Timothy Training Institute
Encyclopedia
Timothy Training Institute (TTI) is a non-denominational Christian
mission
, equipping church leaders with thorough Biblical knowledge and life-application studies, to enable them to better serve their communities and lead their congregations.
, including South Africa
, Mozambique
, Zimbabwe
, Malawi
, Angola
etc. when they received the vision (with the emphasis on "Christian leadership training") to equip church leaders, as many church leaders across Africa
have no formal training.
Timothy Training Institute, then known as Project Timothy, began to formally train church leaders in Mozambique
, in 1986. The training became popular and soon a large number of church leaders were began to implement their newly acquired knowledge and skills in their communities.
In the early 1990s, after the success of the training in Mozambique, Timothy Training Institute began conducting classes in South Africa. The training was very successful and soon classes were offered in all of the provinces of South Africa
; the Timothy Training Institute also received more requests from various SADC
countries.
and currently serves the Word to nearly 2 million people, by the nearly 20 000 graduated students since 1986. Timothy Training Institute operates in 40 countries (directly and indirectly and including several countries suffering under religious persecution
) around the world and works in conjunction with several international organizations.
has always been a challenge. The traditional western methods of simply attending a Bible college for several years are not always practical in Africa-context. Very often, it happens, that when someone does feel called, and can somehow find the funds needed to go to seminary
or Bible school, they almost never return to their village.
Timothy Training Institute provides pastoral training at the hub church. This enables the new trainee pastor to do 'on-the-job' training. The students can live at home and serve their people while they complete their studies.
The course itself was developed "by Africans for Africans", which is why Timothy Training Institute's course is so popular in Africa.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
, equipping church leaders with thorough Biblical knowledge and life-application studies, to enable them to better serve their communities and lead their congregations.
History
Timothy Training Institute was founded in 1986 by Christians, representing various Christian organizations, from several countries across AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, including South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
etc. when they received the vision (with the emphasis on "Christian leadership training") to equip church leaders, as many church leaders across Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
have no formal training.
Timothy Training Institute, then known as Project Timothy, began to formally train church leaders in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, in 1986. The training became popular and soon a large number of church leaders were began to implement their newly acquired knowledge and skills in their communities.
In the early 1990s, after the success of the training in Mozambique, Timothy Training Institute began conducting classes in South Africa. The training was very successful and soon classes were offered in all of the provinces of South Africa
Provinces of South Africa
South Africa is currently divided into nine provinces. On the eve of the 1994 general election, South Africa's former homelands, also known as Bantustans, were reintegrated and the four existing provinces were divided into nine. The twelfth, thirteenth and sixteenth amendments to the constitution...
; the Timothy Training Institute also received more requests from various SADC
Southern African Development Community
The Southern African Development Community is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states...
countries.
Operations
Timothy Training Institute today, is operated from Oudtshoorn, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and currently serves the Word to nearly 2 million people, by the nearly 20 000 graduated students since 1986. Timothy Training Institute operates in 40 countries (directly and indirectly and including several countries suffering under religious persecution
Religious persecution
Religious persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or lack thereof....
) around the world and works in conjunction with several international organizations.
Methodology
Training of new pastors in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
has always been a challenge. The traditional western methods of simply attending a Bible college for several years are not always practical in Africa-context. Very often, it happens, that when someone does feel called, and can somehow find the funds needed to go to seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
or Bible school, they almost never return to their village.
Timothy Training Institute provides pastoral training at the hub church. This enables the new trainee pastor to do 'on-the-job' training. The students can live at home and serve their people while they complete their studies.
The course itself was developed "by Africans for Africans", which is why Timothy Training Institute's course is so popular in Africa.