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RENDEZVOUS

Kenya to Venezuela, Mongolia to Montana -- BTCP Enables Individuals and Churches to Grow

by Jim Carlson, Executive Director

A revolutionary approach to training pastors in the African bush country has become a world-wide success, to include even some "little places" in the Rocky Mountain West. Bible Training Centre for Pastors (BTCP) was discovered by the Mission in the spring of 1994 when I participated in the ordination service of new worker Rich Liverance at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. At that time Rich introduced me to Dennis Mock, founder of BTCP.

Dennis explained that he had been burdened for the rapidly growing church in Kenya, which was quickly out-pacing the number of trained pastors available to shepherd the many new believers there. Using coursework he had gleaned from Dallas Theological Seminary, Dennis began writing curriculum suitable for Christian lay leaders to develop their knowledge of the Bible and pastoral ministry skills. Built into the ten courses was the flexibility to allow students to take classes in blocks of time between responsibilities to their work and families. In short, students unable to uproot and travel out of country for training could be schooled at the nearest BTCP.

The idea rapidly caught on and spread among Christian communities in third world countries. Pastor Mel Sumrall of Denton, Texas took up the burden of traveling the globe, training teachers and establishing BTCP sites. My last conversation with Mel caught him at home between trips to Venezuela and Mongolia.

At that time Mission leadership felt that BTCP would make an excellent tool for training rural pastors and church leaders in our own ministry area. Mel visited us in the spring of 1995, and we were underway with classes in Lolo that fall. Several years later training "satellites" were begun in Plains and Hot Springs. This spring will see our second three-year cycle of students complete the coursework.

Format for BTCP is modular; one course is taught at a time on Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 7:00. Classes range in length from six to thirteen weeks, and include topics such as theology, Bible survey, interpretation of Scripture, church history, church administration, sermon building and preaching, missions and discipleship, Bible teaching and ministry skills. Mission pastors teach the bulk of the courses, using primarily the NIV Study Bible and the BTCP course manual. Particularly in the areas of pastoral ministry, we’re able to adapt the material for practical application in rural churches.

BTCP is currently in six languages, 50 countries, and over 8,000 students. Relevant to us here in the Rocky Mountain West, three current Mission pastors have been trained through BTCP: Jim Moore in Condon, Sid Bartell in St. Regis and Westend, and Steve Lockrem at Lone Rock. Dozens more have had their church leadership skills developed and have gained a much deeper knowledge of the Bible through this training. Classes are small and the group interaction is extremely valuable. The Mission has also used BTCP as an effective complement to our pastoral internship program in the case of several pastors-in-training.

John Carey	Jake Cremer	Rachel Cremer	John Fred	Pastor Don Oberg

At the Rocky Mountain Shepherds’ Conference this April (2001), we’re pleased to hand certificates of completion to John Fred and Don Oberg of Lolo Community Church, Russ Scheffel (not yet pictured) and John Carey of Lone Rock Bible Church, and Jake and Rachel Cremer of Hot Springs Bible Church.

We’re trusting the Lord to continue to use BTCP as He develops His kingdom in the Rocky Mountain West. Our desire is to be able to offer training at points distant from Lolo, to accommodate those in the Great Falls, Helena and Butte areas. If you would like to know more about this highly effective program, please contact us.