CURRICULUM

COURSE	NO. LECCION	REQUIRED READINGS	COMMENTS&READINGS
Personal Revival	8	Book-Personal Revival by Smalling Teacher's Manual//Two Essays by Smalling-How to Be Guided By God//Sensibe Faith	Note: The book for this is finished up to part one. The teacher is encouraged to add or subtract material at his discretion until part two is finished.
Christian Leadership I&II: Principles & Practice	8	Teacher's Manual// Book: Christian Leadership by Smalling //Spiritual Leadership by Sanders	This is two courses in one and uses two books simultaneously. The differences in emphasis between the two books compliments the total picture of leadership principles and practice.
Gospel of Grace I: Joyfully Justified	8	Book: Joyfully Justified by Smalling	Thorough study on Justification for the student to have a clearer concept of what is the gospel.
Gospel of Grace II: The Reformation Doctrines of Grace	12	Teacher's Manual//Book-Unlocking Graceby Smalling [Note: This is a published book. Clicking on the link will take you to the ad for the book.]	Recommended Readings: Sproul, Chosen by God//Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination
Personal Evangelism: Way of The Master	6	VHS Video Foundation Series from LivingWaters.com Book: The Way of the Master by Comfort& Cameroon// RBS Ministries Brochure: How Can I Share My Faith Without An Argument?
How to Preach	8	Book: Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson
How to Teach	8	Book: Teaching To Change Lives by Hendricks
Church Government	8	Outline: The Apostolic Church by Witherow/Manual Body of Christ by Teja//Two Essays by Smalling: Elder Controversy//Deaconesses
Interpreting the Bible (Hermeneutics)	8	Book: Knowing Scripture by Sproul
Reformation History	8	A History of Christian Thought, Volume 2: The Reformation To the Present Day by Justo Gonzalez	This volume is a bit expensive, large, but worth the price. It covers more than just the reformation.

Why this program may NOT be appropriate for some students.

If a student is pursuing diplomas, Visión R.E.A.L is probably not for him, even though we have a convalidation agreement with two instititutions. Why? Visión R.E.A.L has requirements beyond academics.

With Visión R.E.A.L, the student must also complete the mentoring process which entails personal accountability to a mentor and practical ministry experience. This is extra work for those whose goal is a degree.

Benefits and limitations

• Help in obtaining textbooks.
• The right to a copy of the final exams via email.
• Possible visits from a teacher for intensive seminars.
• Online counsel regarding problems in the program.
• Possibility of transfer of credits to MINTS or FLET.

• Leaders cannot change the curriculum without permission.
• The materials are Reformed in theology. The leader must decide if this is appropriate within his denominational context.
• Leaders must keep records of grades, both mentoring and academic.
- Turn in records to Visión R.E.A.L after each course.
- Report twice a year to Visión R.E.A.L on the progress of their center.
• Visión R.E.A.L does not grant diplomas.

How to use the plan

The Links
A. The links under COURSE will lead you to a description of the course.
B. The links under REQUIRED MATERIALS will lead you to manuals for downloading. In the case of books, it will lead you to an explanation of where and how to obtain the books.
C. The links under RECOMMENDED READINGS are for official Visión R.E.A.L centers which will want credit with MINTS. This seminary requires at least 300 pages of reading per course, with a bibliography submitted to the teacher as proof. These readings helps the student find these extra readings.

The Lessons
Number of lessons is not equal to the number of classes. Some lessons may require two or more classes, depending on the subject and the abilities of the students. There is no time limit on when a course is finished. This also depends on the teacher.
Final exams are available upon request for officially registered Visión R.E.A.L centers only.

The Teachers
The teachers must have read and understood the teaching methods page. If there are questions about this, the teacher may write to us.

Credits
For centers which will want credits with MINTS seminary for their studies, they must have registered with Visión R.E.A.L before beginning the class, and receive a reply of approval. (MINTS requires a certain quality control the seminary for credit transfers.) The leader of the Visión R.E.A.L center must write a letter requesting official recognition. The letter should include the name of the person in charge, the denominational affiliation and number of students.

The Logic of the plan
This plan corresponds to the mentoring process. The initial goal of the mentor is to ensure the student is hearing personally from God out of the Word, being guided by God and growing in faith. Therefore, it is essential to start with Avivamiento Personal.

Why is it organized this way?

This study plan is part of the mentoring program. The initial goal on the part of the mentor is to ensure that the student is hearing from God through the Word, guided by Him and growing in faith. This is why we start with the Personal Revival course.

The courses that follow are Christian Leadership I&II. Some sectors of Latin America have only known dictatorial leadership styles. These two courses help the student see a new model of leadership, the christian one, founded on the concept of service, along with practical managerial skills.

After these come two important doctrinal studies: First, Justification. Most students lack a clear comprehension of the foundations of the Gospel and how to deal with the errors of Catholicism.
Then comes a study of the reformed doctrines of grace so the student may catch the vision of spreading the message that God is sovereign.

Finally comes a series of practical studies on themes like how to preach and teach. By this time, the student is already thorougly involved in ministry.

Course Descriptions

Personal Revival
This course is brief, with little academic emphasis. Its primary purpose is to infuse into the student the disciple of a regular daily quiet time. It gives students guidelines for understanding the subjective experiences common to all believers such as divine guidance, spiritual warfare and growing in faith.
Important note: This course is not yet complete in English. Enough of it exists, though, to give the students a start.Material: Teacher's Manual

Christian Leadership I&II: Principles and Practice
Many sectors of Latin America have only known authoritarian and dictatorial systems of government, whether religious or political. The notion of a leader disposed to serve and suffer for his followers, who treats them as people of value, has few cultural antecedents.
This two courses are taught together. The book has three sections: Principles, Practice and the Mentor. By the time the student finishes the course he will have a totally new concept of leadership, the biblical one, along with some practical managerial skills. He will understand better his role of leadership as one of mentoring others.
Materials: Teacher's Manual// Book by Smalling, Christian Leadership//Book by Sanders, Spiritual Leadership

Gospel of Grace I: Joyfully Justified
Many Christians assume they understand the gospel well, until they study justification. The Apostle Paul considered this doctrine so important, he made it the central theme of Romans and Galatians. This course shows why justification is the basis of our security of salvation. It deals with such themes as imputation, faith and works and finishes with a refutation of the catholic errors on justification.

Personal Evangelism
The best personal evangelism training we have ever seen is the Way of the Master series with Ray Comfort and actor Kirk Cameroon who is the protagonist in the Left Behind movie series. The 12 lessons on VHS are revolutionary because the approach is totally biblical. It emphasizes repentance in a way other witnessing plans fail to do.Way of the Master VHS series Costs $60.00 but well worth it. You can show it to groups. (Our church showed it at adult Sunday School resulting in real enthusiasm for witnessing.) 12 lessons, about 40 minutes each. The book The Way of the Master by Comfort&Cameroon, contains much of the same material as the VHS. Seminaries and educational institutions receive a 50% discount. To order by phone, you may call Living Waters 1-800-437-1893. To see their web site, go to Living Waters.

As a suppliment to the Way series, we recommend a little booklet from RBC Ministries with a witnessing plan for those who wish another approach. This is How Can I Share My Faith Without An Argument. RBC has numerous helpful booklets at a reasonable price. This ministries has numerous excellent teaching booklets, some for Christians, others for different kinds of unbelievers.Phone number to order is:

Church Government (Ecclesiology)
Witherow shows the Bible approves only one form of church government. He lays out the six principles with irrefutable scriptural evidence.
In his basic manual, The Body of Christ, Gary Teja touches on all the fundamentals: The roles of church officers, their duties and privileges the roles of church offices, along with their duties and privileges; the membership, church discipline and marks of a biblical church.
Materials: The Apostolic Church by Witherow// The Body of Christ by Teja// Recommended essays by Smalling: Elder Controversy, Deaconesses

Bible Interpretation (Hermeneutics)
Ignorance of the common sense rules of interpretation is behind most doctrinal errors. Sproul explains what are these rules and why they exist.
Materials: Book, How To Study The Bible by Sproul. No manual exists for this course because it is found as a study guide in the last part of the book.

How to Teach
Many Christian workers think they know how to teach and do not. The biblical philosophy of teaching involves sharing one's life with the student, not just imparting data. Research shows certain techniques are more efficient than others. s. Hendricksen explains these are 'law' of the teacher.
Materials: Book, Teaching to change lives. by Hendricksen.
Essay: Teaching Methods by Smalling. There is no manual for this course because there is a study guide at the end of Hendricksen's book.

History of the Reformation
Since we are training people to be reformers, not just reformed, it seems appropriate for students to grasp how the reformers went about it. The reading for the course is the first section of the book below.
Materials: A History of Christian Thought: From the Protestant Reformation to the Present Day by Justo Gonzalez is a classic introduction to the reformation. It covers the whole period from the reformation to the present day. The book is large and a bit expensive (about $20) but worth the price as a reference work.
We have no manual in English for this course

Book list and prices

Official Visión R.E.A.L. centers have a right to a 50% discount on the Smallings' three books in Spanish, Si, Jesus, Liderazgo Cristiano and Felizmente Justificados. The only printed English title is Unlocking Grace.

How Can I Share My Faith Without An Argument?, is a small booklet of 32 pages. To order the booklet on line, go to RBC Ministries. The phone number is: 1-877-399-7109.

Comfort&Cameroon Foundation Series DVD Evangelism Training; Book-The Way of the Master See Course Description for a fuller explanation. Check out their web site for a vast array of good evangelism materials.www.LivingWaters.com To see their Foundation Series ad, CLICK HERE.

Hendricks, Howard. Teaching To Change Lives
Outlines seven principles to make teaching effective. Paperback, Multnomah publishers, available from Amazon.com for around $12. About 150 pages.

Gonzalez, Justo. A History of Christian Thought: From the Protestant Reformation to the Present Day is a classic introduction to the reformation. It covers the whole period from the reformation to the present day. The book is large and a bit expensive (about $20) but worth the price as a reference work.We have no manual in English for this course.

Robinson, Haddon. Biblical Preaching
Teaches expository preaching. I recommend this book because expository preaching was one of the strong points in the Reformation.

Sanders, Oswald. Spiritual Leadership
A classic. Sanders book is the most challenging we've read on the character God wants for leaders. A classic.

Smalling, Roger. Unlocking Grace
The translation of Smalling's book in Spanish, Si, Jesus, on the reformed Doctrines of Grace. Touches on Sovereignty of God, Total Depravity, Election, Atonement, Security, etc. Available from DeoVolente publishers.

Sproul, R.C. Knowing Scripture
This little book of 125 pages is a good introduction to hermeneutics for laymen. Intervarsity Press. Also available from Ligonier Ministries. Phone: 1 800-435-4343

Teja, Gary. The Body of Christ
Spiral bound manual obtainable from the Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tel.616-246-0825.

Witherow, Thomas. The Apostolic Church, Which Is It?
This remarkable little book is hard to find but worth the search. It proves succinctly from Scripture that reformed and presbyterian church government is the only form approved by God. Free Presbyterian Publications. It is a small book and you may find it used. Don't pay more than $10 for it. As a last resort, if you can't get the book, use the simple outline at GospelPedlar.

Evaluations

The evaluations for each course are a combination of two grades: The final exam grade, plus the grade on his performance evaluation. This latter is an evaluation by his mentor of his life, including devotional life, family life, ministerial activities and general conduct in class. He diagram illustrates. The final grade is a combination of these two. See a sample evaluation form.

To pass the course requires a final grade of 75%. This is a device to help apply the mentoring philosophy of the program, which incorporates the academic without letting the academics dominate.
Ejemple: A student scores 100% on his exam, with only a 40% personal evaluation. This amounts to 100%+40%= 140/2= 70%. This is a failing grade, although he got 100% on the test. His conduct did not permit himto advance. This prevents intelligent people with poor character from graduating.

NOTE: Final exams for registered Vision R.E.A.L. centers are obtained by writing to Vision R.E.A.L.