Concept Note
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Executive Summary:
The Council for World Mission (CWM) equipped young people for the ministry and mission of its member churches through “TIM” since 1981. TIM (Training in Mission) participants from Member Churches and Ecumenical Partners work together for 26 weeks of intensive missional leadership development. The 2026 Programme is conducted in partnership with Union Theological Seminary in the Philippines, a Youth Activism Programme in another Region and particular learning about Economy and Economy. An additional short Urban Missional Leadership exposure will take place in Singapore.
The
pedagogical process of the Programme is intended to engage an action-reflection
model of learning. Over 400 young people have so far been changed for life with
a new practical and radical understanding of what witnessing to Christ means.
In every church, TIM participants are to be seen as living expressions of CWM's
understanding of partnership in mission.
Background
FORMATION for MISSION
TIM
is primarily a formation for missional leadership programme.
Young adults (20-29) are equipped with skills and knowledge, but the biggest
learning is how to work and live with one another as God’s global missional
community. Intercultural teamwork and respectful behaviours are core components
for TIM. To that end, the TIM programme includes extensive personal development
(character/spirituality), incorporating applications of teamwork and personal
contributions to team tasks.
TIMs
bring different talents and skills. While some may have theological and
ministry training, others are lay persons of character within their churches.
All develop an appreciation of the world and transformative ecumenism.
Rationale
Theoretical knowledge encountered in the Diploma in Mission is embedded as the TIM family works and lives together, supporting one another in missionary life. Acquired and practiced skills (analysis and evaluation, planning and project management, cooking and cleaning, pastoral engagement, public and prophetic advocacy and community-building) are explored together in a high-intensity environment with all the stresses of constant intercultural understandings and misunderstandings. Within such a context, TIMs develop resilience, tolerance and appreciation of the other.
The Programme
Objectives
1. We engage in Christian formation, resulting in a life–long involvement with the Church engaged in God’s mission and witness. Christianity is not private, but faith lived out in community. We discover the 'otherness of Christ' revealed in difference. We move beyond local understandings of Christ to a broader ecumenical and global vision. We engage in in–depth ecumenical and inter–cultural learning.
2. We develop of broad vision, deep commitment, strong fellowship-partnership with others around the world, particularly through and among CWM churches. TIM is an adventure in faith transformation, where participants interact between God, self, society and creation, building wholesome relationships across cultural barriers.
3. We build capacity in Churches, enhancing the scope for public and prophetic witness, through both the churches the participants relate to during the course of TIM AND their home churches. The emphasis is on going beyond tolerance of one another, to growing an appreciation of the diversity needed to be the Church in community.
Methods
4.
Engagement with the Theology statement of CWM reflecting
both a critique and challenge. This centres on the Christ of all the cosmos and
grounded in Christ’s liberative work.
5.
Exploration of the Marks of Mission as they are
experienced in different settings:
To
TELL - To bear witness to the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
To
TEACH - To explore the nature of discipleship, and to nurture and disciple
believers in Jesus Christ.
To
TEND - To care for people with the compassionate love of Jesus Christ.
To
TRANSFORM - To transform unjust structures in society, with the advocacy of the
Holy Spirit. In particular, this will involve confronting the conditions that
have led to injustice.
To TREASURE - To care for the creation of God, stewarding the resources of the world for the good of all. In particular, this will involve uncovering the relationships between economy and ecology of life.
6.
Consideration how and where God is at work and toward
what end. It is their missionary obedience and commitment in specific (often
challenging) situations, and involvement in everyday life, which gives rise to
new theological and missiological insights. The educational learning process
calls for learning by doing or 'action reflection'. The emphasis is on
'learning by doing', not on prescribed answers; ideas are contextual,
historical and transitional; every act is subjective (has a built-in bias); it
is not the quantity of knowledge that matters but the grappling with issues;
the real learning situation is LIFE – engagement with people in everyday
activities.
Such ‘doing’ requires reflection and integration
through class/group work, community interactions, TIM colleagues, interactions
and mentoring from home church, resource people and CWM staff. TIMs will use a
range of tools throughout their programme to find which ones can best support
their ongoing development for life-long learning.
7.
Through fieldwork we are taken through a five-fold
learning experience that involves:
i. Exploration
of context as we learn to look and listen anew to the concerns of people in
local communities. This emphasizes curiosity, motivation and interest in
understanding the context of people's struggles.
ii. Reflecting
on how and where God works in the daily struggles of people in communities.
iii. Drawing
out local implications for mission and suggesting alternative creative options
for the church to rediscover how to engage in effective mission action in their
context.
iv. Relating
what has been learnt in such a way that personal growth will be
v. Intersectionality
and Integration – We address both local and global issues of our times (e.g. globalization,
domestic violence, climate crisis, family, gender, social cohesion/peace-making/conflict
management and multi- cultural and multi-religious pluralism). Each is examined
using a variety of mission perspectives and theological resources.
Who is TIM for?
Participants
in the Training in Mission - Diploma in Mission Studies are:
• 20 to 29 years old at the
start of the Programme, single, and not an ordained minister
• able to spend up to 5 months
away from home and commit to time before and after the programme to prepare and
contextualize learnings in their own environment. (Note: It is expected that
the participants will be able to participate in the full programme.)
• an active member of a CWM
member church, and committed to serve the church upon return
Or be nominated by one of
CWM’s Ecumenical Partners (UEM/CEVAA/WCRC)
• experienced in their Church
and/or involvement in project (volunteer or paid) work or secular NGO programs
• able to take a disciplined
approach to self and group education, and should have demonstrated capacity
• interested in exploring
mission issues in an international and multicultural context
• able to relate with others
and mature enough to cope with stress, be of exemplary behaviour and character
• proficient in spoken and
written English, as this is the main language of communication
Applications should show how the applicant’s participation in TIM will enhance the church’s leadership capacity in line with its human resource development strategy, enabling the church to better pursue its mission priorities.
Mission
is God's. God invites the whole community of faith who make up the Church to be
partners in God’s mission. Young people and adults are invited to share in
God's mission. Regardless of the level of their exposure and involvement in the
mission of the church, young people have their own practical ways of working
out their missiology. They are shaped by their various cultures and religious
heritages through which they develop and express their different understandings
about God and the role of the church in society.
Key components of the studies include:
· * Introductory grounding in contemporary
approaches to Mission
· * Develop personal/group skills in cultural
sensitivity/contextual understanding and team functioning
· * Theological Reflection and Spiritual
Formation with a missiological focus
· * Developing adaptive leadership skills for evaluating
and managing mission projects/tasks in varied contexts
[Normally, Cultural Exchange Visas, or Special Transit visas, will be
required for the Philippines and other countries. If participants already have
a UK or US visa, CWM should be informed, as this provides additional options
for routing.]
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