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Timothy Ministry
Student Timothy Ministry Who is Baptist Church Planters (BCP)?...............................................................................................1 Understanding the Timothy Program....................................................................................................2 Â
The Two-fold Arm of the Timothy Program........................................................................................3 Specific Benefits of each Program..........................................................................................................4 The Role of the Church Planter...............................................................................................................5 The Role of the Timothy............................................................................................................................6 Steps to Take to Become a Timohy.........................................................................................................7 Chart of Disciplines to be Experiencd..............................................................................................8-9 Evaluation.................................................................................................................................................10
Who is Baptist Church Planters (BCP)? • We are a church planting ministry with a heart for North America and North American churches. Our mission is to plant Baptist churches in as many ethnic communities as possible. • We are literal and dispensational in our hermeneutic with a high regard for God’s holiness. We rest in the sovereignty of God and seek to proclaim His greatness and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. • Our governing Council is composed of pastors, missionaries and laymen. Churches that contribute to either missionaries or the mission are given the opportunity to elect the pastors. Missionaries elect missionaries and the governing Council appoints laymen. Our purpose is always to work closely with our supporting local churches.
• We believe in interdependent fellowships, thus we participate with those who hold to a like-minded doctrinal statement and practices. We believe that unity in service and fellowship must be based on doctrinal agreement.
Visit our website for detailed information- www.bcpusa.org
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Understanding the Timothy Program In Acts 16, Paul the Apostle/Missionary took a young man, Timothy, under his wing for training. He left him only after a time of training and mentoring, but always continued communication and visits. In like manner, the Timothy Program of BCP is designed to fulfill this biblical model. The young man or woman comes beside a veteran or experienced missionary. After gaining wisdom and maturity by observing the church planter, it is expected that the Timothy have a greater understanding of the Lord’s will for his or her life. It has been said gaining experience is the “greatest teacher.� With this thought in mind, the Timothy Program is a means of learning, hands on and on site, what it is to serve in the ministry of church planting.
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The Two-fold Arm of the Timothy Program The Timothy program has both an internship and an apprentice classification. Note the differences in the following chart.
Internship
Apprenticeship
Short term- usually 8-10 weeks.
Minimum of two years.
Prerequisite: Must fill out a short application and have the approval of the intern’s home church, BCP administration, and intern’s school.
Prerequisite: Must join BCP’s Timothy Apprentice Program and attend a Candidate Class.
Purpose: To receive a clearer understanding of church planting and be exposed to ministry life. There will be opportunity for minimal preaching, teaching, discipleship, evangelism and administration.
Purpose: To receive in-depth training and experience in church planting. There will be opportunities in preaching, teaching, evangelism, counseling, youth work, general administration, and discipleship.
Reporting: Report from the church planter following the ministry experience will be sent to the intern’s school.
Reporting: Field director will periodically visit with the church planter and the Timothy to determine progress.
Essay about the intern’s experience will be required following the internship.
Provide a report each year to BCP and the sending church regarding your progress.
Raise support for internship costs.
Seek employment.
All other requirements of the intern’s school will be coordinated between the school and the church planter.
Determine whether church planting is God’s will for your future.
Give thanks to those who supported your ministry experience.
Start raising full-time support. 3
Specific Benefits of Each Program Internship The Bible teaches that a novice should not be installed in ministry until proven. The internship program allows a short period of time to do the following: • Gives the intern an overall “close-up look” at ministry life. • Gives the intern an opportunity to participate in the actual day-to-day work of ministry. • Gives the intern an opportunity to evaluate and be evaluated as a minister of the gospel, hopefully to sharpen his or her skills.
Apprenticeship The apprenticeship program allows for an extended ministry experience. BCP recommends not less than two years and not more than five years. This program provides an opportunity for the following: • Ample time to gain a clear understanding of ministry. • Experience in the whole scope of ministry, such as administration, preaching, counseling, evangelism, and general pastoral duties. • Ample time to determine his or her abilities as it relates to their ministry in the Lord’s work. Through this extended ministry experience, both the apprentice and the veteran missionary will begin to visualize what God has for the Timothy in future ministry. Some will be pastors, other lead church planters, others will be valuable associates. It is best to learn your strengths early in ministry. • Ample opportunity for gaining credibility in the ecclesiastical world. This credibility will be extremely valuable when seeking support as a missionary.
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The Role of the Church Planter The Lead Church Planter The lead church planter should look at the Timothy (intern or apprentice) as an associate or partner in ministry. This person is learning but not to be looked on as a student. The lead church planter is not necessarily an instructor but a mentor by example. The Timothy is learning by watching and doing, not by instruction alone.
The Lead Church Planters should: • Determine a means to help the intern/apprentice meet the church people as soon as possible and with as much depth as possible. • Instruct the church to call the Timothy Apprentice “Pastor “Brother .”
,” and the intern,
• Have weekly meetings to include the Timothy in the planning and activities of the church. • Involve the Timothy in all the services of the church. • Set times for the Timothy to meet the requirements as outlined in the chart of disciplines. • Be cognizant of the needs of the Timothy, but is not responsible for the Timothy’s financial needs. • Do not expect the Timothy to do ministry that the lead church planter does not or will not do. The Timothy is not an underling, but a partner. • Evaluate the progress of the Timothy including the field director’s input.
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The Role of the Timothy Intern or Apprentice should: • Keep in contact with the lead church planter while planning for the ministry experience. • Arrive ready for ministry, mentally and physically. • Accept the responsibilities the lead church planter assigns. • Ask for help if needed. • Make every effort to “step forward” when in a crowd. • Make yourself available to people. • Purpose to evangelize on your own. Don’t wait for the lead church planter to schedule evangelism. • Remember to not use your liberty for anything but service to the people you are assigned. • Fulfill all reporting assignments given.
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Steps to Take to Become a Timothy Internship 1. Make application to Baptist Church Planters. 2. Once accepted, Baptist Church Planters’ administration will seek to pair the Timothy with the veteran missionary most suited to the Timothy. Many issues will come into play, such as location, experience, personality, and style of ministry. 3. Send letters to churches, family, and friends to raise the needed support for the program. 4. Move to the location at the appointed time. 5. Complete the required reports after the ministry experience.
Apprenticeship 1. Make application to Baptist Church Planters. 2. Attend Candidate School and be approved by the Council. 3. Once accepted, Baptist Church Planters’ administrators will give the Timothy exposure to lead church planters most compatible to the Timothy. Many issues will come into play, such as location, experience, personality, and style of ministry. Both the lead church planter and the Timothy will be given opportunity to determine if it is God’s will to partner. The invitation to the Timothy will come through the lead church planter. 4. Raise as much support as possible after being approved by the Baptist Church Planters’ Council. 5. Once approved, the Timothy will move to the location and start ministry. 6. Any personal problems will be referred to the field directors.
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Chart of Disciplines Internship Christian Education
Counseling
Discipleship
Preaching
Endeavor to make ten evangelism contacts each week
Teach a class, if possible
Sit in with the lead church planter in counseling
Make yourself aware of the church’s discipleship material
Preach at two main services during your ministry (minimum)
Endeavor to make two calls a week, canvassing homes
Be a major participant in VBS or similar ministry
Acquaint yourself with the church planter’s views on counseling
Disciple at least two people of different spiritual levels
Present a devotional at two different events
Evangelism
Preach in three If given the As directed make Review with the Develop your own venues outside hospital visits “on church planter the opportunity, coundiscipleship the church, such your own” and church’s approach sel someone. Then philosophy as camp, jail, review with the to education pray with the sick nursing home, etc. lead church planter During your Acquaint ministry time, yourself with the endeavor to children’s present the gospel program to five people Visit a nursing home and make contact with patients
Attend funerals and weddings with the church planter
Develop discipleship material for two different spiritual levels
Develop a “one year preaching calendar” and share with the church planter
Prepare a curriculum you would suggest for adults
Administrative duties should be experienced throughout the internship to include office work, maintenance projects, technical issues, etc. The Timothy should when possible attend Deacon’s meetings and other leadership meetings. Office hours should be established with the lead church planter.
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Chart of Disciplines - Cont. Apprenticeship Evangelism
Christian Education
Counseling
Discipleship
Preaching
Make scheduled calls on visitors
Be part of the Christian Education process for a year
Sit in with the lead church planter on counseling
Determine the material you will use
Schedule with the lead church planter specific times to preach
Do cold calling periodically
Help with VBS. Organize the program, if possible
Develop your system of counseling, share with the church planter your approach
Establish discipleship classes with new believers
Do one series during each year
Instruct in teacher Teach an training class evangelism class
Attend funerals with the lead church planter
Disciple some older believers
Preach two special day messages
Make regular calls Help in the at hospitals and children’s program nursing homes
Have a planned program for counseling
Work with the lead church planter on a five year plan for discipleship for the whole congregation
Develop a one-year preaching calendar
Determine a place Create a five-year to frequent for the adult curriculum for evaluation by purpose of meeting unsaved the lead church planter
Plan to attend training classes on counseling
Preach evangelistic Develop your messages in philosophy of places other than discipleship out of your training these experiences church
Some of this will be done with the lead church planter and other parts alone. Not all will be done at the same time and not necessarily in the order listed.
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Evaluation Intern The lead church planter will send an evaluation to the college where the intern attends. The evaluation from the lead church planter will follow the chart of responsibilities. A copy will go to Baptist Church Planters to be filed. If any school wants more evaluation information, it is the responsibility of the school to let the church planter know before the internship starts.
Apprentice The field director will observe both the lead church planter and the apprentice throughout the ministry experience.
Contact Information: Mail Address: 36830 Royalton Road Grafton, OH 44044 Phone: 440.748.1677 Fax: 440.748.1837 Email: bcp@bcpusa.org Website: www.bcpusa.org 10