Multiplying Laborers for the Urban Harvest

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A Word of Encouragement A common source of discouragement has arisen among site coordinators regarding the number of students who do not finish all sixteen courses leading to graduation. This has caused concern for some sites; that somehow this is a problem that needs to be solved. Our encouragement to these site coordinators is that we actually expect this to happen; life in the city is such that students will have unexpected interruptions in their pursuit of TUMI courses. Family emergencies occur. Major disruptions in their church or ministry can cause them to drop out of coursework for a season of time. It is okay for students to zig-zag their way through courses. We view leadership training differently than the traditional educational world. The traditional model is designed for a leader to take courses, and he/she is not viewed to be “trained” until the degree is completed. It is an all-or-nothing perspective. At TUMI, we believe that every time a person completes a module, they are that much more equipped to serve in the church than before. In other words, someone completing two modules has more training than someone with one; someone completing eight has more than someone with six; someone with fifteen has more than someone with thirteen. So, while we applaud all those who complete the sixteen modules and earn a Certificate, we should also see the value of completing fifteen modules, and not see it as a failure of some sort. In fact, each site coordinator and mentor should see the precious worth of having a student take a single TUMI course. That one course may be the only biblical training they ever get. The circumstances of their lives may become so complex that they are not able to take a second course. Mentors can cherish every student in every class for the unique investment that is made in that season of the student’s life. It is critically important to differentiate between TUMI coursework completion and the laying on of hands for assignment to ministry. These are completely separate activities. This is why TUMI does not ordain or assign anyone to ministry assignments. That task is left to the local church. Local church leaders

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