Learn how to make a difference in the world, discover your calling, and become the person Christ has called you to be.
LEAD Venture is a two-semester program designed to help you live life with purpose. It’s designed to be like a gap-year program to help you grow in your relationship with God, discover your calling, help you make an impact on the world, but all while you work towards earning your degree at the same time.
Completing the LEAD Venture program is no easy task, but you will come off of this year like a springboard into your future and live life on purpose.
Fall Semester – 16 Weeks
This is a semester of growth. A time to dive into God’s word through Bible classes and instruction from professors at BGU. You will also take a class designed to help you narrow down your calling. The Discipleship Phase is a semester to grow in your knowledge of God and yourself to give you a foundation to a lifetime of impact.
Time will also be spent preparing you mentally, financially, and emotionally for the next phase.
WHERE YOU’LL GO
BGU’s Campus at
Bloomington, Minnesota
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Take classes, attend campus events, participate in workshops, to develop your calling, and work for a missions organization
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Your strengths & weaknesses, your calling the Bible, theology, missions, and what it means to live as a Christian
Take Classes
You will take a variety of classes from Bible and theology, to missions and general education.
Attend Events
Have fun and challenge yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually through a variety of events on campus.
Discover Your Calling Workshop
Learn about your strengths, personality, passions, and narrow down the possibilities you have to find your calling.
Practical Training
Through BGU’s Practical Training program, you will work 15 hrs a week advancing the mission of Bethany International.
Spring Semester – 16 Weeks
Get out of your culture and experience life form another point of view. Take a semester to travel and live abroad to learn about a new culture while you work alongside the local church to advance God’s kingdom.
WHERE YOU’LL GO
Guatemala City, Guatemala
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Take classes, help with construction projects, care of orphans, tutoring, and do various other ministry projects
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
How to share the gospel, work cross-culturally, and be the hands and feet of Christ
The nation of Guatemala has been plagued by gang violence and political instability in a way that few Western nations have ever seen. In the aftermath of such issues, the nation has thousands of orphans. We have partnered with two orphanages doing great ministry to orphans in order to bring teams to the nation with one very simple goal: Show orphans the love of Jesus! Many of these Guatemalan kids have been abused and abandoned, and a simple hug is worth far more than you could ever realize. This is a very popular trip for high school students and youth groups.
What you will do:
Summer Semester – 6 Weeks (optional)
This final and optional semester of LEAD Venture is for those who want to continue their education at Bethany Global University. Finishing LEAD Venture will earn you an accredited certificate in Pre-field Preparation with credits that can be transferred to other universities, but many may hear a call to become a full-time missionary in which BGU is a great way to further your education and transition to the mission field.
The summer semester is a final round of classes to catch up LEAD Venture participants with the rest of the student body to continue the next fall as sophomores.
WHERE YOU’LL GO
BGU’s Campus in
Bloomington, MN
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Take classes, attend campus events, and work for a missions organization
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Synoptic Gospels and Missions Strategies
