Past participants say the camps are practical down-to-earth training that may make the difference between success and failure on the mission field, giving steps needed to take to get to the field and stay there. For information and applications, call Elijah Company, Inc. at (757) 474-2054, or write trumpetcall@elijahcompany.org. See ECI web site for more details http://www.elijahcompany.org.
Get the skills and experience you need you need in The Timothy Project. The Timothy Project is a field based, hands-on internship developed *by* missionaries *for* missionaries. Since 1996 the Timothy Project has offered effective, cutting-edge mission training. Located in Peten, Guatemala, Central America, the Timothy Project provides training in communication skills, partner/donor relations, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, ministry planning and deployment, budget and itineration planning, principles of language learning, stewardship, medical, and tons of mission ministry outreach. Training and mentoring is by career missionary trainers living on the foreign field.
The Timothy Project offers two 10-week training programs and one 8 week summer session each year. Each session is limited to 12 people. The next available training session is August 23 - Nov 2, 2002.
If you're looking for a track to the mission field, needing to refresh your ministry skills or would like a real-life missionary experience before making a long-term commitment check out the Timothy Project web site at http://www.timothyproject.org or e-mail at training@timothyproject.org or call 904-398-6559, extension 31.
Order and information from the Missionary Training Service <coord@missionarytraining.org>. They can handle credit cards or send checks in any currency to
The Missionary Training Service
Flat 5, 40 Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6BS, United Kingdom.
They're on the web at http://www.missionarytraining.org
Call 800.887.1786 or browse to http://www.cit-online.org.
Welcome to International Training Partners International Training Partners provides practical, interactive, biblical training for missionaries and Christians from other countries. We excel in equipping these people to relate effectively with family, co-workers, other missionaries, and in cross-cultural contexts.
ITP is directed by Ken Williams, Ph.D., an International Training Consultant with Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International.
Who We Are
We are a network of missionaries from over forty organizations. We serve together in an informal partnership, to provide training for those in cross cultural Christian work.
Mission organizations sponsor our workshops in various locations in the U.S. and other countries. The sponsoring organization determines the charges for participants based on costs plus a $25 per person fee to ITP to cover operating expenses. We are willing to provide workshops for any mission organizations who want to sponsor them, as personnel are available.
What We Do
We currently provide Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills Workshops, Workshops to qualify Interpersonal Skills Facilitators, and Sharpening Your Training Skills Workshops. For a description of these, see ITP Workshops and SYIS Topics. We provide ongoing training for facilitators of these workshops.
To view the SYIS Workshop Notebook using Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on "Notebook" above. If you do not have Acrobat Reader 3 or above, click here to download it.
If you are interested in more information, contact ITP. Our sister organization, Relationship Resources, Inc. provides training in interpersonal skills for churches, educational institutions and other organizations. Gaylyn Williams is the President of this organization.
To order or for more info, contact Ian Benson <coord@missionarytraining.org>.
Browse http://www.cornerstone-mtc.com/ for more information. For information and application forms write <101507.2223@compuserve.com>.
Toronto, Canada is a wonderful venue for "onsite" Intercultural skill development. All of our participants experience a unique cultural adventure as part of our training here in Toronto. Language helpers are resourced from many different ethnic groups in Toronto making our Langauge Training relevant to the participants felt needs.
MissionPrep offers 3-day Orientations for Short Term Missionaries. Training is also taken onsite to churches and missions organizations. Throughout the year we offer two week seminars on Language Acquisition, Intercultural life and Ministry Skills. MissionPrep will develop cross-cultural training that will meet the felt needs of Churches, Mission agencies, and families. A minimum of 8-10 participants are required for MissionPrep to take training on site.
For more information on MissionPrep email Robert Cousins micanada@interlog.com, call 416-284-5645
or browse the Missionprep Web - www.tyndale-canada.edu/tim/missionprep
Solutions To Culture Stress
Looking at the realities of cross-cultural ministry from four perspectives, this video series is the most basic training we offer to those who go. We contrast culture shock with stress, providing solutions to the issues missionaries face, even on short term trips.
The four areas are:
Our strongest recommendation is that anyone going on any ministry trip study these lessons in the context of that specific mission. If you are going as a team, discuss the solutions as a group. Solutions to Cultural Stress - $49.85 4 Hours on two Videos
Prepare For Battle! - Lessons In Spiritual Warfare
Following a very basic and practical progression of thought, this Training Tape series deals with these nine topics:
Both Video and Audio Tapes include 19 pages of Student Notes and Assignments as well as a 22 - page Study Guide. A 7-minute introduction to the series is also included.
Prepare for Battle! - $98.00 9 Hours of Video
For more information write to <TrumptCall@aol.com> or call Norman at (757)474-2054.
You can secure a copy for NZD$17.00 (plus postage) by sending a message to Nancy <missionbooks@cmd.org.nz>. Or you can order a copy direct from William Carey Library in Pasadena, California for USD$6.50 (plus postage) <orders@wclbooks.com>.
Questions with answers online at http://www.askamissionary.com include: "I'm afraid of raising support. What do I do?" "How do I handle my school debt?" "How do I choose a missions agency - or should I?" "What advice can you give me if I'm interested in being a tentmaker missionary?" The newsletter will also point to magazines, books, conferences, courses and Internet sites. Ask A Missionary is edited by John McVay, coordinator of the Heartland Missions Association.
I am trying to put together a training program at the local church level to help develop members who want to become missionaries. What issues should be included? What is expected in terms of ministry in the congregation? What type of oversight is given? I am interested in models as well as specific content. One specific tool I'm seeking is a questionnaire which an individual gives to family, friends to assess personality/character issues so the person can develop a growth plan.
ANSWER From: Dick Ackley
There is a church in north Dallas which has put together an outstanding program to do just what you describe. The missions pastor there enlisted several mission agencies to assist him in putting this program together. The church is Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Carrollton, Texas. The man you want to contact is Tim Harkins. His phone at the church is 972-306-4477 and his e-mail address is <tharkins@benttreebible.org>
ANSWER From: Mert Hershberger
A book you may want to consider using as a key reference is Magnify Your Vision for the Small Church. It includes a grid of training modules for ministry, including cross-cultural church planting. I do not have my copy of the book, but it is published by a church in Atlanta. The author is a pastor of a key church sending missionaries to Bosnia.
ANSWER From: David
My church is a cell-based church which has in one of her vision statement: "to send out team of 3 to plant churches in 50 unreached and responsive people group by the year 2001." We do have a systematic program to expose and mobilise every church member in the area of mission. Our mission program comprises of Stage 1: Mission Exposure Weekend, Stage 2: Mission Preparation (OA-Operation Andrew), Stage 3: 2 plus 2-years mission work. As we are a cell church, we send missionaries out as teams and each individual in a different capacity namely: pastor and cell leaders.
STAGE 1: MISSION EXPOSURE WEEKEND. This is for every church member. We bring a small group of 10 to 20 people to a neighbouring country where the cultural, economic environment is very different from us. The group is further divided into subgroups where they have to learn to work and learn together. They are rostered to clean up the house which has meager facilities as compared to back home. They must prepare meals that must cost only S$1 per person (impossible back home, so they are greatly surprised). During that time, there are teaching sessions about what is God's mandate for world evangelisation, who are the UPG's and the 10/40 window etc. Further, the team is brought to a neighbouring town to practice "cultural observation." They are to be like tourists observing both the spiritual and physical environment. They make themselves invited into the homes so that they can interview the people. They will then return back for a time of debrief. Another area taught is learning intercession for mission and missionaries. Understanding the struggles a missionary goes through: cultural adjustment, political uncertainties, loneliness, members' conflicts, etc. Throughout the whole weekend, each individual is encouraged to pray for himself/herself, to seek and know what God's calling is for his/her life. You see, the whole weekend is a structured experience in itself - the need to live simply, the need to work together and resolve conflicts, the teachings, the praying, and the exposure to a different environment. But throughout, FUN is also being emphasized.
STAGE 2 MISSION PREPARATION We believe that by now some would be open to God's leading that they want to discover further their mission calling. This time, we bring them further away for 2 to 3 weeks where they actually get involved in activities in a foreign church or missionary base. This time, participants must find out what are the needs of this place are and plan for themselves the program that they will carry out there.
Stage 3: MISSION WORK Being send out on long term and on their own (that does not mean they are not covered by the church). Besides having each candidate going through vigorous psychological tests to check their suitability to be missionary (both calling, mental preparedness etc), during Stage 1 and 2 we can also observe how each individual reacts to situations and pressures, whether they have leadership quality as well as whether they are team player etc. I hope this has been helpful. For further info, you may want to access the web http://www.fcbc.org.sg/missions/index.htm
ANSWER From: Tim Feaver
Contact the Antioch Network. They may have this kind of info. They work with churches, many of whom send out their own missionaries. You can contact them through their web page, HTTP://www.antiochnetwork.org, or email them at <office@antiochnetwork.org>.
Grace Wiebe has also put together many resources on her web page which you might find helpful at: http://www.skyfamily.com/gracew/index18.html
ANSWER From: NateWilson
We have covered this topic before in BOMM. Look through the following archives for more contacts (BOMM subscribers can access the archives at <http://hub.xc.org/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=brigada-orgs missionmobilizers>; BOMM subscribers without web access can request them from me via email at <NateWilson@XC.org>.)
* 1995-11-20: Resources for education, prayer and exposure in the context of
a local church, contact information on three model churches (Overlake
Christian Church, Church on Brady/MOSAIC, and Bible Fellowship of
Riverside), and info from the Missionary Training Service
* 1995-11-27: ACMC Networking Guide - churches which train missionaries
* 1996-02-12: Trinity Church, Omaha, NE
* 1996-02-19: Resources for church training - list from WEF Missions
Commission
* 1996-02-26: Missionary Training Service contact info
* 1999-07-14: Mission Bridge (video curriculum) and Bent Tree Bible
Fellowship, Carrollton, TX
All but the 1999-07-04 article can be found compiled in one document on the BOMM web database at http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/dt_chrch.html
