Full-Time Training in Anaheim

What should I do to prepare myself to come to the training?

If you intend to join the Full-Time Training, you should live your life now with the training in view. Consecrate your life to Him and give the training the priority over your other objectives. Focus on your education and obtain a college degree from a four-year university. Seize the precious opportunity to develop your mind, character, and study skills while in high school and college. The study of a foreign language and computer skills will enhance your future usefulness. Sanctify your lifestyle from worldliness, and thoroughly immerse yourself in the church life and college work wherever you are!

There are several books which are suggested reading before enrollment in the FTTA. It is highly encouraged that you would have read through the entire Bible at least once. In addition to the Bible, trainees are encouraged to read the following books prior to joining the training: The All-Inclusive Christ, The Economy of God, Young People's Training, Basic Lessons on Life, A Young Man in God's Plan, A Brief Presentation of the Lord's Recovery, The Basic Revelation in the Holy Scriptures, Character, and The Glorious Church.

Probably the most important prerequisite of the Full-Time Training is a heart to be trained. If you possess a personal desire to be a living, overcoming, functioning member of the Body of Christ, and are willing to allow the Lord to touch and perfect you through the training, it will benefit you greatly. (See also An Open Letter to All the Graduating College Seniors and An Open Letter to All Young People Who Aspire to Participate in the FTTA).

Where do trainees live?

In accordance with Brother Lee's burden to care for and cherish the full-time trainees, most of the trainees live in Grace Gardens two blocks away from the training center. Trainees also live in apartments adjacent to the center and houses in the nearby neighborhood. The living arrangements are warm and comfortable, and provide an excellent opportunity to build life-long relationships with other trainees.

How much free time do trainees have?

We get one day off a week from 5:45 p.m. on the Lord's Day to 5:45 p.m. Monday. We use this time to take care of practical things (like laundry and letter writing), to exercise (many trainees play ultimate frisbee), to visit places of cultural interest, to read, or to rest. We also have an hour and a half of free time every afternoon. Trainees use this time for exercise or for rest.

What other services do trainees participate in outside of the regular daily schedule?

All trainees are assigned to weekly scheduled services covering the areas of meal preparation, clean-up, hall maintenance (cleaning and vacuuming), guard duty, and ushering. The services assigned to each trainee vary from week to week and give the trainees the opportunity to experience blending with other trainees and serving in a variety of areas. There are other special services and service teams that take care of areas including booksales, linen inventory, ground maintenance, chair arranging, transportation, banner painting, publications, and office work.

How many full-time trainings are there in the world and where are they located?

There are currently nine Full-Time Trainings around the world. The first training was established in Taipei, Taiwan in 1986. Following this, Full-Time Trainings were established in Malabon, Philippines; Anaheim, California (1989); Moscow, Russia (1992); Hamilton, New Zealand (1993); Jakarta, Indonesia (1995); Seoul, Korea (1996); London, England (1997) and Bangkok, Thailand (1999). In addition to these nine trainings, there is a Spanish Training being conducted in Anaheim, California that will be relocating to Mexico City in the near future to establish the FTT in Mexico. (See FTT Centers page).

What kind of people should attend the training? Do trainees have to be "super spiritual"?

As I look back on my last three terms of training, the phrase from Hymn 473, verse three, comes to my mind: "Arise! The holy bargain strike...." Even though I grew up in the Lord's recovery and knew many brothers and sisters who had gone through the training, I was quite uneasy when I myself decided to give the Lord two years of my life to be trained in the FTTA. I felt that I was about to give up two years of fun, and my life from then on would become spiritual, somber, sober, and full of "dealings" which would force me to "take the cross." You can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to find that the training is a happy place full of the enjoyment of the Lord. I am not a very spiritual person, but I still fit right in! A saint even commented to me that, since coming to the training, I am "beaming." I have had a wonderful experience here, and I am enjoying the Lord like never before. I can say that so far, these have been the best two years of my life.

So, if you are considering coming to the FTTA for two years and you feel unqualified because you are not "super spiritual" and you like to enjoy life, I would encourage you to strike a holy bargain with the Lord. Give Him two years and get ready to enjoy Life to the uttermost.

A fourth-term sister's reply

What are the exams like? Do trainees get grades? Is it possible to fail?

"What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has... Let all things be done for building up" (1 Cor. 14:26).

Most of the classes in the training have either oral or written exams in the middle and end of the term, depending upon the type of class and the trainer. With oral examinations, trainees are usually asked to either speak concerning some point of truth, testify of some personal experience of the Lord, or simply share what they have enjoyed from the Word or the ministry. Sometimes for the sake of our perfecting, trainers call specific trainees to the front of the class to speak individually, but typically this is done in groups. There is a lot of light here, but the light is in an atmosphere of love. By exercising a spirit of learning through listening to one another, we are all encouraged and built up together.

Most of the trainers prefer to use written exams for their classes. These exams test more objective facts (e.g. "List four references concerning the indwelling Christ"). The questions are based on either assigned reading material or what was spoken in class, and are mainly used to highlight important points and principles that we should know. Although numeric grading is used, no trainee has ever failed due to performance. Again, the main burden of the examinations is for learning, encouragement, building up, and constitution.

Two second-term brothers' reply

Preparing for the Training

About the Training