Timothy Training Institute

When you want to know more about someone, you can get a fair idea when you know where he or she comes from.  That is the reason for asking Timothy Training Institute where they came from.  And the answer was quite fascinating:

Timothy Training Institute was founded in 1986, when members of Open Doors International went to Mozambique to deliver bibles to the pastors in that country, just when the civil war ended.

They however found that there were no pastors as most of them were either killed during the civil war, or went into exile into some of the adjacent countries.  Open Doors International was forced with a dilemma. They had to look at ways to start with proper training so that the Christians could be served.

The problem with putting up a formal institution for a group as big as this was that it would have been impractical for a number of reasons and it would have cost millions. The normal idea of sending someone to theological seminary could not be done for the following reasons:
 

It was with this in mind that the decision was made to start a new Project, called Project Timothy, after 2 Tim 2:2.  “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Timothy’s first problem was to find a curriculum suitable for the needs of the church leaders and their congregations.  Research was done by specialists talking to the people on grass roots level.  The result was that a course of thirty books was put together and it was just what it needed to be: a course based on Biblical truths, as well as relevant to everyday living (life-oriented).  This course was also translated into the local vernaculars, to enable most students to have it in their own language.

When the successes of Mozambique were realized, it was quickly brought to South Africa as most of our own church leaders did not have any or insufficient training.  Most of these church leaders belong to the Africa Independent Churches. In South Africa the members of these churches count over 122 million and in the southern subcontinent more than 35 million. These churches broke away from the mainline churches more than a century ago, due to foreign doctrinal issues, but they did not have the resources to train their leaders. Unwilling to give up their independent status, they could not send their leaders back to the mainline church training facilities. Thus, most of the Bishops, Reverends, Pastors, Evangelists and other leadership figures have not had any training at all.  Training then also got sush an important task of the Project that the Project was allowed to go on its own and Timothy Training Institute was formed as a Trust.

As most leaders belong to the African Independent Churches, they did not have any affiliation with any recognized theological training seminary.  Even if they did, most of the leaders would not be allowed at universities because of their academic qualifications.  It was then decided to offer the training to the various leaders.

Since then, approved tutors were used to teach classes of dedicated students in South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Botswana, Madagascar and other countries.  These classes are held after working hours and close to where the students are living and working. 

When the successes in South Africa were realized, the need in the rest of Africa was addressed.  This meant that the courses had to be translated into various languages, including:  French, Swahili, Chichewa, Arabic and Amharic.  Currently there are 40 countries, including some persecuted countries, that are served in some or other way, either by ourselves or by co-operative missionary organizations.

Presently, having completed their three years of study, scholars are rewarded with a Certificate in Church Leadership.  Timothy Training Institute has the burden of equipping dedicated (and aspirant) church leaders in doing their great task even better.

The entrance to our courses is as follows: