We’re offering you training! What type of training? Training that will help you get a hi score? no. Training that will help you get a job? No. Training that will help get you fame? No! Training that will help get you a date? NO! Training that will help you get fame and a date? NO!

What about training that will help you bring glory to Jesus? What about training that will allow Jesus to use you to make his fame great?

The prayer behind Monday Mad Skills is that God would use it to train up hundreds of Christians in skills like evangelism, 1 to 1 bible reading, kids ministry, youth ministry, Bible study leading, music ministry, welcoming, follow-up, prayer… the list goes on! Its our prayer that God would then use these people to better reach out into Newcastle to proclaim Jesus and help people know and love him.

What happens at Monday Mad Skills?

Monday Mad Skills kicks off on Monday 5th March at 5pm.

Each week, we’ll start off with what we call the Mad Hour from 5pm-6pm. Here we’ll spend an hour diving into the depths of a big topic or idea from the bible; God’s Sovereignty, Utilitarianism, Men/Women in creation and ministry, Early Church history, Trinity, etc… The aim is that you walk out of this Mad Hour seeing how that idea affects every day of the rest of your life.

After a quick break, we’ll split into classes for our Skills Hour from 6pm-7pm. In this hour, you’ll be part of a smaller group that spends 5 or 10 weeks getting practical in a ministry skill.

Some of the courses we’re running this year are:

• Two Ways to Live - Personal Evangelism Training (more details here)
• Passing the Baton - How to read the Bible with someone one-to-one (written by Greg Lee)
• Growth Groups - How to lead a small group bible study (more details here)
• Open Hearts - How to make the most of Sundays at Church (Written by Dave Allen)
• Bible Overview - How to see the big story of God’s plan in the Bible (more details here)
• The Course of your life - How to make decisions about life and everything (more details here)
• Setting Hearts on Fire - How to give a Bible Talk (Written by Dave Moore from John Chapman’s book)

If you haven’t done the “Two Ways to Live” course before, we’d really encourage you to take the time and do that first. It really provides the basis and foundation for all the other courses we provide. I personally remember the first time I did this course as a 1st year student, and can testify to the massive impact its had on my life since.

If you’ve already done the “Two Ways to Live” course, then we’d really encourage you to do the the “One to One Bible Reading” course with Greg. This is a course that Greg’s written himself that outlines the simple steps to go through to catch up with someone and help them meet Jesus in the pages of the Bible. We’d love everyone at HBC to have this simple but effective ministry skill under their belt.

You can sign up for the Mad Skill of your choice on the first night - Monday the 14th.

Where is Monday Mad Skills?

Monday Mad Skills will be run at Heaton Public School, off Janet St, Jesmond.

For those driving, simply turn off Janet St and go to the end of the driveway to park in the Heaton School car park.

For those who are walking from the uni, there is a path that goes from the University Dr roundabout, down towards the freeway, and up into the back of the school grounds.

What’s the most important training you’ll do in the next 12 months?

Many of us are going to be spending loads of time this year doing courses, degrees, diplomas and extra-curricular activities. But, we believe the thinking and training you’ll do at Monday Mad Skills will change your life; not to mention the lives of those you’ll serve for the next 20, 40, 60 years.

It might be a silly name, but its serious business. Don’t miss out.