ETC focuses on training both vocational and non-vocational servant leaders.
- The church in Ethiopia is exploding in size. Non-vocational (lay) ministers play an important part in preaching, teaching, evangelizing, discipline, and carrying out most of the church’s ministries. The church’s heavy emphasis on lay ministry comes both from a biblical conviction that the whole body of Christ should be involved in ministry and from the economics of a poverty-stricken country: the church would never be able to pay enough full-time ministers to carry on all of the ministry needed in a rapidly-growing church.
- ETC is one of only two accredited theological colleges in Ethiopia. ETC is the only theological college in Ethiopia with an interdenominational faculty and governing body. ETC’s faculty and staff come from Baptist, Mennonite, Lutheran, SIM-related (Kale Heywot “Word of Life”), Independent, Evangelical Free, Brethren, Presbyterian, and Pentecostal denominations). ETC’s student body is the most diverse of any theological college in the country, with students from every evangelical denomination and fellowship in the country. For many of the denominations, ETC is the only place they can get college-level, evangelical training for ministry.
- Though primarily Ethiopian, ETC’s have had students from all over East Africa. The countries are Somalia, Burundi, and Sudan where war, the persecution of Christians, and famine make it difficult for national Christians even live, let alone be trained for ministry.
- ETC and another sister seminary has opened the only Graduate program of theology in the country. ETC plays a major role in the Ethiopian Graduate school of theology by providing faculty members, classrooms and library service.