What Ministry Training Strategy does

Ministry Training Strategy (MTS), founded in 1978 and headquartered at Level 5, 34 Macmahon Street, Hurstville NSW, is an Australian not-for-profit movement that multiplies evangelical gospel workers through structured two-year ministry apprenticeships. Its core technology is a proprietary training curriculum centered on the 3 C's (Christlike character, conviction, competency) and, following a 2024 strategic pivot, a Three Fs framework (Formation, Fellowship, Framework) for trainer development. The organization runs multiple apprenticeship pathways — Team Leader, Team Member, and four scholarship variants in partnership with theological colleges (Cornhill, Youthworks, MTW via Christ College, Wycliffe) — and currently supports 163 trainers and 1,100+ active apprentices across Australia and international affiliates in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda, the UK, and Slovenia. Since inception MTS has trained over 3,500 apprentices.

The business model is charity-based: MTS operates as MTS Limited (ABN 47 051 950 568) funded by tax-deductible donations, with scholarship fees for apprentices paid by the MTS Scholarship Fund and apprentice wages covered by hosting churches. Government support such as Austudy or Youth Allowance (up to $5,900 in 2021) may also flow to apprentices. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, anchored by the G8 National Conference (~170 attendees), MTS Recruit (312 delegates at Katoomba 2023), MTS Challenge, SPUR, MTS Sunday, and local Info Nights run via churches using MTS's turnkey kits.

Customers are Australian churches (both large and small, across Anglican, Presbyterian, and independent evangelical denominations), aspiring gospel workers (school-leavers, career-changers, women via the MTW pathway, and blue-collar workers), and theological college partners that accredit the academic components. Distribution is delivered through church-hosted apprenticeships under MTS-trained trainers, with the 2024 strategic pivot reorienting the organization from investing primarily in apprentices toward equipping trainers as the core multiplication mechanism.

Name

Ministry Training Strategy

Legal name

MTS Limited

Website

https://mts.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ministry Training Strategy is an Australian not-for-profit, founded 1978, that delivers two-year ministry apprenticeships and trainer formation through 163 trainers, 1,100+ active apprentices, and college partnerships across Australia and international affiliates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Education and Ministry Training Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Missionary Training Colleges & Schools (EDAHAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Ministry apprenticeships
• Theological training
• Church leadership development
• Gospel ministry
• Christian formation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hurstville

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor/Scholarship Funding: MTS operates as a charity funded by tax-deductible donations from supporters. Scholarships for apprentices are funded through these donations, providing financial support for ministry apprentices.
2. Curriculum Apprenticeship Funding: Churches employ apprentices directly as paid staff, covering their wages. Apprentices may also receive government support such as Austudy or Youth Allowance (up to $5,900 in 2021).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) operates two-year ministry apprenticeship programs — a Team Leader track and a Team Member track — that equip and deploy gospel workers in partnership with theological colleges and local churches across Australia. The organization also runs conferences, ministry events, and multiple scholarship pathways to support ministry formation. It is funded primarily through tax-deductible donations.

Product overview

Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) is a movement that multiplies gospel workers through ministry apprenticeships. The core offering consists of two main apprenticeship types: Team Leader Apprenticeship (for those likely to lead a Ministry Team) and Team Member Apprenticeship (for those seeking to be valuable Ministry Team Members). These two-year programs are available through multiple scholarship pathways including Cornhill MTS, Youthworks MTS, MTW (Ministry Training for Women), and Wycliffe MTS. Supporting the apprenticeship programs are events including G8 National Conference, MTS Recruit Conference, MTS Challenge Conference, SPUR Conference, and the annual Ministry Partners Conference. Additionally, MTS provides the MTS In Focus Events Kit for churches wanting to run local info nights, and has recently launched Trainer Formation Modules for ongoing trainer development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Team Leader Apprenticeship: A two-year full-time hands-on apprenticeship for persons considered likely to lead a Ministry Team in the future.
• Team Member Apprenticeship
• Cornhill MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship
• Youthworks MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship
• MTW MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship
• Wycliffe MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship
• G8 National Conference
• MTS Recruit Conference
• MTS Info Nights Kit
• Multiply 500

Products and services

• MTS Apprenticeship (Team Leader track)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,500 apprentices trained since 1978
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cornhill SydneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for theological study component of Cornhill MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship. Apprentices undertake Cornhill Sydney course and four subjects of the Academic Studies in Theology Certificate (ASTC) at Cornhill Sydney.
• Youthworks CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Youthworks MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship. Apprentices complete an Advanced Diploma (12 units in 2 years) via face-to-face study at Youthworks College campus with practical ministry placement.
• Moore CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvanced credit into 2nd year at Moore College available for apprentices completing Youthworks-MTS pathway. Moore College is a key theological training destination for apprentices.
• AFES (Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for campus ministry apprenticeships. AFES workers train apprentices in university contexts, with 23 apprentices developed at Deakin University over a decade.
• Anglican AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerG8 conference attendees have partnered with Anglican Aid to raise funds for The Bible Talks (TBT) university ministry in Durban, South Africa.
• GAFCON AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAFCON Australia is committed to upholding the authority of Scripture and faithful gospel witness. Prayer partnership for raising up gospel workers.
• Vocational Bible CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry equipping gospel workers to preach Jesus to everyday people under Andrew Beddoe's leadership.
• Youthworks CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheological college for apprentice training, with apprentices completing theological study while doing ministry apprenticeships.
• Presbyterian Church of AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong denomination-wide support for MTS training. Churches across NSW/ACT and other states actively participate in ministry apprenticeships.
• Partners in MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization that coaches gospel workers to watch their life and doctrine closely (1 Tim 4:16).
• CMS (Church Missionary Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for global mission focus. Former apprentices like Jack Holloway work with CMS to encourage young adults in global gospel engagement.
• Mary Andrews CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership providing an undergraduate certificate option for MTW-MTS apprentices.
• MAT Zimbabwe (Ministry Apprentice Training)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational MTS movement in Zimbabwe under Antony Dandato's leadership. Growing movement of men and women committing to ministry training. Conference held July 2025 with 10 apprentices and 5 trainers.
• MAT South AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational MTS movement in South Africa focused on The Bible Talks university ministry in Durban.
• WycliffeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cross-cultural training. Wycliffe MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship combines theological study with approximately 350 hours per year of cross-cultural ministry training.
• Timothy PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Academic Studies in Theology Certificate (ASTC) through Timothy Partnership and Christ College's MTW program.
• Christ College (MTW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Ministry Training for Women (MTW) program combined with ASTC through Timothy Partnership.
• Australian College of Theology (ACT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccrediting body for Youthworks College Advanced Diploma (AQF level 5 & 6). Credit available into 16 other ACT colleges across Australia.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES): Campus ministry organisation training apprentices for university student ministry. MTS runs apprenticeships through AFES at Deakin and other campuses, making it a partner-channel for parallel formation work in the same target demographic.
• Cornhill Sydney: Preaching-focused theological training program partnered with MTS on the Cornhill MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship. Comparable in combining theological study with practical ministry training for Australian gospel workers.
• Ridley College (Melbourne): Melbourne-based theological college training evangelical leaders for ministry. Comparable in targeting aspiring Australian gospel workers, though Ridley emphasises academic study over apprenticeship-style field formation.
• Sydney Missionary and Bible College (SMBC): Australian evangelical Bible college offering ministry and missionary training in Sydney. Directly comparable to MTS as a faith-based pathway for gospel worker formation, though more classroom-based than apprenticeship-driven.
• Youthworks College: Anglican college delivering children's and youth ministry training in partnership with MTS. Both run the Youthworks MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship together, making it a hybrid competitor-cooperator.
• Moore Theological College: Anglican theological college in Sydney training future pastors and gospel workers. Comparable to MTS as both feed the same pool of Australian evangelical ministry candidates; MTS apprentices receive advanced credit into Moore.

Broad incumbents

• Wycliffe Bible Translators: International organisation training cross-cultural gospel workers. MTS runs the Wycliffe MTS Scholarship Apprenticeship in partnership, but Wycliffe's own training pipeline competes for the same missionary-aspirant demographic globally.
• Church Missionary Society (CMS): Anglican cross-cultural mission agency that recruits and trains gospel workers, including through Australian apprenticeships. Comparable as a faith-based formation pathway with international mission focus, overlapping with MTS Wycliffe-style pathways.

Regional players

• OMF International Australia: East Asia-focused mission agency running member-care and training programs for cross-cultural gospel workers in Australia. Comparable as a regional player targeting a similar missionary-aspirant audience with structured formation.
• Pioneers Australia: Mission agency mobilising Australians for cross-cultural gospel ministry with its own formation pathways. Comparable to MTS as a parallel faith-based training pipeline, though primarily focused on international field placement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mts_live
• Facebookfacebook.com/MTS.Live
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mts---ministry-training-strategy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ministry Training Strategy