News

October 31 – November 4, 2011 – Bagbe, Togo

GATE Senior Associate Robert Ferris and Associate John Jusu facilitated a five-day workshop for twenty-four Francophone West African faculty members at Bagbe, Togo, in cooperation with the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA).  The workshop combined sessions from “Theological and Philosophical Foundations for Transformational Education” and “Methods of Teaching for Transformation,” normally included in Years 1 and 2.  Four seminaries participated in the workshop: Faculté de Théologie de l’Alliance Chrétienne (FATEAC), Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; Ecole Supérieure Baptiste de Théologie de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ESBTAO), Lomé, Togo; Ecole Supérieure de Théologie de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ESTAO)/Faculté de Théologie des Assemblées de Dieu (FATAD), Lomé, Togo; and Institut Biblique du Benin (IBB), Cotonou, Benin.  Rev. Philippe Emedi, ACTEA Administrative Secretary for Accreditation, served as workshop coordinator.  The Overseas Council, International, represented by Dr. Victor Nakah, OCI Regional Director for Africa, and Rev. Philippe Emedi, OCI Assistant Regional Director—Francophone Africa, co-sponsored the workshop. 

April 14-16, 2011 – Tagaytay City, Philippines

GATE Senior Associate, Robert Ferris, joined by Dr. Theresa Lua, Dean of Asia Graduate School of Theology, facilitated a “Leadership for Transformational Education” (Year 3) workshop, April 14-16, 2011, at the Development Academy of the Philippines in beautiful Tagaytay City, Philippines.  Fifty faculty members and administrators from four Manila-area seminaries registered for the workshop.  These included Asian Seminary of Christian Ministry, Biblical Seminary of the Philippines, International Graduate School of Leadership, and Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  The workshop was co-sponsored by Asia Graduate School of Theology. 

April 11-13, 2011 – Davao City, Philippines

GATE Senior Associate, Robert Ferris, joined by Dr. Theresa Lua, Dean of Asia Graduate School of Theology, facilitated a “Leadership for Transformational Education” (Year 3) workshop, April 11-13, 2011, at Brokenshire Resort and Conference Center in Davao City, Philippines.  Forty-six faculty members and administrators from five area schools registered for the workshop.  These included General Baptist Bible College, Keith Williams Bible College, Koinonia Theological Seminary, Mt. Apo Alliance Bible College, and Southern Philippines Baptist Theological Seminary.  The workshop was co-sponsored by Philippine Association of Bible and Theological Schools (PABATS), Mindinao Region. 

July 6-9, 2010 - L’Viv, Ukraine

GATE Senior Associates Robert Ferris and John Lillis facilitated Year Three and Four GATE workshops July 6-9, 2010 at L’Viv Theological Seminary in L’Viv, Ukraine.   There were 23 faculty and administrators registered for the workshops representing seven different schools throughout western and central Ukraine.   These included L’Viv Theological Seminary as well as Churnutzi Bible Seminary,  Kiev Bible Institute, Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary (Boroslav), Ternobel Theological Seminary, the Institute for Christian Ministry (Odessa), and Evangel Theological Seminary (Kiev).   Participants from Kiev and Odessa who were unable to attend one or the other of these workshops when they were held in their cities traveled across the country in order to avail themselves of this opportunity to complete their GATE experience.

June 22-24, 2009 – Odessa, Ukraine

A Year 4 workshop, hosted by Odessa Theological Seminary, marked the completion of GATE training for twenty-six representatives from eight institutions from Belarus, Russia, and the Ukraine, including one participant who traveled from Moscow because she was unable to attend the 2007 Year 4 workshop in Kiev. The workshop focused on Developing Curricula for Transformational Education and include practice in assessing current curricula and developing new curricula for participants’ own institutions. It was a privilege to award certificates of completion to the workshop participants and to commit them to the Lord as they pursue transformative learning in their classrooms and in their schools.

June 18-20, 2009 – L’Viv, Ukraine

Faculty members from four Ukrainian Bible colleges participated in a Year 2 workshop hosted by L’Viv Theological Seminary and facilitated by Senior Associates Duane Elmer and Bob Ferris. Two of the faculties traveled from Kiev and another traveled from Chernivtsi, 280 km south of L’Viv, near the Romanian boarder. Participants expressed appreciation for the practical nature of the workshop, having used the skills taught. They also indicated they found instruction on educational implications of recent brain research very helpful. These faculties look forward to the 2010 workshop with excitement and anticipation.

April 16-18, 2009 – Davao City, Philippines

Jones Beach Resort was the venue for the second Davao-region workshop co-sponsored by GATE and Philippine Association of Bible and Theological Schools (PABATS)-Mindinao. The workshop on Teaching for Transformation was facilitated by GATE Senior Associates Ralph Enlow and John Lillis, joined by Joanna Feliciano Soberano of the Asian Theological Seminary faculty. Strong participation by the thirty-seven participants from six Bible colleges and seminaries validated the benefits of GATE workshop training provided in 2008. Joanna’s professional competence, her linguistic and cultural sensitivity, and her evident rapport with participants proved invaluable to the success of the workshop.

April 13-15, 2009 – Tagaytay City, Philippines

Sixty-three faculty members from four graduate-level seminaries participated in a workshop co-sponsored by GATE and Asia Graduate School of Theology at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) in Tagaytay City. The workshop on Teaching for Transformation was facilitated by GATE Senior Associates Ralph Enlow and John Lillis, joined by Joanna Feliciano Soberano of the Asian Theological Seminary faculty. Although the group was larger than the GATE team prefers, the learning dynamics were positive and constructive and participants were highly engaged, congenial, appreciative, and affirming.

March 23-25, 2009 - Karen, Kenya

GATE and the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA) co-sponsored a Year 1 workshop for the faculties of Kenyan theological schools at the Scripture Mission Conference Center, in Karen.  GATE senior associates, Duane Elmer and Robert Ferris were joined by Dr. John Jusu, of the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST), to facilitate the workshop.  Eight faculties eagerly participated in the workshop, including two schools from Rwanda and Tanzania.  Engagement was high and discussion of issues regarding transformational education was intense.  In a closing session, each faculty shared commitments made to continue steps taken in the workshop toward implementing transformative educational practices in their institutions. 

March 18-20, 2009 - Langano, Ethiopia

At the request of the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA), GATE senior associates Duane Elmer and Robert Ferris facilitated a Year 1 workshop at Camp Langano, in Ethiopia’s Rift Valley.  Dr. John Jusu, of the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST), joined the GATE team for this workshop.  Sixty-one instructors from ten theological faculties participated in the workshop.  Workshop participants expressed enthusiasm for the principles discussed.  ACTEA’s accreditation officer noted the GATE workshop was the first time Ethiopian faculties from multiple institutions had gathered to think collectively about their educational task.   

June 16 -18, 2008 - L’Viv, Ukraine

At the request of the Euro-Asian Accrediting Association (EAAA) board and its director, Sergei Sannikov, GATE initiated a 4-year training cycle for the benefit of its Ukrainian language member institutions.   The Year 1 workshop was facilitated by GATE Senior Associates Duane Elmer and Ralph Enlow at L’Viv Theological Seminary.   The delegates actively engaged in the workshop sessions, expressing enthusiasm for the principles offered and contributing insightful questions regarding application and implementation.  There appears to be a strong appetite for and commitment to completing the full 4-year GATE cycle. 

March 17-19, 2008 - Davao City, Philippines

GATE Senior Associates Robert Ferris and John Lillis facilitated a “Theological Foundations” (Year One) workshop March 17-19, 2008, at Koinonia Theological Seminary (KTS) in Davao City, Philippines.   Twenty-three faculty members and administrators from four area schools registered for the workshop.  These included KTS, Kabakan Wesleyan Bible College, Davao Bible College, and Davao Alliance Bible College.   Mrs. Joanna Feliciano Soberano, a member of the Asian Theological Seminary faculty and a Ph.D. student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School assisted in facilitating the workshop. 

March 14-16, 2008 - Manila, Philippines

GATE Senior Associates Robert Ferris and John Lillis facilitated a “Theological Foundations” (Year One) workshop March 14-16, 2008, at the International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL) in Novaliches, Metro Manila, Philippines.   Fifty-two faculty members and administrators from five graduate schools in the Metro Manila area registered for the workshop.   These included IGSL, Alliance Graduate School, Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries, Biblical Seminary of the Philippines, and Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  The workshop was co-sponsored by Asia Graduate School of Theology.   Mrs. Joanna Feliciano Soberano, a member of the Asian Theological Seminary faculty and a Ph.D. student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School assisted in facilitating the workshop.