Format | Curriculum

The New Ground Academy is a two-year training course. Across the two years, the Academy curriculum helps students grow in their personal relationship with God, in character, in understanding the Bible, and in connection to New Ground.

There are four key elements to the New Ground Academy:

Bible reading plan

The Bible is central to Christian leadership and therefore central to the Academy. Students are encouraged to follow a Bible reading plan that pairs with the home learning modules. Across the two years of Academy, those who follow the reading plan will read the majority of the Old Testament and the entire New Testament.

Home learning

The home learning modules focus on giving students an introduction to the Bible and equipping them to read the Bible well. The first year focuses on the Old Testament, while the second year takes students through the New Testament.

Nine months a year, students are asked to engage with learning materials on an online hub. These materials will include video/audio teaching and activities for students to engage with. We ask that students set aside at least two hours to engage with each set of learning materials.

Local hub meetings

One Thursday evening a month, nine months a year, students gather with others in their local church who are also enrolled on the Academy and mentors appointed by the church to support their Academy students. These local hub evenings provide an opportunity for students to discuss what they have read while following the Bible reading plan and what they have learnt from the home learning materials.

Each local hub will also connect with the other local hubs via Zoom to watch an interview in which a leader or New Ground Church member will share their wisdom and experience.

Central hub meetings

Students gather for a day of in-person teaching and discussion nine Saturdays a year. The central hub modules cover a wide range of topics (full list below), including emotionally healthy leadership, the doctrine of God, racial diversity, mental health, sexuality and gender, apologetics and more.

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Curriculum

The dates below are relevant to the Academy base in the UK. Academy in the Netherlands follows the same curriculum, although hub meetings may occur on different dates and in a different order.

For more on the curriculum for the Academy in France, visit new-ground.fr/academie.

• The Saturday topics, speakers and order are still being finalised and are subject to change.
• There will also be six leadership lessons sessions across the two years, focussing on leadership skills.

2023-2023 Dates | September-July (UK)

Sat 9 Sep 2023 | Getting the Most Out of Academy | The Daily Devotional Life of a Leader (The Academy Team)
Thu 14 Sep 2023 | Intro | How to Read the Bible (Andrew Bunt)

Thu 12 Oct 2023 | Genesis and Exodus (Liam Thatcher)
Sat 14 Oct 2023 | Wisdom for Leaders (Owen Hylton)

Thu 30 Nov 2023 | Leviticus – Deuteronomy (Andrew Bunt)
Sat 02 Dec 2023 | Thriving as a Leader: Emotionally Healthy Leadership (Simon & Gwen Elliott)

Thu 11 Jan 2024 | Joshua – Ruth (Jennie Pollock)
Sat 13 Jan 2024 | Who is God? – The Doctrine of God (Andrew Bunt)

Thu 22 Feb 2024 | Samuel – Kings (Dean Wilding)
Sat 24 Feb 2024 | Worship: The Leader’s Heart (Jules Burt) | How to Prophesy (Dale Barlow)

Thu 21 March 2024 | Exilic Literature (Dan Hayter)
Sat 23 March 2024 | Battle for the Mind (Dave Holden)

Thu 09 May 2024 | Psalms (James & Hannah Silley)
Sat 11 May 2024 | Being a Christian Beyond Church (Mark Greene from LICC)

Thu 06 June 2024 | Wisdom Literature (Rebecca Whittlesea)
Sat 08 June 2024 | Building a Missional Lifestyle (Simon Elliott)

Thu 11 July 2024 | The Prophets (Luke Davydaitis)
Sat 13 July 2024 | Getting Equipped: Apologetics (Lara Buchanan from OCCA)

2024-2025 Dates | September-July (UK)

Thu 12 Sep 2024 | Synoptic Gospels (Liam Thatcher)
Sat 14 Sep 2024 | What Does it Mean to be Human?: The Doctrine of Humanity (Jennie Pollock & Andrew Bunt)

Thu 10 Oct 2024 | Hebrews (Andrew Bunt)
Sat 12 Oct 2024 | Sexuality and Gender: The Bible’s Good News (Andrew Bunt)

Thu 21 Nov 2024 | James and 1 Peter (Rebecca Whittlesea)
Sat 23 Nov 2024 | Thriving in Complementarity: God’s Plan and Purpose for Men and Women

Thu 09 Jan 2025 | Acts (Luke Davydaitis)
Sat 11 Jan 2025 | Invisible Divides: Poverty and Social Class in the Church (Natalie Williams & Tom Head)

Thu 06 Feb 2025 | Romans (Andrew Bunt)
Sat 08 Feb 2025 | Embracing Racial Diversity (Gavin Bissessar & Others)

Thu 13 March 2025 | 1-2 Corinthians (Dean Wilding)
Sat 15 March 2025 | Caring Well: Mental Health and Pastoring

Thu 08 May 2025 | Paul’s Shorter Letters (Galatians – Titus) (James Silley)
Sat 10 May 2025 | The Spirit-Filled Church (Dave Holden)

Thu 05 June 2025 | John’s Gospel and Letters (Jennie Pollock)
Sat 07 June 2025 | The Story of the Church... So Far

Thu 10 July 2025 | Revelation (Dan Hayter)
Sat 12 July 2025 | The Story of Newfrontiers... So Far | Life Beyond Academy