Across many regions of the world, the Church is growing rapidly, yet the development of healthy pastoral leadership has not kept pace with that growth. Strengthening pastor training is therefore one of the most significant leadership challenges facing the global Church today.
TOPIC works alongside national leaders to strengthen and expand pastor training movements already taking shape around the world. Our focus is on supporting locally led initiatives that can grow, multiply, and serve the Church at scale.
The MLTPL (Multiple) 100 Initiative is a shared vision developed in partnership with the Global Proclamation Commission (GPro) of RREACH. The initiative seeks to identify 100 contexts where the growth of the Church is outpacing the health and preparation of pastoral leadership.
At the center of this vision are MLTPL initiatives—Multiplying Local Trainers of Pastoral Leaders.
MLTPL initiatives are designed to address the unique needs of pastor trainers and pastoral training within a particular context. They are developed, launched, and sustained by key pastor trainers living and working in that context, are collaborative across pastor training sectors, and are aimed at strengthening pastoral leaders while raising the next generation of pastor trainers over time.
While GPro helps convene and launch these initiatives, TOPIC serves as a catalyst that helps shepherd them toward sustainable movements.
Pastor training around the world typically occurs through three complementary approaches:
Seminaries and Bible colleges that provide structured theological education through accredited academic programs.
Accessible training initiatives designed to equip pastors while they remain in their ministry contexts. These programs are often modular, flexible, and widely reproducible.
Mentoring, discipleship, and ministry formation that occurs through relationships, local church leadership, and ministry experience.
Healthy pastor training movements often involve cooperation among leaders from all three training environments.
Pastoral training movements do not emerge automatically. They require intentional collaboration among leaders who share a commitment to strengthening pastoral leadership within their context.
The process begins by identifying a key local leader—someone trusted, respected, experienced in pastor training, and able to convene others.
Once aligned, this leader forms a core team, ideally around 12 people, representing the three primary approaches to pastor training:
When the team has embraced the mission, a consultation is held where the group:
This process is locally led and locally owned.
Following the consultation, the plan is finalized and deployed within the context, with the goal of developing a sustainable movement that trains pastoral leaders and raises future trainers.
In addition to recognized MLTPL initiatives, TOPIC is actively identifying grassroots pastoral training movements already taking place around the world.
We come alongside these efforts to strengthen and accelerate what God is already doing—fostering connection, expanding reach, reinforcing collaboration, and providing practical resourcing that supports long-term growth.
TOPIC walks alongside national leaders to strengthen and multiply non-formal pastoral training movements.
Keeping the focus on multiplication and expanding training to scale.
Strengthening collaboration, alignment, and shared commitment across partners.
Providing insight, connections, and practical inputs that accelerate growth.
In several regions, leaders are working together to strengthen pastor training within local contexts. These initiatives bring churches, training organizations, and ministry networks into meaningful collaboration in order to expand access to non-formal pastor training. Current initiatives include:
Additional initiatives are being explored in other regions where the Church continues to grow rapidly.
