Equipped to speak. Sent to heal.
QC² is a year-long academy program designed to shape confident, compassionate evangelists for a complex world.
Aim
QC’s Speaker Academy is a one year coaching program designed to train emerging Christian leaders for the unique task of public Christianity, evangelistic speaking, and better God conversations. The various elements of our program have been honed to multiply healthy evangelism around Australia/NZ, raising up a new generation of evangelists to commend a defend the gospel like Jesus. With phenomenal feedback from previous cohorts, and a diverse range of students (pastors, teachers, professionals, academics, chaplains, military, medicos. campus missionaries, parents, students), our 4 term structure is designed to make space for everyone to be involved, whatever your commitments and location.
Elements
REFLECTIVE READING
Students will engage intentionally with set readings across the program, seeking to become conversant with the content of the books for the purpose of evangelistic speaking.
ONLINE GATHERINGS
During term times students will gather online (ZOOM) on a fortnightly basis to dive together into the content of the readings, and have the coaches teach into the same topics.
TRAINING RETREATS
Each year QC² will host two residential training retreats for intensive development with an expert coach, geared around building competency towards reaching the practical milestones.
INDIVIDUAL COACHING
Each student will connect personally once a term with their coach to work through questions, assess their gifts, develop their talks, and move towards their unique voice in public evangelism.
ALUMNI EVENTS
QC sometimes hosts special training sessions between our academy students and alumni with high profile public Christians visiting from around the world to share their wisdom.
PRACTICAL MILESTONES
Assessment pieces will follow the shape of the course (content/communication), helping students to develop personal resources and public talks that are useful in speaking evangelism.
Content
TERM 1: KNOW GOD’S STORY
Aims:
Understand the role of an evangelist, the biblical mandate for apologetics, and how apologetics is used in service to evangelism by Christ’s Apostles.
Become conversant with biblical theology across the various scenes of the Christian story, and how they connect to life’s deepest questions.
Investigate the meaning of each scene of the Christian story, understanding the ideas and their implications for newcomers investigating Christianity.
Online Gatherings:
Session 1: Introduction to program and QC ministry philosophy.
Session 2: The role of apologetics and the Christian story in evangelism.
Session 3: In-depth discussion of the Christian story (Scene 1). Creation.
Session 4: In-depth discussion of the Christian story (Scene 2). Fall.
Sessions 5-8 (Retreat):
In-depth discussion of the Christian story (Scene 3). Chosen to Bless.
In-depth discussion of the Christian story (Scene 4). Restored for Better.
In-depth discussion of the Christian story (Scene 5). Sent to Heal.
In-depth discussion of the Christian story (Scene 6). Set Everything Right.
Practical Milestone:
Video [4-6 minutes]: Explain the Christian story clearly using the six scenes.
TERM 2: KNOW OUR REASONS
Aims:
Develop an understanding of the relationship between faith and reason.
Identify and describe some of the basic arguments for theism and Christianity.
Understand the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments, their usefulness in evangelism, and the limits of their persuasive power in God’s mission.
Develop ways to communicate arguments for theism/Christianity in evangelism.
Online Gatherings:
Session 1: The Case for Christianity
Session 2: Arguments from the heavens above: cosmological and teleological.
Session 3: Arguments from humanity below: reason, morality, and spirituality.
Session 4: Arguments from history (1 of 2): scripture, prophecy, and miracles.
Session 5: Arguments from history (2 of 2): the case for the resurrection of Jesus.
Practical Milestone:
Digital Resource: Develop a resource that can be used to explain an argument for God’s existence. E.g. Poster, video, or social media post.
TERM 3: KNOW OUR CULTURE
Aims:
Identify the competing secular and religious stories in our cultural moment.
Successfully describe a worldview different to your own, in a way that a follower of that story would agree with.
Explain how you might commend the Christian story to someone embedded in their own story (secular or religious).
Online Gatherings:
Session 1: Thinking Like Missionaries.
Session 2: Speaking to Seculars and Apatheists.
Session 3: Speaking to the Spiritual but Not Religious.
Session 4: Speaking to Muslims.
Sessions 5-8 (Retreat)
Practical Milestone:
Talk [7 minutes]: Develop a short talk to give at our second annual retreat that jumps from a cultural longing/opening to a gospel invitation.
TERM 4: KNOW OUR REASONS
Aims:
Understand how to incorporate arguments and ideas into responses.
Identify the need for a Christian tone.
Identify effective ways to provide apologetic responses that points people to Jesus.
Online Gatherings:
Session 1: Why bother with God?
Session 2: Where is God in a world of evil and suffering?
Session 3: Why isn’t God more obvious?
Session 4: What does Jesus say to the LGBTQI+ community?
Session 5: How can a loving God send people to Hell?
Practical Milestone:
Video [2 mins]: Record an answer to a common objection to be released on QC’s social media platforms.
Retreats
The two annual retreats are designed for rich community, skills-building, spiritual formation, and intensive teaching sessions. We host these retreats at a special Byron Bay destination. The cost of the program covers all accommodation and food. As the highlight of the Speaker Academy experience these retreats are mandatory.
2026 Retreat Dates (Wed afternoon to Sat morning):
Retreat 1: March 18 - 21
Retreat 2: September 2 - 5
Costs
Total cost for the annual program is $2,000, billed a 4 termly payments of $500. In addition to the teaching and resources, these costs cover all accommodation and food and both annual retreats. The only additional costs will be transfers for retreat to Byron Bay (team helps out with airport runs).
Application
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to join the next cohort of the Speaker Academy. Spots are limited, so don’t miss your change to be equipped for gospel impact in the places and spaces God has you.