Seminar Details
April 19-20, 2024
Blacksburg Christian Fellowship
2300 N Main St.
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Designed to train leaders to train teams, our seminars are highly relational, informative, and interactive. CULTURELink’s hands-on training allows team leaders the opportunity to experience being part of a team themselves prior to assuming their leadership roles.
Whether providing disaster relief, correcting social injustices, meeting physical needs, or expanding and developing Christian ministries, CULTURELink’s practical training and resources prepare teams to successfully integrate into new cultural environments.
Seminar Instructor
Led by an experienced CULTURELink instructor, seminar participants are guided through ten training sessions that equip them to prepare their teams before, during, and after their cross-cultural experience.
This seminar will be taught by Ryan Hurlburt, Assistant Director at CULTURELink since 2011. Previously the Team Director for another mission organization, Ryan has led multiple trips throughout Latin America, Europe, and Africa, with teams comprised of as few as five members and as many as eighty. Ryan leads teams of all ages, but his background in youth ministry has specially positioned him to develop a specialty niche: youth teams. Ryan’s laid-back, highly intentional leadership style strategically develops servants to impact the globe.
Originally from Tampa, Ryan is a graduate of Trinity College of Florida with a degree in Biblical Studies and in Business & Organizational Leadership. He and his wife, Katharine, have lived in Atlanta since 2009. They have two boys, Asher and Alistair.
*On occasion, the class instructor changes due to scheduling conflicts.
Seminar Schedule
FRIDAY • APRIL 19
3:00 – 3:30PM: Registration
3:30PM – 6:00PM
- Leader’s Orientation
- Short-term Missions Training Philosophy
- Session 1: Getting Started
6:00 – 6:30PM: Dinner
6:30 – 9:00PM
- Session 1: Getting Started
- Session 2: Cultural Research
SATURDAY • APRIL 20
8:30 – 9:00AM: Continental Breakfast
9:00AM – 12:00PM
- The Seven Step Process
- Session 3: Becoming Cross-Cultural
12:00 – 12:30PM: Lunch
12:30 – 3:00PM
- Session 4: Ministry Preparation
- Session 5: Team Building
- Session 6: Travel, Packing, and Health
- Session 7: Final Countdown
3:00 – 5:00PM
- Session 8: Living the Experience
- Session 9: Debriefing and Re-entry
*On Your Own Study
- Maximum Impact Short-Term Missions
- Short-Term Emergency Issues
- Session 10: Home and Looking Forward
Our seminars are recognized by Perspectives of the World Christian Movement and by numerous Bible colleges that offer college credit to seminar participants. Since 2010, CULTURELink has conducted more than 80 seminars, training over 2800 leaders. These alumni have gone on to mobilize teams to 130 nations. CULTURELink is also an approved Resource Provider for MissionExcellence. To learn more and read about the Seven Standards of Excellence, visit missionexcellence.global/7-standards.