This school exists specifically to help train every believer who wishes to be equipped to carry out ministry effectively. It is available to all true believers who desire to work for the Lord and includes all levels of ministry.
This school replaces the original Fivefold Training Schools, which were designed specifically for those who wish to be trained for a specific ministry in the Fivefold Ministries.
The previous schools offered specialized training for each of the Fivefold Ministry following a fixed schedule. It was based on the idea that if a person felt they were called to a specific Fivefold Ministry, they should be trained specifically for that calling.
Experience with training students over time using this method often showed that most students who thought they were called to a specific Fivefold Ministry eventually discovered that their calling embraced much more than this.
This is a result of a common misconception in the Body of Christ, that a person is called to a specific Fivefold Ministry. We have discovered, however, that there is a distinction between a ministry and a calling. And although many are led by the Lord to engage in some of the Fivefold Ministries, this is not their ultimate calling.
We now have learned and are teaching, that ministry is only a means of fulfilling a calling. A person’s calling can never be limited to or restricted by one or more of the functions of the Fivefold Ministry.
The Apostle, for example, when fully qualified should be able to function in any of the Fivefold Ministries. And it often takes some time before it is clear which of the Fivefold Ministries should be involved in a person’s calling.
For this reason, the Lord instructed Apostle Les D. Crause to give up the Fivefold Training Schools and establish a new way of training His ministers. And each person is assessed as they progress through their training to see which ministries they should be concentrating on.
Many will never rise up into full-time ministry or qualify to function in some of the higher-level offices of the Fivefold Ministry. Others will qualify in more than one of these and have a more extensive ministry.
Usually, these things only become apparent after some exposure to ministry and experience in working for the Lord. And often students who start out being trained for one ministry end up finding they need training in some of the others also. But they are now confined to one ministry curriculum and are locked in.
The old way of training, using a fixed curriculum leading to a degree qualification in one of the Fivefold Ministries is still very popular in many circles, and because of this, the original schools have been retained for those who wish to study this way.
However, these schools are now being run by an affiliate ministry and are not part and parcel of the main activities of Global Business Ministries.
If you wish to know how this came about, we suggest you go to the page titled History on this website, where you can read the full story of Apostle Les’s experiences in training the Fivefold Ministry.
The new way of training ministers is somewhat different to the old way that we used to train.
Firstly, we have removed the element of professionalism and education from our training. We are not going to train you to qualify for a ministry or office. Only the Lord can qualify you anyway, and any degree or certificate that we give you is only a recognition of your intellectual achievement, not of your readiness to do the work of the ministry.
Every person has a different calling and a different set of abilities and experiences in the work of the Lord. So each one should be trained for their own unique calling, rather than being placed side by side with others who probably have a very different direction.
We, therefore, assess each student individually and put them on their own unique curriculum for being trained. This will often include teachings from several different ministry types, but it will be totally suited to that student alone.
The arrival of the Covid19 pandemic necessitated using online resources to reach people who were not able to gather together in one place to receive training.
Although live training enabled us to interact more closely with students, we were still limited where students could not attend live classes, and where students lived somewhere else.
We had to find a way of ministering personally to students without being physically close to them. And as you will read on our History page, we found such a resource in the use of WhatsApp, which enabled us to interact with several students together, as well as individual students.
The fact that this medium is primarily done using text also extends the reach of our training. We can now reach folks around the world, including those who are limited in their data allowance. For those who do have a better internet connection, lectures are made available in video and audio format.
But we found that much can be accomplished using just text. And this way of giving lectures has the following advantage over all other formal ways of teaching:
Students receive lectures a sentence at a time, giving them time to absorb what is being taught and to think about it.
Students can also make comments and questions while the lecture is being given, and thus learn individually even though they are in a group.
The contents of all text delivered during the live lesson are made available afterward for students to review what was given and said. They also have a record on WhatsApp of any personal ministry offered.
Students get to know each other by their interactions in the class and begin to develop a close bond with each other. There are no barriers to distance in this, and students from around the world get to meet each other.
Also, students have the liberty to contact the lecturer personally at any time for personal ministry.
Since students are all on different study schedules or curricula, they have the freedom to attend any of the live lectures that are being given each week. And each WhatsApp session will be dedicated to a different subject.
So, for example, a student has the liberty to learn about Prophetic Ministry in one session but may still also join another session on Pastoral or Teaching Ministry.
Each study session that will be made available will cover only one subject at a time so that students will not need to commit to long-term study periods. Experience shows that most students start off with great enthusiasm, but after a while, their studies become just another form of work. And they have to push themselves to continue.
Now they will only need to commit themselves to a specific time period for the subject they wish to study. Each new subject will be announced ahead of time, including the time it will take to complete it.
This method of training is 100% practical rather than theoretical, so students will not be required to submit assignments for marking, or write examinations to qualify.
The whole purpose of their studies is to learn practically how to carry out their ministry. And they can take what they have learned during training sessions and apply them immediately to their ministry activities.
Since there is no fixed curriculum for all students to follow, anyone may apply to commence training at any time. And they are free to study at their own pace instead of being tied to a study schedule.
You are free to apply as a member to this school by completing the Student Application form, which you will find here:
Student Application for GBM Ministry School
The method of studying presented in this school naturally leads to a form of mentorship with students. And those who wish to enter into a closer relationship with us will be invited into such a relationship when they show interest and potential to receive more attention.
Ultimately those wishing to run their own ministry will be able to be affiliated with Global Business Ministries and those who qualify for it will be offered Ministerial Credentials with GBMI.
We are here to help you fulfill the calling on your life, and will do whatever is necessary to get you fully launched into your own ministry.