The Philosophy of Education at Sonshine School of Evangelism
by David Fagan, Academic Dean

Sonshine School of Evangelism has been developed to fill a specific role-preparing conservative preachers academically and practically to be effective evangelists of Jesus Christ. The supply of conservative, faithful preachers is fast disappearing. Shortsighted congregations, grinding preachers to powder between the grist mills of low pay, no respect, and double standards; have yet to recognize the shortage of preachers they have created by the hireling mentality persisting in the churches. Make no mistake, Sonshine School of Evangelism is not simply another institution to churn out pastors bent on climbing the congregational ladder towards the mega-church pinnacle.

The New Testament model for training preachers is for evangelists to train evangelists, And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). With this Biblical injunction at the forefront, we recognized the need for practical instruction, in a true congregational setting, that would prepare preachers for the tough challenges that come with setting a church in order.

Foremost in our curriculum is a solid, in-depth, Bible honoring, study of God's Word. Our classroom lectures do not simply tell preachers what they should believe, as if they were mindless robots; they teach preachers how to study the Bible with the intellectual honesty that produces conviction and yields Truth. This Bible instruction is coupled with the development of functional communication skills: incisive writing, broadcasting, and computer training to enable them to effectively and efficiently communicate the great Truths of the Scripture to the whole world. On-the-job training affords these men the opportunity to face evangelistic opportunities with the support and encouragement of experienced evangelists with proven track records. Rather than fill students heads with ivory-towered theological theories and then throw them to the wolves; Sonshine School of Evangelism seeks to send out trained evangelists who are shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). Men of boldness and courage, forearmed and forewarned, of the challenges they can expect; prepared to meet those challenges with faithful, Biblical responses.

Basic to the Sonshine School of Evangelism philosophy of education is personal spiritual development. In personal devotions, Scripture memorization, soul winning, development of a meaningful prayer life, in personal holiness and morality, our standards are the highest. We are tired of congregations and preachers who wink at sin, who rationalize their own sinful lifestyles, who ignore the Bible injunctions to purity, devotion, and victory! We are fed up with congregations and leaders that are twins to a lost and dying world, blindly playing church, deluded by Satan into believing they follow God when in fact they are slaves to the trendy dogmas of men.

Accomplishing these goals in a two-year format is a daunting task. Only men of character, with hands to the plow; eyes, heart and mind, focused immovably on the Christ of glory, are considered for this program. The fluff and fat has been ruthlessly sliced from our curriculum. Our required classes are only those that contribute directly to the making of evangelists of Christ, men wholly devoted to the Savior, men who have set their minds on things above; giving their all, to be used in service to Christ.