What We Believe

The Vision

Language and Culture Training International  (LCTI) is a nonprofit, inter-denominational agency committed to furthering the cause of Christ among the most strategic and challenging cultures on earth. For the gospel to be preached effectively among unreached ethnic groups, we understand that the Lord’s workers need to be equipped with the skills to serve effectively in the heart language of the people.

God’s calling for this ministry is to equip missionaries to serve in ways which are culturally and linguistically sound. Our objectives are:

  1. To enable workers to become proficient at ministering in their target culture.
  2. To accelerate language acquisition and equip workers to effectively evangelize and disciple within that culture as soon as possible.
  3. To equip workers with a broad understanding of the worldviews prevalent in their target cultures.

This vision was born as a result of the church-planting experiences of our staff in various areas of the world, and the realization that missionaries in these strategic areas typically struggle and often fail in their ministry when they do not know the language or understand the culture. For example, many of those who come to the former Soviet Union expecting to learn the language there on the field are frustrated when, after three or four years, they are still unable to minister effectively in Russian. Additionally, it is unfortunate that much of the ministry that has taken place in regions like the former Soviet republics has been either missiologically inappropriate or at least lacking in the cross-cultural principles relevant to such cultures. Such concerns are also relevant to the Middle and Far East.

The Mission

LCTI is committed to providing missionaries with the following intensive training opportunities:

  1. Year-round language training institutes that are designed to equip missionaries with the skills necessary for both survival on the field and for direct discipleship of their target people groups. Courses range from beginning to advanced-level language training.
  2. Culture and history studies are offered to provide students with a fundamental understanding of their target cultures, the history of the region, etc.
  3. Overseas Missionary Field Practicums (internships) provide intermediate and advanced students with opportunities to learn effective and culturally-relevant outreach strategies in direct ministry situations, while further developing their fluency in the target language.

LCTI is committed to helping you to develop effective outreach strategies appropriate to the peoples of the former Soviet Union, China and the Middle East.

Statement of Faith

We believe in the one eternal God, Creator and Lord of the universe, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who governs all things according to the purpose of his will.

We believe in the divine inspiration, truth and authority of both Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety as the only written word of God, without error in all that it affirms, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

We believe that human beings, though created in the image of God, are sinful and guilty, and are lost without Christ.

We believe in Jesus Christ, and that He alone is God incarnate, our sin-bearer, the conqueror of death, and the coming judge. He lived a sinless life and bore our sins on the cross through His physical death. He alone can save sinful man from eternal judgment. We believe in His physical resurrection from the dead and the promise of life eternal to all who believe in Him.

We therefore affirm that other religions and ideologies are not alternative paths to God. Human spirituality, if unredeemed by Christ, leads only to eternal separation from God and judgment of sin.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, and that God sent His Spirit to bear witness to His Son; apart from Him our witness is futile. His work is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, to establish and strengthen the believer’s faith, and to bring new birth and spiritual growth to those who have trusted Christ.

We believe in the universal Church, the Body of Christ, and that Christ sends His redeemed people into the world as the Father sent Him. The Church is at the very center of God’s purpose and is appointed to spread the gospel. The Church is called by God to be marked by the cross, to be willing to die to self, and to have a living faith and a genuine love for people.

We at LCTI pledge to uphold the faith and to serve God with integrity.

RLM/ISLC, Inc.

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