Frequently Asked Questions

Training Leaders International officially started in February of 2009.

Our office is located at 10 S. 5th St. in Suite 990 in Minneapolis. Feel free to come and visit. Our office is typically open Tues-Thurs.

Training Leaders International was born out of the vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all people. In 2013 TLI broke away legally from under the control of Bethlehem, though remains close relationally. Many staff members are global partners and members of the church.

We encourage you to apply if you have a heart for global missions and have received theological training (primarily pastors/professors).  We also encourage you to apply if you are in the process of pursuing theological training, such as a Master of Divinity, Master of Theology or doctorate.  Applicants have a variety of backgrounds yet all desire to serve the church of Christ by addressing the staggering need for theological education overseas.

If you are considering missions, this may be a way for you to discern your calling. If you are considering the pastorate, this may be a way for you to see the need to commit to short-term trips for the rest of your life. If you are considering academic work, this may be a way for you to see how your scholarship can help Christians around the world.

Yes! Please send the Director of Short-Term Ministries an email to talk about this.  Such opportunities vary by location but we want the TLI experience to be available to all, especially because there is much to be learned about the world and missions simply by observing  our work.

An online application is followed up with an online interview.  This gives us a chance to get to know each other and for you to ask some questions as well.  You will be given a link for the online meeting post-application.  Expect the interview to be about an hour and to deal with personal, theological and cross-cultural questions.  If you are approved, we will work with you to get you on a trip and connected to your trip leader.

We have a number of International Trainers (IT's) who work full time staff members at TLI. They oversee all of the trips and the teachers we send.  Our IT's will help you prepare for your trip, lead your team on the ground and offer valuable feedback during and after each trip. Each IT has invaluable ministry and cross-cultural experience and will ensure their teachers are well prepared. The process with the mentor is crucial and will include hours of one-on-one time and some assigned reading.  Most mentoring will be done while on the field. 

The amount varies from trip to trip as expenses vary.  The amount we ask you to raise covers the costs particular to the trip.  We will give you the tools you need, pray for you, and provide counsel for reaching full support.  Many teachers are surprised at how much financial support God provides.  Financial support alone will only give you physical provision. Since you will need spiritual provision as well, we ask that you build a significant network of prayer support for your trip. 

Yes!  We strongly encourage your spouse to join you. You will have a richer experience serving on this trip as a couple than alone.  There are also many opportunities outside the classroom for women to minister on our trips.

Cost for wives can be as much as $500 less than the normal price.  Since they aren't teaching the pastors, we do not charge them for interpreters, translation of materials and other teacher-related expenses.  Cost difference is trip specific.  Please contact the Director of Short-Term Ministries for more information.

TLI is convictionally complementarian.  That means we believe that in God's good design, and not because he places a greater value or worth on men over women, the role of pastor/elder is meant to only be filled by men. 

How this conviction is applied varies amongst our staff and global partners and many of our partners. There are certainly opportunities on our trips for women to minister. There have also been instances when women have taught a group of women leaders, have taught courses at schools, and in some instances, our curriculum at our training sites. These opportunities are site-specific.  We would love to answer your questions and have you use your gifts while serving with us.

Once you become an approved teacher (passing the application and interview process), we will get you connected to a few systems we use to help you prepare.  Managed Missions is an online information interface where you will receive the curriculum for study, information about your site, automated email reminders for upcoming tasks and other links and documents to help.  Also, Sola is our fundraising software that allows you to track all of your donations and help you get to 100%.  Study the biblical principles of fundraising and watch hours of videos from an experienced fundraising coach. 

We will also pair you up with your trip leader who will begin to mentor you.  He will lead your team through 3 crucial online meetings: 

1) Get to know your team - share testimonies, ministries and fellowship

2) Curriculum Meeting - A member of the curriculum team will help you know how to prepare your lessons and what to focus on.

3) Site Meeting - get to know the partner we serve alongside, the people you will teach and important cultural elements.  General cross-culural mentoring will take place as well.

* Some trip leaders may change the order or taylor meetings to their own style or preferences.

You can see a listing of all our trips here: http://trainingleadersinternational.org/go/short-term

Do you have a heart for a particular people group or country?  Perhaps you have a preference of formal vs. nonformal setting?  Please consider our greatest needs at this time.

Typically we teach Mon-Fri for 4-6 hours per day.  This varies from location to location.  There will also be informal times of discussion with the students before and after class time.  In the evenings, you will meet with your team to sharpen one another, debrief, and pray.  And usually there is an extra-curricular or culturally-informative activity planned for each trip.

The backgrounds of the students we teach are wide ranging and really depends on the particular location.  In our nonformal locations, where we teach TLI curriculum, many have received no formal theological education and some have received very little if any nonformal theological education. 

In our formal settings, where we partner with an existing school, many but not all have received some sort of formal Bible education before, some having earned a degree and some not.

Across the board, the backgrounds, calling and experience of our trainees differs.  We train refugees, long-time pastors, church planters, minstry leaders, evangelists, and even new converts.

Of course.  Just email us and ask for a copy.

Anyone feeling pulled toward a commitment anywhere from one year to a lifetime of teaching overseas can apply.  You must have earned or working toward an MA, MDiv, ThM or PhD.  You must be in whole-hearted agreement with the Gospel Coalition Confessional Statement.

After we receive your application we will begin getting to know each other. We will want you to go on a short-term trip with us so that we can gauge with you your ability to teach cross-culturally. From there we will help prepare you and your family to live overseas and coach you all the way until you leave.

Yes!  You need to have at least one church that serves as your sending church and your point of reference when you are overseas or in your home country.

If you are a student, contact us immediately.  They best way we can determine whether you are called and ready to move overseas is to go on short-term trips with us while you are in school.

The answer really depends on where you are going, the size of your family and the type of ministry you will be involved in.

Yes, as long as the other school will receive missionaries from us and we are able to establish a relationship with them, we would be happy to send you.