By using the principles set forth in the New Testament to carry out the Great Commission, a system for teaching adults can be established.

Adult Continuing Christian Education is the name of one of four phases or dimensions of our adult education program at the Metro Church of Christ in Gresharn, Ore. Actually, ACCE is a descriptive phrase of what the early New Testament church did in carrying out the Great Commission to teach all that Christ commanded.

ACCE is, first of all, a plan for adults that seeks to bring Christians to maturity. Our curriculum is primarily made up of "solid food," or the "meat" of God's Word. The second letter, "C," stands for continuing, which is what early Christians did "steadfastly" as they studied "the apostles' teaching" (Acts 2:42). "Continuing" builds upon the belief that Christian discipleship learning is life-long.

ACCE's second "C," for Christian, describes our central purpose in Metro's total education ministry: Christ is recognized as central to all Bible study. If Christian-centered teaching were applied to all learning at home, church or school - then all would be engaged in Christian education.

"E" is for education, which in ACCE communicates the concept of a quality that is comparable to that of any highly creditable educational institution.

Adult Continuing Christian Education - or whatever you may call it -describes what the early church did as they gave themselves to the task that Jesus had trained His disciples for and directed them (and us) to do until He comes. "And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly" (Acts 12:24).

Teachers and students in our ACCE work, like those in New Testament times, take seriously these inspired words: "Study [be diligent; do your best] to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

"But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine" (John 8:31).

Early Christians were so motivated in their evangelistic effort that when "persecution arose... [and] they were scattered ... except the apostles [they] went about preaching [Greek: evangelizing] the word" (Acts 8:1,4). They gave their all to fulfill the Lord's instruction to "make disciples [learners] of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19).

After 10 years of experience as minister of ACCE, and some 30 years before that (all in the ministry of Christian education), I am beginning to see the tremendous potential of this dimension of adult education in the local church. I have seen ACCE strengthen all other phases of a church's program of work and worship. This has happened in dozens of churches, mainly in the Northwest where ACCE work has reached, from northern California to British Columbia as well as in a few other places where the idea has caught on.

A principle of good teaching is to meet people where they are, on their own level of learning readiness. Thus, in a church adult education program several levels in degrees of intensity and difficulty should exist. Some Bible classes may have simple, very easy, or even no requirements for the students. These classes might include courses that are for beginners, new Christians, inquirers and visitors.

But these students need to move on to other classes that emphasize the need to "press on to maturity," with courses that require serious preparation for meaningful and intellectually challenging class participation.

A higher quality learning environment challenges learners to do the best of which they are capable. This is the way the best learning and growing takes place. Education leaders in schools and secular businesses that sponsor employee training know this, so they set educational standards accordingly. The Lord's church is His school, and it should do no less. In the fields of Bible study and Christian service, the church should be as good or better than the best. God expects this of both teachers and students!

ACCE's Two Levels. At Metro we have two main levels or stages of ACCE. The first is a plan to reach out to all members and take them through one course per year (usually lasting for one quarter) that "requires" from one to two hours of study before they come to class each week. While any basic course can be so prepared and taught by a qualified teacher, we are currently using a series of lessons that I have prepared and published called "The Growing Christian Disciple Series."

The chief difference between this level of learning and most other courses is not only required preparation of each student prior to class, but it is in the way the class is taught. If the learners are coming to class prepared, then they must be given an opportunity to share some of what they have studied. So, the teachers major in the discussion methods such as one-on-one sharing, small (three to five) buzz group sharing, panels, forums and individual reports, as well as general class discussion and some brief lecture and question and answer.

As the learners experience a variety of methods of teaching/learning, they, almost unaware, learn to be teachers one of another as they share their assignments with each other. The teacher becomes more of a facilitator or engineer of learning than a dispenser of information or lecturer.

The second level of ACCE work is the part that adheres to the professional standards of academic accreditation normally associated with our Christian colleges and universities. As such, students on this level of ACCE study may receive transferable degree credit through several of our Christian educational institutions, Columbia Christian College in the Northwest in particular.

Bill Patterson was director of the Adult Continuing Christian Education ministry at the Metro Church of Christ, 1525 Nw Division, Gresham, OR 97030, when he wrote the article. About one-third of his time is given to conducting "Shot-in-the-Arm" adult teacher training, which includes getting the program started in the local (host) congregation.

1 Contact Bill Patterson by e-mail at ACCEBILL@aol.com. Dr Bill Patterson was editor of the Christian Bible Teacher for the first 25 years of publication.

Bill Patterson "Adult Continuing Christian Education" Gospel Advocate, 132,8(August, 1990): 24-25

Bill Patterson "Adult Continuing Christian Education and Discipleship in the Church" Christian Scholars Conference, 6(July 20, 1986): 265-266.