Missions Training Center Vision
Why are we building a missions training center? Here are seven reasons why.
- To establish of an infrastructure for the future work of evangelism, disciple-making, and raising up lifetime laborers: This infrastructure includes a physical building structure, clear outlines of Christ’s calling and vision, a philosophy of ministry, missions, and training, and the development of a training curriculum and materials. Teaching will include lessons on bible study leading, raising converts to become disciples and disciple-makers, servant leadership, kingdom vision, fundamentals of ministry, worship leading, and many more. This missions center will prepare the way for the future generations of disciples to carry out the mission of evangelism, disciple-making, and training and sending lifetime workers to all nations.
- To equip future workers: Establishment of a training center for special leadership development programs for equipping future missionary workers (i.e. overseas, campus, or other specific target work) throughout the year. This training center will be made available to both “home-grown” laborers and potential workers from other local churches and ministries around the world. This missions center will host discipleship training programs that will range from six months to two years or more.
- To mobilize future workers: This missions center will provide training with the goal of mobilizing disciple-making laborers to strategic stateside and overseas locations for church planting, and campus and other specific target ministries. This center will involve planting effective pioneering, establishing, reproducing, and sending ministries locally and abroad.
- To model “life-on-life” discipleship training: The trainees will be housed in the missions center to experience life-on-life discipleship by living, eating, working, and growing together in Christ’s character. The goal is to provide affordable housing for candidates committed to training in order to minimize fundraising needs during their training period.
- To provide another option for training: This center may be another option for those who are not called to seminary or church pastoring but desire further biblical and ministry training, with formal and hands-on training. The training programs offered at the missions center will provide an alternative option to formal seminary training, which would require more finances and years of learning in an in-class environment. This missionary training center would prepare people for overseas assignments or for serving within in-state local churches, campuses, or professional workplaces. It could also be a substitute for the one-year seminary associate certificate degree that is required for many missions agencies for missionary preparation.
- To provide a place of worship and prayer: This will be a center for prayer and worship, living and training, to be made available 24/7. The center will consist of:
- Sanctuary space for large group worship and meetings
- Classrooms for small group training sessions
- Sufficient housing units to accommodate families, and men’s and women’s dormitories for single trainees
- Offices for administrative work, campus ministries, overseas missions, and workplace ministries
- To provide housing for returning missionaries: Housing at the missions center will also be made available for returning missionaries to stay during their sabbatical, furlough, and for their re-entry periods.