Thinking and Providing Biblical and Grace Centered Theological Resources for the Church.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:17-18
We are a 501 3 c "Christian Think Tank" who conducts research on Church Trends, Biblical Precepts as well as digging into Schaeffer's thoughts on "True Spirituality." We believe these can be powerful tools for a "church force," So you can build and lead a better church for Christ's glory. Our vision is combining the efforts of the "Francis Schaeffer Institute of Church Development" and "Into Thy Word Ministries," to provide you with the findings of our think-tank, research papers, curriculums helps for researches, pastors and churches to apply essential thinking to faith for Christ's glory....
It is our VISION and call, and commitment to point the church back onto the path of making disciples. It is our passion and directive to lead Christians away from our false perceptions and into His way.
There are two main Francis Schaeffer Institute's. One he personally helped set up and partially funded on the campus of Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, MO.
They carryout the fortitude and ideas of Francis Schaeffer who advocated for a spirituality that is not compartmentalized, but rather flows from the rich textures of culture, art, and faith. We also wholeheartedly support. Our distinction is there focus is on Apologetics, whereas ours is on Church Leadership Development. Both are needed and important calls. (www.covenantseminary.edu/)Their identification is the seeking of the biblical emphasis in the thought and life of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, with a focus on the development of their early ministry in the United States and Europe and the founding of L'Abri. They seek the issues related to the fields of apologetics, Christian family, the unity of the church, Christians and the arts, and various aspects of Christian ministry.
Then there is our Institute, under Schaeffer's guidance and vision, our parent ministry Into Thy Word (ITW) and FASICLD were started in Carmel California by a group of Reformed Episcopal clergy and lay people. This was originally as a "guild" at All Saints Episcopal Church in Carmel, Ca, as a think-tank and Bible literacy project. In which Schaeffer personally inspired and worked at on occasion. This endeavor came into fruition in 1978, where our focus rests with Schaeffer's other main passion, "spiritual growth," and how it impacts the Christian personally and the local church as well as the global Christian community and its influence to the world. We seek to strategize how to reach and train pastors and church leaders to focus on Christ centered principles.
The inward area is the first place of loss of true Christian life, of true spirituality, and the outward sinful act is the result. Francis Schaeffer
Francis Schaeffer was very much concerned with what he said as, the lack of commitment and strive that most Christians even leaders have in the church. He saw a coming breakdown of the church from, chasing treads and not Christ. A focus of wasted and misplaced spirituality that does not flow from the wondrous textures of Biblical understanding and Christian Character precepts, to which we have responded too.
Thus, we at the FASICLD advocate, as Schaeffer coined, "True Spirituality." During my yeas of personal mentorship with Schaeffer, he challenged me with the importance of leading and managing a church from Biblical precepts and making disciples so others can do the same. The problem is most pastors are more concerned with numbers, trends and being popular and respect and less and less concerned with the Centrality of Christ and His call for the Church.
Mission & Vision
Our ministry is a traditional research and missions organization with the mission to research church trends and then provide them to pastors by researching and providing curriculums and in some cases sending people to be trainers and raising emerging leaders and training and equipping them. Our Director trains pastors in India every summer. In similarity, our online presence, we also equip people with curriculums, articles and Bible Studies as well as offer hundreds of online commentary's and research tools. In the past, the 70's, 80's and 90's we predominantly conducted long term research. We also printed booklets and translated them for use in Bible Schools and our people who train pastors used and distributed them. We also did seminars, which we still do. In contrast, with a website, we are able to provide far more materials in a much greater efficiency and cost effective manner. And make our presence known to a multitude of people, churches and organizations we would not be able to do otherwise.
One of the primary purposes and call by our partnership with Into Thy Word Ministries is to continue our research, develop and provide Pastoral Training Curriculum. We specialize in developing in-depth, inductive based Bible resources that are carefully researched from Scripture. We use original languages, cultural understanding, investigative logic, serious and critical thinking. We do not base our materials on theories, tends, theological frameworks or commentaries. These resources are designed to be authentically biblical and effectual to be used by pastors and Christian leaders so they can in turn teach others these principles of discipleship too.
Current Goals
This new year, 2008, we are very busy building another large scale content driven website, using our new reacquired top domain we sold and just bought back, www.churchleadership.org/. We also have a smaller site at www.truespirituality.org/. We are digging through our archives as well as current research and finding ways to present them to you in a web format. These materials are being used to build this new website, a project partnering with Into Thy Word. It will provide research results, pastoral leadership tips and practical insights from over 30 years of church growth and leadership development.
We found that when people use our resources, they gain a richer and greater understanding of God and His precepts; we are a "discipleship tool" and resource for you and desire to grow people for Christ's glory.
Be blessed
Rev.Richard J. Krejcir Ph.D. (friend, mentee and nephew of the late great Dr. Francis Schaeffer)
It is our VISION and call, and commitment to point the church back onto the path of making disciples. It is our passion and directive to lead Christians away from our false perceptions and into His way.
