When Does Equip Missionary Training Begin?

Equip begins July 13; however, participants, especially families, are encouraged to move to NYC by July 1. Large group training starts August 1. Equip ends May 28.

What Is the Focus of the Missionary Training?

The focus of Equip is reproducible church planting through people living outside their homelands. Each participant will work on a team that will become his or her house church in NYC. This is a cross cultural church planting training program with a mission to plant churches through the many dispersed Unreached People Groups here in the city. There will be a high focus on intercultural evangelism and discipleship.

What Are the Major Parts of the Missionary Training?

Our Equip mission training center provides you with:  

• Reproducible church planting experience – Participate in simple churches that multiply through the unreached
• Cross cultural engagement – Build real relationships across cultures as you live on mission
• Skills for the field – Learn tools for language, leadership, and life overseas
• Gospel centered character – Mature in your faith and spiritual health 
• Team development and assessment – Serve, grow, and get real feedback in team life

How Will Equip Missionary Training Help Me?

Equip will help you develop a philosophy of missionary work for evangelism, discipleship, and church planting that is highly reproducible. 

The goal is that you leave with the DNA and skills of evangelism and discipleship that lead to reproducible church planting. 

Equip will also help you view life and ministry from a Gospel perspective and learn how to live it out on a team and community.

Who Is This Missionary Training Center for?

Equip is for new missionaries who seek to reach the lost, preach the Gospel, start biblical communities of believers, and disciple new believers to do the same. This training is very valuable for those involved in ministry with Unreached People Groups in the US who want UPG believers to have a reproducible ministry in their home countries. 

In addition, we highly recommend Equip for anyone who wants to go overseas to plant churches through UPGs. Many go overseas without an understanding or experience of church planting. They assume they will become focused on training when they arrive, only to find that their teammates are busy with ministry and they are busy learning the language. Many missionaries do not understand the DNA for simple church planting and struggle in many mission contexts. This training will provide the philosophy and experience of church planting you need before arriving on the field.

Is There an Age Requirement for Missionary Training?

The minimum age requirement for this program is 21 years. 

We’ve had participants in their 30s and 40s go through the program as a second career. 

Can I Have a Job during the Missionary Training Program?

Getting a job will be considered case by case but not likely approved. Each participant’s weekly schedule and responsibilities will require 40-50 hours per week. This must be discussed first with Equip leadership.

Are Bible Classes Offered?

Each program year, we will do our best to offer Old Testament, New Testament, Systematic Theology, and Hermeneutics modules. These classes will only be offered if we have at least 3 participants for each class. If we cannot provide them, we will notify you in advance so that you might be able to find other Bible class options. These classes are optional and only mandatory for those participants whose organization requires them. 

Do I Have to Go Long Term with International Project Afterwards?

No! Although we’d love to have you, we prepare missionaries for long term missions from various organizations who go to Unreached People Groups around the world. 

What Is the Monthly Cost during Equip?

For single participants, the monthly cost (including all housing, living, and ministry expenses) will be approximately $2,500+ per month. The cost will be roughly $4,500+ per month for couples and families. 

Can I Choose to Live More Simply and Lower My Costs?

This may be possible in special circumstances. However, some major expenses, like rent, are expensive in NYC and cannot be reduced. If this concerns you, please contact the Equip Director to discuss further. 

Are There Any Other Program Costs?

A non refundable $500 deposit for individuals and $1,000 for couples/families is due by April 12 and will be applied to your Equip program fee. This fee covers trainers, training materials, training room rentals, and other expenses. (Many Equip staff are volunteers). 

Can I Come for Only Part of the Program?

If you have special circumstances that will not allow you to stay for the entire program, please talk to us about your concerns. Keep in mind, the training happens throughout the entire program and builds upon itself. You will only receive the full benefit of the training and ministry by staying for the entire time.

Are Different Languages Required?

We do not require language training but encourage you to discern what skills you will use to engage in outreach. 

Who Would Be the Ideal Applicant?

The ideal Equip participant is highly teachable, passionately desires to reach people with the Good News of our Savior Jesus Christ. Come ready to disciple Unreached People Groups and be ready to challenge your fears and paradigms in ministry methods. 

Equip Missionary Training is for 21 and up. If you are younger and looking to go into missionary service, we recommend you check out our summer internships.

High school students can explore our Timothy Ambition teen mission trips.

What Is a Typical Day Like during Missionary Training?

There is no “typical” day. Our ministry is very relational and self initiated. This means there is no program schedule that everybody follows daily together. We will not set anyone’s schedule or tell them who to meet with or when. People must be self motivated and able to initiate and maintain their schedules. However, we do have expectations for the number of internationals that participants engage with weekly. 

Participants will develop a strategic plan for how to reach a specific Unreached People Group community day in and day out. They will spend significant time in a particular neighborhood and develop a plan to implement to reach this community. 

In addition to this, participants will also be part of a house church community within our network of house churches. This is where they will worship and fellowship for the entire time they are in NYC. These house churches meet at various times throughout the week, not just on Sundays. 

Veteran missionaries will mentor you at bi weekly meetings to discuss your growth and adjustment to your team and the mission field, helping you home your philosophy of ministry. 

You will meet with your team at least weekly and have team interactions within their house churches and throughout the week as you initiate and develop relationships within the community.