Advanced Training and Certification Program

“To learn, read … to understand, write … to improve, practice … to master, teach”

2020 Classes Filled

We have filled our classes for advanced training and certification for 2020 and will not process new applications until 2021. However, if you are interested in learning and practicing relational wisdom in your own life and gaining experience teaching these concepts to others so you can eventually begin advanced training, please feel free to start through our online course at any time and to lead a small group study using our DVD, flash drive or streaming resources.

Overview

As people experience the benefits of practicing relational wisdom and see how it can be used to spread the gospel, they frequently ask, “How can I share these life-changing principles with other people?” We love that question!

RW Training Options and Opportunities describes fifteen simple ways that you can practice and share relational wisdom (RW) in your sphere of influence. If you’d like to be even more proactive, there are several ways that you can introduce others to relational wisdom beginning today.

1. Study Group Moderator
2. RW Presenter
3. Certified RW Instructor

We are currently developing a new generation of training resources that will integrate the principles of relational wisdom (RW), peacemaking, coaching and Christian conciliation, as illustrated below (details here).

RW360 sponsors an Annual Conference to provide opportunities for fellowship with like-minded Christians, for enhancing RW, peacemaking, coaching and conciliation skills, for improving training and and promotion effectiveness, and for  pursuing certification. Our next conference is scheduled for Sept. 9-12, 2021 (details here).

1. Study Group Moderator

One of the easiest ways to deepen your own RW skills and to introduce others to relational wisdom and the gospel is to moderate a small group study, using either our online or DVD/Flash Drive group study sets, which are available in both a faith-based version for Christian settings (Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0) and a values-based version for secular settings (Exploring Relational Wisdom 3.0). The online courses are available through our RW Academy and the DVD/Flash Drive versions are available through our Bookstore.

There is no advanced training required to serve as a group moderator since all of the actual teaching is provided through the course videos. As a moderator, your role is simply to recruit group members, set a study pace (typically one lesson per week), schedule and host meetings (in person or by phone or video conferencing) and lead discussions using the application questions in the course. Detailed suggestions for leading a group are available with the course materials.

If you decide to moderate private study groups, we encourage you to continue growing in your understanding of relational skills and biblical peacemaking by reading some of the books on our Recommended Reading page, especially, The Peacemaker (by Ken Sande), Feelings and Faith (by Brian Borgman), Emotional Intelligence 2.0 (by Bradberry and Greaves) and Emotional Intelligence (by Dan Goleman).

2. RW Presenter

If you have led at least two group studies and would like to be more proactive in introducing others to relational wisdom and to the gospel itself, we invite you to consider being approved as an RW Presenter.

RW Presenters are authorized to use RW360 educational resources, including PowerPoint presentations, videos, study guides and pamphlets to provide short introductory presentations on relational wisdom. As illustrated in Using RW for Witnessing and Evangelism, these presentations can be made using either our faith-based or values-based materials, and can take place in a wide variety of Christian and secular venues, including churches, nonprofits, businesses, schools, sports camps, police and fire departments, city councils, state legislatures and military bases.

These presentations typically last from 30 minutes to 60 minutes and are designed to provide a compelling introduction to the benefits of relational wisdom (e.g., Employers Reap a Double Benefit from RW Training) and to inspire individuals to pursue more extensive training online or through a group study.

Ideal outcomes of such presentations include: (1) a church deciding to provide RW training to its entire congregation through growth groups or Sunday school; (2) a nonprofit, business, school or other organization deciding to cover the cost of giving all of their staff access to online or group study training in relational wisdom (see Training Your Staff  in a Business, School or Other Organization).

Successful completion of RW Presenter training requirements also serves the purpose of demonstrating that an individual has a genuine passion for relational wisdom and the ability to secure multiple teaching opportunities, which are prerequisites for admission to instructor certification training.

RW Presenter Characteristics

To be effective in this role, a Training Presenter needs to possess the following characteristics:

1. A love for and solid understanding of God’s Word.
2. A passion for seeing others come to a saving faith through the gospel of Christ.
3. A genuine interest in other people and a demonstrated ability to develop close relationships by living out the principles of relational wisdom.
4. A proven gift for and significant experience in teaching or public speaking.
5. The ability to generate a steady flow of presentation opportunities. This will typically involve a gift for promotion and marketing and/or being in a position that provides natural, ongoing access to potential students, such as a helping, education, training or human relations position in a denomination, network, business, seminary or school.
6. The ability to commit a significant amount of time to learning, promoting and teaching relational wisdom.

This training is available only in the United States until we develop a system to effectively oversee RW Presenters in other countries.

Application Requirements

Before applying for our RW Presenter Program, please complete the following steps:

1. Review the detailed RW Presenter training requirements listed below.
2. Watch this Serving as an RW Presenter, which provides a detailed overview of the opportunities for promoting relational wisdom, as well as the responsibilities, resources and methods that are involved in this type of ministry.
3. Complete the Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0 online course and demonstrate a solid mastery of the principles in all 8 lessons by answering at least half of the discussion questions in each lesson, which will be submitted to RW360 for review. (Note: the first time you go through this course, you can do it with a group of friends and use this experience as one of the two study groups you are required to lead to become an RW Presenter.)
4. Complete crossover lessons 4 and 6 in the values-based course, Exploring Relational Wisdom 3.0, answering at least half of the discussion questions in each lesson, which will be submitted to RW360 for review. (Crossover links are provided in the Discovering RW 3.0 course so you do not need to register for the Exploring RW 3.0 course.)
5. Successfully lead at least two small groups through Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0, using either the online course or DVD/Flash Drive course. Each group should include at least three students.
6. Review RW360’s Statement of Faith, which must be affirmed by all Training Reps and Certified Instructors.
7. Submit an RW Presenter Application form.
8. Compile copies of your Personal Study Notes from the Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0 course and the crossover Exploring RW lessons into a single document (Word or pdf), and email them to our Director of Training at jeff@rw360.org.

Our Director of Training will review your application and your Personal Study Notes from the online course. If it appears that you are qualified to become an RW Presenter and we have current openings in the program, he will contact you to schedule a telephone interview to explore your goals and alignment for this training in more detail. If we conclude that you are a good fit for this training, we will notify you of your acceptance into the RW Presenter Program.

Training Requirements

Once you have been formally accepted into this program, you will need to complete these steps to be approved as an RW Presenter:

1. All of the steps listed in the previous Application Requirements section.
2. Pay a registration fee of $200 (see this payment page). We encourage married couples to work together. Therefore we invite spouses to apply to become RW Presenters for half (50%) of the regular fee.
3. Affirm RW360’s Statement of Faith.
4. Obtain three positive personal references, one of which must come from your pastor, and three positive assessments from individuals who have participated in an RW small group study you’ve led (see email templates here).
5. Read The Peacemaker (Sande), Emotional Intelligence 2.0 (Bradberry and Greaves), and assigned RW/EI articles, and write 500-1,000 word summaries for each book and 100-200 word summaries for each article.
6. Complete an online EI evaluation (from Emotional Intelligence 2.0 book).
7. Make at least two introductory RW presentations of at least 30 minutes each, with positive assessments from the participants. RW360 will provide appropriate PowerPoint files and handouts.
8. Record one of these presentations for review by RW360’s Director of Training.
9. Sign an RW Training Representative Independent Contractor Agreement.
10. Although it is not a requirement for initial approval, all RW Presenters and Instructors will be encouraged to complete new supplemental courses we plan to add to our foundational training series in the months ahead (e.g., Biblical Peacemaking, Advanced RW Skills, Neurology of Emotions, and Using RW for Witnessing and Evangelism).
11. Meet annual continuing education and teaching requirements (see details below).
12. Forward all of the work described above to RW360’s Director of Training at jeff@rw360.org.

Our Director of Training will review your completed work. If you have demonstrated a firm grasp of the central principles of relational wisdom and the ability to make a cogent RW presentation, you will be approved as an RW Presenter.

Licensing as Independent Contractors

RW Presenters are licensed to make presentations on relational wisdom using RW360 study guides, PowerPoint presentations, video clips, and promotional materials. RW Presenters will market and teach these materials as independent contractors.

Presentations made by RW Presenters are typically offered as a form of community engagement and evangelistic ministry rather than as a means to generate income. However, RW Presenters are free to accept compensation for the cost of travel and materials, as well as honorariums, if offered.

RW360 may occasionally enlist RW Presenters to to make presentations that we arrange. However, RW Presenters should not expect to receive invitations through RW360, but should instead anticipate that it will be up to them to arrange their own presentations.

RW360 reserves the right to revoke RW Presenter approval at its sole discretion.

Continuing Licensing Requirements

To maintain approval as an RW Presenter, a person will be expected to meet the following additional requirements:

• Provide an annual statement affirming your ongoing fellowship in a local church.
• Maintain a positive Christian testimony and lifestyle that reflects the values and concepts of relational wisdom
• Request evaluations of your presentations through RW360’s Survey Monkey form and receive predominantly positive responses.
• Continue to learn and grow through continuing education and personal application. Continuing education will involve occasional webinars and reading relevant online articles as well as one or two recommended books each year.
• Maintain proficiency by making and reporting at least five presentations each year.

3. Certified RW Instructor

Live RW webinars and seminars are taught by our staff and a network of Certified RW Instructors. Instructor certification is open to any individual who has an interest in teaching relational wisdom, but it is especially relevant to church and ministry leaders, counselors, managers, human resources professionals and people whose role in an organization includes training others.

Potential training hosts include churches, ministries and Christian-owned business (using our faith-based resources) as well as secular businesses, nonprofits, military bases, hospitals, government agencies, and police and fire departments (using our values-based resources).

Since demand for the live training is still developing, we encourage potential instructors to look at this as a ministry rather than as a way to make a living. In other words, don’t plan on giving up your “day job.”

Acceptance into this training is limited to a few individuals each year. Selection depends primarily on information provided through the RW Presenter application process, answers to the Personal Study Notes for the online course, presentation assessments, and a personal interview with our Director of Training.

This training is available only in the United States until we develop a system to effectively oversee Certified Instructors in other countries.

Instructor Privileges

Certified RW Instructors receive the following privileges:

1. Receive frameable Certificate of Completion.
2. May use RW360 resources (study guide, PowerPoint, videos, etc.) to teach RW as a short presentation, webinar, weekly study or as a live one-day seminar or weekend retreat.
3. Use of RW360 marketing and promotion resources (videos, fliers, posters, etc.).
4. May request materials reimbursement and charge speaking fees or donations (see sample fees at Webinars and Seminars).
5. Wholesale pricing on study guides.
6. Social networking with other instructors through Facebook.
7. Continuing education via webinars.
8. Listed as instructor on RW360 website/map.
9. Authorized to use RW360 name, logo, and marketing materials.

Application for Certified Instructor Program

After completing at least five presentations as an RW Presenter, you may apply for admission to the Certified Instructor Program by submitting an RW Instructor Application form.

Our Director of Training will review your application and the assessments you’ve received on your presentations. If it appears that you are qualified for instructor certification and we have current openings in the program, we will contact you to schedule a telephone interview to explore your goals and alignment for this level of training in more detail. If we conclude that you are a good fit for this training, we will notify you of your acceptance into the program.

Training Requirements

Once you have been formally accepted into the Instructor Certification Program, you will need to complete these steps to be certified as an RW Instructor:

1. Pay a registration fee of $395 (see this payment page). We encourage married couples to teach RW as a team. Therefore we invite spouses to apply to become Instructors for half (50%) of the regular fee.
2. Read Feelings and Faith (Brian Borgman), Emotional Intelligence (Goleman) and assigned RW/EI articles, and write 500-1,000 word summaries for each book and 100 summaries of each article.
3. Complete of 2-hour online course in educational methodology (available in 2021).
4. Complete a 2-hour online course on promotion methodology (available 2021).
5. Pass a written open book exam on the theology and foundational principles of relational wisdom.
6. Record a 1-hour teaching session on relational wisdom for review by RW360’s Director of Training.
7. Participate in a 30 minute Skype conversation with our Director of Training and answer a series of FAQ questions that are typically asked by students in a live seminar.
8. Teach three RW webinars or lives classes of at least three hours each, averaging at least five students per class, with predominantly positive assessments from students.
9. Sign an RW Instructor Independent Contractor Agreement.
10. Meet annual continuing education and teaching requirements (see details below).

Licensing as Independent Contractors

Certified RW Instructors are licensed to teach the Discovering Relational Wisdom Seminar and Exploring Relational Wisdom Seminar (or shortened versions thereof) using RW360 study guides, PowerPoint presentations, video clips, and promotional materials. Instructors will market and teach these materials as independent contractors.

Certified Instructors may charge a fee or request donations to cover their investment of time as well as their travel and material costs. RW360 recommends a suggested seminar registration fee of $49 per person, $80 for couples, but instructors are free to set different fees.

RW360 may occasionally enlist Certified Instructors to teach seminars that we arrange. However, instructors should not expect to receive invitations through RW360, but should instead anticipate that it will be up to them to arrange their own seminars.

Instructors are expected to donate to RW360 10% of the fees and contributions they receive from events they arrange on their own. If the event came through a referral from RW360 or its website, instructors are expected to donate 20% of the resulting fees or contributions to RW360.

RW360 reserves the right to revoke certification at its sole discretion.

Continuing Licensing Requirements

To maintain a license as a Certified RW Instructor, a person will be expected to meet the following additional requirements:

• Pay an annual renewal fee of $100.
• Provide an annual statement affirming your ongoing fellowship in a local church.
• Maintain a positive Christian testimony and lifestyle that reflects the values and concepts of relational wisdom
• Request teaching evaluations during teaching event and receive predominantly positive evaluations on your teaching.
• Continue to learn and grow through continuing education and personal application. Continuing education will involve occasional webinars and reading relevant online articles as well as one or two recommended books each year. We are unlikely to require travel to attend additional live training.
• Maintain proficiency by teaching relational wisdom at least 15 hours each year (e.g., five 3-hour Discovering RW webinars or seminars, three 5-hour RW webinars or seminars, or two ten-week Sunday school classes, or a combination thereof).

4. Integrated Training Program / Peace Sower Teams™

Relational Wisdom + Peacemaking + Coaching + Christian Conciliation

RW360’s new generation of training resources will integrate the principles of relational wisdom (RW), peacemaking, coaching and Christian conciliation into a discipleship program that equips individuals with skills that enable them to build relationships that prevent conflict and reflect the transforming power of the gospel.

Peace Sower Teams

These resources may be used by churches, ministries, businesses, schools, military bases and other organizations to develop in-house Peace Sower Teams™ that include RW presenters, coaches and conciliators who equip and assist others to live out the gospel by applying the principles of relational wisdom and biblical peacemaking in their daily lives.

Peace Sower Teams are designed to fulfill the promise of James 3:18: “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

This “sow to reap” metaphor reminds us that the more diligently we sow and nurture God’s relational principles, especially the gospel itself, the more we will see a harvest of peace, unity and godly relationships in our churches, ministries, schools and businesses.

As relationships thrive, the weeds of conflict have less room to grow, which opens the way for stronger families, more fruitful ministry and church growth, improved work performance, and, most importantly, a more compelling witness as Christians live out the gospel of peace in their families, workplaces and communities.

Peace Sower Teams promote this God-honoring harvest by being both “reactive” (reconciling people in conflict) and “proactive” (teaching and coaching people to develop skills that actually prevent conflict). Ideally each team will include members who focus on one or more of three complementary discipleship ministries.

• RW Presenters provide ongoing training in relational wisdom and peacemaking through seminars, small group studies and Sunday school classes. They also provide regular reminders of these concepts through social media and personal testimonies. Finally, they can use our “values-based” resources to promote evangelism and church growth by making presentations on RW in local businesses, nonprofits, schools and other secular settings.
• RW Coaches provide RW skills coaching (assisting individuals to accelerate the development of key relational skills, thereby “getting upstream of conflict”) and conflict coaching (assisting individuals to apply RW and peacemaking principles to resolve an existing conflict). A key goal of this ministry is to strengthen relationships and reduce the amount of crisis marriage counseling that many pastors face on a regular basis.
• RW Conciliators are available to mediate conflicts between people who are not able to resolve a conflict personally and privately. The conciliation process may involve conflict coaching (advising individuals how to resolve a dispute personally and privately), mediation (meeting with both parties to improve understanding and facilitate a voluntary agreement; see Matt. 18:16) or arbitration (a trusted individual resolves a conflict by rendering a binding decision; see 1 Cor. 6:1-7). These processes are described in detail in The Peacemaker, Leading Christians Through Conflict and the Handbook for Christian Conciliation.

Benefits

Peacemaker Ministries piloted a similar “peacemaking team” concept during Ken Sande’s tenure as president, which led to the establishment of over 200 church-based teams. These teams typically included five members and averaged 23 training events, 28 coached individuals and 6 mediations every year. This level of activity typically involved 180-240 hours of volunteer ministry per year, which often enabled church members to resolve relational tensions before they resulted in conflicts that consumed many more hours of pastoral care, counseling or discipline (see Matt. 18:12-15; Gal. 6:1-2).

The average financial value of 180-240 hours of pastoral time is $6,500 to $8,700 per year,¹ which more than covers the cost of training a full Peace Sower Team (see below).

The spiritual benefits of an ongoing Peace Sower Team are of even greater value:

• Church relationships are strengthened and conflict is reduced, which results in a more compelling Christian witness (John 13:35), fewer member departures and better church growth.
• Married couples are enabled to address relational issues before they require extensive counseling or result in divorce.
• Deliberate community engagement and evangelism can add new souls to the church.

• Pastors can be spared from many hours of stressful counseling and conflict resolution, which may allow them to devote more time to their preaching ministry and to nurturing their own families, while also guarding them from burnout (see Exodus18:13-26; Deut. 1:9-18; Acts 6:1-7; see also Strike the Shepherd).

Courses and Costs

To make our training easily affordable to Peace Sower Teams, we will provide foundational training through online courses and web-based practicums (practice role-plays with personal evaluations), eliminating the need to travel for training. This web-based training will include:

Basic Online Courses (16 hours)

• Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0
• The Peacemaker: Resolving Conflict with Relational Wisdom

Advanced Online Courses (24 hours)

• RW Skills Coaching
• Conflict Coaching
• Mediation/Conciliation

Web-Based Practicums (18 hours)

• RW Skills Coaching
• Conflict Coaching
• Mediation/Conciliation

The final costs for this training have not been firmly established, but at this time we estimate that training costs will be around $450 for an RW Presenter, $1,050 for an RW Coach, $1,900 for an RW Conciliator, or $5,500 for a full Peace Sower Team that includes 1 RW Presenter, 3 RW Coaches and 1 RW Conciliator, plus 50 people who have gone through RW group studies led by team members. We recommend that churches pay 50% of Peace Sower Team training costs (~$2,750) and individual team members pay the balance of their own training costs.

Individuals who demonstrate substantial skill and experience as presenters, coaches or conciliators may apply for advanced (professional) training and certification that will involve additional courses on advanced skills and issues, best practices, written exams and supervised experience. In addition to enhancing essential skills, certification enables individuals to provide training, coaching and conciliation services on a professional (fee based) basis.

Individuals who have completed peacemaking, conflict coaching or mediation training through one of RW360’s “sister ministries” (Alliance Peacemaking, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Creative Conciliation, Crossroads Resolution Group LLC, ICC Peace, Live at Peace Ministries, Peacemaker Ministries, PeacePoint and PeaceWise) may apply for exemption from corresponding segments of RW360’s Conciliator Training and Certification Program (more information here).

Pilot testing of these new resources began in 2019. Lord willing, we will begin releasing videos for our new training courses by April of 2021 and begin providing web-based practicums during the summer. More advanced practicums, continuing education and specialty training will be provided at our 2021 “Sowing Peace” Annual Conference, which is scheduled for September 9-12 in Billings, Montana (see details here).

Begin Studying and Teaching Today!

Discovering Relational Wisdom 3.0 and The Peacemaker are prerequisites for all of our advanced training programs, so you can begin this training at any time. You may also deepen your knowledge and practical experience with relational wisdom and begin moving toward approval as an RW Presenter by moderating a small group study group and exploring other ways to promote and practice RW in your sphere of influence.