Tilsley College is a ministry of GLO Europe. It started in the 1970s as the systematic training wing of GLO. Its aim was, and remains, to prepare people for life-time involvement in God’s work, whether in overseas mission or within the UK.
In 2009, the one-year programme was accredited by the European Evangelical Accrediting Association as a Certificate of Higher Education. In 2015, the College expanded the course to offer an additional accredited two-year programme, a Diploma in Higher Education.
Currently, Tilsley College offers the following training options:
Full-time Accredited Programmes:
- Certificate of Higher Education in Biblical Studies and Christian Ministry (one year).
- Diploma of Higher Education in Biblical Studies and Christian Ministry (two years).
- European Baccalaureate in Biblical Studies and Christian Ministry (three years). All these programmes offer in-depth studies of the Bible, theology, and Christian service combined with practical ministry experience. They combine college-based teaching with placement-based experience.
Part-time Programmes
- Joshua Project: Part-time evening or weekend studies that are run in Motherwell and in centres around the UK.
- Learning to Lead: Short course in church leadership available on CD and in book form that can be delivered locally by suitably-experienced teachers.
- Open Access: All the College’s Certificate modules, and some Diploma modules, are available to be followed as stand-alone teaching [without assessment].
Online Programmes
- Joshua: Lectures from Motherwell can be followed online by small groups and individuals
- Learning to Lead is available online as a blended learning programme twice a year, with sessions led by Tilsley Staff
Cooperative Training
- Stepping Out: a four-year, partially-funded development pathway for training church workers. The first two years are spent following Tilsley’s Diploma programme; the second two years are in a church post with continued mentoring.
- Cross-cultural Mission: a 10-day Missions Orientation Programme developed with Echoes of Service and held in February each year,
- FirstServe: gap-year programme (see below for more details).
- Other training initiatives: across UK under the umbrella of Enable.
