• us as a Family (including Nathan's first web page!)
• the work we do at Christian Training Centre in Mapodo (CTC)
• the History of CTC at Mapodo
• the Curriculum & Timetable used for classes at CTC

Philip grew up in a Christian home. His parents were full time workers with Campaigners for Christ. He became a Christian as a child. For a year after secondary school, he attended short term Bible schools in Europe associated with the Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers. He went to the Flinders University of SA and completed a Bachelor of Education with a specialist area in cross-cultural education, and a second major in Psychology (1980-1983). During this time he toured the Philippines & Hong Kong for a month as a member of a Christian basketball team called Venture for Victory. He also visited Papua New Guinea for a month to explore missionary options. From 1984-86, he was employed by the SA Education Dept to teach at Pipalyatjara Aboriginal School - a bilingual school on the Pitjantjatjara Lands in the extreme NW of SA (including two terms as Acting Principal).

Lesli also grew up in a Christian home. Her father was an engineer with the SA Engineering and Water Supply Division. She too became a Christian as a child. After secondary school she trained as a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (1982-85). During this time she also visited Papua New Guinea for two months to assist at the Balimo Health Centre. In 1985, Philip and Lesley were married, and lived at Pipalyatjara, and she worked on a casual basis for the Nganampa Health Service (1985-86).

Together they joined the Asia Pacific Christian Mission (APCM), and worked in Papua New Guinea in 1987 at the Awaba Provincial High School in Western Province. They returned to Australia for study at the Bible College of Victoria (BCV) from 1988-90. Philip did a Bachelor of Theology (Hons) and a Diploma in Missiology, and Lesley did part-time study towards a Diploma in Missiology.

In 1991 they went back to PNG, and spent five months living in a village for cultural / linguistic orientation. Since then they have worked at the Christian Training Centre at Mapodo (a Bible school) in Western Province (apart from one semester in 1997 when they worked at CLTC - Christian Leaders' Training College). Philip teaches full time and Lesley teaches part-time at CTC. Her main responsibility is the home-schooling of their children.

Philip & Lesley have four children (Nathan - 1988, Anna - 1993, Felicity - 1995, Jessica - 1998). They will spend 2005 & 2006 in Adelaide, Australia. Their son Nathan will complete Years 11 & 12 in this time. The three girls will continue schooling (Anna - Years 6&7; Felicity - Years 5&6; Jessica - Years 2&3). Phil will study full time toward a Master of Education (Leadership and Management), focussing on professional development of Bible school teachers in PNG. Lesli will do part-time study in the areas of counselling and pastoral care. They plan to return to PNG in 2007 to continue the discipling and Bible teaching ministry to which God has called them.

CTC Mapodo is a ministry training centre of the Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea. The ECPNG is a denomination which is the result of the work of the Unevangelised Fields Mission (U.F.M.) / Asia Pacific Christian Mission (A.P.C.M.). UFM sent its first missionary to PNG in 1931. The denomination was formed in 1966. Over forty people groups are represented, with a constituency of about 70,000. Bible schools were established among various people groups to enable new believers to learn more of the Christian faith and how to apply it to their daily lives, to develop leaders for the growing churches, and to train missionaries for work among other people groups.

The Gogodala Christian Training Centre began in 1977 on the site of a leprosy hospital (1965-75) at Mapodo on the Aramia River in the lowlands of Western Province. Initially lectures were in Gogodala, then in 1988 a parallel course in English was commenced; hence the name is now CTC Mapodo and the two courses run in tandem. A three year certificate is offered: the first two years in residence, then a six month village internship, followed by a further six months of lectures.

CTC Mapodo operates on a five week cycle based on the availability of the local staple food (from the sago palm which grows in swamps). Lectures run for three weeks, in the fourth week staff and students visit a village for ministry, then students use the last week to organise food and firewood for the following teaching session.

Each day commences with devotions at 7.30 a.m. followed by three teaching periods of 40 minutes from 8.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m., recess break for 30 minutes, then another two hours of lectures. After lunch students have study time from 2.00 to 3.00 p.m. followed by practical duties till 5.00 p.m. Wednesday afternoons are given to sport. Students are free at night and from lunch time on Friday over the weekend.

The curriculum covers Bible knowledge, theology, church history and practical skills with an emphasis on contextualisation. Semesters are planned to develop from foundational Biblical truths and Discipleship lifestyle to application of these when in leadership positions to pastoral issues in churches and in outreach to non-Christians. Students come from several people groups in the lower part of Western Province. Those with Grade 10 do the English course, others do the Gogodala course. Generally there are three classes each year. Occasionally special short courses are offered for singles, as well as in-service courses for pastors. There is accommodation for up to 25 families and a dozen singles. Students are rostered for creche duty and older children attend local schools.

Graduates return to their own villages and take an active role in church life e.g.: preaching; teaching Bible studies; leading various kinds of groups - Sunday School, children, youth, women, discipleship; others are involved in evangelism; some are appointed as pastors or sent as missionaries to other people groups.

There are four permanent, national teachers; there is a vacancy for an expatriate teacher with extensive pastoral experience. Philip and Lesley Townsend have been based at CTC Mapodo since January 1992 in a Bible teaching and discipleship ministry.

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