Online Course 2107

Go THIS LINK for further information.

Online Missionary Training Enrollment

Classes will begin in January for a ten week course on Missionary Anthropology.  Students enrolled in this class presently are from the Burkina Faso, Spain, Russia as well as missionaries in the U.S. preparing to go to Japan and doing cross-cultural ministry here in the states.

To learn more, click here.

Just In Time Learning

JUST IN TIME TRAINING KC - AUGUST 23 - 25, 2016

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION

Why Pre-Field Training?

It’s a hard sell.  Missionaries are trying to get to the field.  They’ve been approved by their denomination or sending agency, they’re raising support and to stop in the middle to attend a three-day, one or two week training session seems to be a waste of time and money.  But is it?

The Long Road Less Travelled

What is the process for getting to the mission field for a career missionary?  Consider the chart below, an arbitrary time scale to be sure, but a guide nevertheless.

1.     Discovery could be an introduction to missionaries in Sunday School to a mission conference where one is introduced to everything from Hudson Taylor to orphanages in Haiti.

2.     Interest is the dipping the toe into the water by attending an Urbana conference, a short-term mission trip or taking a Perspectives course.

3.     Commitment is answering “the call.”  It’s that defining moment when one says, “Here am I Lord, send me.”  But how do I get there?

4.     Preparation may include going to seminary, an internship in a local church as well as filling out application to a missionary sending agency.  This period time could easily be five years or more.

5.     If one perseveres to the point they are approved to be a missionary, they begin the funding process, which is between six months (rare) to three years (sadly, not unusual).

How prepared is a missionary really for cross-cultural service? Their cultural anthropology class was six years ago and they have no clue why the study of kinship has anything to do with being a witness to a Hindu.  True, they did spend two weeks in the Dominican Republic participating in vacation Bible school, but did they learn what it takes to set up residence in Serbia?  They may feel called to serve in the Philippines, but exactly what is the need in that country, which has had the Gospel four times longer than they have been alive?

JUST IN TIME LEARNING

Just in time (JIT) training is that period of time, about six months to one year before being fielded, which can make all the difference in the life of a missionary family.

First, it sharpens their focus.  If a missionary is 50% into fund raising , JIT will actually help the missionary raise the most difficult period of support raising because their focus will be on what they are going to do and who they will be working with.  A clear focus not only motivates the missionary, but also those who listen to their plea for support.  Hazy goals will produce hazy results.  Clear goals will produce realistic and attainable results.

Second, JIT means that when a missionary does get on the field six months later they will have a head start on what needs to be done and the process on how to achieve their goals.  The missionary will actually understand that contextualization isn’t just a word they learned ten years ago in an obscure classroom, but a reality in the context they now find themselves.

The reality is, many missionaries are woefully ill equipped before launching out in cross-cultural work.  Just-in-time training is not only practical, it could very well be the defining moment in the life of that missionary.

To learn more about JIT in KC August 23 - 25 go to this link.

Keys To Effective Missionary Training

FOUR KEYS TO EFFECTIVE TRAINING PROGRAM 

Through a partnership between LCCTI and Glenwood Baptist Church in Kansas City, we provided a missionary training program called Double Time last week. Here are four keys that made it successful.


1. LEARNERS - There are three types of people who attend special meetings: Prisoners (they are there because someone made them attend - Visitors (love to fellowship, eat and have a good time) - Learners…obviously serious students with a focus. Those who attended DOUBLE TIME this year were motivated learners.


2. ACCOMODATIONS – Environment goes a long way in setting the tone for classes. If the motel breakfast is a bagel in a bag hung on the room door and cockroaches on the shower floor begins the day, class time is already has an uphill climb. DT students commented that they really appreciated their accommodations.

3. CONTENT – Trying to teach a two-week course in three days is impossible. However, we chose the most important and practical subjects to tackle and, based on the evaluations, I believe DT hit the mark. One missionary stated, “The classes opened my eyes to so many characteristics of culture and methods of research that can be recognized and used for my field. Preparation breeds confidence, and I feel more knowledgeable on how to work on the field.”

4. HOST – Hands down, the success of DT was because of our host, Glenwood Baptist Church. GBC didn’t just host a missionary training program, they made an investment in the lives of those who attended; underwriting some of the accommodations, catering the lunches, providing child care and even making sure there was plenty of snacks for breaks. 

Plans are taking shape for DT/KC in 2016, and we have already heard from missionaries who will be on furlough next year who want to attend.

Perhaps your church or organization would be interested in a Double Time intensive.  Contact us to learn more how we can help you in your training needs.

Forty Year Veteran Missionary

A single missionary working in Latin American called and asked, “I’ve been on the field 40 years, would your training have any benefit for me?”

I paused and stammered a bit.  I told her that I wouldn’t presume that I could teach anything to someone over 70 years old.  In the course of the conversation she told me she teaches in their Bible College teaching men and women preparing for the pastorate and cross-cultural missions.  At that point I told her, “Yes, absolutely, I believe you would benefit from such training.   “In fact,” I continued, “it’s possible that you will gain even more from the classes than those attending who have not yet been on the field.”

I was over 40 years old and had been in Kenya over ten years when I took my first courses in intercultural studies at Biola University.  In those classes in cultural anthropology, linguistics, cross-cultural communication and the dynamics of religious experience the lights went on for me because it was not just theory but life I experiencing in Africa.  It was because of those courses that I eventually focused my doctoral dissertation on how to best to plant churches to a specific people group.

Like many missionaries in my day, and still true today, my preparation for overseas work was limited to theology courses.  Good stuff, necessary for the task of ministry, but woefully lacking in how to take what I knew to a people group that were illiterate, tribal and animistic.  Thirty years later I am still learning how cultures work and how best to enter into a specific culture that is contextual and more culturally relevant. 

Whether you are new in mission work or a seasoned veteran, whether you are going to do youth work, train indigenous leaders or social work, no matter if your focus will be in the urban West or the backwaters of Asia, it is my belief that DOUBLE TIME will be worth your time and money.  Mark your calendar for August 25 -27 and go to this website for more information and registration.

For more information on this training event CLICK HERE.

Missionary Training Opportunity

TIME and MONEY.  Those are the two things that I must consider in everything I do.  When someone invites me to teach cross-cultural missions I always have to check two things…my budget and my calendar.

There are precious few options for pre-field training for North American missionaries.  And, if you are able to find training opportunities it usually is too long (TIME) and too costly (MONEY).

Last month I was asked if I would provide training for a missionary family going to Western Europe working among Muslims.  Knowing that TIME is important for missionaries raising support (difficult to take off a weeks of visiting churches and donors for training) and, that MONEY is always an issue for missionaries trying to get to the field, I agreed, on two conditions.  First, it must be concentrated…to save TIME.  Second, it be affordable.

Through the cooperation of a church in Kansas City, LCCTI  is instituting a three-day intensive program we call DOUBLE TIME: Accelerated Missionary Training to be held August 25 – 27.

TIME – August is the dog-days of support raising.  Churches do not usually schedule mission conferences or missionary speakers in August.  Missionaries attending DOUBLE TIME will have Monday (August 24^th) to travel to KC and still have time to get to their next Sunday’s destination after it concludes on Thursday.

TIME – To make the most of the intensive, those who sign up for the class will be sent the text reading 15 day before the class.  Additional reading and assignments will be given during the training and the student has two months to complete the assignments.

MONEY -  Housing for these sessions has been secured at a very nice hotel at a reduced rate.  Breakfast and lunch is provided.  The cost for the three day training is $150.00 per person, $250 per couple.  

In a recent survey I asked how many pastors would be willing to underwrite the cost of training for their missionaries.  Over 75% said they would.  I encourage pastors to send their missionary candidates to DOUBLE TIME, and for the missionary wanting to attend this class I suggest they approach their donors to help in the cost.

To register or inquire about DOUBLE TIME, contact Chris - car@kc.rr.com

Introduction of Lewis Cross-Cultural Training now on YouTube

Survey Results: Missionary Training

Results of Missionary Training Survey

Over fifty people responded to this survey.  The percentage of those who participated was 50% from missionaries, 49.6% from pastors.  However, I did not include the question on their status until after a third of people responded so I am guessing that it may lean slightly more toward pastors response.  Others who answered survey were church members or those who work for a mission agency.  Thanks for your participation.

1.    How important do you believe pre-field missionary training is?

Very important – 94%

Somewhat important – 3.9%

Not important – 2%

2.    Do you believe that Bible College/Seminary education is enough for cross-cultural missionaries?

Yes – 3.9%

No – 96.1%

3.    Rank the training you believe is important.

(1)   Spiritual formation – 66.7%

Cross-cultural studies – 49%

Language acquisition – 44%

Specific religious studies – 22%

(2)   Specific religious studies – 30%

Cross-cultural studies – 27.5%

Language acquisition – 20%

Spiritual formation – 15.7%

(3)   Other suggestions for training:

- I'd add location relevant/contextualized vocational/professional training.- 
- Finance
-Effective training on the field of choice.
- Interpersonal/problem solving skills with other missionaries.
- Missionaries are trained in tandem - both spouses together along with missionary teams.- Study of the book, "When Helping Hurts.’
- Working with adult ministries before going to the field.
- Cross-cultural leadership development: Leadership models, tools, strategies, & etc. Internships should be done in a cross cultural setting.
- How to raise support.
- Practical - eg: Auto repair.
- Ethics and some foundational business principles.
- Training in a profession for admission to a country where missionaries as such are not allowed, i.e. medical, dental, or nursing.
- Common sense.

5.    How would you support missionary training?

(a)   Mandate that all missionaries we support go through training. 54.2%

(b)   Help finance training for missionaries we support. 66.7%

(c)   Nothing beyond encouragement for training. 8.3%

6.    How long do you think a concentrated missionary training should be?

(a)   1 to 2 weeks. – 27%

(b)   2 to 3 weeks. – 24.3%

(c)   3 to 4 weeks. – 48.6%

Additional comments:

* 6 months

* How can you possibly train someone for a foreign culture in 4 weeks. At least 3 months with a year on the field;

*1year; At least 3 to 4 weeks. If this person or group plans to be involved longer than a short term missions trip, they should be required to go through 8-12 weeks of rigorous training.

* Less time for furlough missionaries but a week would be good;

* Depends on the goals and content of the material. There are already plenty of training opportunities in the USA. Why create another wheel?

7.    Who should this cross-cultural training be for? (ranked)

(a)   People who are interested in missions but not yet appointed. 48.1%

(b)   Appointed/Approved missionaries raising support. – 90.4%

(c)   Furlough missionaries.  – 53.8%

(d)   Pastors – 48.1%

(e)   Mission committee members. – 50%

Additional comments:

* Pastors for in house training only. Not "on the field" training.

* I think everyone connected to missions can benefit. Realistically, missionaries are the priority, others less so.

 * Entire churches in North America;

LCCTI Missionary Training

A few weeks back we announced a new training project for missionaries. One question I often get is "How much will it cost." You can view the answer to those questions by going to our webpage: Lewis-Training.com/BYOTP.htm.

One of the strengths of our training program is that we bring the classroom to you, the student, rather than ask the missionaries to uproot their family to come to our campus (actually, we don't have a campus, but all schools and other training programs do). When factoring in cost remember that the student does not have to pay for lodging or food. Food and lodging, along with transportation to the training campus, can add up to be hundreds of dollars, sometimes exceeding the cost of tuition.

New Missionary Training Program: BYOTP

I received a call from a couple going to Haiti yesterday. They belong to a small mission organization that has an orphanage in that country and know they need some training before going to the field. They have five kids, can’t afford to uproot their family and go to school, so they contacted me. My advice was for them to find at least five people who needed training and I would be willing to set up a training program. After the call my thoughts took on more definition and I came up with BYOT (Build Your Own Training Program – not Bring Your Own Toilet Paper).

People need flexible training options. I firmly believe that my instruction program in how to understand cultures can make any person at least 50% better if they have had some education or field experience and can 100% better missionaries if they have had no training at all. Give me 15 days and I can open a world of awareness that will stay with people for the rest of their lives. Sounds like an Info Commercial, but after 35 years in missions, training hundreds of missionaries in over 30 countries, yeah, I believe I can stand by that claim. Why? Because my training leads people to understanding culture and help people ask the right questions. I don’t give answers, but I lead people on how they can discover the answers by knowing the right questions AND, most importantly, not make assumptions.

The details of BYOTP is on the website. I will give more information on how it works to those who contact me through email. I prefer 15 days, but if a person only has one week, we can give them a crash course that is better than nothing. Build your own training program, but by all means do something. Going to the field without any preparation is harmful to the missionary, family and people they work with.