AIM’s Training in Ministry Outreach, or TIMO, program is a great way to get to the heart of AIM’s ministry — Christ-centered churches among all African peoples. This is the view of TIMO’s International Director, David H, who shared in meetings in Australia, Korea and Brazil in August and September. David has challenged the Asia Pacific mobilising region to provide 20 TIMO members in 2012. TIMO is AIM’s two-year, on-the-job training program for small teams of people who are placed among communities of unreached peoples. This is an effective introduction into cross-cultural mission.
Teams generally comprise up to 10 people from around the world, including Africa and have an experienced missionary or couple as their leaders. “History shows TIMO teams are effective in taking the gospel to unreached peoples.”
David said TIMO has the capacity to take people who generally don’t qualify for such a strategic ministry as church planting among the unreached.
“We can take the least equipped or inexperienced people into a strategic work and they can do it! — and do it well!” TIMO is centred around partnership with African missions and churches. All teams normally have at least one African member. Recently All-African TIMO teams have commenced. David said TIMO also partners with other expatriate mission organisations. “It’s all about (God’s) Kingdom. We are serious about partnering with other groups.”
“TIMO is partnering with African missions like CAPRO from Nigeria and others like the Evangelical Free Church of America, TEAM Mission, Diguna from Germany. We are training a person from SIM to run what will probably be a combined AIM/SIM team.” TIMO is doing a third team with the Bible Fellowship of America. Members are still screened and processed through AIM but BFA recruit and pray for the team members.
The Africa Inland Church is aiming for their own, complete TIMO teams. In the past the AIC Missionary Board has put member couples or individuals on teams. These are well-trained Africans who have graduated from theological college.
Benefits Of Team
The TIMO team idea enables people to get into a context where they are not “lone rangers” and not doing it all. They maximise team and members thrive. “The team leader’s primary role description is to ensure the welfare and success of the team members.” Team leaders spend four hours a week, one-on-one with team members as well as time with the team. TIMO focuses on learning language and culture and studies a curriculum including discipleship, spiritual warfare, evangelism and cross-cultural communication. In all, team members will read about 40 books and prepare assignments and partake in team discussions.
An advantage of TIMO is that once a concept is learnt from reading, it can be practiced in the field. David said AIM has entered a new era with regionalisation of the African field. There are regional leadership teams for East, Southern, Central and North Africa. “There is an exciting new wind, with each region wanting to see all their unreached people groups reached. TIMO can do it. It is a tool. Regions own it and use it to reach their unreached groups.”
David said TIMO has found it may take several teams over about 8 years to effectively plant a church among a people group. “We are now into our 42nd team since TIMO began in 1985. The Vanilla Island TIMO team commencing in November will be our 44th team. This team will include two young Australian ladies.
September 2011
