December 23, 2022
To the churches throughout North America,
We are happy to announce that the 2023 North America College Training will be held July 16-22 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. The subject this year will be Love Prevails. We encourage you to begin shepherding the college students to save up for this and make plans to attend. Registration for this event will open by January 1, 2023.
The goal of this seven-day training is to supply college students with a vision, equip them with truth, help them in their experience of life, perfect them in the preaching of the gospel, and develop their character so that they can become useful vessels for the building up of the Body of Christ. Moreover, this training affords them the opportunity to blend with their peers who love God, pursue Christ, and seek His kingdom.
The training imparts a healthy view to high school graduates as they transition into college, compelling them to live their college years to the Lord for His purpose. Approximately 2800 saints participated in our last North America College Training in 2019, including close to 1900 college students. We hope even more can attend in 2023. Thousands of college saints who have participated in previous college trainings received extensive and lasting spiritual benefits, especially the incoming freshman (this year’s graduating high school seniors). We ask you to strongly encourage them to attend. Many have eventually attended the FTTA and become young pillars in the church life.
This training is open to all college students, both current and recently graduated, and newly graduated high school seniors who are at least 17 years old before the training begins. All those coming must be willing to fully go along with the busy and intense training schedule, expectations, etc. They must be willing to participate in all of the meetings, gatherings, and activities. Discretion should be exercised by local leading brothers and serving ones in considering who to invite; some may not be ready to attend. It is recommended that all college training attendees:
- Be in generally good health, including spiritually, mentally, and physically.
- Be able to deal with large crowds of people with little to no privacy over the span of 7 days.
- Be hungry for the Lord, want to be for the Lord, serve the Lord, and want to go deeper with the Lord.
- Have had some touch with the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.
- Have had some touch of the Spirit and have tasted life.
- Have had some involvement in corporate gatherings in the local church life.
It is fine for some recent graduates of college (who are currently working) to attend the college training as a participant (and not a serving one), especially because they may not have had much chance to attend the college trainings in person over the last few years. An upper age guideline of 25 is suggested for these ones. As in the past, graduate students and undergraduates alike are welcome to attend.
To register, all applicants must fill out the registration form online and obtain a recommendation from an elder or responsible brother in their locality. The elder or responsible brother’s approval on their application indicates that the elder or responsible brother approves the applicant and that he/she is able to physically, psychologically, and spiritually handle all the regulations and schedule of the North America College Training, as well as contribute positively to the atmosphere. The elder or responsible brother must be sure to include all the information requested on the form. This way we can contact him regarding the applicants from his locality, if necessary.
Visit our website at www.collegetraining.org for more information and instructions on how to register. We encourage everyone to register as early as possible, as we will have 3 time periods for registration:
- Early registration, January 1-31, $405/person
- Normal registration, February 1—April 15, $445/person
- Late registration, April 16—May 15, $495/person
Note that transportation costs are not included in these fees (including rides to/from airports). Everyone who plans to go needs to be approved by the registration team. We encourage students to register as early as possible. The applicant should not book a plane ticket until he/she is approved.
The North America College Training is not meant to replace or undermine the July semiannual training in any way. We hope that many college students will still be encouraged to participate in that event, whether in-person in Anaheim or via video.
Again, please announce to and encourage the college students and current high school seniors (who will be next year’s incoming college freshman in the fall) to attend the 2023 North America College Training. Your specific petitions for this training are greatly appreciated.
May the Lord continue to raise up a generation of young people for His will and purpose to end this age. Amen!
In Christ,
The Coordinating Brothers Laboring on the Campuses in North America
