Story: The Timothy Initiative Training Center
If you’ve been around Hillside for any amount of time in the past few years, you’ve likely heard talk about “The Timothy Initiative” (often referred to as “TTI”). Some of you probably know a lot about it through our missions conference speakers and ministry moments—but perhaps there are some of you who have been unsure about exactly what it is or what Hillside’s involvement with it entails.
“TTI is a missional organization focused on making disciples of all nations,” says Derek Brokke, Hillside’s Director of Small Groups & Discipleship, “In addition to planting churches among the unreached around the world, they also equip the American church to make disciples in a way that breaks out of the traditional church-planting mold.”
Hillside became involved with TTI in 2018, when Dr. Bakke introduced them at our Missions Conference. Intrigued by TTI’s discipleship model, Pastor Brian Gingerich began praying for the Lord to help him put together a group of guys to put it into practice. In the Spring of 2020, he started a “beta TTI group” to test it out—and he was amazed at what happened.
“My experience was something I haven’t encountered before,” he says, “One of the guys [in the group] was Ryan. As I was discipling Ryan, he soon began discipling 5-7 others—but then those guys were then going out to evangelize others! I was blown away! I’ve never experienced anything like this! I’ve led many Bible studies in the past and nothing was as effective at truly discipling as this was. As the world was shutting down, my eyes were opening. After this experience, I had to know more about it, especially how it was working in America.”
In 2021, Pastor Brian took a team to Cullman, Alabama, where a church had been practicing TTI for a few years. “They couldn’t stop talking about different stories where God had moved in ways reminiscent of the book of Acts. They each had story after story after story. That trip continued to open my eyes to what disciple-making means.
Since then, Hillside has been involved with TTI in a couple of main ways. We support them financially through our Missions budget, and we have been training people within our congregation using TTI’s disciple-making program.
We’re excited to announce that this Fall, Derek Brokke is preparing to launch a new “TTI Training Center” at Hillside, where participants will meet regularly, learning to share their faith, make disciples, and plant micro-churches.
On Tuesday, September 26 from 6:30-7:30PM, Derek will be hosting a “TTI Training Center Vision-Cast”—an informational meeting about the upcoming Training Center that will be opening at Hillside.
“The Vision-Cast Event will lay out the philosophy and disciple-making method of The Timothy Initiative, and explain what it means to join a Training Center,” Derek explains, “This event will make clear the commitments of joining a training center and help each person determine whether they are ready to participate in this incredible disciple-making program”
Derek encourages every Hillsider to attend, whether you believe you’re ready to join the training center or not, as this event will help to cast vision for how Hillside wants to grow in our disciple-making commitment.
“Every Hillside member and attender will be inspired by attending this event,” he says, “TTI is becoming a core partnership of Hillside, and the equipping we implement through their ministry will transform the way we view discipleship as a church.”
And Pastor Brian encourages everyone to prayerfully consider participating. “ANYONE can do TTI. That’s what’s crazy. It’s really hard, but it’s for anyone who wants to follow Jesus. The most striking thing to me is that ordinary people can actually do extraordinary things. TTI has demonstrated this over and over again.
“It’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done for my walk with Jesus. Hands down.”
If you are interested in growing in the area of disciple-making—or just want to learn more about what Hillside is doing through the TTI Training Center—you are encouraged to attend the informational meeting on September 26. Registration is helpful, but not required. Learn more here!