TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
PURPOSE
The ECI Theological Training Program (TTP) exists to equip pastors and church leaders with solid biblical training so that they will have a sound biblical and theological foundation upon which to build the ministry the Lord has given them.
THE NEED
There is an extreme need for providing theological education to church leaders in the majority world. Over 85% of pastors outside the US have had no biblical training. Most of these pastors and church leaders have no access to that training even though they desire it. Most pastors in the majority world are of low income and pastor congregations that are unable to sustain a pastor financially. For this reason, the majority of pastors could not attend a traditional seminary program even if they had access to one because of work, ministry, and cost. Therefore, the great need is to provide theological education to such men that will be 1) accessible, 2) affordable and 3) reproducible so that they can pass on what they have learned to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2).
MEETING THE NEED
To provide theological education to pastors that is accessible, the TTP offers courses in modular format of 2-3 days, 4 times per year. In this way, a pastor can have access to solid theological training with minimum interference with work or ministry. The goal is to provide this training with very little cost to the students by raising the funds necessary for travel and most of the costs of materials, thus making it affordable for them. This program is also reproducible in that the material presented is thorough and yet basic enough for those who have completed the course to teach it and pass it on to others.