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P RAY E R S ANSWE R E D

Preachers Needed

hile news outlets continue to tell us the world’s troubles, some of what I see the Lord doing around the world reminds me of Colossians 4:3—and it’s encouraging.

Second, in God’s providence, the president of a large seminary network in a predominately Muslim country has invited us to help train his pastoral students in the preaching of the word.

In that passage, Paul invites believers to pray that God would open new “doors” for His word to reach new places. In the last few years—amidst the pandemic and other complications—men from our training centers all over the world have echoed Paul’s request, and you’ve graciously joined us in prayer. Today, I’m glad to tell you that God has indeed answered our prayers and opened new doors for His word to reach dozens of countries that desperately need it.

Third, beyond that, we’re watching the next generation of our own graduates carry the word into regions that weren’t previously on our radar. Some of these countries rank high in Christian persecution, but through these men God is paving new ways for the word to reach them.

First, thanks to a ministry contact in the Philippines, our training center there has been able to reach and remotely train pastors living deep within a restricted-access country. These pastors have already expressed their immense gratitude for this instruction, and recently, we were blessed to send one of our faculty members into the region to train these men in person.

The greatest need in our ministry is faithful men of God. There are many ministries that benefit millions of people by creating sound content from the web, for which we are all grateful. But our philosophy is different. Our mission is to train approved pastor-teachers, and to do that we need to engage with men on the ground—in their villages and around their dinner tables. We desire to come alongside them and follow the Apostle Paul’s

Pray… that God may open to us a door for the word

All told, we’ve been contacted by faithful men from 55 countries asking us to establish formal training centers in those regions. This is a historic opportunity, and we’re glad COL 4:3 In the past year alone, to say that we didn’t come God has opened doors up with the strategies to geographically. He has opened doors reach these countries. It has always and only relationally. And most importantly, He has ever been God who has sovereignly opened opened doors spiritually—creating a hunger doors. for the word in people’s hearts around the world. Now that so many doors are opening up, we need to continue trusting God to provide the Here are just a few examples: men who will walk through them.

example by imparting “not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives” (1 Thess 2:8). This life-on-life discipleship is crucial in the Great Commission. To illustrate this, I recently heard from our school in Croatia that some of our students there had expressed the sad reality that they didn’t know how to be godly dads. To put things in perspective, some of these students are basically the only Christians living in their region, and they’ve simply never seen godly parenting modeled for them. That’s why personal presence will always be an essential element of our ministry. With so much opportunity on the horizon, we need God to give us men who not only know the truth, but who live the truth as well.

COVER & BELOW Students at Evangelical Ministries of the Americas (MEDA) in Honduras attend their graduation

No matter where God takes us, a transformed life will always be critical to the witness of the gospel—as Paul goes on to say in Colossians 4:5: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” As we face the threat of political volatility and continued restrictions in the next year, please pray that God would send faithful men through each one of the open doors—men who will bring the good news to our troubled world. Until they all hear,

Mark Tatlock President

Mission Statement & Core Values

Graduate of Central African Preaching Academy (CAPA) in Lilongwe, Malawi

TMAI is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by training indigenous church leaders to be approved pastor-teachers, able to equip their churches to make biblically sound disciples. AUT HORI TY

of Scripture The inerrant and sufficient word of God is our ultimate authority. Therefore, we submit to His word in all areas of life and ministry (2 Tim 3:16). CE N TR A LITY

PRI ORI TY

of The Local Church

of The Gospel

The Church is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim 3:15) and the institution that Christ promised to build (Matt 16:18). Therefore, our training has as its goal the strengthening of His Church.

The gospel of Jesus Christ alone is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe (Rom 1:16). Therefore, fundamental to our theological education is an accurate and thorough proclamation of this true gospel.

VA LU E

I M PORTANC E

of Respect

of Integrity

We approach international ministry with a commitment to honoring our colaborers in other countries. Therefore, we purpose from the outset to train in a way so as to entrust the training ministries into their capable hands (2 Tim 2:2).

We uphold God’s high standard of holiness and integrity for spiritual leaders (1 Tim 3). Therefore, we provide accountability in doctrinal, financial, and academic matters.

FR O M

One Generation TO

The Next Something was different about Pastor Joseph, Sammy thought. Ever since he’d come back from school, his preaching had changed—and Sammy wasn’t sure he liked it. He wasn’t the only one with doubts, either. Most of the congregation was skeptical. This kind of teaching wasn’t what they were accustomed to. And what was Pastor Joseph saying now? That speaking in tongues wasn’t a necessary proof of salvation? That women shouldn’t be pastors? What would he think of next? And how odd it was that Pastor Joseph seemed content just to explain the Bible in his “sermons.” He wasn’t even trying to emulate Kenneth Copeland or Benny Hinn anymore.

fetched answer.” Soon, with the rest of the church, Sammy couldn’t deny the grace of God so clearly visible in his pastor’s life, and his resentment gave way to deep affection. “We ended up loving Joseph, embracing his teaching, and growing in our love for God and His word.” After that, it didn’t take long for Sammy to develop an interest in the school Joseph had attended, Christ Seminary, a TMAI training center in Polokwane, South Africa. Perhaps he could learn to study Scripture as Pastor Joseph did. For Sammy— and the others at that church whom God eventually called into ministry—Christ Seminary became their number one choice to help them prepare. After all, they’d seen firsthand how Pastor Joseph’s education had transformed his preaching.

“The word of God is at the center of what we do, of why we do things, and how we do things.”

While many members of the congregation made it clear that they resented this change and hoped their new-and-improved preacher would take the hint, Pastor Joseph’s humility and his ability to explain his convictions from Scripture won over many of the elders. In time, the leadership asked him to stay. Still, Sammy wasn’t shy about challenging Pastor Joseph. Today, he remembers how most of those arguments went: “When I asked him a question, he’d look down and read a Scripture. But when he asked me a question, I’d look up and try to come up with some far5

Sammy studied at Christ Seminary from 2005–2008. After graduating and serving for several years at a church pastored by a graduate of The Master’s Seminary, he and his wife, Itumeleng, were sent to strengthen a church plant just outside Johannesburg. Today, Sammy serves as the church’s pastor alongside two other elders. He comments: “The word of God is at the center of what we do, of why we do things, and how we do things. It is the foundation and starting point for every aspect of our Christian life.”

Sammy and Itumeleng serve together at Moletsane Baptist Church in Soweto, South Africa, where Sammy pastors

And this is no aspirational platitude; it’s a hard-won, tried and tested commitment. When Sammy first arrived at the church plant, the congregation greeted their young, new preacher with suspicion. Who was he to do things any differently from the way the church had done them for the last fifty years? But, mindful of Pastor Joseph’s faithful example, Sammy stayed with the congregation, laboring patiently to preach the word despite hostility from many of the members. As the opposition came to a head, the church decided to vote on whether to fire him. But by that point, the faithful preaching of the word had begun to do its work; the majority vote was in his favor to stay. By God’s grace, the church began to grow with members who wanted to hear the Bible taught. And today, three more men from that church are being trained at Christ Seminary, just as Sammy and Joseph were. Sammy is happy to send these young men to his alma mater—especially now that Joseph is one of Christ Seminary’s distinguished professors, investing what he’s received into

the next generation of South African pastors. Make no mistake—these pastors face a daunting task. “Quite simply,” Sammy explains, “people in churches here pay lip service to the importance of the Bible and its truth, but they do not read it or know it. As a result, [they’re] tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” But despite the challenges of pandemic prosperity-gospel theology in Africa, the work that’s taking place as biblically qualified pastors invest in the next generation of leaders is cause for tremendous thanksgiving. When Christ Seminary trains even one local pastor, they are helping provide an entire church congregation with a steady diet of biblical truth. Not only that, but faithful men like Joseph and Sammy are investing, in turn, in the lives of future pastors. So, by God’s grace, the work continues—from one generation to the next. 6

What Sets TMAI Apart? CO NSIDE R S AMMY ’ S STO RY

LON GE V ITY

Ministries run by nationals aren’t subject to the interruptions that plague foreign missionaries (like visa issues and diplomatic volatility). TMAI’s commitment to indigenous leadership means that ultimately, each training center will be put into the hands of capable local leaders like Sammy and Joseph, positioning them for long-term ministry.

MU LT IPLICATIO N

The biblical training that’s been invested in Joseph has already resulted in countless changed lives—Sammy is just one example. And now, in addition to shepherding a congregation of his own, Sammy is sending three more men to be trained like he was. Following the model of 2 Timothy 2:2, gospel witnesses are being multiplied exponentially.

IMPACT

Since TMAI graduates already know the local language, customs, culture, and the people to whom they’ll be ministering, they’re often more effective at planting and pastoring churches than foreign missionaries. For nationals like Sammy and Joseph, this means maximum ministry impact from day one.

ST EWA R DSHIP

It would have cost nearly $60,000 for Sammy or Joseph to come to the United States to study for a year. But for that same $60,000, TMAI was able to provide a year of top-notch training to thirty students, right there in Africa.

P R E SE N CE

Faculty members like Joseph live in the area where they minister so that they can invest as thoroughly as possible in their students. Discipleship doesn’t only take place in the classroom; it involves coming alongside the students and their families in the context of local church ministry. Full-time presence means full-time discipleship.

24 members of Moletsane Baptist Church, where Sammy pastors, attend their first theology class

MAT U R ITY

TMAI takes seriously the Bible’s requirements for pastors. Our training centers are producing qualified pastor- teachers, equipping them with the skills they need to powerfully exposit the word and faithfully shepherd the ﬂock. Men like Joseph and Sammy are approved workmen who accurately handle the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). 8

7,182 2,158 18 80 73% 130 38 9

GRADUATES

CURRENT STUDENTS

TRAINING CENTERS

TRAINING LOCATIONS

INDIGENOUS FACULTY

BOOKS & TRANSLATIONS IN PROGRESS

LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY STUDENT BODY

TMAI Today

“I am not aware of another global ministry that is more on-target with the New Testament than TMAI because at the heart of TMAI is training indigenous pastors in those areas that know the language, that know the culture—to invest in them a training that they desperately need to pastor local churches. TMAI is hitting the center of the bullseye with the focus and the direction of their global outreach.” Steve Lawson PRESIDENT & FOUNDER OnePassion Ministries

S U PP O RT I N G

Future Training Centers Many church-based Bible schools around the world have expressed interest in TMAI membership because they want to see future generations of church leaders trained with excellence. At the invitation of nationals, TMAI comes alongside each of these schools as they work to develop a mature, sustainable, and effective training ministry in their unique culture and context. Some examples include:

CA N A DA CHILE CO LO M B I A D O M I N I CA N RE PUBL IC E C UA DO R E L S A LVA DO R ENGLAND I N DO N E S I A KO RE A M A DAG A S CA R PO L A N D S CA N DI N AV I A

+ Several Restricted-Access Locations

O P E N DO O R S

in Closed Countries Many believers live in places where religious activities are tightly controlled and monitored by governing authorities. In those “closed” or “restrictedaccess” regions of the world, it’s either unsafe or illegal to live the Christian life. Achieving an institutional presence in these regions is nearly impossible for us, but in God’s grace, technology has enhanced the means by which TMAI can distribute God’s truth to those who desperately need it. By translating written and audio content and developing the technological infrastructure to carry it, TMAI’s Restricted-Access Strategy serves to resource believers in those nations that are hostile to the gospel of grace.

Reaching the Global Church T H RO U GH LO CAL P UBL ISHING Unlike the United States, most countries around the world have an extreme lack of sound biblical resources in their native languages. Many of our member schools have launched their own publishing ministries to address these needs, but when they began to run into issues that took valuable time away from training, TMAI’s headquarters looked for a way to help. In 2020, TMAI’s Global Publications Department (GPD) was established as the single, centralized hub that streamlines the publication and distribution of biblical resources for all our schools around the world. The GPD provides support in two key areas: translation projects and indigenous resources.

For translation projects, the GPD interfaces with US publishers to manage license acquisitions and foreign translation rights so that faculty members can focus on training their students.

For indigenous resources, the GPD works to develop in-country publishing houses that can carry this ministry forward into the next generation— especially as more and more nationals start to write their own books.

“Training men for ministry requires solid biblical resources.” RICK KRESS, Director of GPD

The GPD’s centralized network also affords our schools the opportunity to support each other by sharing publishing insights or by synthesizing best practices. This community of like-minded believers is especially helpful for schools that are new to publishing and translation work. Training men for ministry requires solid biblical resources, and the GPD aims to get more of them into the hands of Christians wherever they serve.

1 3 0 BO O KS & TR ANSL ATION S IN P R O GR E S S Some languages include: Italian, Burmese, Armenian, Russian, Arabic, Finnish, Japanese, Zulu, Ukrainian, Bahasa/Indonesian, German, Chinese, and English for India/Philippines

MAJO R U P CO MING P R OJE CTS Biblical Doctrine has been translated into French, Korean, Spanish, Romanian, Portuguese, Czech, German, and Italian; nine additional translations are in progress

Zulu and Hebrew translations of the MacArthur Study Bible Armenian translation of Essential Christian Doctrine Arabic, Polish, and Russian translations of Biblical Doctrine

NOTABL E P R OJECTS CO MP L E TE D IN 2021 Burmese translation of MacArthur Bible Handbook Czech translation of Warren Wiersbe’s commentary Indonesian translation of 12 Ordinary Men by John MacArthur Arabic translation of Hiebert’s commentary on 1-3 John 14

C R ITICAL

Impact Projects GRADUAT ES & C HURC H PLANT I NG Graduates serving in over 80 countries

CO N STR U CTIO N P R OJE CTS Facility upgrades for training centers

CONF ERENC ES TMAI conferences attended by thousands annually

L IB R A RY EX PA N SIO N S 15

Additional volumes for training

In addition to student scholarships, your generous gifts help church leaders by providing support for these projects. They are essential to the training of pastors and the mission of TMAI.

T EC HNI CAL UPGRADES New recording and livestream equipment

EX TE N SIO N SITE S Training in over 75 locations

T RANSLAT I ON, WRI TING , AND PUBLI SHI NG MacArthur commentaries & more

N EW ACA DE MIC P R O GR A MS Lay-level and pastoral degree programs added regularly

H O W YO U R SU P P O RT

Changed a Church Eduardo is an example of a man who was faithful to the call to preach God’s word and shepherd God’s people. His home church was influenced by charismatic and liberal theology, but by the grace of God, both Eduardo and his church were convicted of the importance of the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. With the training made available to him at Berea Seminary in Spain, Eduardo was equipped to faithfully preach Scripture, and he now serves as pastor at his home church.

LEFT Berea students fellowship on campus CENTER Pastor Eduardo, graduate of Berea Seminary RIGHT Neighborhood in Spain

“In 2017, my home church called me to be their preaching pastor and instantaneously, the Lord started to work on the congregation by the power of His word. Today, our congregation joyfully sits under the word because they recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ; and they follow Him (John 10:27). Expository preaching allows His voice to be recognized, and it is powerful beyond our expectation. The other day, an older gentleman from the congregation said to me, ‘We had never understood the word as we do now, and we have never had this kind of fellowship as a church before.’ This was made possible through training I received at Berea Seminary.” EDUARDO G., TMAI Graduate, Spain Pastor at Primera Iglesia Evangélica Bautista de Albacete

PARTNE R

with TMAI The Lord has blessed the ministry of TMAI, but the story is still being written and we believe this is only the beginning. The past years have shown tremendous ministry impact, and prospects for future growth are astounding. Countries around the world are requesting help to train pastors even now. To meet this great demand, we rely on the prayers and support of our partners. We invite you to prayerfully consider how you can play a part in this global gospel ministry.

I NTE R CE DE

IN VE ST

I NTR O DU CE

Jesus, after telling His disciples that the fields are ripe for harvest, told them to “beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” Prayer is still the greatest need today. We invite individuals and organizations to join us in praying for the Lord’s work through TMAI around the world. Sign up for prayer updates at tmai.org/subscribe. Our top priority is to provide member schools with the funding they need to provide training to maturing men of God. Financial gifts are a tangible way to participate in this exciting global work. If you are interested in supporting our ministry, visit tmai.org/donate. You can play a significant role in TMAI’s ministry by introducing us to others who share a passion to see Christ’s name exalted among the nations. Please contact the TMAI Home Office at info@tmai.org or call 818.909.5570, and we will be happy to work with you to connect with any individuals or organizations you recommend. 18

The Master’s Academy International 13248 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352 818.909.5570 | info@tmai.org www.tmai.org