for future service.
How can our own school or church issue credible certificates ?
This is not difficult. If you are a School or Church Leader see this page of full information on how to issue credible certificates.
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I get lost on the website as I am new to computers.
With a little practice it will all become easy for you. Be patient with yourself, and don't panic. It is only a machine and you are in charge. It will do what you tell it to. Always look for links at the top of our pages, and most other people's too. They will take you backwards or forwards. And there are arrows on your menu bar at the top which do the same. At the very worst go back to www.dci.org.uk and start again.
How do I see the studies on my screen ?
All the titles on the list of studies page have underlined hyperlinks which mean that by clicking on the blue link you can see the study, and then if you wish you can download it into your PC.
How can I find the topics that interest me most ?
You can Search our entire website for the words you want and the page will provide you with a list to look at.
How can I make the print on the screen smaller / larger ?
The pages leave here in a medium size designed for a screen resolution of 800x600 pixels. The easy way to increase the size in the Internet Explorer programme is to go to View/Text Size and the adjust to setting to Smaller, Medium or Larger as you require.
Why can't I get into the page to see the study ?
If your double-click does not open the page then it usually means that the Internet between you and us is overloaded at the moment, which is not unusual. You should try again later. If you get a 404 Page Not Found fault report please try later, it is congestion, but if it continues please report it for immediate repair to our webmaster@dci.org.uk
How can I print the lessons ?
Internet pages are not generally very printer friendly. The best way to print is to Select All the page, normally Ctrl + A, then Copy the page which is normally Ctrl + C. Then open your word processor and Paste which is Ctrl + V . Better still from your Edit Menu choose Paste Special/Unformatted Text Both of these put the text into your Word Processor. Then you can change the colour, size and layout to suit yourself and your size of paper.
Can I download in a Word 7/Office 97 format that prints easily?
Yes, you will find a fast downloading file in Word 97 format in the Download page. There is also another very large and much slower to download Word file which contains all the studies in their original text book format with columns and many illustrations, in English or Spanish.
Can I somehow take all the lessons at once ?
Yes, easily in two to ten minutes. Take them from this page Download where there is simple advice on how to receive the pages. The best time to download is when North Americans are asleep and not using the internet.
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From your e-mails
Can I call my new school a DCI School?
Thank you for your confidence but for legal reasons, it will be better for you if you use your own name, as you using the name of this Foundation without authorisation and permission may bring you problems and unwanted interest from officials. You may of course say that you are using materials and studies supplied by the Schools of Mission sponsored by The DCI Foundation in England.
Can I do this Course by correspondence with you ?
Sorry, we don't have enough people on staff to handle all the mail. The best thing to do is to find a supervisor locally and work together with him or her. Or put a note on our World Notice Board asking for a correspondent.What other languages are available ?
We have the studies in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cebuano, Hindi, Indonesian, Mooré, Romanian, Russian, Telegu and Chinese. We welcome all offers to translate the studies and can sometimes provide an offering for the translator.
What do you recommend for a pastors and leaders seminar ?
If you only have time for seven sessions, and the people already know the basics then we recommend the following foundational topics from the main list:
- 11. God’s Plan for The World; 12. The Great Commission; 38. Bring Back the King
- 63. Growing the Church; 64. The Harvest Church; 65. A Servant Church
- 66. A Discipling Church
Can I make copies of your studies for others ?
Yes, you can help yourself and give away everything you find on the Website. You are welcome. We will not charge you for the copyright, so long as you give as we have given to you, and you only charge the cost price for making the actual copies.
Who are you and where are you from ?
We are in England, and to keep expenses low we are based in a small rural village of 24 homes. Our colleagues and students come from all over the world. If you go to this page you can see who The DCI Foundation is and what it does, and this page will show you who the School Directors are, our qualifications and where this page is coming from.
What does DCI mean ?
DCI covers the work of a group of people in different nations encompassing the DCI Foundation, the Training School and the World Christians News Pages. The name comes from Romans 1.1 in the Bible where in the original language Paul describes himself as a 'Doulos Christou Iesou' - a servant of Jesus Christ. This title from way back in 1986 reminds us of our place and calling to serve the Lord and a world of people.
Which church or denomination do you belong to ?
Neither The DCI Foundation nor The World Christians movement belongs to any one denomination and the people who work together in informal community come from many different expressions of the Christian faith across the nations. Academically, we are affiliated to NCI University in the USA. Here in the UK base the Director and his wife belong to an evangelical village church known as Riverside Christian Fellowship, which has quite a long history. Riverside has about 240 members, many young people, and is growing quickly. The Pastor is Steve Wendels and there are four other elders who meet with us from time to time and cover us with their prayers and advice. The church is lightly charismatic, Bible believing and dedicated to worship.
Do you have a statement of faith ?
We are in agreement with the Nicene Creed of the early church in 381 AD which is common to Eastern Orthodox, Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Calvinists and most modern Christian groups. Many groups that do not have a tradition of using it in their services nevertheless are committed to the doctrines it teaches."We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son]. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. "
(The word "catholic" refers of course to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ.)
How can I help you in return ?
Thank you for thinking about that, we really appreciate all help as we charge no fees for the studies either for the Internet version or historically in our actual schools. We do not receive any denominational or corporate sponsorship. If the School of Mission is a blessing to you, then an offering will help us provide it freely to many others in the developing world who have no means at all of funding their studies, and we can also help our graduates and leaders make a start with new mission or care projects
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How to contact us
Before you do try Ctrl+F to search this page for a keyword
Or try Search to search the whole web site
Would you like more information but just can't find it ?
Click here to see all the studies
Click here to download all the studies
Click here to check the index page
You can e-mail our Director by clicking here
We will reply as soon as we can, usually the same day, but to saveyour time please be sure that your question is not already answered on this page or elsewhere on the web site. Try Ctrl+F to search for a key word in your question. The answer could be here already, and then there will be no delay for you. You can also Search our entire website in seconds.
Or write by post to:
DCI, Riverside, PO Box 5091, Nottingham, NG25 0DL, England.
We are so sorry
but we are not able to respond to requests for financial support. We would love to help everyone but we simply do not have the resources or the contacts to do so. We do more every year for more people in more places but we quickly reach our limits.
Please also note that asking for personal counselling by e-mail is not a very good idea, and we recommend that you speak personally to your own pastor or to another church leader in your locality who can pray with you, although we will always try and help if we can.
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The Course for
World Christians
Sponsored by the DCI
Foundation, England.
Training with
no walls, no frontiers and no fees,
open to all, since 1987