Weekend College

Hesston College Bible prof Nick Ladd teaching Biblical Literature

What is Weekend College?

Weekend College is an educational experience where Hesston College comes to you and your congregation or other group as a resource on a variety of topics. Led by Hesston College Bible faculty Nick Ladd or Michele Hershberger.

Weekend College course offerings

Anabaptist Theology – Michele Hershberger, faculty

So, why am I an Anabaptist? Or if I’m not, do I want to be? Is there any real difference between Anabaptist Christians and other Christians? If there are, what are the differences? Do those differences matter? And, most importantly, how closely do Anabaptists follow Jesus?

Join Michele Hershberger for Weekend College: Anabaptist Theology. Together, you’ll discuss the distinctive way Anabaptists read the Bible, follow Jesus, serve others, be the church, use power, love their enemies and bear witness. You’ll talk about the gifts and the weaknesses these distinctive views hold and you’ll see how these gifts connect with each other. Best yet, you’ll brainstorm ways to bring these Anabaptist gifts to your church, neighborhood and world.

Bible as Story – Nick Ladd, faculty

The Bible as Story is an abbreviated version of Hesston College’s famous Introduction to Biblical Literature course. Better known as Bib Lit, the course reveals the Bible as a narrative of God and the people of God instead of a compilation of stories.

If you want to

  • Make the Bible more user-friendly
  • Learn how to cross the “hermeneutical bridge”
  • See how each story works together
  • Help your congregation fall in love with the Bible all over again

Then you want Weekend College: The Bible as Story

Why We Do Peace: Connecting Peacemaking with the Bible – Nick Ladd, faculty

As Anabaptists, following Jesus has always been about living like Jesus which means that we are people of peace in a world torn by violence.

But what about the wars in the Old Testament? What about Romans 13? Did Jesus actually mean for us to follow his teaching on being peacemakers?

Join us to explore the biblical foundations of the Anabaptist witness for Peacemaking, Justice and Reconciliation

Preaching that Changes Lives – Michele Hershberger, faculty

If you’d like to improve your preaching skills, try out new ways of organizing sermons or simply want to dip your toe into what it feels like to preach, then Weekend College: Preaching that Changes Lives is for you.

Hesston College’s own Michele Hershberger and selected guest preachers will lead this participatory event. Discuss and practice eight preaching principles, watch and evaluate different sermons and discover your authentic voice.

Missional Leadership – Michele Hershberger, faculty

How can you help congregations do the missional work they’re hesitant to do? Explore what it means to be truly missional. Then learn the 4 competencies of adaptive leadership, first developed by the Kansas Leadership Center. Work with your congregational team on diagnosing the situation, managing self, energizing others and intervening skillfully. Michele Hershberger leads this Weekend College.

Typical Weekend College Schedule

  • Friday evening – two 90-minute sessions
  • Saturday – four 90-minute sessions
  • Sunday morning – one-hour question and answer followed by 30-minute sermon wrap-up

Cost

Weekend College is offered to churches for $2000, plus travel, lodging and meal reimbursement to the faculty presenter. For groups of more than 100 people an additional $500 fee will be charged. This extra fee will be used in part to help Hesston College provide reduced costs to lower-income communities who want resourcing. Churches and communities who cannot afford the full rate may be eligible for a discounted rate. Churches are encouraged to charge their own participants a nominal fee in order to pay for expenses and to encourage individual buy-in and full participation.

To learn more about this experience, contact Michele Hershberger at 620-327-8292 or michele.hershberger@hesston.edu