MasterWorks Academy

Overview

MasterWorks Academy 2022 -2024 Course Catalog

October 1, 2022

Biblical literacy is sorely lacking and so desperately needed in these times, but the responsibility to advance it cannot be shouldered by pastors alone. MasterWorks is pleased to assist in the work of equipping the laity to do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12) by offering eight courses that lead to a Certificate in Christian Ministry. Imagine having a corps of mature spiritual warriors in every church! Christianity would not only reclaim Christ’s supremacy in our land, but also accelerate the Lord’s return by completing the Great Commission.

MasterWorks exists to help Pastors, Lay Leaders and local Churches make, motivate and multiply mature disciples of Jesus Christ. The MasterWorks Academy is designed to launch disciples into deeper levels of service and leadership. The Academy seeks to make disciple-makers who will be empowered and equipped to make other disciple-makers.

The MasterWorks Academy is an eight-course, 70 session academic and spiritual formation program taught online weekly on Tuesdays from 6:30-9:30pm by Dr. David Schroeder. The Academy leads to a Certificate in Christian Ministry from MasterWorks, Inc. The courses are taught over four semesters in 2023 and 2024 and qualified courses may be transferred for credit to Pillar College as part of PACE, Pillar Academy of Continuing Education. The eight courses are:

  • Walking in Your Anointing
  • Finding Your Spiritual Gift (Charisma)
  • Worldviews and World Religions
  • Spiritual Warfare
  • Frontiers of Faith
  • Church on Mission (Leadership)
  • Bible Alive
  • Come & Go Disciple-making

2023

Semester One

Walking in Your Anointing – 6 sessions; Feb 7, 14, 21, 28; Mar 7, 14 2023

Whether you are a “little child,” a “young man/woman,” or a “father/mother” spiritually or in years, in Christ “you have been anointed by the Holy One” (1 John 2:12-14, 20). Your anointing is for empowerment and effective ministry, and that is experienced in proportion to how well you know who you are in Christ and how well you know who Christ is in you. Some of this you gain by knowledge; more of it through surrender to His lordship and being baptized/filled in/with the Holy Spirit. 

Spiritual maturity is not a matter of age or how long one has been a Christian, or even how well you know the Bible. Your view of God and of yourself impact your growth. Small view of God and inadequate view of yourself = slow or no growth. 

This course gives you corrective lenses about the biblical worldview using Michael Heiser’s book, Supernatural. We also explore the topics “Identity” and “Anointing.” Every student will have the opportunity to come into a deeper relationship with and commitment to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Your pneuma-phobia will be cured by the Holy Spirit as you read Dr. Schroeder’s book Walking in Your Anointing, the textbook for this course. The six course sessions are:

  • Spiritual Worldview
  • Who I Am in Christ
  • Who Christ is in Me
  • Rekindle the Flame
  • Immersed in Trinitarian Reality
  • The Acts and Manifestations of the Spirit.

The cost of this course is $257, payable upon registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course can be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details.

Register by January 31, 2023, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

There is no subject more important to contemporary Christianity than the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The old saying is still true – ‘Christianity is hopeless without the Holy Spirit.’ Dr. David Schroeder masterfully handles the subject in a way that both informs and inspires. You will be blessed by this book.

Jim Cymbala, Senior Pastor

The Brooklyn Tabernacle

Finding Your Spiritual Gift (Charisma) – 3 sessions; Mar 21, 28; Apr 4

Throw out the spiritual gifts inventories! Did you know that the Bible consistently teaches that every individual believer has only one spiritual gift? And the Bible clearly distinguishes between gifts and manifestations of the Spirit. 

And doesn’t it seem odd to you that this topic which is meant to empower the church in unity is the source of church splits and controversy? 

Finding Your Charisma has been taught to thousands who have discovered key ideas that differ from unbiblical, traditional views. Well over 90% who have taken the course have discovered their charisma – spiritual gift – and have been significantly impacted. In this course, you will learn to:

  • Understanding Spiritual Gifts
  • Discovering Your Spiritual Gift
  • Using Your Spiritual Gift

Not just a “game-changer,” Finding Your Charisma is a life-changer and a church-transformer. You will never see yourself the same way. Guaranteed. Foundational to spiritual formation.

The cost of this course is $129 (including the pdf workbook), payable at Registration unless other arrangements are made. There is no textbook for this course, although the basic concepts are found in Walking in Your Anointing, a text used in the next course. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* Churches who wish to have the course presented on a weekend in person (20 or more students), can contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details.**

Register by March 14, 2023, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

I want to wholeheartedly thank my good friend and one of my most influential mentors in my Christian life for introducing me to “Finding Your Charisma”!  Once I discovered my spiritual gift it opened all new opportunities to minister with great joy and effectiveness empowered with the unction and anointing of the Holy Spirit! 

Dr. Frank Donaruma

Worldviews and Religions – 7 sessions; Apr 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23  2023

Fish have a worldview; it’s called water. Like many people today, fish may not be aware of their worldview, but they live within it; it is their reality. Every human being has a worldview, whether they know it or not. There may be as many worldviews as there are people but, basically, they can be boiled down to seven, with some modern variants. Using James Sire’s book, The Universe Next Door, we will consider cultural and religious views of reality (worldviews), and explore how western Judeo-Christian theism devolved into today’s post-modern humanism, traveling through deism, naturalism, existentialism, eastern transcendentalism (especially Hinduism and Buddhism), and new age religion only to land in MTD, moralistic therapeutic deism. 

Get ready to unmute because this course is very interactive; everyone has opinions about religion, and though polite society refrains from discussing religion and politics, we won’t be totally polite (though we will be civil and courteous). An outcome of this course is that you will be an amateur philosopher, with enough knowledge to confuse any audience😊.

The cost of this course is $299, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* With some additional work, this course may qualify for Pillar College credits through the PACE program***.  This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Register by April 4, 2023, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Being able to see the world through the lens of other cultures and belief systems has allowed me to further solidify my own faith and equipped me to engage in dialogue without being fearful of the unknown. Dr. Schroeder breaks down the progression of worldviews in the Western context, while also teaching the influence of Eastern ideologies in a way that is not intimidating to learn and engage throughout the course. This course is an absolute must if you are interested in broadening your knowledge on how others may come to their own conclusions and worldview, while testing your foundations and reinforcing truth throughout.

Frankie Pavia, Associate Pastor

Grace Chapel, Bedminster, NJ

Semester Two

Spiritual Warfare – 7 sessions; Aug 22, 29; Sep 5, 12, 19, 26; Oct 3 2023

Spiritual warfare is not a trendy new topic. Satan is real. And so is the war he wages against the Church. God’s enemy delights in diminishing our ability to serve the Lord and in blinding us to the pure joy and love God wants in our lives. Satan’s greatest triumphs are in battles for the minds of believers and the reputation of the Church and its leaders.

Dr. Schroeder’s book, The Lion, the Church, and the Warfare will be used, with its special emphasis on Ephesians, the Pauline letter written to the city most plagued by the demonic. In three sections – The War of the Ages, Heavenly Hostilities, and The Warfare – The Lion exposes the enemy’s tactics of deception, corruption, and accusation, all of which can be successfully defeated through provisions of The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, our spiritual armor, and prayer. Frontline spiritual warriors in the ministry of demonic deliverance will be guests.

Knowing the ancient biblical worldview, as taught in Michael S. Heiser’s Supernatural is essential for effective spiritual warfare. You will also meet two new spiritual mentors through their powerful books: John A MacMillan, The Authority of the Believer, and Neil T. Anderson, The Bondage Breaker (and several others), from which The Lion draws frequently.  Part of spiritual warfare is being able to contend for the faith by being ready to give answer to those who ask questions about our faith (Jude 1:3 and 1 Peter 3:15), so we will seek to untangle some of the snarly issues of apologetics as they are used by Satan.

The cost of this course is $299, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* With some additional work, this course may qualify for Pillar College credits through the PACE program.***  Register by August 15, 2023, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

David Schroeder makes an invaluable contribution to believers by bringing together under one cover a distillation of solid biblical theology and time-proven practical insights to empower Jesus-followers to triumph in the fight. What he’s written is the best, most-balanced volume on this subject I’ve ever read.

David Bryant

President, Proclaim Hope!

Founder, ChristNow.com

Author, Christ is NOW

Frontiers of Faith – 6 sessions; Oct 10, 17, 24, 31; Nov 7, 14, 2023

Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Likewise, an unexamined faith is not worth having – maybe. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I would not have you to be ignorant, my brothers…, so he informed them about a theological truth that gave a new understanding of God’s ways and God’s will.

Many believers are like the earliest followers of Jesus – they know the Lord, but do not know the basic teachings of the Bible on key doctrinal issues. Theological illiteracy can be eradicated by taking this course which uses Dr. Schroeder’s book Frontiers of Faith which focuses on three main topics: The Father and His Word, The Son and the Gospel, and the Spirit and the Church.

Theology, once called “The Queen of the sciences,” is an unexplored frontier for many Christians today. We ride the major highways of Sunday and YouTube sermons, and maybe attend a Life Group or Bible Study, but we don’t really see the wonders of God’s Word in the major themes that shape our journey. We do not stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it… (Jeremiah 6:16).

This course is for two kinds of students: those just beginning their walk and exploration of their Christian faith, and those who have been walking for years, but not in the depths of biblical understanding, which includes most Christians. All Christians will benefit by “boldly going” into this frontier of faith.

The cost of this course is $256, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively*. This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details. With some additional work, this course may qualify for Pillar College credits through the PACE program.  Register by October 3, 2023, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Frontiers of Faith should be part of the discipleship class at every church. New believers are always very excited in their new life but often left with the question, “What now?” Dr. Schroeder disentangles the mystery, the man, and the myth. Dr. Schroeder has a way of simplifying God’s magnificence that even the non-believer will have trouble denying His existence.

Beatrice Williams, student

Church on Mission (Leadership) – 5 sessions; Nov 21, 28; Dec 5, 12, 19, 2023

In “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones finds himself lowered into a deep, dark, dry cistern surrounded by wall-to-wall vipers. His only “weapon” is a torch. What an image of 21st century church ministry! We have the torch, the light of the world, but the vipers are many, and sometimes we feel trapped. We begin this course with the question: How did the apostle Paul guide an adolescent church (Corinth) to become united and missional? Pastors and other leaders who shepherd a church into maturity are few and far between. But that need not deter us from learning and applying the strategies of the first-century church planter and apostle.

In the midst of addressing viper issues that threatened to poison the church at Corinth, Paul addressed these questions: 

  • What is the mission of Jesus Christ in the world today?
  • What kind of people does He use to accomplish that purpose?
  • What kind of church ministry will develop/produce those kinds of people?
  • What kind of leaders do we need to be to encourage that kind of church ministry?
  • What ‘in-body’ ministries should we exercise to become an effective, mature church?

In this course we will reinvent the seminary. Every pastor has said at one time, “They never taught me that in seminary,” referring to some ministry skill. The imaginary seminary we will build will start with an analysis of the culture we want to reach and the resources we will need, and then we will design courses and experiences that will help the next generation of pastors be missional leaders. Resources will include articles by Dr. Schroeder, including “Reengineering ATS,” and “Accrediting the Local Church,” and Church Next by Eddie Gibbs.

The cost of this course is $215, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Register by November 14, 2023, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Dr. Schroeder’s teaching is compelling. Once you listen to his teaching, you are captivated. He is right. They never taught that in seminary and that is why many pastors find themselves unprepared to deal with the issues they face. Praise God Dr. Schroeder shines a light or torch in this dark area.

Robert H. Springer

Double R Ministries

2024

Semester Three

Bible Alive! – OT (10 sessions) Jan 16, 23, 30; Feb 6, 13, 20, 27; Mar 5, 12, 19

NT (10 sessions) Mar 26; Apr 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7, 14, 21, 28

Hungry to know the Bible? Really know it? In Bible Alive you will learn Context, Contents, Ministry Themes and Personal Applications of all 66 books. Over 500 PowerPoint slides drive this five-month journey that will put you on a pathway to lifelong delightful study and use of God’s Word. Lectures and group discussions based on light homework assignments from The Archaeological Study Bible add to the delight. 

This second-year course is the entire third semester of the Certificate in Christian Ministry. Even if you have had formal Bible training, Bible Alive will be a great refresher in biblical content, and it will supplement your knowledge with practical application, making the Bible a more useful “sword of the Spirit.” Brief oral reports will be given by students from interesting homework assignments in The Archaeological Study Bible. With some additional assignments, Bible Alive is transferrable to Pillar College as six credits covering Introduction to Old Testament and Introduction to New Testament through the PACE program. Fun quizzes provide reviews of each of the ten modules, which are:

  • Module 1: Torah, the five Books of Moses (5)
  • Module 2: Pre-exile History (9)
  • Module 3: Pre-exile Prophets (10)
  • Module 4: Writings, the Wisdom Literature (5)
  • Module 5: Exile, Post-exile and Inter-testament History and Prophets (3+7)
  • Module 6: Teachings of Jesus; (Matthew and John – 2)
  • Module 7: Life of Jesus and the Early Church (Mark, Luke, Acts – 3)
  • Module 8: Church Letters of the Apostle Paul (9)
  • Module 9: Pastoral Letters of Paul and Letters of the Other Apostles (12)
  • Module 10: Revelation (1)

This semester course is $855, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church.** With some additional work, this course qualifies for Pillar College credits through the PACE program.*** Register by January 11, 2024, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

I attended Bible Alive, taught by Dr. David Schroeder. God made a provision to have the Bible come alive in my life. The LORD was transforming me through the feast of and on His Word.  I began seeing and hearing the LORD more frequently, loudly and clearly than ever before. I EXPERIENCED the LORD and the gift of literally learning through my weaknesses, all while I allowed the LORD to be my strength. I am forever grateful to Dr. Schroeder for the opportunity for offering the Bible Alive course.

Mirta Perez, Special Needs Ministry Coordinator

Life Church

2024

Semester Four

Come & Go, The Disciple-making Strategy of Jesus – 16 sessions; Intro and Kingdom Values ( 6 sessions) Sep 4, 11, 18, 25; Oct 1, 8, 2024

Kingdom Ministry (6 sessions) Oct 15, 22, 29; Nov 5, 12, 19, 2024

Kingdom Leadership (4 sessions) Nov 26; Dec 3, 10, 17, 2024

Jesus’ first invitation to disciples was “COME, follow me;” his last words were a command, “GO, make disciples.” This second-year course is the entire fourth semester of the Certificate in Christian Ministry. Even if you have had discipleship training, it is unlikely that you have been trained in disciple-making, and it is quite likely that you focused on spiritual disciplines, which is exactly what Jesus did not do.  Using Dr. Schroeder’s disciple-making manual, Come & Go, and working in small break-out groups, you will learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how to become a disciple-making disciple. 

The fifteen character qualities that Jesus taught the Twelve in Luke’s Gospel were given in three phases during His three years with them: Learning Kingdom Values, Learning Kingdom Ministry, and Learning Kingdom Leadership. Discission questions for your small group will take you in four directions: What It (the text) Says, What It Means, What It Means for Me, and Now What? A Character Diagnostic at the end of each session will reveal your level of maturity in each quality.

Ideally, during this semester you will form a small group of disciple protégées who will continue with you after you have completed the semester, and thus you will be doing the Great Commission of making disciples. 

The cost of this course is $685, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course qualifies for three Pillar College credits in lieu of Spiritual Formation through the PACE Program with some additional work.*** Register by August 28, 2024, online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

NOTE: Churches that want to have the course offered onsite with at least 10 students can contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details.** Sessions could meet for three hours on sixteen Saturday mornings at whatever pace works best for the church. 

Dr. Schroeder’s insight into Jesus’ call to follow Him removes the normal stumbling blocks to true discipleship. Come & Go outlines a practical path to spiritual maturity.

Dr. David D. Ireland, Ph.D.

Senior Pastor of Christ Church

Author of The Kneeling Warrior

FAQs/Details

You may already know the value of Dr. David Schroeder’s teaching. But you may not be aware that over the past several years he has developed a full curriculum toward Certification in Christian Ministry. Completion of the entire MasterWorks Academy and all assignments will secure your Certificate in Christian Ministry from MasterWorks, Inc. You may take courses “ala carte,” but we recommend taking the entire MW Academy curriculum as presented.

Students may sign up for individual courses, for a semester at a time, or enroll for the entire MasterWorks Certificate in Christian Ministry Program. The investment of eight courses for $2995 is far less than eight typical college credit courses which would be at least $22,400. But, through MasterWorks, it is only $2995. That is about 11% of the cost of a degree program! All courses will be taught by Dr. David Schroeder, at times with help from other MasterWorks faculty. Most sessions will meet online on Tuesdays from 6:30 – 9:30 pm.  Tuition and book expenses vary depending on the course. The entire certificate program of 70 sessions (210 hours) is $2995, but if taken in total and consecutively, you will receive a reduction of 10% ($299) as a rebate with your Certificate upon completion of the Academy. A separate notice will provide information about payment plans, scholarships, refunds, Pillar College credits through PACE, Certificate in Christian Ministry and other opportunities, such as the MasterWorks Edge. For information about MasterWorks Academy, contact us at info@MasterworksInc.org or access www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/. 

*Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively. A church that enrolls a minimum of 10 students as a group in the MasterWorks Academy, will receive an additional 10% off the tuition for managing and collecting the registration fees, book fees and hosting the students. You will be responsible for forwarding the monies to MasterWorks. 

**For courses offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church, MasterWorks will work with you to accommodate schedule and fees per participant of ten or more students, plus travel and lodging expenses of the instructor. Virtual training may be offered in situations where the instructor is out of the area. 

*** Successful completion of all sessions, their assignments and submission of the forms can allow the student to obtain college credits through any qualified Pillar College PACE program (Pillar Academy of Continuing Education). Ask for details.

NOTES:

  • Dr. Schroeder’s books will be available for purchase at the beginning of each on-site class.
  • Payment plans are available.
  • Some private scholarships are available. Our Certificate programs do not qualify for federal funding. Though the program is funded by tuition, no one is turned away for inability to pay.
  • Finding Your Charisma
  • Walking in Your Anointing
  • Frontiers of Faith
  • Worldviews and World Religions
  • Spiritual Warfare
  • Church Leadership
  • Bible Alive
  • Come & Go Disciple-making

2022

Semester One

Finding Your Charisma –3 classes; March 1, 8, 15, 2022 **** More available

The MasterWorks Academy is an eight-course, 70 credit academic and spiritual formation program taught online weekly by Dr. David Schroeder which leads to the Certificate in Christian Ministry from MasterWorks, Inc. There is an emphasis on Disciple-making. Eight courses will be taught over four semesters in 2022 and 2023 in conjunction with PACE, Pillar Academy of Continuing Education.***

And doesn’t it seem odd to you that this topic which is meant to empower the church in unity is the source of church splits and controversy? 

Finding Your Charisma has been taught to thousands who have discovered key ideas that differ from unbiblical, traditional views. Well over 90% who have taken the course have discovered their charisma – spiritual gift – and have been significantly impacted. In this course, you will learn to:

  • Understand Spiritual Gifts
  • Discover Your Spiritual Gift
  • Use Your Spiritual Gift

Not just a “game-changer,” Finding Your Charisma is a life-changer and a church-transformer. You will never see yourself the same way. Guaranteed. Foundational to spiritual formation.

The cost of this course is $310 (including the workbook), payable at Registration unless other arrangements are made. There is no textbook for this course, although the basic concepts are found in Walking in Your Anointing, a text used in the next course. A notebook (costing $10) will be distributed in the first class.

Please make sure all hyperlinks work. They take people to Amazon. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* Churches who wish to have the course presented on a weekend in person (20 or more students), can contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details.**

Register by February 22, 2022, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

I want to wholeheartedly thank my good friend and one of my most influential mentors in my Christian life for introducing me to “Finding Your Charisma”!  Once I discovered my spiritual gift it opened all new opportunities to minister with great joy and effectiveness empowered with the unction and anointing of the Holy Spirit! 

Dr. Frank Donaruma

Walking in Your Anointing – 6 classes; September 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 2022

Whether spiritually or in years you are a “little child,” a “young man/woman,” or a “father/mother,” in Christ “you have been anointed by the Holy One” (1 John 2:12-14, 20). Your anointing is for empowerment and effective ministry, and that is experienced in proportion to how well you know who you are in Christ and how well you know who Christ is in you. Some of this you gain by knowledge; more of it through surrender to His lordship and being baptized/filled in/with the Holy Spirit. 

Spiritual maturity is not a matter of age or how long one has been a Christian, or even how well you know the Bible. Your view of God and of yourself impact your growth. Small view of God and inadequate view of yourself = slow or no growth. 

This course gives you corrective lenses about the biblical worldview using Michael Heiser’s book, Supernatural. We also explore the topics “Identity” and “Anointing.” Every student will have the opportunity to come into a deeper relationship with and commitment to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Your pneuma-phobia will be cured as you read Dr. Schroeder’s book Walking in Your Anointing, the textbook for this course. The seven chapters are:

  • From Religion to Revelation
  • Baptized into Trinitarian Reality
  • The Acts of the Holy Spirit
  • Manifestations of the Holy Spirit
  • What about Spiritual Gifts?
  • Seeking, Experiencing and Knowing the Filling of the Holy Spirit
  • Empowered by the Spirit

The cost of this course is $600, payable upon registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details.

Register by March 15, 2022, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

There is no subject more important to contemporary Christianity than the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The old saying is still true – ‘Christianity is hopeless without the Holy Spirit.’ Dr. David Schroeder masterfully handles the subject in a way that both informs and inspires. You will be blessed by this book.

Jim Cymbala, Senior Pastor
The Brooklyn Tabernacle

Worldviews and World Religions – 7 classes; October 25; November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; December 6, 2022

Fish have a worldview; it’s called water. Like many people today, fish may not be aware of their worldview, but they live within it; it is their reality. Every human being has a worldview, whether they know it or not. There may be as many worldviews as there are people but, basically, they can be boiled down to seven, with some modern variants. Using James Sire’s book, The Universe Next Door, we will consider cultural and religious views of reality (worldviews), and explore how western Judeo-Christian theism devolved into today’s post-modern humanism, traveling through deism, naturalism, existentialism, eastern transcendentalism (especially Hinduism and Buddhism), and new age religion only to land in MTD, moralistic therapeutic deism. 

Get ready to unmute because this course is very interactive; everyone has opinions about religion, and though polite society refrains from discussing religion and politics, we won’t be totally polite (though we will be civil and courteous). An outcome of this course is that you will be an amateur philosopher, with enough knowledge to confuse any audience😊.

The cost of this course is $700, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* With some additional work, this course may qualify for Pillar College credits through the PACE program***. This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Register by April 26, 2022, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Being able to see the world through the lens of other cultures and belief systems has allowed me to further solidify my own faith and equipped me to engage in dialogue without being fearful of the unknown. Dr. Schroeder breaks down the progression of worldviews in the Western context, while also teaching the influence of Eastern ideologies in a way that is not intimidating to learn and engage throughout the course. This course is an absolute must if you are interested in broadening your knowledge on how others may come to their own conclusions and worldview, while testing your foundations and reinforcing truth throughout.

Frankie Pavia, Associate Pastor
Grace Chapel, Bedminster, NJ

2023

Semester Two

Spiritual Warfare – 7 classes; February 7, 21, 28; March 7, 14, 21, 28, 2023

Spiritual warfare is not a trendy new topic. Satan is real. And so is the war he wages against the Church. God’s enemy delights in diminishing our ability to serve the Lord and in blinding us to the pure joy and love God wants in our lives. Satan’s greatest triumphs are in battles for the minds of believers and the reputation of the Church and its leaders.

Dr. Schroeder’s book, The Lion, the Church, and the Warfare will be used, with its special emphasis on Ephesians, the Pauline letter written to the city most plagued by the demonic. In three sections – The War of the Ages, Heavenly Hostilities, and The Warfare – The Lion exposes the enemy’s tactics of deception, corruption, and accusation, all of which can be successfully defeated through provisions of The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, our spiritual armor, and prayer. Frontline spiritual warriors in the ministry of demonic deliverance will be guests.

Knowing the ancient biblical worldview, as taught in Michael S. Heiser’s Supernatural is essential for effective spiritual warfare. You will also meet two new spiritual mentors through their powerful books: John A MacMillan, The Authority of the Believer, and Neil T. Anderson, The Bondage Breaker (and several others), from which The Lion draws frequently.  Part of spiritual warfare is being able to contend for the faith by being ready to give answer to those who ask questions about our faith (Jude 1:3 and 1 Peter 3:15), so we will seek to untangle some of the snarly issues of apologetics as they are used by Satan.

The cost of this course is $700, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* With some additional work, this course may qualify for Pillar College credits through the PACE program.*** Register by August 16, 2022, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

David Schroeder makes an invaluable contribution to believers by bringing together under one cover a distillation of solid biblical theology and time-proven practical insights to empower Jesus-followers to triumph in the fight. What he’s written is the best, most-balanced volume on this subject I’ve ever read.

David Bryant
President, Proclaim Hope!
Founder, ChristNow.com
Author, Christ is NOW

Frontiers of Faith – 6 classes; April 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 2023

Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Likewise, an unexamined faith is not worth having – maybe. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I would not have you to be ignorant, my brothers…, so he informed them about a theological truth that gave a new understanding of God’s ways and God’s will.

Many believers are like the earliest followers of Jesus – they know the Lord, but do not know the basic teachings of the Bible on key doctrinal issues. Theological illiteracy can be eradicated by taking this course which uses Dr. Schroeder’s book Frontiers of Faith which focuses on three main topics: The Father and His Word, The Son and the Gospel, and the Spirit and the Church.

Theology, once called “The Queen of the sciences,” is an unexplored frontier for many Christians today. We ride the major highways of Sunday and YouTube sermons, and maybe attend a Life Group or Bible Study, but we don’t really see the wonders of God’s Word in the major themes that shape our journey. We do not stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it… (Jeremiah 6:16).

This course is for two kinds of students: those just beginning their walk and exploration of their Christian faith, and those who have been walking for years, but not in the depths of biblical understanding, which includes most Christians. All Christians will benefit by “boldly going” into this frontier of faith.

The cost of this course is $600, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively*. This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details. With some additional work, this course may qualify for Pillar College credits through the PACE program. Register by October 4, 2022, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Frontiers of Faith should be part of the discipleship class at every church. New believers are always very excited in their new life but often left with the question, “What now?” Dr. Schroeder disentangles the mystery, the man, and the myth. Dr. Schroeder has a way of simplifying God’s magnificence that even the non-believer will have trouble denying His existence.

Beatrice Williams, student

Church on Mission – 5 classes; May 16, 23, 30; June 6, 13, 2023

In “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones finds himself lowered into a deep, dark, dry cistern surrounded by wall-to-wall vipers. His only “weapon” is a torch. What an image of 21st century church ministry! We have the torch, the light of the world, but the vipers are many, and sometimes we feel trapped. We begin this course with the question: How did the apostle Paul guide an adolescent church (Corinth) to become united and missional? Pastors and other leaders who shepherd a church into maturity are few and far between. But that need not deter us from learning and applying the strategies of the first-century church planter and apostle.

In the midst of addressing viper issues that threatened to poison the church at Corinth, Paul addressed these questions: 

  • What is the mission of Jesus Christ in the world today?
  • What kind of people does He use to accomplish that purpose?
  • What kind of church ministry will develop/produce those kinds of people?
  • What kind of leaders do we need to be to encourage that kind of church ministry?
  • What ‘in-body’ ministries should we exercise to become an effective, mature church?

In this course we will reinvent the seminary. Every pastor has said at one time, “They never taught me that in seminary,” referring to some ministry skill. The imaginary seminary we will build will start with an analysis of the culture we want to reach and the resources we will need, and then we will design courses and experiences that will help the next generation of pastors be missional leaders. Resources will include articles by Dr. Schroeder, including “Reengineering ATS,” and “Accrediting the Local Church,” and Church Next by Eddie Gibbs.

The cost of this course is $500, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church leaders.** Register by November 15, 2022, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Dr. Schroeder’s teaching is compelling. Once you listen to his teaching, you are captivated. He is right. They never taught that in seminary and that is why many pastors find themselves unprepared to deal with the issues they face. Praise God Dr. Schroeder shines a light or torch in this dark area.

Robert H. Springer
Double R Ministries

Semester Three

Bible Alive! – 20 classes; August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; September 5, 12, 19, 26; October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; November 7, 14, 21, 28; December 5, 12, 19, 2023

Hungry to know the Bible? Really know it? In Bible Alive you will learn Context, Contents, Ministry Themes and Personal Applications of all 66 books. Torah, History, Writings, Prophets, Gospels and

Hungry to know the Bible? Really know it? In Bible Alive you will learn Context, Contents, Ministry Themes and Personal Applications of all 66 books. Over 500 PowerPoint slides drive this five-month journey that will put you on a pathway to lifelong delightful study and use of God’s Word. Lectures and group discussions based on light homework assignments from The Archaeological Study Bible add to the delight. 

This second-year course is the entire third semester of the Certificate in Christian Ministry. Even if you have had formal Bible training, Bible Alive will be a great refresher in biblical content, and it will supplement your knowledge with practical application, making the Bible a more useful “sword of the Spirit.” Brief oral reports will be given by students from interesting homework assignments in The Archaeological Study Bible. With some additional assignments, Bible Alive is transferrable to Pillar College as six credits covering Introduction to Old Testament and Introduction to New Testament through the PACE program. Fun quizzes provide reviews of each of the ten modules, which are:

  • Module 1: Torah, the five Books of Moses (5)
  • Module 2: Pre-exile History (9)
  • Module 3: Pre-exile Prophets (10)
  • Module 4: Writings, the Wisdom Literature (5)
  • Module 5: Exile, Post-exile and Inter-testament History and Prophets (3+7)
  • Module 6: Teachings of Jesus; (Matthew and John – 2)
  • Module 7: Life of Jesus and the Early Church (Mark, Luke, Acts – 3)
  • Module 8: Church Letters of the Apostle Paul (9)
  • Module 9: Pastoral Letters of Paul and Letters of the Other Apostles (12)
  • Module 10: Revelation (1)

This semester course is $2000, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course may be offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church.** With some additional work, this course qualifies for Pillar College 6 credits through the PACE program.*** Register by January 10, 2023, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

I attended Bible Alive, taught by Dr.’s David Schroeder. God made a provision to have the Bible come alive in my life. The LORD was transforming me through the feast of and on His Word.  I began seeing and hearing the LORD more frequently, loudly and clearly than ever before. I EXPERIENCED the LORD and the gift of literally learning through my weaknesses, all while I allowed the LORD to be my strength. I am forever grateful to Dr. Schroeder for the opportunity for offering the Bible Alive course.

Mirta Perez, Special Needs Ministry Coordinator
Life Church

2024


Semester Four

Come & Go, The Disciple-making Strategy of Jesus – 16 classes; February 6, 13, 20, 27; March 5, 12, 19, 26; April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7, 14, 21, 2024

Jesus’ first invitation to disciples was “COME, follow me;” his last words were a command, “GO, make disciples.” This second-year course is the entire fourth semester of the Certificate in Christian Ministry. Even if you have had discipleship training, it is unlikely that you have been trained in disciple-making, and it is quite likely that you focused on spiritual disciplines, which is exactly what Jesus did not do.  Using Dr. Schroeder’s disciple-making manual, Come & Go, and working in small break-out groups, you will learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and how to become a disciple-making disciple. 

The fifteen character qualities that Jesus taught the Twelve in Luke’s Gospel were given in three phases during His three years with them: Learning Kingdom Values, Learning Kingdom Ministry, and Learning Kingdom Leadership. Discission questions for your small group will take you in four directions: What It (the text) Says, What It Means, What It Means for Me, and Now What? A Character Diagnostic at the end of each session will reveal your level of maturity in each quality.

Ideally, during this semester you will form a small group of disciple protégées who will continue with you after you have completed the semester, and thus you will be doing the Great Commission of making disciples. 

The cost of this course is $1600, payable at registration unless other arrangements are made in advance. Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively.* This course qualifies for three Pillar College credits in lieu of Spiritual Formation through the PACE Program with some additional work.*** Register by August 29, 2023, on the Form to the right or online at www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/ or email info@masterworksinc.org. For questions, write to rspringer@masterworksinc.org.

Churches that want to have the course offered onsite with at least 20 students can contact info@MasterWorksInc.org for details.** Classes could meet for three hours on sixteen Saturday mornings at whatever pace works best for the church. 

Dr. Schroeder’s insight into Jesus’ call to follow Him removes the normal stumbling blocks to true discipleship. Come & Go outlines a practical path to spiritual maturity.

Dr. David D. Ireland, Ph.D.
Senior Pastor of Christ Church
Author of The Kneeling Warrior

FAQs/Details

You may already know the value of Dr. David Schroeder’s teaching. But you may not be aware that over the past several years he has developed a full curriculum toward Certification in Christian Ministry. Completion of the entire MasterWorks Academy will secure your Certificate in Christian Ministry from MasterWorks, Inc. You may take courses “ala carte,” but we recommend taking the entire MW Academy curriculum as presented.

Students may sign up for individual courses, for a semester at a time, or enroll for the entire MasterWorks Certificate in Christian Ministry Program. The eight courses investment of $7000 is far less than eight typical college credit courses which would be $22,400. But, through MasterWorks, it would only be $7000. That is one third the cost! All courses will be taught by Dr. David Schroeder, at times with help from other MasterWorks faculty. Most classes will meet online on Tuesdays from 6:30 – 9:30 pm.  Tuition and book expenses vary depending on the course. Tuition is $100 per class period of 3 hours. The entire certificate program of 70 classes (210 hours) is $7000, but if taken in total and consecutively, a reduction of 10% ($700) is given in the final semester. A separate notice will provide information about payment plans, scholarships, refunds, Pillar College credits through PACE, Certificate in Christian Ministry and other opportunities, such as the MasterWorks Edge. For information about MasterWorks Academy, contact us at info@MasterworksInc.org or access www.masterworksinc.org/mw-leadership-academy/. 

*Groups of ten or more from one church will receive a discount, if paid collectively. If your church will enroll in the MasterWorks Academy a minimum of 10 students virtually as a group, MasterWorks will offer your Church an additional 10% off the tuition for managing and collecting the registration fees, book fees and hosting the saints.

**For courses offered onsite at a local church with a pastoral team and church, MasterWorks will work with you on fees per participant of ten or more students, plus travel and lodging expenses of the instructor. Virtual training may be offered in situations where the instructor is out of the area. 

*** Completion of all the assignments and submission of the forms can allow the student to obtain college credits through any qualified Pillar College PACE program, Pillar Academy of Continuing Education. Ask for details.

NOTES:

  • Dr. Schroeder’s books will be available for purchase at the beginning of each class.
  • Payment plans are available.
  • Some scholarships are available. Though the program is funded by tuition, no one is turned away for inability to pay.

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