Refuge Model
Of ESL Ministry

At Refuge, we believe that English-language instruction is a unique ministry that can both provide practically for refugees' needs as well as create long-term relationships for sharing the gospel.

The core qualities and features which comprise the essence of Refuge ESL classes are:

• a pedagogical approach that is characterized by high quality ESL instruction 

• training of volunteers that includes material on cross cultural considerations, language acquisition, teaching methods, and ministry philosophy. 

• a meeting structure consisting of English teaching segments interspersed with community time that includes hospitality and “God’s Big Story.”

• a ministry philosophy that intentionally, systematically, and incrementally exposes students to the whole counsel of God and the grand theme of redemption through “God’s Big Story.”  “God’s Big Story” is 1) a set of concise, simple statements concerning the high points of redemptive history that have been designed with English Language Learners (ELLs) in mind which are coupled with 2) related verses of Scripture that, insofar as is possible, are translated into the language of every student to be read aloud by those who are willing to do so.

Each Refuge ESL Network site takes on a unique structure that best fits the needs of its community of learners and volunteers. The general structure is as follows: 

• Weekly class meetings around 2 hours. 

• Some sites meet for several months and take month-long breaks for December and June; others prefer a nine-week cycle of classes followed by two-week breaks after each cycle. 

• The weekly class time is typically divided up into three parts:

  1. Warm-up class time (30 minutes) where students are divided up by proficiency level 

  2. Hospitality time (30 minutes), where everyone comes together for coffee, light snack, and the sharing of God's Big Story or some other gospel instruction.

  3. Focused class time (60 minutes) where students are divided up by proficiency level 

• The goal of a Refuge ESL class is both to provide effective English instruction and to allow for relationships to build among learners and volunteers that hopefully expand beyond class time, for example, being able to visit with learners at their home or extending them an invitation to church.