School Overview

Get the best online training available for those that want to serve cross-culturally.

Global Frontier Missions developed and updated in 2020 the online missionary training school in conjunction with churches, missions organizations, Bible schools, and field missionaries to compile the “best of” missions resources and training in one place to help equip people for cross-cultural service. These modules mirror our 5 month, resident Missionary Training School (MTS).

Who Should Sign Up For Online MTS?

We have designed our training using best practices in distance and adult-learning methods that involve in-depth interaction with the material and provide space for individuals to personally grapple with every aspect of the missionary lifestyle. Our training school may be right for you if you are:

A high school or college graduate looking to further their missions education without going into debt!
A young professional and/or married couple working part or full-time jobs but wanting to take the next step toward the vision God has given for missions.
A family with kids that desires to practically learn how to live on mission as a family either at home or abroad.
A retiree who has no interest in simply playing golf and gathering seashells but wants to use accumulated wisdom and experience to disciple the next generation to fulfill the Great Commission.
Missionaries already on the field who sense that they lack training in certain areas or want additional training during a furlough or home assignment.

Did you know that 75% of missionaries leave the field before their first term?

Statistics indicate that quality training helps many cross-cultural workers become more impactful and remain on the field longer. Each online MTS module is designed to equip the head, heart, and hands of those who desire to serve cross- culturally. We have uniquely designed the missionary training school to impart the skills and knowledge needed to thrive, not merely to survive, on the mission field. GFM has trained over 400 missionaries to date. A recent study shows that 72% of GFM MTS graduates have gone to the mission field and, once there, stay twice as long compared to those who do not first undergo this training! See the link at the bottom of this page.

The online missionary training school consists of 20 modules, which can be taken individually, or as an entire program. The modules cover different topics such as language learning and acculturation, church planting movements, personal and team dynamics, spiritual warfare, orality/storytelling, etc. See a brief description of each module within the full 20-module curriculum. While the modules stand alone, each fits nicely into an entire study program for those who want comprehensive pre-field training, which is recommended.

Flexible Program Options

There is a lot of flexibility with the online missionary training school. Some people want a self-study program with very little structure, accountability, etc. Others look for mentoring as they progress through the training modules. These students are assigned a Facilitator to check-in with them via email and zoom, encourage progress, and provide coaching and feedback. Still others are also interested in earning college credit or degrees. College credits are currently only offered to North American residents. Check out our different program options to see which is right for you.

Work at Your Own Pace

Students work at their own pace and are encouraged to work through each module in sequential order.

Each module includes several videos with response questions and a few Bible studies relevant to the topic with approximately 12-15 hours of content.
There are articles and one book to read for each module as well as response questions.
Students submit all work in the online system.

A part-time student working at a normal, average pace will complete one module each month and complete the whole program in about a year and a half. We encourage students to complete each module within one to two months.
A full-time student could complete the whole program in six months.

Alumni Impact

We recently contracted a third party to conduct a thorough, in-depth survey of GFM Missionary Training School graduates.