Training Bible teachers for the local church

Why is it called “Tim Course”?

We take our name from 2 Tim 2:2. We want to see the message of Jesus entrusted to “reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others”.

Where is the Tim Course held?

We meet at the Highsted Road Christian Assembly, 84 Highsted Road, Bishopdale in Christchurch.

When does the course begin?

We commence mid-February each year, usually after Waitangi Day. The course takes 2 years to complete, but you can join us at the start of any year.

What does a normal day look like?

We have two taught sessions in the morning, as well as time to reflect on our learning and pray together. There is another learning session, and talk feedback groups, after lunch. We finish around 4pm.

Will I have to take exams and write essays?

No. Our assessments mimic real ministry situations. Instead of sitting exams you will give short Bible talks, read and discuss a couple of relevant books, and you may write a short report or ministry reflection.

How many hours-per-week are required?

Apart from time in class, most students also spend 2-4 hours outside of class reading, preparing Bible talks, pre-reading Bible passages, etc.

What are the fees?

In 2025 our fees are $1,995 per year (incl. GST).

How do I apply?

You are welcome to arrange a visit to the Tim Course before you apply, and/or attend an information evening.

You will need to fill in the online application form and provide contact details for a church leader who will act as a referee. CLICK HERE to apply.

Who runs the course?

The Tim Course is provided by the Gospel Training Trust. The Gospel Training Trust exists to encourage ministry in New Zealand that focuses on the Bible as God’s living word for today. See www.gtt.nz.

What do you believe?

1. The unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in the Godhead.
2. The sovereignty of God in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
3. The divine inspiration and infallibility of Holy Scripture as originally given, and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
4. The universal sinfulness and guilt of human nature since the fall, rendering man subject to God’s wrath and condemnation.
5. The full deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God; his virgin birth and his real and sinless humanity; his death on the cross, his bodily resurrection and his present reign in heaven and earth.
6. Redemption from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of our representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and man.
7. Justification as God’s act of undeserved mercy, in which the sinner is pardoned all his sins, and accepted as righteous in God’s sight, only because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, this justification being received by faith alone.
8. The need for the Holy Spirit to make the work of Christ effective to the individual sinner, granting him repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.
9. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all those thus regenerated, producing in them an increasing likeness to Christ in character and behaviour, and empowering them for their witness in the world.
10. The one holy universal Church, which is the Body of Christ, and to which all true believers belong.
11. The future personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge all humans, executing God’s just condemnation on the impenitent and receiving the redeemed to eternal glory.