SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
Level i - foundations

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LEARNING PORTAL
OUR MISSION

THIS YEAR YOU WILL GAIN Advanced SKILLS FOR Serving Those Affected By Trauma

OUR MOTIVATION
Global trauma is at an all time high, leaving individuals, families and communities overwhelmed and underserved. This is why TFI designed our proven, in-depth School of Ministry to provide you with advanced training in fields of therapy, counseling and pastoral care. With a TFI Certification, you will be equipped to administer lasting healing for those in need.
Teaching Fellowship Institute (TFI) School of Ministry (SOM) offers individuals a 200-hour experience with hands-on learning modalities based on God’s principles of healing spirit, soul, and body. Developed and directed by seasoned Elijah House Trained Prayer Ministers, Molly McNamara and Dana Grindal, fellows are guided in the acquisition of tools and Holy Spirit-led prayer ministry skills developed on well-founded science in the areas of inner healing, human development, and deliverance. The Fellowship is geared to equip those called to serve others, and is especially beneficial for those in the fields of therapy, counseling, coaching, missions,  ministry leadership, and prayer ministry. 
LEVEL 1 - FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING

The pathway to success

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LEARNING MODULES

Watch recorded, lesson modules and download worksheets, tools, and prayers. This assists Fellows in preparing for session observations, and small group.

private MENTORING

Monthly, the Fellow schedules private mentoring sessions with both instructors, Molly and Dana.

 SMALL
GROUP

Small group practicums meet twice monthly, online. Fellows ministry to one to another based on lessons learned, tools, and principles from the SOM.

CLIENT OBSERVATION

At the beginning of each month, you'll be emailed a roster of available observations to which you will reply with your preferred slots.

FELLOWship
project

A Fellowship project takes a topic of interest important to the Fellow and allows you to build out a presentation, based on your God-given design. In Level-1, you submit an outline that is further developed in Level II & III.

LEVEL I - foundation syllabus

The TFI experience has been a beautiful blend of learning, growing, and even healing.  The instructors provide a safe atmosphere and allow God’s Spirit to flow in each session. To maximize your learning experience in the small group settings, I encourage you to build trust and relationships with your small group peers.  Small group sessions are a place where you can practice what you are learning with a safety net.  The more involved you get the more you learn.
                                 - Allison, SOM Fellow 2024

Frequently asked questions

WHEN DOES THE School of Ministry START AND FINISH?

SOM Level I classes begin in January and end in November. SOM does not meet in July-August

Fellows may watch the prerecorded lessons at their leisure, so long as they are viewed before private mentoring and small group appointments (see below).

Fellows schedule 2 mentoring meetings each month through the calendar app inside the course portal (one meeting with each instructor). Mentoring appointments are held virtually through Zoom.

Small group meetings will be coordinated by your small group instructor and will occur at 2 scheduled times each month. Small groups meet virtually, using Zoom.

WHAT DO YOU LEARN AT EACH LEVEL OF THE SOM?

Prayer ministry training specializes in three levels: lessons, practicums, and mentoring. Fellows move forward through courses with self-paced lessons and instructor-led group and client interactions over two [2] years. The design of our School of Ministry is likened to snow ski training, where challenges are met with increased skill, experience, and sensitivity to others and God. Preparing for God-sized assignments, large or small, prepares each Fellow to make an impact in whatever field of Prayer Ministry the Fellow is called.

Level I - Foundations
Level I is dedicated to fundamental learning, mentoring, and observations. Fellows cover 38 lessons, monthly mentoring, small group experiences, and client observations. Over nine [9] months, Fellows study and learn to develop spiritual authority and practical application of Biblical principles based on new knowledge. The observation hours for Level I are 100.

Level II - Advanced
Level II marks an intermediate period of practical application. Here, fellows continue with lessons, small groups, mentoring, and co-ministry with an instructor in client sessions. Over a six-month period, they apply their advanced knowledge to the practical application of the principles, assuming more responsibilities under the guidance of a seasoned Prayer Ministry. This progression prepares them for the more advanced levels of the program. The observation hours for Level II are 50.

Level III - Residency
Level III is a supervised internship before practice, similar to a medical residency model. During this three -[3] month period, the Fellow receives lessons and instructor-led mentoring. Fellows who choose to do a SOM project can do a peer presentation on their discoveries, and a community group is formed to continue developing peer collaboration through like-minded fellowship. The observation hours for Level III are 50.

Cost, Prerequisites, and steps of som application?

Step 1: Apply
Complete the online application and list your references.
You will receive an invoice for a nonrefundable $40.00 application fee. Once payment is received, we will process your application.

Step 2: References
Your referees will receive an email from teachingfellowshipinstitute@gmail.com with a link to a Google form where they can digitally make their reference. If your referees don’t respond to our requests for their reference, you may be asked to reach out to them personally to assist us in collecting your references before the deadline.

Step 3: Notice of Admission Status  
Rolling Application: Applications are processed as they are received.
Receive SOM approval or recommendations to apply at a later date.

Step 4: Prerequisites
During the application process you will be asked to complete a Personal Prayer Ministry Intensive or provide documental that you have received one in the past 24 months. Intensives are 12 hours of personal prayer ministry over 3 consecutive days and will cost $900.

Purchase:


View the prerequisite videos in the SOM course portal “Ethics in Prayer Ministry.”

Step 5: Acceptance to the TFI SOM Program
Level I SOM tuition is $3,150, and may be paid in 9 convenient payments of $350.

Tuition gives you access to 36 learning modules (videos, exercises, sample prayers, worksheets, resources, and assignments), small group practicum, client observation hours, and 2 hours of private mentoring per month.

Step 5: SOM Begins - Required Lectures and Mentoring Sessions
Ongoing bi-monthly mentoring sessions are included in your tuition.

Lectures and small group sessions total 8 hours per month, and are included in your tuition. 

What does it take to become a trained prayer minister?

LEVEL I (FOUNDATIONS) - CRITERIA
  • Has met all pre-requisites.
  • Received 100 hours minimum observation, note taking, and invitational participation by invitation of the TFI instructor. 
  • Attended pre and post debriefing as part of a client or co-fellow session.
  • Completed lesson videos, reading, homework assignments, and online discussion group as assigned by the TFI instructor.
  • Completed bi-monthly 1-hr. mentoring sessions with a TFI instructor.
  • Received feedback evaluation by the TFI instructor after each 12/hrs. of client sessions.
  • Received a recommendation to transition to the next level from a TFI Instructor.


LEVEL II (ADVANCED) – CRITERIA
  • Met criteria from TFI Level I and were recommended for Level II by TFI administration.
  • Fulfilled at least 50 hours of practicum with a TFI instructor in a co-ministry role (in-person or online).
  • Attended pre and post debriefing as part of the client sessions with the instructor.
  • Completed videos, reading, homework assignments, and online discussion group classes as assigned by a TFI instructor.
  • Completed bi-monthly 1-hr. mentoring sessions with a TFI instructor.
  • Received feedback evaluation by a TFI instructor following each 12/hrs. of client sessions.
  • Received a recommendation to transition to the next level from the TFI instructor.


LEVEL III (RESIDENCY) – CRITERIA
  • Met criteria from TFI Level II and were recommended for Level III by TFI administration.
  • Provided written proof of counseling insurance to TFI administration (recommend HPSO).
  • Fulfilled at least 50 hours in sessions with TFI clients (or the fellow’s own clients) taking the lead role as Prayer Minister.
  • Completed videos, reading, homework assignments, and discussion group as assigned by the TFI instructor.
  • Completed bi-monthly 1-hr. mentoring sessions with a TFI instructor.
  • Completed a self-evaluation with feedback by a TFI instructor after each 12/hrs. of sessions.


Typically fellows can finish the TFI School of Ministry in two years by combining the Level II and Level III criteria.

What if I have SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES?

TFI believes in supporting fellows in this comprehensive training school. There are several conditions under which the training may take additional time or vary in the practicum setting, these include:

  • Where the fellow is currently seeing clients, the TFI Instructors may grant approval for Level III criteria to be applied to sessions where the fellow has invited the TFI Instructor to observe (in-person or online). This must be pre-approved with TFI and the client prior to the session(s). All confidentiality standards would be upheld.
  • The recommendation to transition to the next level is declined. The progression of TFI is not based on the hours spent in instruction or client sessions, but the sustained enlargement of spiritual authority observed by the instructor as the fellow continues to gain expertise in application of the tools, honor with the clients, and confidence within themselves. If transition to the next level is declined, the fellow may continue in the training and be re-reviewed at each evaluation period (every 12/hrs. of client sessions) for consideration to the next level. 
  • There are also times when a fellow may require a leave of absence from TFI for personal reasons and we are willing to have a discussion with the fellow. Should this be necessary, the fellow is asked to submit a request for leave in writing to the assigned instructor. 

What is the benefit of completing tfi school of ministry?

You may:
  • Co-minister with TFI instructors.
  • Be invited to participate in ministry opportunities with one of the ministries associated with TFI (His Whole House or Whitestone Ministries Intl. as part of the ministry team, e.g., schools, workshops, small group facilitation, short term missions, etc. 
  • Be eligible for consideration as a TFI community partner.
  • Upon successful completion of all requirements, you receive certification in trauma pastoral care.

WHAT IS A fellow project?

A fellowship project is an 18-month commitment to developing a topic.  Your  project may fulfill  up to [40 hours] of the 100-hour observation obligation to be applied toward Level I only.

An outline is submitted in Level I with completion and presentation to the SOM fellows as a lesson during Level III.
The due date for final submission of this project, should a Fellow opt for this Fellow Project route, is at the end of Level II.

Further details about the project criteria are available in the SOM Guidebook.
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