You know your ministry needs its own training program, but getting it built feels like it will take forever. You will need a cohesive curriculum, materials, hands-on training opportunities, and a thousand other things, then there’s the question of accreditation. Maybe it will take forever, at your current pace, but it doesn’t have to. There is help!
The Well Trod Path of Burnout
Ministry is an endless opportunity for burnout. People are never really finished and so ministry is never really complete. If you let that get to you, you will burn out as a ministry leader. The problem compounds itself when you are trying to train a new generation of ministry leaders. You are dealing with people which (see above) has its challenges, but you are also delving into the complicated world of education. This has led many ministry leaders, such as yourself, to quit the all-important task of raising up new leaders for the next generation of God’s work. But rather than succumbing to the emotions, explore how you can complete your mission in less time than you ever thought possible.
Remember Why You Are Doing This
First, remember why you started this task. God has work to be done in this world. He has chosen us humans to do that work. Your ministry has learned vital parts of God’s mission. To accomplish the mission, people like you need to train leaders in your particular area of God’s work. If you do not do this, then who will? You have seen things. You have done things. You have a vision that others do not. Do not let those lessons die with you. Whether you are building an internship, residency, or gap year program, your ministry training program might be the difference between people discovering the love and grace of God or not.
Understand That You Are Not Alone
Others have been where you are. Their context was different. Their specific part in God’s mission was different. But the overall idea was the same: they wanted to train ministry leaders and were feeling overwhelmed by the task. Hardship has a way of making you feel alone. Simply accepting the fact that you are not alone has a way of turning on the light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing that others have been there and got to the end can be its own source of encouragement. You are not alone. Remember that!
Believe in the Power of Partnership
Those who have succeeded in the task of building quality ministry training programs have all learned the value of good partnerships. Think about how God designed the church to function. The church is a community of people each functioning as different parts of one body (1 Cor. 12:12-27). Everyone has different skills, experiences, and abilities. The church is strongest when each member offers their gifts in partnership with others to accomplish the task at hand. Whether you are building something from scratch or upgrading an existing program, if you are doing it all yourself, then you are missing out on the power of partnership.
Find the Right Partner to Help You Create a Ministry Training Program
As a ministry leader, you come to the table with a certain set of ministry tools. Where you and your team likely have some gaps is in using academic type tools. That is where the right partner can help you. The right partner can help you build a cohesive curriculum, navigate the world of accreditation, and gain the rapport your program needs. And since your mission is urgent, you need it all to happen soon!
We started Eleven:6 because we wanted to do exactly what you are trying to do. We believed in training ministry leaders but wanted to do it differently from the traditional Bible school or seminary. Along the way, we got frustrated, overwhelmed, and made mistakes. But we took those experiences and let them shape the way we serve alongside ministries like yours. Through experience we have learned how ministries leaders like you can avoid so many of the common frustrations that others get stuck in. Today, we are proud to offer a framework that any ministry can use to build a successful, academic-grade training program. And yes, it will take much less time than you think it will.
Like you, we have learned a certain set of tools that help us accomplish our mission. Our mission is to help you accomplish your mission of building the best ministry training program for your context. And we would love to partner with you.
When you are ready to partner with someone who has been where you are, schedule a call and we will get you moving, again.