The strength of the training aspect of TIMO is that it pays equal respect to both theory and application. We are neither just learning theory nor just doing. Rather, TIMO is seeking to apply theory to a specific local setting with the result that each member will begin formulating his or her own philosophy of ministry as a missionary to Africa.
There is a sensitive balance that needs to be maintained with every team. On the one hand, TIMO seeks to develop career missionaries so that they will be more effective for the duration of their time in Africa. On the other hand, reaching the unevangelized with the saving news of Jesus Christ is a high priority. Both training and ministry need to be combined so that neither aspect is neglected.
The framework of the syllabus consists of seven major parts:
- Language training over the course of the two years
- Six training units or semesters focusing on various aspects of the missiological task
- Weekly team days
- Assignments and papers
- Home Stays
- Month Outs
- Personal discipleship (both as discipler and as disciple)
Language Training
At or near the beginning of every unit will be two weeks of formal language training. Besides fulfilling AIM’s language requirement, this time of more formalized learning will balance the rest of the two year period where the learner-oriented approach will be employed.
Language learning is probably the single most important factor in successful ministry. Therefore, a high level of expectation, encouragement and accountability will be maintained by the team leader, the Language Coordinator, and TIMO En Gedi throughout the two years. Team members will learn at different speeds, and comparisons will not be drawn between team members but rather between where one is now and where one was a month ago. Eating the elephant seems impossible, but your job is just to keep taking a bite every day. (See the Language Acquisition section for more information.)
The Six Units:
The Orientation Unit
This three month unit is for the purpose of orienting team members to their new lives as missionaries. From a training perspective, TIMO views these first few weeks as crucial to the individual’s success for the remaining two years. It will be a time to become oriented with the new home, team, culture, and language. During the regular one-on-one times with the team leader, personal goals will be set in areas of language acquisition, walk with God, and team relationships. Home stays (see section titled “home stays” below for more info), team building, the learning of the local church and mission history, and various seminars will all be a part of the orientation unit.
The following four units (units 2-5) will each include an initial two week period of focused language learning; the units will also include seminar time, reading, strategy and planning, implementation and evaluation.
The Prayer and Spiritual Warfare Unit
Being men and women of prayer sets the foundation for all the work that we do. Being on the front line of spiritual battle necessitates that we understand how best to use the spiritual armor and weaponry with which we have been equipped. Besides the increased awareness of the need for prayer, team members will often experience spiritual warfare in a new way, and proper responses and attitudes need to be learned or reinforced. Besides continued language learning and the establishing of relationships in the community, this unit will involve seminars, times of fasting, and prayer days.
The Cross-Cultural Communication and Acquisition Unit
It is one thing to speak a language and another thing to communicate. Building on being in right relationship with the Lord, this unit will seek to deepen your cultural understanding of those whom you live among with the hope that the gospel will be placed in its proper context. During this unit your team leader will give the go ahead for formal ministry (such as bible studies, discipleship, outreach events) to begin.
The Evangelism and Church Planting Unit
Team members will become familiar with various types of evangelism and become comfortable with personal involvement in evangelism. They will also become familiar with the various problems and procedures of church planting. Studies on what is the church and how it should function will also be a part of this time.
The Discipleship Unit
As people begin to show interest in the gospel, team members will become familiar with discipling principles. The team members will begin to develop the leadership of the new church.
The Concluding Unit
This three month unit is dedicated to finishing the task. Teams will become proficient in understanding how to complete a ministry and to decide appropriate ways for the TIMO team to withdraw from the ongoing national church ministry. The team members will also understand how to set future goals. Final papers will be written by the team to allow reflection and closure of their final ministry. The team will have a two or three day debrief to conclude their time.
Often the work of planting a mature Church is not finished in the two year period of the TIMO program. The team will need to evaluate their ministry and decide on what is needed to complete the task. Sometimes team members return after a few months of home assignment in their home countries to continue evangelism, discipleship and strengthnening of the Church. Sometimes we place a second TIMO team in the same location to continue the ministry.
Our goal with the TIMO program is to train missionaries for long term outreach ministry but we are also committed to seeing a strong group of believers led by spiritually matured national leaders firmily established before leaving an area.
Weekly Team Days
- One day a week the team should meet together for prayer, Bible study, Scripture memory review, and discussion of the unit study. This is also a time where any team business can be discussed, although care should be taken not to devote too much time to business thereby detracting from study.
- Teams should decide together when they want to meet and for how long. A minimum time would be five hours per study day.
- Teams also need to decide where team meetings will be held ( a central home or a rotating basis). It is advisable that the team agrees on a cooking rotation for team days so that one or two people do not carry the cooking burden for every team day.
- The team leader will delegate the various team day activities to different team members, each having a part to play in the study day.
- In order to avoid confusion later, team days should have a secretary to record all business and decisions made by the team during the day.
- Team days do not work well without the cooperation of every team member. Active participation and involvement is the expectation for everyone.
- At least one time during each unit a day should be devoted to global prayer.
Assignments and Papers:
- All homework will be due on the date indicated in class. Failure to do the work will affect everyone, since what was studied will be shared in class.
- Reflection papers on reading assignments should be prepared for the team member’s own benefit and to assist in class discussion but will not be required to be turned in unless specifically requested the week before.
- Book reviews may be required for sharing with the class. Along with sharing with the team, a one page (standard A-4) synopsis of the content and comments on the book will be handed in on the day of the book review to help the team member articulate his or her thoughts and to aid in future reference for this team and other teams.
- It is expected that team members keep a journal (see section on Field Journal for further information). At weekly team meetings there will be a time for sharing what the Lord has taught through the Word and experience in the previous week.
- Units 2-5 will require a formal paper which will seek to coalesce the learning and thinking the team member has done during that unit. The papers will be presented to the team during team days and will be kept on file for future reference.
- The TIMO Syllabus suggests that team members read four books for the orientation and concluding units while reading six books for each of the four core units. This is a total of 32 books over the course of two years. In the past this number has seemed challenging yet realistic. The team leader, in consultation with the team members, will set the specific target amount for books for each unit.
Critical Thinking:
TIMO seeks to encourage team members to become lifetime learners. A large part of being self led in the learning process is learning to think critically. This means that the training on team days will not follow a traditional teacher-student model. Instead, the team leader or another team member will facilitate discussion on various topics. Rather than give “the right answer” or approach for a particular topic, TIMO seeks to challenge team members to arrive at universal truths and practical insights which are valid for the ministry situation they are in.
Home Stays
This is an important part of the curriculum which occurs almost immediately after the team’s arrival to their location. Team members will live in homes of the local people for one week getting an intimate view of what life is like for those to whom they minister. See the section entitled “Home Stays” for further information on this topic.
Month Out Experience
Towards the end of the two years, every team member will travel to another outreach ministry and observe how ministry is done in another setting for a one month period. See the section entitled “Month Out” for further information on this topic.
Personal Discipleship
One instrument of growth for the team member that TIMO uses is a regular personal meeting with the team leader throughout the two years. See the section entitled “One-on-One” for further information on this topic.