A Day of Missionary Training

Recently, I was teaching in the Kale Heywet School of Missions in Durame, Ethiopia.  I was impressed with the students there, their eagerness to learn, but more importantly their closeness with God. As students they were not simply learning strategies or compiling knowledge, but exercising their faith in spiritual disciplines.

Daily Schedule

• 3:00-5:00am           Morning Group Prayer for the Unreached People of the World
• 5:00-7:00am           Rest
• 7:00-7:30am           Prepare and Breakfast
• 7:30-8:00am           Prayer and Worship before Class
• 8:00-10:00am         Session 1: Missions, Evangelism and Cultural Study classes
• 10:00-10:30am      Break
• 10:30-11:00am      Intercession and listening to God
• 11:00-1:00pm         Session 2: Missions, Evangelism and Cultural Study classes
• 1:00-2:00pm           Lunch
• 2:00-3:00pm           Rest
• 3:00-5:00pm           Session 3: Missions, Evangelism and Cultural Study classes
• 5:00-6:30pm           Agriculture on Campus (for growing their food to eat)
• 6:30-8:00pm           Rest
• 8:00-9:00pm           Supper
• 9:00-12:00am         Study/ Homework

Agriculture work:  1 hour and 30 minutes

Time eating:  2 hours and 30 minutes

Prayer:  3 hours

Homework/ daily reading: 3 hours

Classroom lectures/ training: 6 hours

Sleeping/ resting:  8 hours

Graduates from the Kale Heywet School of Missions have seen as many as 10,000 Muslims come to Christ, more than 200 churches planted in previously Muslims areas.  I would say their daily schedule has a lot to do with the results they are witnessing in ministry. For two years, by choice, each morning they wake at 3:00am to pray continually for two hours.  During the day it is quite common to see groups of students gathered for prayer during their break times. The week I was teaching at the school, several of the students, in addition to fasting every Monday decided to do a 40 day fast to see God and his guidance for their lives into the mission field upon graduation.

Western trained minds are often looking for key strategies which can be replicated.  Textbooks, videos, teaching methodology and all quality of professors are all elements we look for. Yet, it seems the most important learning these students do is seeking the face of God.

I went to seminary in several different prestigious theological schools and I can tell you my daily scholastic schedule was very different.