In communities across Florida, the number of people who want and need to learn to speak English is increasing rapidly. Non-English speakers come to our state as refugees, migrant workers, international students, wives of military personnel, international businesspeople, seafarers, tourists and people who want a new start in life.  Many ethnic communities are found in our cities as well as our rural communities.  One of the best ways to demonstrate and share God’s love with our non-English speaking neighbors is through local church-based English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.  The primary goal of church-based ESL ministries is to intentionally share and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ as we help people learn to speak English.

The 11-hour English as a Second Language Basic Workshop equips local church volunteers to intentionally share the gospel with new English speakers.  It addresses these topics: Organizing a local church English as a Second Language ministry; Dealing with cultural misunderstanding; Techniques for teaching English; Planning class sessions; Understanding a student’s English fluency; Incorporating the Bible in class sessions and sharing the gospel with students. Regional Advanced Trainings are offered as well.

Nine Florida Baptist Certified ESL Workshop Leaders are available to lead a workshop at your church.  These are listed on this web page.  Feel free to contact the one for your region or the Community Ministries Catalyst to schedule a workshop.

Citizenship Ministry helps qualified ESL students prepare to become U.S. citizens.  During Citizenship Classes, students learn vocabulary, American history and system of government that will help them prepare for their naturalization interview.  This is a great ministry reaching out to Internationals that have moved into our communities.

The 5-hour Citizenship Workshop shows how to integrate Citizenship with ESL Ministry and to equip the local church volunteers in preparing ESL students for their naturalization interview.  Contact the Community Ministries Catalyst to schedule a workshop.

Many people living in nations overseas desire to know English.  English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is a great ministry for mission teams traveling abroad.

The 9-hour EFL Workshop is designed for short-term volunteers going overseas to teach conversational English.  Workshop contents include lesson planning, sample lessons, essentials for a bag of tricks, placement testing, culturally appropriate topics and what materials to take.

Many of the Certified ESL Workshop Leaders are qualified to lead EFL as well.  You may contact the ESL Workshop Leader for your region or the Community Ministries Catalyst to schedule a workshop.

More than 2.6 million adults in Florida— or 20 percent of those 16 and older — lack even the most basic reading skills, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2009.  Life is difficult in several ways for struggling readers.  Job prospects are limited.  Family relationships suffer.  Medical instructions are often difficult to follow.  Navigating insurance, financial and social services are nearly impossible.  The Bible is inaccessible.  This ministry involves tutoring adults who are either illiterate, functioning non-readers, or those who are seeking to pass the “General Educational Development” (GED) test.  The primary goal of church based ARW ministries is to demonstrate and share the love of Jesus Christ.

The 11-hour Adult Reading and Writing Basic Workshop equips local church volunteers to intentionally share the gospel with adult low-level readers.  It addresses: ARW as a mission outreach of the church; Organizing an ARW ministry; Understanding low-level readers; Using the Bible to teach an adult to read; Introduction to high school equivalency and sharing Jesus with students.

Contact the Community Ministries Catalyst to schedule a workshop for your church.

Many children and youth struggle with schoolwork. This can lead to low test scores, dropping out of school, family conflict, fear of failure, low self-esteem and the inability to understand what they read in the Bible.  Tutoring Children and Youth (TCY) ministries are designed to share Christ with children and youth while helping them build academic skills needed for school success.

The 11-hour Tutoring Children & Youth Basic Workshop equips churches to begin ministries to help students succeed in school.  Local church volunteers are taught to help children with reading, writing and math.  They are also introduced to working with students new to the United States and Canada.

Most important, the TCY Basic Workshop equips local church volunteers to share God’s plan of salvation with children and youth using language the students understand.  Workshop participants learn to incorporate prayer and scripture into every lesson so that the students have the opportunity to learn about Jesus.  They practice giving their testimony as if they were talking to a child or teen.  They become aware of questions to ask when they believe a child is ready to receive Christ.

Contact the Community Ministries Catalyst to schedule a workshop for your church.