First Fruits MBTC is a residential discipleship training center in Jerseyville, Illinois, and a division of Mission Teens, Inc., a non-denominational Christian ministry founded in 1969 by Reverend James D. Bracken. The program serves adults aged eighteen and older who are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction and other life-controlling problems. First Fruits MBTC is one of twenty Mission Teens centers operating across twelve states. The program is free of charge, receives no government funding, and is supported entirely by donations from individuals and churches.
A Four-Phase Discipleship Training Program
The residential program is divided into four phases, each lasting two to four months. The first phase is a two-month induction period with minimal privileges and responsibilities, during which residents learn the program structure and begin engaging with the faith-based curriculum. The second and third phases introduce household responsibilities and increasing daily demands, with contact limited to phone calls and visits from immediate family and pastoral or legal counsel. In the fourth phase, residents enter counselor training, where they counsel one person each day and report to senior staff while serving as role models within the household. The daily schedule includes five and a half hours of Bible study, amounting to roughly one year of Bible school, with a comprehensive study of the New Testament and a general study of the Old Testament. Upon completing the program, residents may be offered an additional ten- to twelve-month staff-training opportunity.
Program Structure and Staffing
First Fruits MBTC operates as a structured residential community where senior residents and junior staff mentor newer arrivals. Nearly all staff are graduates of the discipleship training program who remain as missionaries without salary, and each center is led by an overseer who manages daily operations and handles admissions. The program requires initial blood tests before acceptance, and any serious health or legal matters must be resolved before entry. Only non-addictive, non-narcotic medications are permitted. Since 1969, over 25,000 people have entered Mission Teens centers across the organization.
