The Need
“A Mile Wide and An Inch Deep.” This phrase has often been used to characterize the believing community in Africa. While there are many who have professed faith in Christ (a mile wide), very few have been discipled in what it means to grow strong, deep and healthy in their faith (an inch deep). After getting to know many of those who have professed faith but had no discipleship (including pastors), I am coming to the conclusion many do not have an authentic relationship with Christ, and most certainly lack maturity in their faith. There is massive syncretism with Islam and African Traditional Religions as well as pervasive false teaching through prosperity preaching and legalism. The need for solid biblical preaching leading to authentic evangelism, discipleship and equipping of leaders is urgent and crucial.

Major civil war in many African countries as well as limited availability of resources and opportunities, have created challenges for African leaders to grow to their full leadership potential. Despite terrible political and economic turmoil, they have a deep hunger to grow the church as the hope of the world.

Some of Jesus’ last words before ascending into heaven were a commission to His followers to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20). Part of this discipleship process is leading a person into a relationship with Christ (“baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”), but also part of it is “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Our passion, based in Christ’s authority, is to “go and make disciples” (the first part of the commission) to the many in Africa who are hungry for deeper discipleship, who are longing to be equipped so they in turn can reach and disciple more Africans.

Our Vision
In a brief phrase, our vision is: “Equipping Africans to reach Africans by studying, obeying and teaching God’s Word well.” God has put pastors on the ground throughout the world who know the language, culture and have relationships with locals, but lack training in how to handle God’s Word well in growing healthy churches and reaching the lost. An interesting fact that was shared by TOPIC (Trainers Of Pastors International Coalition) is that 85% of the pastors in 2.2 million evangelical churches globally have received NO training whatsoever. This number represents well over 3 million pastors globally. Is training of pastors needed in how to study and preach the Word well? You’d better believe it! Evangelism and discipleship are important and needed, but equipping Africans to do evangelism and discipleship based in handling God’s Word well will strategically multiply our ministry investment.

Our Strategy

Our strategy utilizes a tool called Pathways to Understanding the Bible. It is a blend of formal and informal elements which are particularly relevant to each leader, offered in nine weeklong modules over three years, each building on the previous workshop. The workshops are highly interactive and the pastors love the trainings they receive, as their testimonies indicate. In between workshops, the pastors are expected to practice the tools in their churches, but also train many other pastors with the training they have just received (2 Tim. 2:2). Thus, the goal is to equip equippers, to train those who will in turn train others. Multiplication, not addition, is our target. In this way, the motto of ReachGlobal: “Develop, Empower, Release” is being realized.

What are we trying to accomplish? “Training the Trainers.” We train national pastors who then train other pastors [2 Tim. 2:2]. The training has 3 goals:

Studying the Word – We train pastors in basic Bible study skills so they can handle God’s Word well in preaching, discipleship, and personal growth.

Obeying the Word – We want the Word to impact pastors’ minds, hearts, and actions for humble servant leadership, pastoral care, and applying the Word in their cultural contexts.

Teaching the Word – We equip pastors to proclaim God’s truths with power, conviction and clarity as they preach and teach the Word accurately and pass the training to other pastors.

Obviously, there is no way I can do all this training all over the continent of Africa on my own, so I and my team also train US pastors in our material and strategy and then place them in various networks so they can assist with training national pastors globally. I am also blessed to serve on an outstanding team of experienced Pathways trainers who do what I do in other parts of the world (Asia, Latin America, Europe).

By God’s grace, I believe God has prepared me for this task (although there is certainly still much to be learned) through my TEDS education, several years and many trips doing mission work  internationally as well as 12 years of full-time pastoral ministry in the US. My family is fully supportive of my work, and I sense God’s good pleasure in what I do.