Good morning, friends.
I’ve shared with you previously that the work we are doing of training pastors is really designed to be reproduced. We have worked to write curricula and deliver it in such a way that local indigenous pastors will receive it, apply it in their lives and preaching, and then teach it to other pastors in their communities. We have worked to translate the early lessons into local languages, and contextualize the material so national pastors will really get it.
I have been so encouraged recently to hear that this is really happening. I have been training a group of pastors, for example, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. These pastors are in turn training other pastors in their communities. This is second generation training. Now, these pastors who have been trained by local pastors are in turn training other pastors and church leaders. Thus third generation training is happening, which is a sign that what we are doing is working. For example, I just received a report from Pastor Enock, one of the pastors I’ve been training in Tanzania. He has trained six groups of a total of 67 pastors (2nd generation). These pastors have now turned around and are training a growing group of other pastors and church leaders numbering upwards of 218 pastors so far (third generation). In India, the group of 15-20 pastors we’ve been training are in turn reaching a group of 2000 pastors in the denomination.
God’s Word is being multiplied, spreading to the ends of the earth! Training in handling God’s Word well that is reproducible, sustainable, transferable, locally owned and embraced – now that is our target and by God’s grace it is happening! Thank you for your continuing prayers. In two days I leave for Arizona to conduct a training for pastors there, and I truly hope that some from that group will hear the call of God to join us in training pastors globally. Pressing on, Eric