Certified Apologetics Instructor (CAI) Program
Meeting a Need: Many churchgoers in Southern Baptist Churches have never heard the term apologetics and are unaware that strong evidence exists in science, history, and philosophy, indicating that God exists and Christianity is true. A number of leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention have expressed an interest in equipping Southern Baptists with the evidence. The Apologetics & Interfaith Evangelism team at the North American Mission Board has responded by creating the Certified Apologetics Instructor (CAI) program. The objective of this program is to engage 500 Southern Baptist leaders across North America who will train Southern Baptists in the area of apologetics & interfaith evangelism.
How: The CAI program is designed specifically for those who are serious about developing an apologetics ministry. It will take them to the next level in their education and presentation skills. In order to do this, NAMB has partnered with Biola University and the Dynamic Communicators Workshop. The Apologetics & Interfaith Evangelism team at the North American Mission Board is seeking to identify 500 Southern Baptists who are (1) already passionate about Christian apologetics and (2) are presently teaching apologetics in their churches and/or to various groups. These people may be laypersons, pastors, Sunday School teachers, and professors. Our desire is to further equip and mobilize them by providing additional training in either apologetics & interfaith evangelism and/or public speaking skills and then referring them to their state directors of evangelism for mobilization throughout their state for the purpose of equipping others in the area of apologetics and interfaith evangelism.
CAI: The CAI is a certification of the North American Mission Board. The CAI credential indicates that the recipient has a good knowledge of issues related to apologetics & interfaith evangelism, is an experienced and excellent communicator, and has a strong Christian character. State Directors of Evangelism can place confidence in these individuals as being capable of meeting the need to train Southern Baptists in their state. The CAI may receive honorariums for their ministry, which can allow him/her to have a ministry that ranges from part-time to full-time.
Requirements: The candidate must successfully complete the following requirements in the following order prior to being awarded the CAI credential:
1. Certificate in Christian Apologetics: This program is offered by Biola University. It is offered via distance learning and entails approximately 80 hours of lectures on CD with detailed notes provided and three exams. The student must read eight books: To Everyone An Answer by Beckwith, Craig; Reinventing Jesus by Komoszewski, Sawyer, Wallace; Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Beckwith, Koukl; The Design Revolution by Dembski, William; The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Habermas, Licona; Reasonable Faith by Craig; The Case for Faith by Strobel; Fabricating Jesus by Evans and all of the content on www.4truth.net. Students progress at their own pace and on their chosen time. The total cost for this component is under $400. To enroll, Click Here. For those not necessarily interested in teaching apologetics but rather are desirous of increasing their personal knowledge and effectiveness, this is a great program and can be used as a stand alone. Those with a master's degree in apologetics or philosophy of religion may be exempted from this requirement.
2. Dynamic Communicators Workshop (DCW): This is a week of intensive professional public speaking training from prominent instructor and comedian Ken Davis. Students benefit from seminars, personal coaching, practice, and daily speeches receiving live feedback. Only two training opportunities are offered each year. This program component is pricey (nearly $2,000), but certainly worth the investment.
Upcoming training session information: Click here for information about DCW and to register for any of the below workshops.
Registration: Be sure to put SBC CAI in the Notes and Special Instructions box at the bottom of the registration form to receive group discounts.
2008: October 19-23 at the Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado Springs, CO
2009:
May 3-7: Asheville, NC: The Cove, Billy Graham Training Center — $100 discount register before Jan. 29, 2009
October 18-22: Glorieta, NM: LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center — $100 discount register before June, 2009
3. Practicum: Once completing the first two requirements, the student must prepare 10 talks on apologetics, including Power Point presentations (two to be sent to addess below) which incorporate skills learned in the second requirement (DCW). The CAI candidate must log 30 occasions of teaching apologetics using one or more of these 10 presentations. The purpose of the practicum is to hone/reinforce the candidate's communication skills learned at DCW.
4. Character References: Upon completion of all the above, the CAI candidate must provide three letters of reference including address and telephone number of each person writing the letter, at least one from your pastor, each of which testifies that you possess a Christ-like character and have an effective apologetics ministry.
The CAI candidate will mail a copy of both course completion certificates, log, two Power Point presentations, and three character references to:
Mike Licona
North American Mission Board
4200 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30022
Once these have been received and verified, the CAI credential will be awarded and the new CAI contact info will be forwarded to the appropriate state directors.
We at the North American Mission Board are excited about this opportunity. Our objective is to see 500 credentialed CAIs engaged in active apologetics ministry throughout North America. We look forward to working with you!
Have a question about the CAI program? Click here to go to our FAQ page.
To sign up for the CAI program, email us your name, address, telephone number, and one or two email addresses. Also inform us of the Southern Baptist church you are attending and that you are starting on the CAI requirements. Click Here.
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