What perspective should I take towards missions training?
Can I become a missionary if I don’t want to learn another language?
What is the best way for me to learn a language so I can witness?
» more related questionsQ: What types of training should I consider?
A: Look into these five options for training.
Match the educational mode to your needs, goals, resources, personality, and learning style. Here are the five options:
Whatever avenue of training or study you choose, it can be a rich phase of your life. It's a time when lifelong friends are made and life partners are often found. Surrounded by like-minded teachers and students, you'll find freedom and support to test your calling and refine the direction of your life.
- Bible colleges
- Christian liberal arts colleges and universities
- Correspondence study with "World Christian Foundations"
- Secular colleges and universities
- Christian graduate schools and seminaries
Whatever avenue of training or study you choose, it can be a rich phase of your life. It's a time when lifelong friends are made and life partners are often found. Surrounded by like-minded teachers and students, you'll find freedom and support to test your calling and refine the direction of your life.
A: Study at Bible College first.
Before I came to Estonia, I went to a two-year Bible college. Ten years before that I graduated from university with a bachelor of science in Mechanical Engineering. If I had to do it over again, I would go to Bible College first, then to university. At Bible college I had the best time of my life and learned crucial things about believing God and following the Holy Spirit. I can't imagine I’d be doing what I'm doing if I had not gone there. The things that you learn at Bible college can make you more successful at anything you do.
A: Do Bible College and then be mentored.
I would suggest that one attend a Bible college first and then work for a while before pursuing years in higher education. During time working one can become very involved in a local church and possibly be mentored or at least get some on the job training. I think that this training and Bible school are essential to develop good people skills and to understand the Bible.
A: Study at a Christian university.
A traditional college degree along with the necessary Bible skills is probably the best way to go. There are many good Christian colleges that offer both. To focus solely on missions may cause one to miss out on an important skill. On the other hand, to miss ministry and Bible training may stifle knowledge on how to most effectively serve the Lord in missions.
A: Get experience in your church and do correspondence study.
I have been to a state school, a Christian school, and a liberal theological school. However, the best education that I have had is not from a traditional educational institution.
I have found that regular participation in the church and its outreach efforts is essential. A good hour or more each day in prayer and Bible reading has also proven very profitable. Small groups are another key way to grow. As for a training curriculum, the best education I have received has been through William Carey International University. It is largely a correspondence school with the benefit of having a local mentor and teaching someone else what I have learned. This method has enabled me to remain more active in the community as well as learning through a thoroughly mission oriented curriculum. Think creatively about learning and don't forget that the goal is service, not academic credentials.
I have found that regular participation in the church and its outreach efforts is essential. A good hour or more each day in prayer and Bible reading has also proven very profitable. Small groups are another key way to grow. As for a training curriculum, the best education I have received has been through William Carey International University. It is largely a correspondence school with the benefit of having a local mentor and teaching someone else what I have learned. This method has enabled me to remain more active in the community as well as learning through a thoroughly mission oriented curriculum. Think creatively about learning and don't forget that the goal is service, not academic credentials.
A: Go to seminary for training in leadership.
"A missions organization's greatest resource is in the knowledge, skills and spirituality of its people," says Dave Broucek, the training and research coordinator at TEAM. On the mission field, those with higher levels of education are better prepared for leadership responsibilities. Broucek says such missionaries have critical thinking and research skills necessary to see the "big picture" when addressing pressing issues and are less likely to experience burnout or return from the field early.
Phil Casey graduated from a Christian college and went straight to Chile to serve as a missionary involved in evangelism, church planting and leadership training. During his first two years, he learned through trial and error. He felt unprepared to meet some of the challenges he encountered on the field. So he chose to attend an evangelical seminary. "The education I received at seminary helped me see the bigger picture and gave me a chance to explore the questions that had been raised during my first two years on the field."
Having been on the field first allowed Casey to directly apply his education to his ministry of establishing a theological-education-by-extension program for national church leaders. "The thesis I wrote was directly related to what I had done and was planning to do on the mission field, so this gave me great confidence and insight, as well as practical tools for my future work," Casey says. Casey believes both academic instruction and practical experience are essential for ministry preparation and success. "The two years between Bible college and seminary were vital in helping me 'see the questions' before someone tried to 'give me the answers.' They made me hungry for answers, prepared me for the rigors of graduate-level study, and gave me a context in which to apply what I was learning."
Phil Casey graduated from a Christian college and went straight to Chile to serve as a missionary involved in evangelism, church planting and leadership training. During his first two years, he learned through trial and error. He felt unprepared to meet some of the challenges he encountered on the field. So he chose to attend an evangelical seminary. "The education I received at seminary helped me see the bigger picture and gave me a chance to explore the questions that had been raised during my first two years on the field."
Having been on the field first allowed Casey to directly apply his education to his ministry of establishing a theological-education-by-extension program for national church leaders. "The thesis I wrote was directly related to what I had done and was planning to do on the mission field, so this gave me great confidence and insight, as well as practical tools for my future work," Casey says. Casey believes both academic instruction and practical experience are essential for ministry preparation and success. "The two years between Bible college and seminary were vital in helping me 'see the questions' before someone tried to 'give me the answers.' They made me hungry for answers, prepared me for the rigors of graduate-level study, and gave me a context in which to apply what I was learning."
