No! 

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about English With Friends that scares off most potential volunteers.

If you’re hesitant to volunteer because you’re not a certified English tutor, nor do you have interest in ever becoming one, you’ll be happy to know that no one who volunteers with English With Friends actually teaches English.

Three ways EWF picks up where ESL leaves off:

#1 – While ESL (English As A Second Language) specializes in teaching English to people who have not yet learned the language, EWF (English With Friends) specializes in speaking English with people who have already learned the language.

We help people improve their language skills through conversational English. This gives them a chance to take what they’ve learned in classrooms and text books and practice it with a native speaker.

#2 – While ESL thrives in a one-to-many dynamic between one teacher and many students, EWF thrives in a one-to-one dynamic between one Conversation Partner and another.   

Nothing helps a person become fluent and confident as quickly and effectively as when two cross-cultural friends meet on a consistent basis to practice conversational English.  

#3 – While ESL uses material from language curriculum, EWF uses material from Bible workbooks.  

All of our workbooks contain 30 sessions, each with a passage from the New International Reader’s Version of the Bible. These workbooks include The P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E. Method and over 100 discussion questions, all designed to help you partner with the God’s Word and God’s Spirit to improve English and plant seeds that pave the way for Jesus.

I imagine there are many of you worried about finding your Conversation Partner. Maybe the thought of approaching someone you don’t know, makes you feel anxious. I can relate to that.

That’s why I’ve dedicated so much time, training, and tools to help you with this.

Trust me when I say, meeting internationals should not elicit the same feelings as you’d feel if I were asking you to go door-knocking in your neighborhood. Most international students jump at the chance to become friends with people like you. Personally, I’ve visited nearly ten countries myself, and never did I get off the airplane and start looking for Americans with whom to hang out. No, I wanted to take in the new culture; meet the people; visit their homes; eat their food; ask them questions; and experience their customs.  

There are two things that make English With Friends irresistible to internationals. First, the thought of having a cross-cultural friend, and second, the chance to practice conversational English every week with a native person…for FREE!

Not only are internationals likely to accept your invitation, but my training will provide done-for-you tools to help you extend that invitation, including promo videos, and templates for posters and emails. I also offer a handful of approaches, so there is bound to be one that suits your personality.

Between the training; the tools; your Momentum Group; the Implementation Weeks; and God Himself cheering in your corner; you will have the support you need to find your Conversation Partner.

The ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians is designed to be completed in 8 weeks.

It is recommended that you commit about 4 hours each week. Granted, there’s a lot of flexibility in how you spend your time each week. For example, some members prefer to tackle their training in one sitting on a Saturday morning. If you prefer, however, to spread it out over seven days, that’s less than 30 minutes a day.  

Here’s a breakdown of the three ways you’ll spend your time:

#1 – VIDEO LESSONS & TRAINING GUIDE

The ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians is made up of four Modules, each containing about five video lessons from Tyler Ellis; each lasting 15-30 minutes long. 

#2 – IMPLEMENTATION WEEKS

If you’re wondering why the course is 8 weeks long when there are only 4 modules, that’s because the course alternates between one week of learning and one week of doing.

Here’s the schedule at-a-glance:

• Week 1 – Module 1
• Week 2 – Implementation Week
• Week 3 – Module 2
• Week 4 – Implementation Week
• Week 5 – Module 3
• Week 6 – Implementation Week
• Week 7 – Module 4
• Week 8 – Implementation Week

The reason these Implementation Weeks have been incorporated into the course is to help volunteers not only learn what they need to learn, but do what they need to do. For example, after spending a week learning how to host your Conversation Partner for dinner (Module 3), you’ll then have a week to prepare for and host the actual dinner (Implementation Week).

And in case you’re concerned about losing momentum during these extended periods, rest assured, your time-commitment of four hours each week includes two ways to experience this course in community…

 #3 – MOMENTUM GROUPS

Once you’re inside the EWF community, you’ll be among some of the finest kingdom-driven followers of Jesus you’ve ever met.

Instead of taking your English With Friend journey alone, imagine the difference it would make to connect with a few like-minded Christians to create a Momentum Group that meets online together each week of the course (and beyond, as your group determines).

Being in one of these groups can dramatically increase the possibility of successfully reaching your goals. When you’ve committed to a few other people to accomplish certain things, and you know you have to report back in a week, the odds of procrastinating reduce significantly. Not to mention what you’ll gain by sharing stories and prayers.

So there you have it. When you commit four hours-a-week for eight weeks, you will have completed the course and you will have ideally had your first meeting with your Conversation Partner. That’s a small price to pay in exchange for all that you’ll gain, including: training and resources, community and friendships, confidence and purpose, and the chance to make an impact that can reach other nations and other generations into eternity.

You’ve got this!

On the day of your enrollment, you’ll receive a confirmation email giving you immediate access to the entire EWF Course Library.  

There, you’ll find a welcome series, complete with the EWF Roadmap; the New Member Orientation; and the instructions on how to form a Momentum Group as well as join the private EWF Facebook Community. You’ll also be able to download and print your Training Guide.

Also in the orientation, is a BONUS MINI-COURSE called, Examine Your Faith First, based on Tyler Ellis’s TEDx Talk. This is optional material which all members are encouraged to complete before starting Module 1. In fact, this mini-course provides the perfect topic for discussion, once you get into a Momentum Group.

While you will benefit most by going through the course week by week right out of the gate, you’ll be happy to know that there is no deadline for completing the course. Nor does your access to the course expire.

That means you can purchase the course and then go through the course at your own pace as your schedule allows.

MINIMUM COMMITMENT = 1 Hour x 30 Weeks.

When the day comes for you and your Conversation Partner to schedule your meetings, you’ll both commit to meet together for one hour, once a week (either in-person or online), to cover one session from the Wonders Workbook. Since this workbook contains 30 sessions, then your commitment to each other will start with 30 weeks. That’s 7 to 8 months, depending on holidays and unforeseen circumstances.  

RECOMMENDED COMMITMENT = 2 Hours x 30 Weeks

While the minimal time-commitment for Conversation Partners is one hour-a-week, the recommended time-commitment for members is about two hours-a-week.

Here’s a few ways you might spend that extra hour-a-week:

#1 – Momentum Groups

When you enroll in the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians, you’ll be encouraged on day one to join a Momentum Group that meets every week throughout the 8-week course. But just because you complete the course doesn’t mean you have to stop meeting with your Momentum Group. However, the purpose of your meetings will become less about setting goals, and more about sharing stories, encouragement, and prayer. It is Tyler’s recommendation your group determine to meet at least twice a month.

#2 – Additional activities as your schedule allows

Like any type of volunteer work, you can adjust your level of involvement based on the amount of spare time you have to invest.

• ACTIVITIES – The more time you spend with your Conversation Partner outside of your English sessions, the better friends you’ll become.  
• FIND A SECOND CONVERSATION PARTNER – This is a popular option especially among retirees. To be clear, this doesn’t mean you’ll meet with two internationals at once.
• MOVE ON TO THE NEXT WORKBOOK – Upon the completion of The Wonders Workbook 1, all Conversation Partners will be encouraged to renew their commitment for another 30 weeks and move on to the Witness Workbook, and then the Wisdom Workbook.

I can understand what you’re feeling, but I’m 100% sure you can do this!

That’s because this course is a comprehensive step-by-step process, designed to be experienced alongside fellow Christians. It includes everything you need to succeed: Momentum Groups to help you reach your goals; Workbooks with discussion questions to maximize progress with your Conversation Partner; and lifetime access to the course so that you can go at your own pace. 

Yes, it’s a step-by-step process, but how many steps are we talking?

The reason I mention some of these steps is to contrast how much more overwhelmed you’d feel if there were no steps at all. Your only options would be to attempt to create all this on your own, or do nothing instead.

So the short answer is this: “Yes, you absolutely can do this!”

But if you’re looking for some emotional inspiration as well, consider this illustration:

As someone who believes in loving the "strangers" in our midst, I’m a big fan of The Statue of Liberty in New York City. I love what it stands for. So, it was a real treat for me to see it in person, side-by-side with Ellis Island (a name I can’t deny being proud of).

That’s why I couldn’t resist decorating my office with a framed copy of Norman Rockwell’s 1946 cover of the Saturday Evening Post, featuring five men restoring Lady Liberty’s torch. Nor could I resist purchasing the LEGO set of The Statue of Liberty. I still remember the day I dumped all 1,685 pieces on the kitchen table and invited my three daughters to build it with me, using the 184-page instruction booklet.

Suffice it to say, it was overwhelming. But think how much more overwhelmed we would have felt if there were no step-by-step instructions to guide us one piece at a time.

We didn’t let the number of pieces or pages keep us from starting. Our eyes were fixed on the prize. And how fun and rewarding it was!

That LEGO set serves to remind me, not only to love the "strangers" in our midst, but to not give up when I feel overwhelmed with the task; especially when I have a tool like the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians.

Yes, it will require you to re-order some priorities in your life and maybe spend less time doing others things you enjoy doing.   

But think of how fun and rewarding it will be!

Consider the thrill of finally, personally responding to the Great Commission right where you are today! To experience a cross-cultural friendship. To see the life-changing confidence and opportunities that are made possible for your friend through conversational English. To hear someone read the Bible and speak the name of Jesus, maybe for the very first time. To be a link in the chain that points them in the direction of forgiveness and eternal life.

You’ll have cheering in your corner: God’s Spirit, God’s Word, and God’s people – partnering with you every step of the way.

Responding to the Great Commission is hard, with or without English With Friends. You’ve just got to decide which hard thing you will choose.

My encouragement to you is this: just take the first step by saying, “Yes.”

As the name of the course suggests, “ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians,” is specifically designed for Christians.

However, like a book for sale in a bookstore or online, my course is a product available for anyone to purchase, without requiring a Statement of Faith to be signed.  

Even still, the beauty of the workbooks I’ve created – which I train participants to use – is that the content comes straight from the Bible.

And though I don’t control who purchases the course, I do my best to ensure they have the opportunity to hear and solidify their understanding of the Gospel from the start. In fact, when a person enrolls in the course, they will be given immediate access to the Orientation, which includes an optional BONUS MINI-COURSE called Examine Your Faith First.

Not at all.

While it’s true that English With Friends is a Christian program designed to train Christians to use the Bible to help internationals improve their English and to learn about Jesus, it is not a bait-and-switch scheme.

Christians who go through the training will be instructed to offer this service to all internationals (even ones who are already Christians) free of charge, regardless of their interest in Christianity.

In every poster, announcement, and personal invitation, it should be communicated to internationals upfront what to expect: that English With Friends brings together English (the most popular language in the world), and the Bible (the best-selling book of all time), to enhance the lives of both Conversation Partners through cross-cultural friendship and conversational English. No strings attached. Most internationals are not deterred by this fact. They enter the country expecting to meet Christians and learn about Christianity.  

My training does not encourage pressure tactics whatsoever. Internationals are not merely potential converts. We do not reject and alienate those who refuse to respond favorably to the message of Jesus. Instead, we strive to create a non-threatening atmosphere where agreement is not required; questions are welcomed; and debate is avoided. We strive for humility and we treat people with dignity.

Yes, Christians should use this program to plant seeds of love and truth. They should pray for their Conversation Partner, and look for opportunities to share their testimony. But if their friend does wish to investigate Jesus and Christianity, that is something I encourage (and train) Christians to do in addition to; not in place of the regular weekly conversational English sessions.

Like most organizations and non-profits, English With Friends has it’s share of expenses necessary in order to maximize the quality and impact of our ministry.

As much as I’d like to offer the course for free, it’s just not possible. However, I have reduced the price significantly. In fact, the value of this course and its bonuses is nearly $1,150.  

Incidentally, that price point is less than the average cost of a short-term mission trip. Just think about what it costs to spend a week or two serving in a foreign country. You’ve likely got administration and training expenses; along with passports and shots; airplane tickets and car rentals; as well as food and lodging.  

Not only does the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians help you connect with someone from another country who is in our midst or online (often from places Christians are unable to go), but the opportunity last much longer than two weeks!

In light of all this, I believe one payment of $149 is incredibly affordable. And to make it even easier for people to enroll, I’ve created a second option that offers an interest-free payment plan of $15 a month. I love that because it’s comparable to what people typically commit when they sponsor an orphan through a child sponsorship program for example.

What especially excites me about all this is that when you invest in the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians, you’re enabling your Conversation Partner to participate in this program 100% free of charge! Now that’s an irresistible offer, since the average private English tutor charges $25 to $55 per hour. With a 30-week commitment, that means you’re saving your Conversation Partner about $1,000 for each ever workbook you do together.

Finally, as confident as I am that you’ll love the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians, if you're not satisfied with your training after completing the course, simply reach out, show that you've done the work, and we'll refund your investment.

I don’t want money to keep anyone from participating in English With Friends.

If you cannot afford the 12 monthly payments of $15, then I’ll make a deal with you. I’ve created a resource for you called, How To Find $150, which provides a checklist of eleven strategies to help you earn and/or raise the funds (just like if you were raising funds for a short-term mission trip).

I’m so confident these strategies will work, that if you try one strategy from each of the three categories (i.e., God, Yourself, and Others), and still can’t raise the funds in seven days, just email me at [email protected]. Include a description of the work you’ve done and I’ll give you a scholarship for 75% off ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians, along with a special link where you can purchase the course for a one-time payment of just $37.

I can’t think of a better way to go through the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians, than to shoulder-tap a few friends at church so that you can form an in-person Momentum Group and go on this journey together, each through your own enrollment.

However, this particular course is uniquely designed for Christian individuals; not for churches to start an official English With Friends outreach program.

Rest assured, the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Churches & Campus Ministries is in the works! The upcoming course will include many new modules that offer training on empowering a leadership team; setting a budget; selecting a ministry model; determining the timeline; recruiting volunteers; hosting a kick-off event; and additional ministry ideas.

If you’re interested in your church starting an English With Friends program someday, the best thing for you to do in the meantime is to go through the ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Christians, and complete at least one workbook with a Conversation Partner. Then, at the right time, you’ll be in a better position to cast the vision to others, appealing to your own experience.  

Click here to learn more about ENGLISH WITH FRIENDS Course for Churches & Campus Ministries.