A New Season of Kingdom Training Begins in Nashville

Jesus never intended for His followers to simply believe in Him. He invited them into something much deeper: to follow Him, be transformed by Him, and join Him in helping others discover the same life-changing relationship with God.

When Jesus gave His final command to His disciples, He said:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…" (Matthew 28:19)

This command was not reserved for professional missionaries, pastors, or people with special training. It was first given to ordinary people who had encountered an extraordinary Savior.

They were fishermen who left their nets. They were tax collectors who walked away from their old lives. They were men and women who had been transformed by the love, grace, and power of Jesus—and they were entrusted with carrying His message to the world.

The early church did not grow because a small group of gifted leaders did ministry on behalf of everyone else. It grew because ordinary disciples embraced the call to follow Jesus and made disciples who made disciples.

The mission was always meant to multiply.

And that same invitation remains today.

Why MTC Nashville Exists

Over the past 15 years, God has allowed our family to serve among different communities and cultures around the world. We have witnessed the beauty of people encountering Jesus, seen the power of the gospel to transform lives, and experienced firsthand the joy of participating in His mission.

But along the way, God began stirring a deeper question in our hearts:

How do we help more believers step into the mission Jesus has already given them?

The need around the world—and right here in our own communities—is not simply for more people to attend church services. The need is for disciples who understand that following Jesus means joining Him in His mission.

We need followers of Jesus who:

• Know Him deeply and are continually being transformed into His likeness.
• Have the confidence to share the hope of the gospel with those around them.
• Know how to walk alongside others as they grow into mature disciples of Jesus.
• Are willing to be sent wherever God leads—whether across the street, across the city, or across the nations.

This is the heartbeat behind MTC Nashville.

MTC Nashville was created as a place where disciples can be equipped, encouraged, and sent. It is a place for people to grow in their relationship with Jesus, develop practical ministry skills, and learn what it looks like to live as everyday missionaries.

We also believe Nashville is uniquely positioned to be a training ground for this mission. The Lord has gathered the nations here. People from cultures, languages, and backgrounds from around the world now call Nashville home. The mission field is not only somewhere we travel to—it is already at our doorstep.

As we learn to love our neighbors, share the gospel, and make disciples among the diverse communities God has brought to this city, we are being prepared to carry the same message of hope wherever He sends us.

The Vision: Until There Is No Place Left

At the heart of MTC Nashville is a simple but powerful vision:

That every person, neighborhood, and community would have the opportunity to encounter the good news of Jesus through multiplying disciples.

This is the vision behind #NoPlaceLeft. The goal of the residency is:

To equip disciples of Jesus to pursue the core missionary task by multiplying faithful disciples, healthy churches, and catalytic leaders who engage unreached population segments and people groups locally and globally until there is #NoPlaceLeft.

At first glance, that may sound like a big vision—and it is. But it begins with something beautifully simple: one person who has encountered Jesus sharing His love with another person, who then learns to do the same.

This is the pattern we see throughout Scripture. Jesus invested deeply in a small group of disciples. Those disciples carried the gospel into their communities. The early church multiplied as ordinary believers lived out their faith in homes, neighborhoods, marketplaces, and cities.

It is not about building a bigger organization or creating another ministry program. It is about returning to the simple, powerful mission Jesus gave His followers: make disciples who make disciples until every person has had the opportunity to hear.

This Is Not Just a Class. It Is a Community of Practice.

A person can learn a lot about the Bible, memorize the right answers, and understand the principles of ministry—but discipleship has always been about more than knowledge. Jesus did not train His disciples by giving them lectures and sending them home. He invited them into a way of life.

They walked with Him. They watched Him pray, teach, heal, serve, and love people. They practiced what He taught. They made mistakes and received correction. They were sent out to do the work of ministry—and then they returned to learn, grow, and be strengthened.

Jesus formed His disciples through relationship, obedience, and experience.

The residency follows that same pattern. This is not simply a course to complete. It is a community of practice where followers of Jesus learn to live out His mission together. Participants will be encouraged to take what they are learning and immediately put it into practice—engaging their communities, sharing the gospel, making disciples, and learning how to help others do the same.

Throughout the residency, participants will grow in four key areas:

Character

Becoming more like Jesus.

Before Jesus sent His disciples to do ministry, He first called them to be with Him. The foundation of everything we do is abiding with Jesus and allowing Him to transform us from the inside out.

Calling

Understanding how God has uniquely created and gifted you.

Every follower of Jesus has a role to play in God's Kingdom. The residency helps participants discover how their story, gifts, passions, and experiences can be used for God's purposes.

Competency

Learning practical skills for disciple-making and multiplication.

Making disciples is something we learn by doing. Participants will be equipped with biblical tools and practical strategies for sharing the gospel, facilitating discovery, discipling others, developing leaders, and multiplying healthy communities of faith.

Community

Growing alongside others through encouragement, accountability, and partnership.

We were never meant to follow Jesus alone. The residency creates a community where people can be encouraged, challenged, and strengthened as they pursue God's mission together.

Our hope is that participants do not simply leave with more information. We pray they leave with a deeper love for Jesus, greater confidence in His calling, practical tools for making disciples, and a community of people committed to living on mission together.

Who Is This Residency For?

The MTC Nashville Residency is designed for a wide range of disciples who desire to take the mission of Jesus seriously.

It is not simply a program for people who are already in vocational ministry, and it is not only for those who feel called to go overseas. It is for anyone who desires to be equipped to follow Jesus, make disciples, and participate in His Kingdom mission—whether that happens in their workplace, their neighborhood, their city, or among the nations.

At the same time, we recognize that God still calls people to dedicate their lives to vocational ministry, church planting, and missions among unreached peoples. Those who sense a call toward full-time ministry need more than passion—they need biblical foundation, practical experience, spiritual formation, and a community that helps prepare them for the road ahead. This residency is designed to provide that foundation.

The residency is also designed for bi-vocational laborers—people who desire to faithfully follow Jesus and make disciples while living out their calling in their everyday lives. Participants may include:

• Those exploring a call to full-time missions or vocational ministry.
• Future church planters and ministry leaders seeking practical training.
• Professionals who want to live missionally in their workplace.
• Business owners who desire to use their influence for Kingdom purposes.
• Parents who want to disciple their families and impact their communities.
• Students preparing for their next season of life.
• Ministry leaders who desire to multiply their impact.

You do not have to wait until you become a missionary to start living on mission. And you do not have to move overseas to participate in God's global purpose. The nations are already among us, and the mission field is already around us.

Some participants may choose to live at MTC Nashville, and limited housing is available for those coming from outside the Nashville area. However, living in the house is not required. The residency is open to those living in Nashville who desire the training while continuing to live and work in their current context.

What Does the Commitment Look Like?

Over the course of 32 weeks, participants will be equipped with biblical foundations, practical disciple-making tools, and real opportunities to put what they are learning into action.

The residency is divided into two semesters:

Semester One: Building Foundations

August–December 2026

The first semester focuses on establishing the foundations needed to live and lead on mission. Participants will explore:

• God's heart for mission — discovering the story of God's mission throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.
• Biblical discovery — learning to encounter God's Word and help others discover truth through Scripture.
• Gospel conversations — growing in confidence to share the hope of Jesus with others.
• The commands of Christ — understanding the simple, biblical foundation of discipleship.
• Disciple-making rhythms — learning practical patterns for helping others grow as followers of Jesus.
• The 4 Fields strategy — understanding a simple framework for seeing disciples multiply into healthy communities of faith.

Semester Two: Growing Toward Multiplication

January–May 2027

The second semester builds upon those foundations and focuses on multiplication. Participants will grow in:

• Long-term discipleship — learning how to walk with people as they mature in their faith.
• Leadership development — discovering how Jesus identified, equipped, and released leaders.
• Church planting principles — understanding biblical patterns for starting healthy, multiplying communities.
• Movement multiplication — learning how disciples and churches can reproduce beyond one person or one location.
• Training others — developing the ability to equip other believers to do the same.

By the end of the residency, participants will not only understand disciple-making principles—they will have practiced them.

A Weekly Rhythm of Learning and Practice

The residency requires approximately 7 hours per week and is designed to fit the lives of both bi-vocational laborers and those preparing for full-time ministry. Each week includes:

Residency Gathering (2–3 hours) — a time to learn together, encourage one another, practice skills, and grow as a community.

Harvest Engagement (2 hours) — engaging people who are far from God through relationships, gospel conversations, and disciple-making opportunities.

Training Others (2 hours) — taking what you are learning and investing it into other believers.

Accountability Rhythms — building relationships of encouragement, honesty, and spiritual growth.

Personal Abiding with Jesus — cultivating the most important rhythm of all: remaining connected to Christ through prayer, Scripture, and obedience.

The expectation of this residency is not simply to learn. It is to practice. At the heart of it all is a simple rhythm: Learn. Practice. Multiply.

The First Step Begins August 2026

In August 2026, MTC Nashville will launch the next No Place Left Disciple Making & Missionary Training Residency—a 32-week journey designed to equip disciples of Jesus to live on mission, multiply disciples, and help bring the hope of the gospel to communities locally and globally.

We are praying for the people God is already preparing to join us—people who hunger to know Jesus more deeply, long to live with greater intentionality, desire to make disciples, and believe that God can use their ordinary lives for extraordinary Kingdom impact.

After 15 years of serving in missions, this is the training we wish we had when we first began our journey. Our desire is to share not only what we have learned from ministry experience and training, but also the lessons God has taught us through years of obedience, challenges, and growth.

The mission of Jesus has always moved forward through ordinary people who say yes to His invitation. The question is not whether God can use your life. The question is whether you are willing to follow Him where He leads.

Jesus is still calling disciples. He is still sending disciples. And He is still inviting us to join Him in the work of bringing His Kingdom to every corner of the earth.

Maybe your next season begins here.

MTC Nashville Residency Training Program

August 2026 – May 2027

32 Weeks of Disciple-Making and Missionary Training

A hands-on residency designed to equip disciples of Jesus to make disciples, develop leaders, and live on mission locally and globally.

The residency is open to those pursuing everyday mission, bi-vocational ministry, church planting, vocational ministry, and preparation for overseas missions.

Learn more about the residency, application process, and housing options:

MTC Nashville

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