We had another opportunity to pour into some bright and passionate students at Team Leadership College International (TLCI) based in southern India (September 2-5). Carla and I (Clay) taught a group of about 57 eager young students through Zoom for about two hours each day. Students attend TLCI from every state in India and go through a four year program of ministry and leadership training, which includes assistance with room and board. Many of the students have been rejected by their family and kicked out of their homes due to their profession of faith in Jesus. Several of them will go into full time ministry upon graduation, but others will carry what they’ve learned into other vocations and career paths.
The first two days, I led the students through our full training on Knowing God’s Voice, most of whom had never been taught on this subject. Not surprisingly, students once again enjoyed the interactive format and practical exercises that help to personally develop the principles and skills being taught.
The third day of our time together, Carla went through several Scriptures teaching these students on the importance of knowing who you are (identity) and knowing God as your Father, including experiences and insights from her own life. She also took time to pray for every single student, which was a huge encouragement to them.
The last day of our time together, I presented a teaching I had developed from 1 and 2 Corinthians regarding the biblical spiritual principle of greatness often coming from a position of weakness. Shared many examples and insights from Scripture and my own personal experience of this truth.
Carla and I both use well-developed powerpoint slideshows for each of our teachings including lots of visuals, which help when communicating with students whose first language is not English. Because TLCI draws students from so many regions of the country, they have several different dialects and languages within their student body. So, the first 1-2 years, there is a focus on learning English which the majority of courses are taught in. All classes are taught in English, and after each class, the 3rd and 4th year students sit down with the 1st and 2nd year students to review the teaching and answer questions.
This was a great investment of our time, and we believe these students will be making a significant impact in the nation of India in the years to come.