Preparing to Take Part in Training Missions

By Zhang Qian

An important and urgent need of the churches in China and other countries is the training of pastors and disciples.

How should trainers from overseas who have a heart for this ministry prepare themselves and participate at the time?

1. Prepare your lectures well

Discipleship training is different from teaching a Sunday school class. We must realise that most of the trainees are already seasoned workers who have laboured long and hard in the Lord's harvest fields. For this reason, we must aim to contribute the very best messages and materials we can for their training in discipleship.

Normally, training seminars are extensions of seminary classes and are the equivalent of mobile seminaries. So we must not take our task lightly by trying to teach with just a Bible and a few ad hoc inspirations. We must realize that our trainees have come to the class at great cost. Some of them have walked along mountain trails for several days in order to come. I met a newly married couple who, in order to study the Bible, had chosen to spend their honeymoon at the training center. For this reason, the lectures we offer must have been properly prepared.

2. Accept all the existing arrangements

We must realise that course arrangements may vary in different areas. Normally there are morning prayers, devotional times and evening training seminars. Classes run for at least six hours during the day, with each class period taking about one and a half hours. In extreme cases, classes may run for up to ten hours a day. The trainers must do their best to set a good example by joining in and adapting as much as they can.

On my first training experience, I had ridden a bus for ten hours before finally reaching the training center, dizzy and exhausted. I expected to be rewarded with a big meal and then to be able to go straight to bed. To my surprise, before I had even had a chance to eat, the local coworkers asked me to give a lecture straight after dinner. I saw a whole crowd of believers there waiting for me to start. So I had to hastily eat my meal, praying as I ate as to what I should talk about.

The next day I had to teach for ten hours. For five consecutive days I taught Ephesians, a total of fifty hours altogether. When this was finished, I had to rush on to another training center and repeat the entire class for five more days. The only words to describe my experience are "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."

People from overseas put great store by good planning. They believe that good planning is the unwritten rule of courtesy. If you are taking part in a training course, however, you must be prepared to abandon what you think of as your "rules". It is more effective to rely on the Lord's grace. If the local leaders ask you to give a message with no prior warning, remember not to get upset or turn down the opportunity to minister to them. They are only showing their respect for you.

3. Do not criticize

Problems may arise in training centers. Some teachers react too strongly, but your criticisms may not be well received. No matter what happens, do not criticize anyone for any arrangements in front of other co-workers.

Once I was at a training center when more trainees showed up than had been expected and there didn't seem to be enough food to go round. One young trainee couldn't handle this and at dinner he voiced his complaints. Then a whole chain of reactions broke out. It reminded me of the early church when there were arguments about food - but it was because of this that deacons were elected. So you can see that something trivial can sometimes turn into a real crisis.

Another time I was giving a lecture. It was really hot that day and one of the coworkers was responsible for fetching me cold towels. He certainly had a loving heart, but the towel was just an old piece of rag, yet I had to accept it with a loving heart too. You need, by faith, to respect the loving hearts of other people! Do not criticize them!

Another time, an elderly brother suffering from tuberculosis came to the class. The co-workers carried him upstairs. This old brother insisted on being seated right beside us. At lunch time, the co-workers arranged for him to be seated at our table, so that he could share the Lord's love with us.

Actually, the weakest person present was not this frail aged brother; it was me! I prayed anxiously in my heart, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which tuberculosis has been crucified to me, and I to tuberculosis." And the best verse at that time was Galatians 3:3: "For you have died..."

4. Steer clear of internal conflicts

It is sometimes hard for training teachers to totally distance themselves from interpersonal conflicts in local churches. These conflicts are usually very complicated and both parties seem to have sound reasoning on their side. As teachers, we must stand firm and avoid adding to the problem. Except for issues regarding Biblical truth, we should just listen and observe. This is because there are always two sides to the coin. If you are asked to deal with these issues, you must have the courage to carry the cross because both parties expect the "teacher" to be on their side. We must be careful when choosing our words.

5. Be careful in handling offerings

When training teachers set off for training centers, they often take with them monetary offerings from the brothers and sisters overseas. We must be very careful distributing these offerings. Some areas are poor and a large sum of money can be both good and bad for them, depending on how we do it. Normally it is best to give the money as a lump sum to the leading co-workers of the local church and let them distribute it further. It is a bad idea to hand it out on an individual basis. In some places people are not hypersensitive. In other areas, though, an uneven distribution will cause problems. So we must be wise when dealing with money.

6. Unambiguous teaching of Christian truths

A training mission involves the delivery of truth. It requires the teacher to be crystal clear about Biblical truth. We must realize that many trainees in these areas do not possess adequate spiritual resources or literature. If we try to explain one verse of Scripture with four or five different interpretations, as opposed to one straightforward explanation, we will cause a lot of unnecessary confusion among the trainees. Normally they like straightforward explanations rather than indirect or irrelevant lectures. This is especially true when it comes to Biblical truths like the Last Things and assurance of salvation. We must be very clear in our teaching. And we should avoid bringing out different opinions and letting the trainees choose what appeals to them. They will be very uncomfortable if they have to choose.

We must also be very well prepared in relation to some difficult issues in the Old and New Testaments. One example is righteousness through faith. I have had several people coming to me for different explanations. As teachers, we must tell trainees very clearly what is right and what is wrong. Any ambiguity on our part will result in confusion.

7. Be familiar with the local situation

A training mission is different from teaching a class in a seminary because of the inadequate reference sources available. In most areas, a trainee is considered well-equipped if he possesses a copy of an annotated Bible. So a western teaching style is not helpful. Different situations demand different teaching methodologies. For this reason, we need to communicate with the local co-workers prior to the training program. We need to understand which issues will need special explanation in class, any issues that will require special attention and issues they expect trainers to give help with.

At the same time we must adapt to local needs and avoid imposing meaningless western ideas on local trainees. We must remember that our mission is to help rather than to control.

8. Keep confidences

Trainers must maintain confidentiality about training centers and this is especially true for some special areas. For the sake of co-workers' safety and for the sake of future cooperation, both sides need to keep all their interactions confidential in order to minimize any negative repercussions. Exchanges of information between training centers should also be prohibited in order to avoid any negative chain reactions.

9. Be willing to keep quiet

Training missions are a form of service which must be largely anonymous, in the sense that they are not normally talked about openly. For this reason trainers may not be in a position to receive appropriate appreciation from the brothers and sisters of their own churches. Besides this, because of different factors in each place, trainers normally do not talk about their work. So it is a kind of behind-closed-doors ministry. Trainers, therefore, must first and foremost understand their role. They must be willing to train themselves before they are qualified to participate in training missions.

10. The more materials the better

Training missions differ from regular seminary classes. A teacher must be fully prepared ahead of time so as to avoid the embarrassment of running out of ideas. Think carefully about this. It takes at least 60 to 80 hours to teach the Book of Romans. So we must first decide if we have enough material to teach. We should also realize that it is best to provide detailed handouts to the students. This is very important in many training centers. Do not begin teaching with nothing but a Bible. This is because trainees normally do not take notes fast enough. They will be delighted if you provide detailed handouts for them.

In my experience, handouts are a must. And relevant spiritual books or teaching materials are also welcome. Many trainees who come to the class will be teaching thousands of others later on and therefore any help we give them in how to teach becomes one of their motivations for coming to training classes. We must share with them any good sermon outlines we have, and we should gather as many sermon materials as we can before we go there.

Sometimes co-workers in training areas are very excited and grateful to see teachers coming from so far away. And they believe that the best way to show their appreciation in return is to provide us with many preaching opportunities. We should not feel uncomfortable about this, nor should we refuse any invitations. We must realise that this is their best way of expressing a welcome. Once I was sent off to Southeast Asia expecting to give two or three sermons. But I ended up doing twelve. And all of them were different. The local co-workers followed me around eagerly to listen to every one of my sermons. So in this situation how could I give the same address more than once? So you see, you do indeed need to be fully prepared.

11. It is a prolonged battle

Training schedules are extremely tight and soon the mission becomes a prolonged physical battle for the teachers. Every day one has to teach between 6 and 10 hours, in addition to Morning Prayer session, evening homework correction, co-worker fellowship and counseling. Combine this with a lack of bathing facilities and poor restroom facilities, and it really is a physical challenge. Furthermore, it is quite normal for this to continue on for over twenty days in a row. It really is a special challenge for those who come from more civilized areas.

For instance, once I had to share a bed with another teacher. I had almost never been so "intimate" with anyone. It was quite an experience. Another training teacher holds a record of 18 hours of non-stop lecturing. Still another holds a record of 15 days without taking a shower. I believe this is the record for going without a shower ! I am not quite so accomplished and my showerless record stands at only ten days. Once I lectured for ten hours a day for two weeks in a row. The workers did not even provide me with a chair. So the Lord gave me grace and I managed to stand for two weeks. By the end my two legs were completely the Lord's and they did not quite obey me. I had to resist the idea of writing on my legs, "Holy unto the Lord".

12. Meet different challenges

A training mission is a comprehensive ministry, much like a comprehensive doctor in a hospital. This requires a teacher to be knowledgeable enough to teach classes in many different fields. Although some teachers may specialize in certain fields, a wide breadth of knowledge will always come in handy.

13. Rest when you can

Each training district can be huge and a teacher is very likely to be appointed to lecture in a range of places. Once one training session is over, the teacher must go to the next one right away, without a break. For this reason, a training teacher must be smart about preserving his energy. Rest when you can rest and eat when you can eat.

A training teacher should bring with him some common medicines or vitamins; this is very important. Vitamins are a must. Do not take this lightly. We must realise that our body is the temple of the Spirit and we must take good care of it. The first time I went to a training center, I took chicken crystals with me despite co-workers making fun of me. One of my colleagues also laughed at me. Then two years later this colleague of mine had to withdraw from training missions, and the reason for his withdrawal was that he was exhausted. He was suffering from liver malfunction and indigestion.

14. Put up courageously with hardships

Not only does a training mission take a long time, a teacher also needs to overcome lifestyle difficulties with courage. Food is a big problem. Different cuisines are offered in different areas. And so a teacher should be able to handle noodles, dry rice, sour food, sweet food, bitter food, spicy food and tasteless food.

Another tough problem is the "evacuation problem", meaning going to the restroom. One must get good at getting it over quickly. I once wrote down a set of rules about going to the restroom and one of the rules was "release on time". If you are too slow, you will notice that in those smelly open-style public toilets you can quickly become runny-eyed. I think most teachers will understand what I mean.

The first time I went into an "all-star" restroom (all-star means you can see the stars Abraham used to see), I was extremely embarrassed; I tried hard but I failed. I realized it was quite ineffective to go about it in my way. So I had to go back to my room to pray quietly. This was something I couldn't pray about in public. In the end I finally overcame my old self and released while singing Hallelujah!

15. Make adjustments as necessary

It is quite a normal part of this lifestyle to have to adjust or add classes according to local needs. As we prepare for training classes, therefore, we need to consider what the trainees need most. It is best to bring a notebook computer and store teaching materials in it. I have a good collection of CDs, so I am not so nervous about having to adapt my classes. When I am required to provide the co-workers with an outline of Paul's Epistles, I can find it right away on the computer. This is the best and the most effective way.

16. Recognise your need of people's prayers

Before you set out is very important to invite your fellow-workers to pray together. Often a training teacher is fighting a lonely battle and he will rely heavily on his co-workers' prayer and support. For this reason training missions are a form of service which requires the participation of all the brothers and sisters in the church. It is not a one-man show.

17. Faith and grace

The job of helping in training missions is by no means an easy one. An important prerequisite for a training teacher is to be full of faith and to be trusting the Lord to provide. Once I was to enter an area where there was an epidemic going on and before I set out I was quite hesitant. I was feeling very sick after taking some prophylactic pills and I felt like backing out. But then, in faith, I went anyway. Once the plane had taken off I felt much better. And I was completely recovered by the time I reached my destination.

Another time I twisted my ankle just before leaving. When I boarded the plane it was giving me a lot of pain. But, by the Lord's grace, the stewards swapped me from economy class to business class and I was able to enjoy the Lord's abundant grace all along the way. Faith is absolutely necessary during training missions. Though I am often weak and I don't have enough faith, I can always count on the Lord's grace. And I am truly thankful.

This article is reproduced from an evangelical periodical focused on training missions. The author now lives in Northern California.