Ministry Training Courses
Five years ago no-one would have known what you meant if you said ‘ministry training course’. But in this time many have sprung up all over the country – providing strategic regional training centres. In fact, there are now at least fourteen courses running covering most parts of England. They were started with the aim of getting more and more church members trained up for Bible ministry. Taking their lead from the Cornhill Training Course in London (see Cornhill section for more information), these courses focus on Bible handling but are not a replacements for the CTC being less in-depth and requiring less of a time commitment.
What is a ‘Ministry Training Course’?
The courses are all slightly different but do tend to follow a pattern. An ‘MTC’ is generally a one-day-a-week (in three ten week terms), one year long (often with an option for a second year) training course in ministry, with a focus on Bible handling, theology and doctrine; with special emphasis on the practical aspects of ministry.
Who runs them?
The courses are run centrally, often at a large church in an area, though students come from churches all over that region. The courses are always run by leaders of like-minded Bible believing and teaching churches, who are working together across denominational boundaries. They are often linked, in varying amounts, to the region’s ‘Gospel Partnership’ (groups of these churches working together – mainly in evangelism and training). Lectures on the course are taught by leaders from those churches; some teach throughout the year, while others do one-off sessions or series’.
Who are they for?
The courses are for anyone wishing to be better equipped in whatever Word ministry they are involved in. They are often the ‘formal training’ element of apprenticeship schemes and the courses are often populated partly by church workers. But the students are not just those in ‘full-time’ gospel ministry; any congregation members, who can afford to take the one day off per week to study, are welcomed. Many courses are comprised of (approximately) half and half male and female, half and half church workers (apprentices, youth workers, children's workers etc) and congregation members, half and half under 30 and over 30 and half and half Anglican and Free Church.
What is the course content?
Generally, the courses have four one hour sessions during the day. Here is a pattern many of the courses take:
Session 1: Chronological Bible Overview - running throughout the year from Genesis to Revelation.
Session 2: Exposition/Bible books – Mini series’; normally five weeks long (half a term) on individual Bible books, across a range of the biblical genres.
Session 3: Doctrine and Practical Ministry – Five week series’ on various doctrines (for example, Doctrine of the Cross) and one-off lectures on various practical topics (for example, Preparing a Small Group Bible Study and Ministry to Muslims).
Session 4: Workshop groups – Based on Cornhill’s ‘gobbet’ groups, the students are divided into small groups. Each week a member of the group gives a short talk or Bible study for feedback by the rest of the group and a leader. The material covered is often linked to the books covered in the Exposition session.
Other material is covered if a second year is offered (such as a thematic Bible Overview).
Fees and Dates
Typically the courses cost £100-150 per term (£300 - £450 per year). The courses generally start in September and follow an academic year and the school half terms.
Courses around the country
BeaconLight Trust
Paul Adams
150 High Street, Banstead, SM7 2NZ
01737 353313
info@beaconlight.co.uk
www.beaconlight.co.uk
Midlands Ministry Training Course
John Stevens
City Evangelical Church Office, Park House, 679 Pershore Road, Selly Park, Birmingham, B29 7NY
0121 454 9590
john@city-church.org.uk
www.mmtc.org.uk
Network Ministry Training Course
Phil Jenkins
Highfields Church Office, Monthermer Road, Roath
Cardiff, CF24 4QW
02920 650740
network@highfieldschurch.org.uk
www.highfieldschurch.org.uk/network
Newcastle Ministry Training Course
Hugo Charteris
26 Rothbury Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE6 5XH
0191 2092508
hugo@christchurchheaton.net
www.christchurchheaton.net
North West Ministry Training Course
Justin Mote
St. Andrew's Parish Office, Church Hall, Worden
Lane, Leyland, PR25 3EL
01772 422266
training@northwestpartnership.com
www.northwestpartnership.com/training
Northern Training
Steve Timmis
215 Sharrow Vale Road, Sheffield, S11 8ZB
0114 2676704
mail@northerntraining.org
www.northerntraining.org
Peninsular Gospel Partnership Training Course
Karl Freeman
63, Sherford Road, Elburton, Plymouth, PL9 8BJ
info@peninsulargospel.org.uk
www.peninsulagospel.org.uk
South Central Ministry Training Course
Vaughan Roberts
2 Roger Bacon Lane, Oxford, OX1 1QE
01865 240438
admin@southcentralmtc.org
www.southcentralmtc.org
South West Ministry Training Course
Charlie
Ward,
St Bartholomew's Church,
King Edward Road,
Oldfield Park,
Bath,
BA2 3PB
01225 447935
charloss@gmail.com
www.southwestministrytraining.org
Sussex Coast Ministry Training Course
Neil Green
All Souls' Eastbourne, The Vicarage, 53 Susan's
Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3TH
01323 729582
www.segp.org.uk
The Genesis Project
Paul Pease
Chessington Evangelical Church, The King's Centre,
Coppard Gardens, Chessington, KT9 1BW
020 8391 5522
Training for East Anglia Ministry
Steve Midgley
Christ Church, Christchurch Street, Cambridge,
CB1 1HT
01223 362574
teamadmin@christchurchcambridge.org.uk
Word Wise
Iain Broomfield
Christ Church, Highland Road, Bromley, BR1 4AA
020 8464 5135
www.segp.org.uk
(Word Wise is different in structure to the above
courses with the teaching on evenings throughout the year.)
FIEC - Prepared for Service
David Cook
39 The Point, Market Harborough, LE16 7QU
01858 434540
pfs@fiec.org.uk
www.fiec.org.uk
(This course is slightly different in structure
to the above courses with two or three residential days every month for 8 months
in a year. The course runs for two years based in Reading and Chesterfield.)
Porterbrook Training Sheffield (part of the Porterbrook Network)
215 Sharrow Vale Road
Sheffield S11 8ZB
0114 267 6704
info@theporterbrooknetwork.org
www.theporterbrooknetwork.org
(This course has a different aim from the above courses. The course provides training
for church planting and missional church)