Why Train Missionaries?

Training missionaries must be one of the singular most difficult tasks in the field of ministry preparation. What other profession faces the stress and strain of adapting to another culture, carrying attitudes that build bridges, and skills to learn the language well? What other vocation requires the sacrificial living of strenuous circumstances minimum remuneration and little glory? What kind of character is needed to shine when the going gets tough and too many just get going and leave?

Bible college or seminary helps ministry candidates to face the rigors of ministry but not in the context of another culture. Yet, too many missionary candidates leave for the field with little more than a few weeks of missionary orientation presuming that what is needed will be learned on the field. If learned at all, it is certainly learned the hard way.

Perhaps the question to ask is not why train missionaries but how should they be trained? Gateway follows a philosophy that is whole person oriented. The training needs of the missionary candidate are seen in terms of the complete person: who a missionary needs to become, what he or she needs to be able to do, and the knowledge or understanding needed in order to become and to do what is expected on the field.