About Advance the Faith Academy

Thank you for visiting us!
Advance the Faith Academy is the product of years of serving on staff and as volunteers in church discipleship for student, college, young professional and adult programs. With over 20 years of combined experience, we found that people often walk away from things they don't understand. The vision behind the Academy is to provide a dedicated mentor to every person, no matter where they are in their faith journey (including those who are just seeking answers to some of life's big questions). Just like the Ethiopian in Acts 8:31 who said, "How can I [understand] unless someone explains it to me?", Advance the Faith Academy provides a safe place for questions and encouragement to find answers in Scripture.
This mentoring program is designed to help you grow in knowledge of God and Scripture and to apply Christian principles to leadership roles in schools, communities, work places and abroad. Some mentorships naturally grow into biblical friendships that invest in one another and walk through some of life's big decisions and transitions. Ultimately, we would love to see you grow to become a mentor and help others in their faith journey.
If you have questions that are not covered in the FAQ section, we hope you will reach out and let us help you find out if Advance the Faith Academy is the right program for you.

Blessings!
Terry & Jennifer Hand
co-Founders

Meet Our Team!

A perfect blend of mission, passion and education.
Our leadership team also takes part in content creation. 

TERRY HAND
Founder

Terry is a native of Indiana and is a graduate of the University of Illinois. He currently resides in Naples, FL, where he and Jenn run a nonprofit to advance the Kingdom and raise support for children's homes in Florida, the Bahamas and Haiti. He has worked as a Youth Director, Adult Discipleship Director and Mission Director in local churches and has a passion about educating youth & young adults. 

JENNIFER HAND
Co-Founder

Jennifer is a native of Texas and has resided in Naples, FL for the past 20 years. She is a Certified Master Mental Health Coach & Professional Life Coach. She has worked as a church administrator for 10 years prior to stepping into full-time mission work with Advance the Faith. She loves investing in future generations and showing the love of Christ to vulnerable children everywhere.  

REBECCA CLARK
Director of Connections

Rebecca recently received her Master’s in Divinity from Southeastern University. She helps create dynamic content for the academy, As our Director of Connections, Rebecca works with Universities, organizations, and churches to make discipleship and serving accessible to everyone.

DEANNA POTTER
Mentor Trainer

Deanna has been a mentor with Advance the Faith Academy since 2019. She has taken the lead on training our incoming mentors and making sure they are adequately prepared to pour into the lives and faith of our Academy participants. She has an MBA from Liberty University and enjoys studying scripture and leading Bible studies at her church.  

LILLY KOOPER
Discipleship & Mentoring Director


Lilly has previously completed multiple internships with Advance the Faith and earned a Master of Divinity from Palm Beach Atlantic University. Now serving as the Discipleship and Mentoring Director, Lilly oversees the development and expansion of Advance the Faith Academy. She is passionate about equipping others to grow in their faith and pursue spiritual maturity through meaningful mentorship.

SAGE BOYSEN
Director of Empowered Education

Sage has worked in multiple aspects of Advance the Faith, including leading trips, designing programs, directing camps, mentoring youth and young adults, and more! She has always had a passion for leading children of all ages to Christ. One of Sage’s biggest projects with Advance the Faith has been designing and implementing our financial literacy program.

Additional Course Contributors

PATTI VACHULA

JOSIAH LECLAIR



SHAY GRIFFIN


ALYSSA SEGURA

Interested in Writing for the Academy?

We are looking for degree seeking biblical studies interns who are interested in contributing course content and blog posts for Advance the Faith Academy. Internships are eligible for college credit.

We have worked with students from:

Liberty University
Hope College
Southeastern University
Palm Beach Atlantic University


     Frequently Asked Questions

How does the program work?

After a completed application is received, an Advance the Faith staff member will reach out to schedule a brief enrollment call with the future participant. The goal of the enrollment call is for our staff to be able to pair each participant with a mentor that best suits them. After the enrollment call, a mentor and participant are paired for the 6-week course chosen. Most learners begin with Foundations or Practical Guide to Following Jesus. Each week the participant completes online learning at their convenience, followed by a scheduled online or over the phone mentor meeting to discuss the material and life application

Who can participate?

The course material is designed for mature high school students, young adults, and adults who desire to have an active and vibrant Christian faith and apply Christian principles to their everyday life. However, age should not limit you from participating. There are new believers and seasoned believers who grow from the content. If you have a desire to participate in the program we would love to talk to you about enrolling.

What is the commitment?

This program requires a 6-week commitment per course and a desire to grow as a Christian. At Advance the Faith we not only want to help you deepen your faith and understanding of Scripture, but also to help you become a disciple who makes disciples. Each course is divided into 6 online sessions. You complete one session a week and each session takes about 1 hour to finish. A session can be completed at any time that works for you, however, it should be completed at least 1 day prior to your weekly mentor meeting. The mentor meeting occurs over the phone or online (Zoom or WhatsApp) and takes about 1 hour. We know that everyone is busy, so we ask that if you enroll in a course it be completed within 10 weeks to respect everyone's time.

What is the cost?

Advance the Faith Academy is free to participants. Advance the Faith and its donors are committed to your future and funds are raised to cover the costs.

Who are the mentors?

Mentors are spiritually mature Christians who have made a commitment to walk alongside you as a guide, advisor, and friend. They have been background screened and trained to serve in this capacity. Mentors and coaches are always gender specific to the participant (females mentor females, etc.). Mentors & coaches are not trained counselors or therapists. If you would like more information on how to become a mentor, please email us at academy@advancethefaith.org. 

Certified Academy Mentors & Other Opportunities

Participants who meet the minimum criteria for advancement may receive training to become a Certified Academy Mentor. After training they will be eligible to mentor another person in the program. We are always looking for people who want to see their faith intersect with their talents and passions. Each year we have internship and mission trip opportunities that Academy participants can apply for.

Is Advance the Faith Academy affiliated with a denomination?

No, this program uses resources from teachers, pastors, and theologians from many denominations and non-denominational Christian faiths. The content in our Academy courses and our trained mentors seek to focus on the things that unite us as Christians, not on what divides us.

More questions?

We would love to share more about what we do at Advance the Faith Academy. Feel free to email us at academy@advancethefaith.org for more information. 
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