Training Christians for Ministry (TCM)
Training Christians for Ministry (TCM)
Our History
TCM’s work and ministry in Europe began with Gene Dulin’s first visit to Russia and Poland in 1963. Gene was Founder and first President of TCM International, Inc. Between 1963 and 1970 he visited Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union five times while living in Toronto, Canada. In 1971 the Haus Edelweiss property was purchased for ministry into the Soviet Union and satellite countries. The Leadership Training Center was built in 1989. Other buildings on the property were built in 1892. This property has been used as a private residence, a pension (hotel), retirement home, and headquarters for Soviet troops for a few years after World War II.
When the property was purchased it needed many repairs. For several years college students came from the United States during the summer to help with maintenance and repair projects. Missionaries and interns traveled from Haus Edelweiss into the Soviet Union and satellite countries to deliver Bibles, hymnbooks, Christian literature, clothing, food, and medicine. TCM also assisted churches by funding needed repairs on their buildings and providing automobiles for pastors. Such assistance was the main emphasis of ministry until 1982.
In 1982 a new emphasis was added to those mentioned above. TCM initiated “Summer Seminaries” at Haus Edelweiss. Eastern European pastors and church leaders were invited to come to Haus Edelweiss for two weeks of study under professors and preachers from the United States.
In 1982 there were two two-week sessions. By 1990 the number had been increased to five. This ministry was important to church leaders living behind the iron curtain because there were very few Bible colleges and opportunities for education in Christian ministry.
As the political situation began to change in Eastern Europe, many pastors and church leaders were able to come to Haus Edelweiss to study. This year nine sessions are being held at the Haus from March through early November. Each session offers three graduate-level classes. More than 765 European Christians study at Haus Edelweiss each year.
In 1991, Dr. Tony Twist, second President of TCM International, Inc., established the “Institute for Biblical Studies” (now TCM International Institute). TCM is designed to provide graduate-level study for pastors and church leaders. All of the required classes are taught at Haus Edelweiss or at 12 TCM teaching sites in 11 countries. In 2008, TCM became a fully accredited educational institution and the first U.S. educational institution to operate exclusively outside the United States. TCM is an instrument that is fulfilling the Great Commission by developing European and Central Asian Christians to become disciple makers so that they can reach their own people for Jesus Christ.
History of TCM in Europe
TCM’s work and ministry in Europe began with Gene Dulin’s first visit to Russia and Poland in 1963. Gene was Founder and first President of TCM International, Inc. Between 1963 and 1970 he visited Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union five times while living in Toronto, Canada. In 1971 the Haus Edelweiss property was purchased for ministry into the Soviet Union and satellite countries. The Leadership Training Center was built in 1989. Other buildings on the property were built in 1892. This property has been used as a private residence, a pension (hotel), retirement home, and headquarters for Soviet troops for a few years after World War II.
When the property was purchased it needed many repairs. For several years college students came from the United States during the summer to help with maintenance and repair projects. Missionaries and interns traveled from Haus Edelweiss into the Soviet Union and satellite countries to deliver Bibles, hymnbooks, Christian literature, clothing, food, and medicine. TCM also assisted churches by funding needed repairs on their buildings and providing automobiles for pastors. Such assistance was the main emphasis of ministry until 1982.
In 1982 a new emphasis was added to those mentioned above. TCM initiated “Summer Seminaries” at Haus Edelweiss. Eastern European pastors and church leaders were invited to come to Haus Edelweiss for two weeks of study under professors and preachers from the United States. In 1982 there were two two-week sessions. By 1990 the number had been increased to five. This ministry was important to church leaders living behind the iron curtain because there were very few Bible colleges and opportunities for taking ministry courses.
As the political situation began to change in Eastern Europe, many pastors and church leaders were able to come to Haus Edelweiss to study. Teaching sessions are held at the Haus from March through November. Each session offers several graduate-level classes. More than 500 European Christians study at Haus Edelweiss each year.
In 1991, Dr. Tony Twist, second President of TCM International, Inc., established the “Institute for Biblical Studies” (now TCM International Institute). The Institute is designed to provide graduate-level study for pastors and church leaders. When a student completes the required classes, he/she receives an accredited Master of Arts degree or Masters of Divinity Degree.
History of Haus Edelweiss
The TCMI Institute is based at “Haus Edelweiss,” approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Vienna, Austria, near the village of Heiligenkreuz.
In 1971 TCM’s Board of Directors agreed to purchase Haus Edelweiss near Vienna, Austria. This Haus (and three other buildings) on six acres of land was to serve as a strategic point from which to travel into the countries of Eastern Europe to serve Christians.
With the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the work of TCM International expanded from benevolence, literature distribution, church assistance, and leadership training (work that had been done since 1963) to include graduate Christian leadership education.
Accreditation
TCMI Institute is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC) in the United States.
Alumni
The TCM International Institute graduated its first class of students in 1995. As of January 2008 there are 288 graduates who comprise TCMs alumni. Many are key Christian leaders in their countries and communities; a majority of them are leading churches, schools, and organizations. Some are continuing their ministry education with TCM or doing post-graduate work at other schools or universities. A few have even become TCM visiting and adjunct professors. And not surprisingly, many of them are partnering and collaborating with one another on joint projects that go beyond their borders.
The TCM office monitors their ministry growth and influence through annual correspondence and networking.
In The News
TCM’s ‘Priscilla Initiative’ Boosts Training for Women
Training Christians for Ministry (TCM) created its “Priscilla Initiative” to provide graduate-level Christian leadership education, training, and practical experience to women in Europe and Central Asia.
Over the last 10 years, women around the world have become more influential in developing their families, churches, and communities. “Yet because of cultures and customs,” TCM writes, “these women have fewer opportunities than their male counterparts to access formalized Christian education and training that will enable them to grow spiritually and develop as strong Christian leaders.”
TCM is working to solve these problems by establishing a scholarship fund and providing the scholarships to 21 deserving female students in 2011. TCM hopes to repeat the program with another 21 women in 2012 and to continue the financial support for every scholarship recipient until each one graduates.
The ministry’s long-term goal is to provide scholarship funding to every female student by the beginning of 2014.
Popular Christian comedienne Anita Renfroe has embraced the Priscilla Initiative and is working with TCM to promote awareness of the ministry and its work. She has scheduled concerts throughout 2011 and 2012 to support the cause; visit www.tcmi.org for more information.
Growing Leaders in a Young Church: Infancy to Eldership
I walked into the mailroom at TCM International in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was January 31, 1994. In my mailbox was a letter from a church in Princeton, New Jersey. Ever the optimistic fund-raiser, I assumed it contained: (a) a very large check, (b) a commitment to support TCM until Jesus returns, or (c) both of the above.
Much to my surprise, it was a letter asking me to consider leading a church planting team to New England.
New England! My immediate reaction was that it was too cold, too far away, too expensive, too unfriendly. But 13 months later we were pulling a U-Haul trailer into Nashua, New Hampshire, in the middle of an ice storm.
The six years we spent helping plant CrossWay Christian Church were exhilarating and exhausting. Someone described church planting as being in a batting cage with a pitching machine gone wild. The challenge is to know when to duck and when to swing.
One ball I was determined to hit was the leadership ball. I don’t consider myself a leadership expert. I wasn’t one then, and I’m not now. But I had seen enough ineffective, carnal leaders in churches to know how important it is to develop effective spiritual leaders.