NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

We are on staff at NTM’s Missionary Training Center because of people like this …people who have never had a chance to hear God’s Word in their own language.

Upon completion of Biblical Studies, students come to the MTC in order to receive valuable skills for involvement in overseas church planting.  Their stay here is usually one to two and a half years, depending on their projected ministry.

Grant: Computers, servers, DSL, phones, and email – that’s pretty much what keeps me busy as I serve in the IT department here at MTC.  But it’s not all about “what needs to be done.”  At the heart of ministry is people and relationships.   Sure, Jesus Christ came to “do a job” of teaching, performing miracles, revealing Himself as the Son of God, and ultimately dying on the cross in our place.  But what was His heart in all of that?  Of course, people!!  And wanting to have a close relationship with each one of us.  With God as our example of desiring relationship so as to bring glory to Himself, Tracey and I also want to keep our relationship with Christ as the focal point of our ministry, encouraging others in the same way.  The IT department has several student men working alongside us in the afternoons as part of their campus ministry.  What a neat opportunity to have input into their lives as they are in this “training phase”!  As I go through my day of fixing problems, making phone calls, and keeping up with endless emails, I try to look for those opportunities to encourage, to edify, and to show Christ to both the staff and students around me.

Tracey: One of my ministries (outside the home) is to fill the role of student advisor for a program called ELINC.  That stands for Equipping through Listening, Interacting, Nurturing, and Challenging.  This program, which is part of the course that all NTM candidates go through, is designed for the purpose of having positive input into the students\’ lives so as to encourage their Biblical worldview. So far, my advisees have been single girls, and I spend lots of time getting to know them as well as meeting for scheduled times to discuss personal life, spiritual issues, and what they’re learning in class. This is such a vital part of what we do here at the MTC! It\’s so important for each student to have staff members involved on a personal level so as to ensure that they are properly prepared for life and ministry overseas.

Another ministry I’m involved with is the Child Protection Program.  God has brought together a team of people who will be working together for one common goal: protecting our children from harm and abuse. It\’s both sad and true that even in the Christian community, children can be abused. And it\’s something that a lot of people don\’t even want to believe or think about.  There are a lot of details still to be worked out, but the purpose of this ministry is to actually teach the missionary children here on campus how to protect themselves, be a voice for themselves, and trust their natural instincts…all without instilling fear. Using a program created by Sherryll Kraizer, author of The Safe Child Book, children from preschool on up will complete a course on protection skills.

You may wonder “Can\’t the parents just use that book and teach their children these skills?” Well, yes and no…the fact is that many parents simply don\’t realize the gravity and reality of what could potentially happen to their children. Basically, we plan to help them see the importance of simple training in these areas and encourage them to continue teaching their children as they grow up.