Lent is less a season to observe and more a walk to walk. As the days get longer and the light more accessible, so are we invited to cast aside all that gets between us and resurrection. One theologian commented, “Everything that happens to Christ happens to us.” In that sense, the Bible is a …
View course details “Walking the Way of Lent through Storytelling with Bishop Porter Taylor”

When church leaders and congregations engage in the practice of crafting a mission statement or narrative vision for their churches, oftentimes the people tasked with actually communicating that vision aren’t included in the development process nor are they church members or present for most church activities. As such, church digital communications tend to be heavy …
View course details “Digital Storytelling for Church Communications Professionals”

“In the beginning was the Word: The Wisdom and Witness of Biblical Storytelling” Our Annual Festival of Telling Every year, storytellers from across Canada, along with India, the USA and abroad, gather to hone their storytelling skills and repertoire in a 2 1/2-day Festival of Telling. This Festival Gathering will take place April 22-24, 2022 – and …
View course details “2022 Festival of Telling”

Are you a Lay preacher seeking to get a license for ministry? Or are you just interested in learning more? If so, please join Rev. Steve Bateman, Rev. Br. Jason Caroll O.P. and Rev. Canon James Robinson for this short course to learn the theological foundations for Preaching, as well as instruction on how craft …
View course details “Foundations for Preaching”

Music often has a central place in Christian worship, whether in the form of guitar by the campfire, pipe organ and choir, rhythmic drumming, acapella congregational singing, gentle piano accompaniment, chant, or amplified band, among many other possibilities. This course explores a diversity of expressions of music in worship from theological, historical, and practical perspectives. …
View course details “Theologies and Practices of Music in Christian Worship”

In her classic book on evangelism Out of the Saltshaker Rebecca Pippert confesses that there was a time when, “there was a part of me that secretly felt evangelism was something you shouldn’t do to your dog, let alone a friend.” On the surface many kind-hearted mainline Protestants in Canada today would agree. Many folks …
View course details “Practicing Evangelism in a Post-Christendom World”

Many people are familiar with the concept of an overarching narrative (storyline) when looking at the history of our faith: from the Old Testament, through to the New and on into the history of the church, we can see God at work. However, when people think of, say, the Old Testament, disconnected images come to …
View course details “Christian Foundations: From Abraham to Jesus”

How do we connect God’s mission, and therefore the mission of the church, with the culture in which we live and speak in ways that help people make sense of their lives and their purpose through the lens of the Gospel? How can our words as preachers help others follow Jesus’ Way of Love more …
View course details “Missional Preaching”

The NBSC offers monthly workshops and training events for a small fee, and makes them available after the fact in their online event library.

Whether you’re high-tech, low-tech, or no-tech whatsoever, it’s nearly impossible to miss the shift that’s taking place in our culture. Curiosity is on the rise. Participation is sparking creativity and connection. For the first time ever, digital technology is shaping our values. Our churches need the capacity and will to engage with a changing culture—one …
View course details “Hybrid Ministry in a Post-Pandemic Church”