The BTCP Concept

Life-On-Life Equipping for Ministry

If you would like a comprehensive view of the BTCP guidelines, concept, curriculum, and philosophy of ministry, please download our Program Summary Manual. This resource provides a comprehensive view of our ministry as well as a syllabus and sample lesson from each of the 10 course manuals.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Dennis J. Mock is an ordained pastor, having served on staff from December 1984 until October 1995 at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, as Minister of Adult Education and Minister of Bible Teaching and Training. After January 1989 his ministry primarily focused on BTCP, of which he is the founder and author of its 10 course curriculum.

He served as pastor of Genesis Bible Church, Atlanta for over 23 years from which he retired in October of 2018. 

Prior to entering the ministry in 1982, Dr. Mock practiced law in Atlanta for 13 years. He has been married to Patricia Mock since 1963 and they have three children and six grandchildren.

Dr. Mock has written numerous Bible book studies for use in Sunday School and was on the adjunct/extension faculty of Columbia Bible College (S.C.) from 1985 to 1990. He holds the following degrees: BA (1966) from Samford University; Doctor of Law, J.D. (1969) from Emory University Law School; and MA in Biblical Studies (1984) from Dallas Theological Seminary. God has used Dennis greatly over a lifetime of pastoring, Bible teaching, teacher training, curriculum development, and writing. Although he retired as President of BTCP in Dec., 2015, he is still actively involved in the ministry as BTCP’s Chairman of the Board.

PARTNERING WITH BTCP

BTCP works alongside over 200 strategic partners, providing theological training in approximately 100 countries, with curriculum translated into over 30 languages.

By partnering with Bible Training Centre for Pastors you, your church, or ministry will gain access to the BTCP concept and curriculum. In order to gain the maximum benefit from the BTCP curriculum, it is important to fully understand our life-on-life concept of training. The Partner Orientation/Teacher Training Workshop is the place to gain this understanding.

PARTNERING CRITERIA:

1. You must be in significant agreement with our doctrinal statement. If you have any questions about wether your stance falls outside of “significant agreement," we’ll be glad to discuss it with you. For instance, we permit a fair amount of flexibility regarding eschatology, but very little in Christology.

2. You or a representative of the partnering ministry must attend a Partner Orientation/Teacher Training Workshop. These 2-day events let us meet face-to-face and will help you fully understand the concept, curriculum, and guidelines which make up the BTCP program.

3. You sign a Partnership Agreement

The goal of Bible Training Centre for Pastors is to produce pastors and leaders who will be used by God to contribute to the spiritual growth of the local church and thus bring glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whose responsibility is it to raise up the workers to meet this need? The Lord is!

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:1-2)

Whose responsibility is it to train up the workers whom the Lord raises up? Believers are!

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

These four key passages underscore the Bible’s emphasis on training and equipping:

• Matthew 28:18-20 - The Mandate

• 2 Timothy 3:15-17 - The Means

• Ephesians 4:11-13 - The Method

• 2 Timothy 2:1-2 - The Model

Do you share the common purpose of training pastors and church leaders who will then reproduce in the lives of others?

Are you committed to producing “fruit that will last”? That is, are you committed to train pastors and church leaders in face-to-face mentoring setting, conduct on-going teacher evaluation, and encourage graduates in their ministries?

If so, we invite you to consider partnering with us to train the untrained. As you have read, our ministry is built on an Ephesians 4 model. That is, we equip those whom the Lord has given to His church that they might “prepare God’s people for works of service.”

The BTCP Curriculum

Curriculum available in over 30 languages

History of BTCP

In 1988 Dennis Mock taught a conference for pastors in Mombasa, Kenya. He quickly realized that these men were eager to learn, but had never had any opportunity for theological or ministry training. Following his experience in Mombasa, Dennis wrote a comprehensive 10-course curriculum designed to equip pastors with essential Bible knowledge and basic pastoral skills. This curriculum was first taught in Nairobi, Kenya in 1990. Since that time the Lord has expanded the ministry of BTCP around the world through hundreds of ministry partners using the program in over 90 countries with 47 translations and 160,000 graduates.

A Word from the Founder

We are constantly amazed at how the Lord continues to multiply the ministry efforts of BTCP. Expansion and future growth are attainable through adding new ministry partners, increasing the capacity of existing partners, and increasing available translations.

BTCP operates from the simple multiplication model provided in 2 Timothy 2:1-2,

“…and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

This illustrates the essence of BTCP’s ministry; students motivated for ministry become qualified graduates who are encouraged to train others.

We are reminded always that our ability to extend training is only possible through the generous support and prayers of God’s people. Please consider how you might help BTCP continue to fulfill our mission of training the untrained pastors and church leaders of the world.

Thank you,
Dennis Mock
Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors

Answers to a few common questions about BTCP

Who can take classes to earn a BTCP certificate?

Men who are qualified to be pastors according to the requirements laid out in the epistles of 1 Timothy and Titus; (not divorced, not married to more than one wife, etc.) will receive a BTCP certificate upon completing the program.

All others interested in being equipped for ministry, including women and those that have been divorced, may take all the courses and receive a BTCL cerfiticate.

Can I take these 10 classes online or by correspondence?

The curriculum is designed to be delivered in a live classroom setting by a qualified teacher who is a mentor and discipler to the students, therefore the classes are not offered by correspondence or internet.

Is this curriculum accredited?

BTCP is a comprehensive training program created to meet the demand for trained local church leadership. The curriculum is not accredited by any agency. Potential students are those who will usually not attend seminary or Bible College but desire to be equipped with basic Bible knowledge, ministry skills and character development.

BTCP certificates are awarded to men biblically qualified to be pastors who complete all 10 courses of the full BTCP program.

BTCL certificates are awarded to all other students upon completion of the 5 or 8 core BTCL courses. The certificate details the courses and number of hours of training they have completed and can list all 10 courses if they have completed all 10.

Will you send a teacher to teach our class?

You will need to recruit a qualified teacher from your church or organization to teach your BTCP or BTCL classes. We are, however, available to conduct a 2-day Partnership Orientation/ Teacher Training Workshop to orient potential teachers and coordinators to the use of the curriculum.

Every pastor and church leader needs to be biblically equipped for ministry

BTCP offers comprehensive Bible training programs for Pastors (BTCP) and Church leaders (BTCL).

Our Mission:

To extend comprehensive theological training to the world’s untrained pastors and church leaders.

Our Method:

A life-on-life concept and a biblically sound, time-tested curriculum.

The Bible is our main textbook (see 2 Timothy 3:15-17), along with 10 essential courses, which also become a resource library for the pastor in his ministry:

1. Bible Study Methods and Rules of Interpretation

2. Old Testament Survey

3. New Testament Survey

4. Preaching Biblical Messages and Pastoral Ministry

5. Bible Doctrine Survey

6. Personal Spiritual Life

7. Church Ministry/Administration/Education

8. Teaching Principles and Methods

9. Church History Survey

10. Missions/Evangelism/Discipleship

We want our graduates to have a biblical and theological frame of reference as a grid for life and ministry.

Please download our BTCP Program Summary Manual for an overview of the program and all ten of the courses. Pages 33-152 of the Program Summary will provide you with a Syllabus and other sample pages from each course manual.

How is BTCP being used?

• BTCP “Classic”: Classes are conducted by partnering ministries in various full-time programs or modular formats. Class schedules can also be adapted to the students’ needs. Partnering ministries include churches, mission agencies, associations of churches, Bible colleges and seminaries, para-church ministries, and individual missionaries and pastors.

• Church Sponsored Bible Institutes: Realizing the shortfall in scriptural instruction, many churches in the USA use 5 of the 10 BTCP courses to equip elders, deacons, Bible teachers, and small group leaders. We call this Bible Training for Church Leaders (BTCL).

• Bible College: Some of our partners use our concept and curriculum to form the “backbone” or core of their multi-year formal programs.

• Seminary Extension Bible Institute: Several seminaries outside the USA use BTCP to extend basic theological training in a Bible Institute format to remote locations.

ORDERING BIBLE TRAINING MATERIALS

Thank you for your interest in using the BTCP concept and curriculum for equipping pastors and church leaders.

In order to order the BTCP manuals, you must be an active BTCP ministry partner. Please see Partnering With BTCP for the criteria. Contact us by email at info@btcp.com or call 770-938-6160 Ext. 206 and we would be delighted to discuss BTCP more fully.

Partners Ordering BTCP Course Materials:

If you are already a BTCP partner and would like to place an order or have questions concerning an existing order, please contact us by email at orders@btcp.com or call 770-938-6160

Other materials available for purchase without being a BTCP ministry partner:

Bible Book Studies for Adults (BBSA) from Bible Training Centre for Pastors

The BBSA series is designed to promote practical understanding and application of the principles of God’s Word through expositional studies of individual Bible books. The focus is on what Scripture says so that believers may develop a biblical world view and look to God for guidance in every area of life. Every Christian should be involved in systematic Bible study if spiritual growth and effective service is to take place.

The studies are suitable for use:

1. in adult Bible Study or Sunday School classes.

2. in small group Bible studies.

3. in personal study by individuals.

4. by pastors/teachers.

The material is designed for a one-hour lesson per week format.

The Bible Book Studies are written to enable believers to grow and mature in Christ by knowing and obeying His Word. 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Ephesians 4:14-16

Sample of BBSA Genesis Student Manual – Cost per manual $10.00

Sample of BBSA Genesis Teacher Manual – Cost per manual $5.00

The BBSA manuals can be ordered here (*Please note that we can only ship these books to US addresses at this time)