Overseas apprenticeships

Practical service, Bible ministry training and Bible ministry experience in an overseas cross-cultural setting

Overseas apprenticeships are based on the model of a UK apprenticeship with the same three core elements with the added crucial difference that they happen in an overseas cross-cultural context. 

If you are someone who is excited about the challenge of taking the gospel to all nations, and considering overseas or cross-cultural ministry in the future, then this might be the right next step for you. 

The ideal candidate for an overseas apprenticeship is someone who:

• Has an active interest in world mission
• Is considering some sort of overseas or cross-cultural gospel work in the future
• May have done already done one year of a UK apprenticeship / have some hands on experience of Bible teaching work

What's the point...

...for the apprentice?

As with any apprenticeship the main aim is to act both as a testing of the water of whether full-time gospel ministry is right for the apprentice, and as a stepping stone into full-time gospel ministry if it is right for them.

Entering any kind of full time, long term ministry is a big undertaking that deserves careful consideration.  Ministry is wonderful, and also hard.  How much more so when also dealing with the challenge of working in a different culture, coming from very different backgrounds, and possibly working in a 2^nd or 3^rd language.  Testing the water of this kind of full time work is hugely valuable for apprentices in helping them work out whether this is the right long term plan for them. 

...for the future gospel partners of the long term missionary?

The steps towards working overseas long term take time, and require the full support of partner churches and individuals in the UK.  Partners in the UK invest large amounts or emotional, financial and practical support in their mission partners.  Churches deserve that their gospel partners are ready for the challenge of the long term work, and are entering into it with their eyes wide open.  Overseas apprenticeships train apprentices in gospel partnership which will benefit them and their UK partners in their long term work together.

...for the host community overseas?

As in the UK, all around the world the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  As well as learning, apprentices offer valuable assistance in the overseas harvest fields.  There is a desperate need for faithful Bible teachers all around the world, and apprentices can have a big impact in the churches and communities where they serve.   

How does it work?

UK based apprenticeships are run by local churches.  Overseas apprenticeships will be run by churches and missionaries who are supported by UK based mission agencies. The placements have been chosen carefully to ensure that the church or missionary has the attitude of ‘train, train, train' where the apprentice has the attitude of ‘serve, serve, serve'.  In most situations the apprentices are hosted by a church family.  However in some instances an apprentice may be primarily linked to a particular missionary, working and training alongside them (with some work being church based) rather than being wholly deployed within the church context.

The training element of an apprenticeship overseas may involve joining a local Bible college, being part of a local ministry training scheme, or may involve taking Moore Course modules (with supervision) or similar.  Location determines which of these options are possible, and where there is an option, this will be discussed with the apprentice and their host/overseer.

Apprenticeships are usually for one year, with the possible extension to a 2^nd year in some cases.

The proportions of the three core elements vary depending on the individual situation of the particular church or ministry placement.

What's the next step?

The first step is to talk through the possibilities of full-time gospel work, here or overseas, with your local church leader (the minister, or student worker etc). This is also the case if you are an apprentice at the moment. Then take a look at the placements on the Available Apprenticeships page and see if there is one that you would be interested in doing and contact the agency. They'll take it from there.

If you are already in partnership with some overseas gospel workers, also consider whether you might be able to be apprenticed to them.  Mission agencies will be able to help you make this idea practically possible if this is the route you want to follow.