We would like to take this opportunity to fellowship with you a few important matters regarding your preparation for the Full-time Training in Anaheim. Whether you are still in high school or in college, you should take these points seriously if you intend to participate in the Full-time Training.
You must possess a personal desire, no matter how weak it seems, to be perfected as a living, functioning, and overcoming member of the Body of Christ for the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose. This is a training of the Lord's recovery according to God's economy; its goal is high and its standard is uncompromising. You must have a soft and sincere heart that is open to be trained. You should not join the training because your parents or serving ones want you to come, because your friends are coming, or because you need to "fix up" your spiritual life. Without question, the Full-time Training is a place of enjoyment and glory, but it is also a place of discipline and exposure. Although the benefit one can gain from being trained is inimitable and unlimited, the Full-time Training is not for everybody. Having said that, we are still strongly persuaded that there is no better place for a seeking brother or sister in the Lord's recovery than the Full-time Training.
If you intend to participate in the Full-time Training some day, we firstly encourage you to hand yourself over to the Lord, that is, to consecrate your life to Him and to His will. Doing this will ensure that the Training will have priority over your academic, professional, and personal goals. Such a consecration is in the principle of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). It will surely be honored and remembered by the Lord.
Secondly, sanctify your lifestyle from worldliness for the sake of the training; do not be conformed to this age. In particular, avoid any personal involvement or relationship with members of the opposite sex. This is in the principle of purifying yourself with the hope of being like the Lord when He is manifested one day (1 John 3:2-3).
Thirdly, thoroughly immerse yourself in the church life wherever you are. Like a plant nursery, the church life is a special environment that preserves and nurtures you humanly and spiritually, preparing you for the Full-time Training.
Firstly, read through the entire Bible. By reading the Bible routinely you will become someone who loves God's word. We love the Word because in it we can meet the living Person of the Son of God.
Furthermore, reading the ministry during your high school and college years will lay in you a foundation of the apostles' teaching which will allow you to reap the maximum benefit from the Training.
We suggest that you read the following ministry books:
With proper scheduling you can easily finish in a few years and secure both a general idea of the contents of the Scriptures and a basic spiritual knowledge of the crucial items in the recovery. The ones serving on the college campuses could even help you to create a schedule to facilitate the completion of your reading. We strongly encourage you to participate in all the semiannual trainings and other conferences either by attending live or by watching the messages on video. This will help you to develop a healthy appetite for the ministry and an appreciation for the high peak truths.
If possible you should save up some money so that you can support yourself, in however small a way, while in the Training. Although your sending church or your parents may be willing to help you financially, putting aside something of your own for the Full-time Training is a strong indication of a serious attitude and commitment on your part. Also, you should not incur unnecessary debt aside from student loans. As a young person, you should cultivate proper spending habits. You should learn to live within your means, neither borrowing nor squandering your money, but laying it aside for a divine and heavenly purpose. We even propose that you start a savings account dedicated for your financial needs while in FTTA. Or, if that will affect the financial aid you might receive, your church may want to establish a Full-time Training fund to help save for future trainees. In any case, try not to be entangled or encumbered by the affairs of this life so that you can please the Lord who enlisted you in His army (2 Tim. 2:4).
While it is in session, FTTA is open for short-term enrollment to college and high school students (age 18 or above). For example, you are welcome to participate as a short-term trainee during your school breaks. Many have done so in the past and as a result, became more determined to enter the Training after graduating from college. Fellowship with the serving saints and trainees in your locality to stay informed about the Training. (Read more on visiting the Training short-term.)
Some of you may have been touched by the Lord to consider serving Him full-time for the rest of your life. While such a desire is not a requirement for attending the Full-time Training—and must be subject to the tests of time, environment, and the Body—we do encourage you to water that seed within you. One of the burdens of the Training is to produce a generation of young people who will present their whole life to the work of the Lord's recovery to spread His testimony throughout the earth for the consummation of this age.
If you have any questions about the Full-time Training, contact the responsible brothers in your locality or the Training office. May the Lord bless you, strengthen you, and ready you for the Training through your cooperation with Him in the coming days. It is our sincere hope in the Lord that we would see you in the Full-time Training. Grace be with your spirit.
Yours in Christ,
The Full-time Training brothers