Many Ways to Train

Life changes, and we must change with it.

For a long time, we had only one style of new staff training: a year-long, full-time classroom setting of teacher-delivered lessons and mandatory check-offs a candidate had to complete in order to serve with us. That style is rarely the best way anymore.

Today, we offer an interactive, on-the-job, team-based, adult-learning method with a mentor or coach as the preferred style for our training. This style is more flexible, less expensive, and better suited for developing the kinds of leaders we need for the future.

Since the training is very flexible, it can easily be adapted in many ways for others who want training without the requirements of full-time staff.

A while ago, we wrote about adapting the training in creative ways for volunteers. Today, I want to give you some more resources. Many of our frontline strategies have been creating trainings specifically for those who desire to help fulfill the Great Commission – but who have the schedule, the experience, and the expertise to do that in many different ways. We cannot expect people who do not work full-time with our organization to always be able to commit to the same amount of time or need the same kind of trainings in order to get involved.

We want to expand the frontline of the ministry
 and that requires flexibility on our part.

You will want to check out these training options and see how you can incorporate them as you look to offer many ways of involvement and training your area:

LEADER IMPACT empowers top level marketplace leaders to offer their L.I.F.E. (Leadership, Influence, Finances, Expertise) for God’s Kingdom. There are many resources on their site – the Start-Up Guide is a simple 5 step training that helps leaders grow in their faith and have an impact on those around them.

GLOBAL CHURCH MOVEMENTS offers their MC2 training for those who are interested in multiplying church planters. This great video will tell you more about the MC2 process.

STUDENT-LED has created a number of excellent resources for working with student and young graduate volunteers.

• EveryCatalyst.com: to learn how to find and coach volunteers on campus. Great for vision, mindset, and tips for working with campus volunteers.
• KeyVolunteers.com: helps student volunteers know how to begin reaching their friends with Christ’s love.
• Life on Mission (100% Sent): helps graduates have influence for Christ wherever God leads them to work.

DIGITAL STRATEGIES helps prepare and train those who want to use their digital talents for God with many resources on their Indigitous.org website.

As you think about your training processes and the variety of training needs you have, consider how you can adjust your trainings to offer MANY WAYS that people can join God’s workforce, getting involved and receiving the training that will be most relevant  and best accessible to them! You may also want to initiate conversations with your MCC strategy leaders about how you can work together to offer the best possible trainings for all.
Let’s take down the barriers and open up many ways for others help build movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus!

How are you opening many different “on ramps” for people to get involved where you serve?