April Courses

 

By the time you are reading this the students who attended Session 2 will be gone from the Haus Edelweiss Campus and the short-term workers will be busy completing campus preparations for the upcoming graduation events. Students attending Session 2 came from Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, and Russia. Courses they took included: Evangelism taught by Steve White Seminar in Church Planting taught by Romica Iuga Principles of Christian Teaching taught by Myron Williams and Bill and Sue Abegglen Leadership and Management taught by Rick Justice and Myron Williams  Six classes have taken place in April at various in-country teaching sites, including: History of Christian Doctrine 1 and 2 taught by Oti Bunaciu in Belarus Mission and Mission Strategy taught by Roger Kemp in Estonia Discipleship taught by Myron Williams in Hungary Research Methods taught by Yulia Lubenets in Moldova Greek Tools taught by Sevastian Dumitru in Ukraine The students enrolled in History of Christian Doctrine 1 focused on the period of the Patristic period to the Middle Ages. The students enrolled in History of Christian Doctrine 2 focused on the development of Christian Theology and doctrines from the period of the Protestant Reformation (sixteenth century) to the present.  As with all TCM courses the subjects were looked at historically and topically and then applied to the present-day situations of the students’ ministries. The following excerpt from a Moldovan student’s report tells of the many aspects of his ministry. Keeping in mind the courses offered in the month of April, one can envision how those courses alone may have impacted his ministry.

Ivan writes: "During the fall of 2009 a new Bible Institute for the young people from villages in Moldova was started. In its beginning I was responsible for the life of students and for translation for the New Testament Professor. I was also involved in doing ministry throughout the villages and encouraging churches from our country.  Now I am the teacher of New Testament and Church History. I consider this a great honor to teach others from God's powerful Word. During the summer I am involved in the camp ministry and because we have two camp properties, I am the program director for the north camp. My favorite part of ministry is preaching the Word of God. I preach to students, village churches, and I am often invited to preach in Chisinau in the church where I was a youth leader. Please pray for all of this so that people will come closer to God and that the unsaved will be saved, and that God may be fully glorified! I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity I have to study at TCMII. The courses I take are helping me to express God's message in a more mature and careful way." TCM also wants to express our gratitude to each of you for your continued prayers, service, and financial support. Without your help students, such as Ivan, would not have the opportunity to become better-equipped international disciple makers. I encourage you to click here to learn more about the Great Commission Initiative and how you can become involved in training Christian leaders for significant service.

North American Christian Convention (NACC)   Mark your calendar for July 9-12 and join us in Louisville, Kentucky for the NACC. Be sure to visit us at the TCM Booth #817. If you missed the TCM Experience at the International Conference on Missions in November plan to visit the TCM Mini-Experience located in the Trackside Lobby at the NACC. TCM is proud to be a co-sponsor again this year of the NACC Main Sessions Live Stream.

Radical….Again, A Disturbing Conference That Demands a Response

By now I hope you have received information about (and registered for) the International Conference on Missions, being held November 15-18 at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

What began as a gathering of missionaries a day prior to the North American Christian Convention, turned into its own event in 1954.  From the early days when it was known as the National Missionary Convention it has grown to the current International Conference on Missions, which draws thousands of local church members who have a heart for missions. This year’s event will remain true to its commitment of globally advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through missions, as it challenges each of us to better understand what it means to be radical again.

For the 2012 ICOM TCM has been given the great honor of being named the highlighted mission.  Plans are underway to share the TCM Experience with all who attend.   

As we begin the process of creating the TCM Experience there are a few items we are searching for. Do you or someone you know have access to:

• A large number of cubicle wall sections to be used to divide the room into significant eras of TCM’s history
• An old tabletop radio
• A large number of tall silk plants

Did you or someone you know serve as a summer intern at Haus Edelweiss in the 1970s or 1980s?

Are you planning to attend ICOM? Would you like to give a few hours of your time to volunteer in the TCM Experience?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions please contact me at debbie.poer@tcmi.org and share in the celebration of the TCM Experience!

As you are going about your days this week and next be in prayer for those who are attending Session 4 at Haus Edelweiss. Students and translators representing seven nations and STWs from five churches in the United States are there studying and serving.  Courses this Session include Research Methods taught by Katharina Penner, Groups Ministry taught by Teresa Welch, Christian Counseling, taught by Nolan Thomas and New Testament Eschatology taught by Fred Hansen. May our prayers be a sweet aroma to our God!

Blessings on your journey,

Debbie Poer,

Director of Global Outreach

Meet TCM's First Students from Turkey

Session Three at Haus Edelweiss is in its second week and the session has been marked by another first. The campus has welcomed for the first time students and their translator from the country of Turkey. We have had the opportunity to ask them a few questions and I want to share with you some of their responses.

Turkey has a population of approximately 75 million people with 99.8% being Muslim. While there are Bible courses available to Turkish Christians, officially, the state will not allow the establishment of Christian Bible schools or seminaries. This means there are few Christian leaders who have a theological education.

We asked them to tell us about their ministries and learned that Murat B. has served as a pastor in an Istanbul church for the past 6 years. Together with a friend they started the church with 10 people and it has grown to 40. Although the members are mainly Turkish there are members from the United States, Korea, Mexico Albania, China, Mongolia and Azerbaijan. Murat is also involved with an organization that provides basic Bible courses to believers.

Each of the students interviewed was introduced to TCMII through their connections with Bible courses they had taken in Turkey. Alper G. shared that when he took one of the last classes available to him the teacher told him of a master degree opportunity through TCMII and encouraged him to enroll. Because it has been his desire for many years to improve his theological understanding he applied to TCMII and was accepted.

When asked why they chose to study with TCMII their answers varied and yet had a common thread running through them. Each felt it important that courses offered through TCMII are practical, they can study without being away from their ministries for extended periods of time and their TCMII studies will better equip them to serve in their ministries.

To TCM supporters they offered these words:

“It (time at Haus Edelweiss) was a blissful time, both in the theoretical way and a spiritual way. It’s a good retreat also so that when I return home I will focus on my mission with a clear mind.” Cem E.

“I would like to thank all TCMII staff and short-term ministers for serving with humble hearts.” Refik T.

To each of you, thank you for your partnership with TCM. Your prayers, service and financial support continue to allow TCM to offer many forms of leadership training to our Christian brothers and sister in what is now at least 36 countries in Europe, Central Asia and beyond.

For information about the Great Commission Initiative and to enlist click here. 

Blessings on your journey,

Debbie Poer,

Director of Global Outreach

Meet an International Disciple Maker

Several years ago when I began serving on staff at Haus Edelweiss I met a young, newly married couple, Konstantin and Irina Nazarov, who I have had the privilege of becoming better acquainted with through the years. They have studied at TCM, shared about their ministry and have grown from a couple into a family.

A few weeks ago while I was at Haus Edelweiss, Irina was part of an interview presented by Alexey Fedichkin, TCM National Director from Russia. Here is a portion of that interview.

“My name is Irina and I am married with three children. My family lives near Moscow. Together with my husband we are starting a new church in our local area. In doing that we must work with both children and adults. I enjoy studying with TCM. First, because of the experience, attitudes and skills of the professors who teach for TCM. They are great and wonderful people and their teachings are practical and provide great influence on me. When working with people one always feels a lack of enough knowledge and skills. At the beginning of a class with TCM I often think, ‘I know something about this area,’ but then I always gain so much more than I expected as I study. The courses are not only helpful and healthy for my personal spiritual growth, but the fact that I can pass on to others what I have learned brings me great joy! I am grateful to the Lord, the professors and to all who make studying with TCM possible. May God bless all the efforts. Thank you!”

Growing spiritually, sharing with others knowledge and skills, planting churches are ways Irina is being used as an international disciple maker. Join us in the Great Commission Initiative as together we grow, pray and send, providing other Christian leaders the opportunities for leadership training that Irina has had. For information about the Great Commission Initiative and to enlist click here. 

Blessings on your journey,

Debbie Poer,

Director of Global Outreach