ABOUT CBM
The Center for Biblical Missions
As the missions training and resource arm of The Master’s Academy International (TMAI), CBM exists to educate and equip local churches and missions leaders for global missions through biblically grounded resources and strategic guidance.
Has “Missions” Lost Its Meaning?
In much of today’s evangelical world, the word “missions” has been stretched to cover political activism, social reform, and ecumenical compromise. That’s why we speak of “biblical missions” as Scripture defines it.
“Biblical missions” is the Great Commission task of proclaiming the excellencies of Christ to sinners cross-culturally and applying the authority and sufficiency of Scripture to every activity of disciple-making in all contexts.
How biblical missions works
Disciple-making begins by confronting unbelief with the gospel and calling for repentance. Believers mature under faithful indigenous church leadership and make new disciples in new locations.
- 1
Verbally proclaim the gospel to sinners cross-culturally.
- 2
Plant local churches and train indigenous leaders.
- 3
Disciple the local church to maturity and plant new indigenous churches.
CBM contributors operate by and instruct with this order, because biblical convictions lead to shared commitments that result in consistent practices, in every culture and generation.
How we help
Content & Curriculum
At the heart of CBM’s content and curriculum is Biblical Missions, a textbook and workbook set that lays the biblical, theological, and historical foundations for faithful global missions. All of CBM’s resources flow from these volumes.
We offer a growing library of free resources, including our first course, “Principles of Biblical Missions,” video discussions, field films, and articles. A church member, a missions committee, or a whole congregation can study the same material in the same order, at the depth that serves them best.
Consulting
We help local churches design a biblically sound missions program. Our Consulting team meets with pastors, elders, and missions committees and works through big ideas and small plans with respect and discernment. Our team combines years of pastoral and missionary experience in TMAI’s network of training centers around the world.
We encourage you to join our Missions Roundtable call, no matter your level of missions involvement. We discuss a topic from the textbook that is relevant to your contexts, so we can encourage one another and press on in our goal to reach the lost faithfully for Christ.
Our team
Dr. Chris Burnett
DIRECTOR
Chris spent seven years planting churches in Italy and San Marino and now teaches missions, theological research, and pedagogy at The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles. He co-edited the Biblical Missions textbook with Mark Tatlock. Chris and his wife have three teen and pre-teen sons.
Dr. John Kim
CONSULTING COORDINATOR
John served in pastoral ministry since 1987 and in church planting since 1998, supporting church plants in the Czech Republic, Argentina, and the UK. He also serves with The Master’s Fellowship as Director of Pastoral Care and Director of Asian American Ministries. John and his wife have four adult daughters.
Marco Bartholomae
VICE PRESIDENT OF TMAI MEMBERSHIP AND FIELD DEVELOPMENT
Marco serves as TMAI’s Vice President of Membership and Field Development and helps to oversee CBM. Originally from Berlin, he served at the European Bible Training Center (EBTC) from 2007 to 2021 and helped plant a church in downtown Berlin in 2016. Marco and his wife have four teenage to young children.
Dr. Mark Tatlock
PRESIDENT OF TMAI
Dr. Mark Tatlock serves as President of The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). He previously served as Executive Vice President and Provost of The Master’s University and he has trained leaders for cross-cultural ministry for nearly forty years. He co-edited the Biblical Missions textbook with Chris Burnett. Mark and his wife have five adult children.
Common questions
01How is CBM connected to TMAI?
CBM is the missions ministry of The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). TMAI partners with training centers around the world that equip local men to preach and to shepherd churches in their own countries. CBM shares those convictions and serves local churches everywhere with missions resources and guidance.
02Are CBM’s resources free?
Yes. Our articles, videos, and the Principles of Biblical Missions course are free, and so are the Missions Roundtable calls and conversations with our Consulting team. The Biblical Missions textbook and workbook are available for purchase on our Books page.
03What does CBM believe?
CBM holds the doctrinal statement of The Master’s Academy International, which you can read at tmai.org/about/doctrine. In missions, we apply the authority and sufficiency of Scripture to every part of disciple-making, in every culture.
04Who writes CBM’s content?
Our writers are pastors, missionaries, and professors from or serving in more than 60 countries. Most of them contributed to the Biblical Missions textbook, with others added regularly to produce our written and video content. They share the same convictions about Scripture and the same ministry commitments, which is why their practices agree even though their fields differ. Our editorial team works closely with each contributor on every article before it’s published.
05Who is CBM for?
Any believer who wants to understand and obey the Great Commission. That includes church members, pastors and elders, missions committees, missionaries, and the churches that send them. Our articles and videos are written so anyone can benefit from them, and the course works for small groups, Sunday school classes, as well as leadership team meetings and academic programs.
06What are the Biblical Missions textbook and workbook?
Biblical Missions: Principles, Priorities, and Practices (Thomas Nelson, 2025), edited by Mark Tatlock and Chris Burnett with a foreword by John MacArthur, brings together 72 chapters by more than 100 contributors. Part 1 covers the biblical foundations and history of missions. Part 2 covers sending and shepherding missionaries, planting churches, and equipping indigenous church leaders. Part 3 covers ministry practices at home and abroad. The companion workbook’s 24 lessons follow the textbook and are the basis for our course.
07How can our church use the course?
Principles of Biblical Missions is a free seven-lesson video course that follows workbook Lessons 1–7 (textbook chapters 1–18). You can take it on your own or lead a group through it. Some leaders want to teach the material themselves, for which the instructor training videos were designed. Others desire to facilitate a course, watching and learning while moderating the class session and discussions. The course page has a free Facilitator’s Guide you can adapt to meet your goals: facilitating or teaching a Sunday school class, small group, or Bible institute. Courses on Parts 2 and 3 are planned.
08How does CBM’s consulting work?
A church’s pastors, elders, or missions committee meet with our team to talk through what Scripture says about the church’s part in the Great Commission and how it applies to them. That can include how to identify and prepare missionaries, how to send and care for them, how to choose ministry partners, and how to plan short-term trips. Many churches start by having one or more of their leaders join a Missions Roundtable call. We also value personal conversations with missions-minded believers and missionary candidates. To ask for a conversation, visit our Consulting page.
09Does CBM send missionaries or fund ministries?
No. In Scripture, missionaries are sent out by their local church, so CBM doesn’t send missionaries, and we don’t fund church plants or projects. We help churches send, support, and shepherd their own missionaries well.
10Are CBM’s resources available in other languages?
Yes, and more are coming. Recursos en Español gathers our Spanish articles and videos. The Spanish edition of the Biblical Missions textbook releases in three volumes in November 2026, and French, Portuguese, Indonesian, and other translations are under way.
