MLS
Missions and Leadership School
Three students walking along a street at golden hour
Missions and Leadership School

Training for life on mission.

MLS is a launchpad for young adults ready to give their lives to the Great Commission. Three phases of deep study - intimacy with God, leadership development, and cross-cultural training.
Apply for MLS
Prerequisite: FFX or a DTS. First cohort starts April 19, 2027.
Watch the MLS film
Plays on tap. Sound on.
Why MLS exists

Encounter was never meant to be the finish line.

What's happening

Young people are meeting Jesus and seeing the need of the unreached: at conferences, in churches, youth groups, and worship nights. Then most go back to life as usual.

Those who do go to the field struggle to last past the first couple of years, because they were never given the training they need to be successful. 

We're done watching young people live life with no meaning when God has a real purpose for them among the unreached.
MLS is the pathway from a burning heart to a life on the field.
See the pathway ↓
The pathway

Encounter.
Equip. Go.

From arrival day to arrival day: the day you show up to train, to the day you land on the field.
  1. 01 · Encounter

    Anywhere God meets you

    A conference, a youth group, a worship night. It starts with a yes.

  2. 02 · EquipYou are here

    FFX or DTS, then MLS

    FFX or a DTS is your first step. MLS is three phases of training for the long haul.

  3. 03 · Go

    The field

    Arrival day among the unreached, with FF Nashville behind you as your sending community.

Haven't done FFX yet? That's step one.
 Start with FFX →
Who it's for

For those who want to give themselves to the Great Commission.

  1. Want to go deeper with God?Study His Word with those who live what they teach.
  2. Dream of making a difference?Give your life to the people who haven't heard yet.
  3. Want to grow as a leader?Learn to lead by doing ministry, not just studying it.
  4. Want more than a short-term trip?Take a real path to long-term work on the field.
MLS is unapologetically mission-centered. If the Great Commission doesn't stir you, this isn't your school. If it does, this is your next step.
Apply nowTalk to our team [TBD link]
“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” - William Carey
The three phases

Awaken.
Form. Send.

MLS runs in three phases. Phase 1 roots you in the Word and in intimacy with God. Phase 2 puts it to work as you lead. Phase 3 prepares you to go.
Starts April 19, 2027
Phase 1.
Phase 1 · Apr–Jun 2027 · 3 months

Bible & Spiritual Formation

Go deep in the Word and in spiritual formation. Learn to study Scripture in context and pursue God in the secret place. Learn to be a disciple of Jesus in a vibrant spiritual community dedicated to missions.

Cost
$4,000
Covers tuition and housing for all three months.
Shot: early morning, open Bible, window light
Phase 2
Phase 2 · Jul–Dec 2027 · 6 months

Leadership & Service

Practical leadership. You join our staff and serve with an FFX school or in an area like worship, prayer, local outreach, or media. You carry real responsibility, and you’re coached and developed along the way.

Cost
No tuition
You join staff and raise your own support. We train you to do it. Housing is not included.
Shot: student leading an FFX small group
Phase 3
Phase 3 · Jan–Jun 2028 · 6 months

History & Theology

Spend a season learning the history of the church. Wrestle down what you believe and why you believe it. Phase 3 is a hybrid: You continue on staff but balance your time between learning in the classroom and serving in the field.


Cost
$3,000
Paid monthly. $1,000 a month for the first three months. Housing is not included.
Launching to the field? Your final three months are the Nations Cohort, at no added cost.
Shot: small team led overseas on the field
Launch: arrival day on the field.
There are ups and downs along the way. That's part of the training. They prepare you for what you'll face on the field.
Where you could go

3.6+ billion people live in an ethnic or language group where believers are so few that the church there can’t grow or reach its own people without outside help.

Where the unreached live.

Brighter, bigger dots mean more of that region lives in an unreached people group. Hover or tap a pin for the numbers.
Hover a pin
More people in unreached groups
Drag to explore
We won't stop until every tribe, tongue, and people has heard.
3.64B (44.2%): Joshua Project all-regions totals, Oct 2026.

Source: Joshua Project region and country data, October 2026. “Christian” is Joshua Project’s % Christian adherents; multi-country regions are weighted by population. Pins mark regions of need, not where anyone lives or serves.

Ready?

Apply for MLS.

First cohort starts April 19, 2027. Prerequisite: FFX or a DTS.
Apply for MLS
Not ready to apply?

Get the full MLS guide.

The full program, the three phases, what to expect, and how to apply. One PDF, sent to your inbox.
  • The pathway
  • Seek. Lead. Send.
  • What to expect
  • How to apply
Free. No application needed.
Who you become

From called
to confident.

Day one
You'll arrive loving Jesus and feeling called, maybe without knowing where or how.
Launch day
You'll leave with confidence in God's calling, a clear direction for the next season, and leadership experience that gives you a confidence you've never had. All of it fueled by a life of prayer that's more alive than ever.
What you'll be able to do
  1. 01Lead a group of people with confidence.
  2. 02Study Scripture in context.
  3. 03Preach the gospel with boldness.
  4. 04Live and serve in a culture that isn't yours.
Lies that break here
  • “God can't use me.”
  • “Missions is too hard, and I'm not strong enough.”
  • “I'll never be that close to God.”
Marks of an MLS grad
GrittyPassionateEquippedSent
The first cohort
Nashville, TN
 
days
00hours
00minutes
00seconds
Until the first cohort starts. Monday, April 19, 2027.

One season of formation. Decades of fruit.

Length
18 months
Prerequisite
FFX or a DTS
Spots
30
Deadline
March 14, 2027
Cost
$7,000 total
Apply for MLS
How MLS is different

Not just a program.

A launchpad.

Some people finish a program, and three years later their life looks exactly like it did before. That’s not what MLS is for. Launched means you keep using what you were given, continue growing, and, for many, live it out every day on the field.
MLS is built for one goal: long-term mission work.
01

Biblical lens for missions.

You'll learn the Word from people who know it and are passionate about missions.

02

Ministry with a purpose.

Your hands-on work is focused on reaching the lost, in Nashville and around the world.

03

Sent, not alone.

You'll go with a team or join one on the field, and FF Nashville stays your sending community.

04

Funded to stay.

We'll train you to raise support with confidence, so you can go long-term and stay there.

Questions

Before you commit.

Still have questions
Book a call with our team.
Book a call
What's the prerequisite?

You need to have completed FFX or a DTS. If you've done a similar ministry school, reach out and we'll talk it through.

When does it start?

The first cohort starts Monday, April 19, 2027. Phase 1 runs April–June 2027, Phase 2 runs July–December 2027, and Phase 3 runs January–June 2028.

How much does MLS cost?

MLS costs $7,000 in total. Phase 1 is $4,000, which covers tuition and housing. Phase 2 has no tuition. You join staff and raise your own support. Phase 3 is $3,000, paid at $1,000 a month for the first three months. Housing is included in Phase 1 only.

Do I have to raise support?

In Phase 2 you join staff, and staff raise their own support. We train and coach you through it, so you learn to do it with confidence before you ever reach the field.

Where will I live?

Phase 1 includes same-gender community housing in Nashville, covered by your Phase 1 cost. Housing is not provided in Phase 2 or Phase 3, so plan for your own housing from July 2027 on.

Why this long?

Our goal is to send people who are still serving on the field ten years from now. Three phases gives real learning and life-on-life discipleship time to take root.

What happens after MLS?

You'll launch into a community on the field or with a team. FF Nashville stays your pastoral covering and sending community. We're always tied to the workers we send.

What if I don't go long-term?

There are off-ramps at every stage. We'll help you take your next step.

Still have questions? Talk to our team [TBD link]
30 spots · Applications close March 14, 2027

Come do MLS.

If you feel called to keep giving your life to the Great Commission, this is your next step. You won't regret it.
How it works
  1. Pre-apply.

    Two minutes, right here. Pray about it and talk with your family first.

  2. Full application.

    It opens as soon as you finish step one.

  3. Interview.

    A conversation with MLS staff.

  4. A mutual yes.

    You discern, and so do we.

First cohort starts
Monday, April 19, 2027
Prerequisite
FFX or a DTS
Applications close
March 14, 2027
Done a similar ministry school? Reach out and let's talk.

Step 1 · Pre-application

2 min
Add your first name.
Add your last name.
That email doesn't look right.
Add a phone number we can text.
Have you completed FFX or a DTS?
Pick one to continue.
MLS guide · free PDF

Get the full MLS guide

The full program, the three phases, what to expect, and how to apply. We email it right away.

Add your first name.
That email doesn't look right.
That phone number looks too short.