• Cross-cultural Training for Intercultural Discipleship

    Thriving Turtles Training is a new initiative to equip front-line gospel workers with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective cross-cultural gospel ministers.  Thriving Turtles Training offers short modular courses at the end of the summer holidays each year.  These courses build on each other and the training can extend over several years.  Our facilitators have extensive experience in cross-cultural ministry and the courses are provided as eLearning through our online Moodle classroom.   The courses are highly interactive with forums, chats and video conferencing, and this platform allows us to offer this training at a very affordable cost. With an investment of 2 weeks a year, and no need to travel away from home you can equip yourself to be a more effective cross-cultural minister of the gospel.  For more information see "About Us" above and "Contact Us" if you have any questions, would like to receive our occasional email newsletters or register your interest in taking an upcoming course.  To enrol in a course either login or create a new account through the links on the right.


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Available courses

Culture Values and Distance 2020

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Foundation level course: Our values are based on what we believe is good or best in the world around us. Most of our behaviour flows out of our values. Different cultures have different values and the difference between our home and host culture is called “culture distance". In the Culture Values and Distance Course we explore some of these values, consider what makes up our home values, and discover the values in our host culture. The Culture Values and Distance Course is a ten hour interactive, online course that is run over a two week period.  This is a foundation level course so there are no requirements to participate. Course fee: $50AUD.  To download a course outline click here.

Discipling people with a Chinese Worldview 2020

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Intermediate level course: We spend a lot of time sowing the seed of God’s word into the lives of students. We want to see it take deep root, build a firm foundation and change lives. However, so often we find that things get lost in translation. We struggle to know how to apply scripture in a way that brings deep conviction and life-changing understanding.  This course builds on the culture values and distance course to unpack key aspects of traditional Chinese thinking, religion and worldview and consider ways these can be addressed in ministry. This course is at the intermediate level so we recommend you have taken a foundation level course or have some previous background before taking this course. Course fee: $50AUD. To download a course outline click here.

Communication and Contextualisation 2020

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Advanced level course: Anyone who has engaged in international student ministry knows how hard it is to communicate ideas clearly across a cultural divide. This advanced course examines the process of contextualised communication and considers ways we can be better cross-cultural ministers and Bible teachers. The course is made up of readings, podcasts and group discussion forums.  This course is 10 hours over a 2 week period.  This course is at the advanced level so we recommend you have taken a foundation and intermediate level course or have some previous background before taking this course. Course fee: $50AUD. To download a course outline click here.

Helping your Friend Thrive in China

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Foundation level course. Each year thousands of students come from China to study in Australia.  Some of them will respond to the gospel.  Two out of three will return home to China within five years.  Sadly 50-80% of those who become Christians will studying overseas will abandon their faith within a year of returning. This course will examine the issues that cause returnees to believe that Jesus has no place in their lives in China.  We will look at some strategies to change this as well as some practical things that can be done.  This course should take around 10 hours total over a two week period.  The course fee is $50AUD.

Webinar - Discipling in Intercultural Contexts

Intermediate Level Course: This course is a live webinar with Evelyn Hibbert.  Evelyn and her husband Richard were pioneer church planters in Bulgaria and have been involved in cross-cultural discipleship and training intercultural disciplers for many years. Together they have written many helpful books on cross-cultural ministry including their recent book "Walking Together on the Jesus Road: Discipling in Intercultural Contexts."  Course materials are available here both before and after the webinar which will run on 5th February 2020 from 10am to 12pm EDT. Course fee $20AUD . There are very limited places in this Webinar.

3D Gospel - Ministry in Different Culture Types

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Intermediate level course: Based on the work of Jayson Georges and others this course will explore different cultural paradigms of guilt-innocence, honour-shame and fear-power. Learn to understand the powerful motivations in other cultures that impact the way the Bible message is understood and applied. Learn how to adapt the way you present ideas so they will be better understood by people in different contexts. This course is 10 hours over a 2 week period. This course is at the intermediate level so we recommend you have taken a foundation level course or have some previous background before taking this course. Course fee: $50AUD.