Where Bible based training meets bungee jumping, caving, producing professional fashion shows or refurbishing old landrovers!

Besides the lecture times, each week is vastly different from the next! Generally though, the first term is more theory-based and the students spend time in lectures in the morning and in the afternoons can work and be part of the local community. Evenings are generally free or lectures are scheduled when required. The second term is both practical and theoretical, whilst the third term is spent mostly outside of the classroom, with a fair amount of travel included.

Heather: I've heard a bit about 'hell week' (I think that's what you fondly call it)! From what I remember, girls aren't allowed to wear make-up and you stretch people through physical challenges to get past peoples' masks and images. What exactly is 'hell week'? Don't hold back on the description of it for us!!

Blair: Look at the first world, where everything is handed to us! Orientation is there to take the students to their limit by means of physical challenges. Orientation also breaks down the masks that the students, like most people, wear. By being under such a variety of pressures, many positive and negative attitudes become apparent. Try doing eight hours of PT per day, memorizing over 100 scriptures, and 18 mile night hike and sleep deprivation. Ask any of our students, they all look back on Orientation with delight, and when asked if we should change anything, they emphatically say "NO". All the leaders have done it, as we cannot expect the students to do something we are not prepared to do!

Heather: How important is discipleship/mentoring in your view?

Blair: Jesus prays to His Father and says He has accomplished all He has been given to do. Interestingly enough, He has not even been to the cross yet! Jesus disciples and mentors 12 men so that they would take His Kingdom to the nations. If we want to impact the nations, discipleship is the key!

Heather: One of the schools you have is a Worship Academy. What is worship to you?

Blair: The first time worship is mentioned in the Word is when Abraham goes to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham says that they are going to worship; therefore worship is the giving of a life. A lifestyle and not necessarily a slow song!

Heather: Jubilee Training Centre is part of Jubilee Church, isn't it? How do they relate to one another?

Blair: We believe that the students need to be planted firmly into the local church; otherwise they may lose their love for the church. Jesus has given us the church for a means to impact the nations. JTC was birthed out of Jubilee Church, and it provides many opportunities for the JTC to serve the community and teach how local church leadership works. The students from other churches and nations are encouraged to return home after their year to serve their local church with excellence.

Heather: I know you're quite an international church. What unique flavour does that bring to the Training Centre?

Blair: The mixing of cultures is great. Not only does the food take on great flavours, but the community in the JTC is brilliant. From Indonesian to Icelandic, the Nations have been given to us (the Church) as an inheritance!

Heather: In the context of your international perspective, where do you feel the spirituality within the UK and the UK church is at, at this time?

Blair: From a UK perspective, having visited some of our churches at home and abroad, we seem to be facing some across-the-board challenges that are countrywide and that spans denominations.

Great Britain has traditionally been a first class Bible teaching country and if teaching and conferences could bring revival, we would be in the middle of one now! We are definitely not in revival and appear to be at the mercy of program-running at the expense of relational Christianity.