SOME COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1) WHY DO I FEEL LED TO THIS FIELD (Tri-M)?
The ministry of Tri-M is the type of ministry I myself was seeing as absolutely necessary to reach our world for Christ. I became involved on a limited basis (consultation type ministry with national fellowship of churches) in some similar efforts, yet God did not open those doors to serve Him further in that way, till EBM started Mobile Modular Ministry. I thought perhaps this would be a retirement type ministry for me later in life, but when I heard what EBM was hoping to do through Tri-M, I felt compelled to explore it more. God made it very obvious for my wife and I that this was one of God's key ministries for spreading the gospel worldwide and effective church planting, and He wanted us to become a part right away. I am convinced that the aggressive training of national pastors and church leaders is the biblical method of spreading the Gospel most effectively to all people and seeing churches planted for God's glory.
2) WHAT IS YOUR TYPE OF MINISTRY SPECIFICALLY?
Mobile Modular Ministry, (or TRI-M), is focused on training national pastors and church leaders in a variety of areas world-wide that will not allow traditional missionaries to enter and develop ministries. As the doors swing open and snap closed suddenly to resident missionaries, the training of national Christians are a vital part of global evangelism and discipleship. Tri-M is an aggressive approach at equipping the national local churches with trained men who can train the next generation of pastors right there in their own countries. This will be done so that those being trained can stay in their own country continuing in their own ministry. Tri-M is also being developed as a transition ministry for national local churches as they become indigenous. Just within 2005 Tri-M has led in the training of over 900 men in twenty countries. A majority of these countries lie directly in the 10-40 window or border it. Doug's ministry focuses primarily on Africa where, in addition to ministering in closed countries, it is also being newly developed as an aggressive transition ministry in places where Evangelical Baptist Missions has had resident missionaries and now turning over many of those ministries into national control.
3) WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC GOALS FOR TRI-M AFRICA?
Mobile Modular Ministry, (or Tri-M) is an aggressive training approach aimed at equipping the national local churches with men who are able to reach their country for Christ and train the next generation of pastors to do the same. A Tri-M missionary forms a teaching team of pastors to travel with him for a two week module, teaching the national pastors and Church leaders. Doug's ministry, Tri-M Africa, focuses on ministering in many African countries with restricted access to Western Missionaries. Tri-M Africa is also being developed as an aggressive transition ministry in places where Evangelical Baptist Missions has had resident missionaries in the past yet now is turning over those ministries into the national church's control. Cheryl will also be developing a training ministry teaching the ladies how to disciple national women within their churches.
Our overall goal in every country and people group we become involved in, is to turn the training for the future generations over to the nationals of those countries. This will be done by conducting 2 to 3 modules a year, over the period of five years with the same key men within that group targeted. We have already seen how the nationals can imitate our methods and use our materials to train their own men in ways that are culturally appropriate and immediately usable to the new church-planter or pastor being trained to reach their countrymen for Christ and establish solid biblical local Churches.
I work through national contacts that will provide the translators for both the written notes and oral teaching times. Countries we are currently committed to and teaching in are: Benin, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, and Democratic Republic of Congo (in bush areas). We have taught in both Northern and New (formally known as Southern) Sudan and still seeking proper contacts to continue there.
Our overall goal in every country and people group we become involved in, is to turn the training for the future generations over to the nationals of those countries. This will be done by conducting 2 to 3 modules a year, over the period of five years with the same key men within that group targeted. We have already seen how the nationals can imitate our methods and use our materials to train their own men in ways that are culturally appropriate and immediately usable to the new church-planter or pastor being trained to reach their countrymen for Christ and establish solid biblical local Churches.
I work through national contacts that will provide the translators for both the written notes and oral teaching times. Countries we are currently committed to and teaching in are: Benin, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, and Democratic Republic of Congo (in bush areas). We have taught in both Northern and New (formally known as Southern) Sudan and still seeking proper contacts to continue there.
4) DOES YOUR SENDING CHURCH SUPPORT YOU IN THIS MINISTRY?
Yes, our "Sending Church" , Springville Baptist Church, Pennsylvania was the place Doug was on Pastoral Staff when God called us into Tri-M. They have shown great commitment to pray for us and support us in many ways since commissioning and sending us out (much like Acts 13 situation!). They are sacrificially showing this overall support by being our biggest supporting church.