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About Us
The Apostolic Council for Educational
Accountability (ACEA) was formed during the New Apostolic Reformation
Educator's Summit, convened in Colorado Springs June 2-3, 1998. This
was the first time that 100 educators, representing 65 base institutions
(and several hundred satellite schools), from various apostolic
networks, were able to meet together on a peer level and to begin to
build relationships. It soon became evident that the participants had
come with very similar agendas even though they were moving in different
apostolic streams. For example, one network, because its primary target
was college campuses, needed its workers to aim for earned graduate
degrees. The educators from another network stated that they
occasionally have to read their exams to their students because they are
training illiterates, among others.
The essential challenge facing the
group, representing the training programs of the New Apostolic
Reformation, immediately became evident. How do we maintain positive
personal relationships, mutual support, camaraderie, peer-level
interaction, interdependence, broad accountability, institutional
integrity, and our own autonomy in the face of such academic diversity?
Shortcomings of Accreditation
By the second day, a strong consensus had emerged that traditional
academic accreditation generally did more to hinder, rather than help,
the new apostolic institutions accomplish the purposes for which they
felt God had assigned them. Rather than being forced to conform to a
predetermined academic mold, the educators felt that they needed much
more flexibility to be all that God wanted them to be. However, they did
not desire to be lone rangers, just doing their own thing no matter
what. Throughout the group there was a deep hunger for peer-level
evaluation and accountability. They did not want independence, but
interdependence of some kind or other. They wanted to know what others
were doing, and they wanted others to know what they were doing.
Previously, the only vehicles that provided even a semblance of meeting
that need were the different accrediting associations.
However, accrediting
associations were not seen as the answer. There was a general feeling
that institutions tend to become servants of accrediting associations
rather than vice versa. One professor at an accredited and respected
seminary related how, over the past few months, he could not do creative
research, revise his courses, or write for publication because the
committees and reports for an impending accreditation on-site visit had
taken all of his time outside of the classroom. Another said that this
year they had to submit four 3-inch, 3-ring binders of a self-study
report in order to renew their accreditation. Another said that the
major purpose of their annual accrediting association meetings seemed to
be to increase the thickness of their manual by adding more rules and
regulations. What could be done?
An Alternative to Accreditation
Intercessors, some of whom were on site but most of whom were
home-based, were beseeching God to visit the summit with a spirit of
wisdom and revelation (see Eph. 1:17), and God answered their prayers.
Through C. Peter Wagner, the convener of the summit, God revealed the
concept and the basic design of the Apostolic Council on Educational
Accountability. The ACEA is not a new form of accreditation, but rather
it is a creative alternative for academic accreditation. It is a way
that apostolic training institutions can receive the desired ongoing
peer-level evaluation and mutual accountability while maintaining the
integrity of their individual callings from God.
The Council
C. Peter Wagner,
Chancellor of Wagner Leadership Institute (Colorado Springs), serves as
the apostolic covering for ACEA.
Current Council Members include:
·
Paul
Barker, Dean, Every Nation Leadership Institute, Brentwood, TN
·
Craig Davis, Provost, Wagner Leadership Institute, Colo Springs, CO
·
Ian Bond, President and CEO, Beacon University, Columbus, GA
·
Drew
Brown, Operations Dir, Prepare International, Lubbock, TX
·
David
Carey, Apostle, Word of Life School of Ministry, Newark DE
·
Stan
DeKoven, Pres, Vision Inter College & University, Ramona, CA
·
Tim
Hamon, Pres, Christian Inter Ministry, Santa Rose Beach, FL
·
David
Houston, Dean, Every Nation Leadership Inst/Graduate, Brentwood,
TN
·
Israel
Kim, Chancellor, Wagner Leader. Institute - Japan, Kakwasaki-shi, Japan
·
Randal Langely, Pastor/Director, Beacon University, Clearwater, FL
·
Alan
Langstaff, Chancellor, Acts Inter Bible College, Blaine, MN
·
Leo
Lawson, Educational Consultant, Franklin, TN
·
Sulijanto "Kong" Leories, Senior Admin, W L
I
- Asia, Jakarta, Indonesia
·
Ken
Malmin, Dean, Portland Bible College, Portland, OR
·
Garnet
Pike, Southwestern Christian Graduate School, Bethany, OK
·
Sherill
Piscopo, Admin, Destiny School of Ministry, Roseville, MI
·
Brian
Sauder, Dir, DOVE Church Planting and Leadership School, Lititz, PA
·
Paul
Tan, Chancellor, Wagner Leadership Institute - Asia, Claremont, CA
·
Brian
Thompson, Director, W L I- Canada,
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
·
Chuck
Travis, Pres, Logos Christian College & Graduate Schools,
Jacksonville,
FL
·
C. Peter Wagner, Chancellor, Wagner
Leadership Institute, Colo Springs, CO
· John
Watson, Apostle, Eagle Christian College, Marion, OH |
