We are so excited to share an update with you about our Pastors Training Course (PTC) that is currently running in Kenya. It is such a privilege to partner with you in this ministry. You are helping empower students to influence the transformation of the church in Africa.
Alice Auma is a young teenager from Nairobi, who recently completed her PTC. She loved learning about the Old and New Testament, and the process allowed her to reflect deeply on how the laws of the Bible could be applied to her own life.
The lessons from the Old Testament stories of the Israelites being rescued from Egypt helped strengthen Alice’s faith to wait on God’s perfect timing. The New Testament helped her to understand the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for all of us in dying on the cross for our sins.
“I have learnt how to spread the gospel to people of all different backgrounds,” says Alice. “And I also know how to interpret scripture and to distinguish between true and false prophets. I have really benefited from this course, and I thank Almighty God for allowing me to participate. It has changed me as a person.”
Jeff Wafula is a student at Mt Kenya University, and says that completing his PTC was the best thing that happened to him in 2021. The course content and teachings have transformed his life.
Going through the Bible so thoroughly has helped Jeff to equip himself with knowledge and a better understanding of Biblical principles. It shaped the way he viewed the scriptures, and brought him into a closer relationship with God.
“Since doing PTC, I can handle many different situations and people,” Jeff says. “Through the Bible teachings, I have understood the word better, and am able to share with people whenever I get the chance.”
AE is looking forward to teaching more PTC courses, and equipping students just like Alice and Jeff to become church leaders and proclaim the good news of the Gospel throughout Africa.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17),
As we draw towards the end of 2021, we want to thank all our faithful supporters for donations, prayers and partnerships that has enabled us to take the Gospel into Africa this year. Thank you to everyone who shared our mission with your church, small group, friends and on social media and who encouraged us along our path. We could not have done it without you. At AE we give thanks for countless blessings received and rejoice in the impact you have helped make in the lives of thousands of people.
As we move into the new year, we value your prayers and support over Christmas and the new year to help all our teams plan missions with certainty. Our 60th anniversary missions planning processes are well underway, including establishing mission outreach in Togo, Zambia and South Sudan. This is a significant move forward for AE to reach out into more countries and cities of Africa, and your support is vital to mobilise churches for mission in each of these areas. Africa is one of the youngest continents on earth, so strengthening our Foxfires youth evangelism teams is vital. Our development programs are assisting hundreds of vulnerable women and children to move off the streets and provide for their families, and water and sanitation programs are saving lives of the very young in slum areas.
In the past year we have seen 2,700 enrollments in the pastor training program. Praise God that through your support we are able to provide online theological education with the support of local and Australian teachers.
We Thank God for:
- faithfulness to the Great commission, equipping workers in Africa within God’s harvest field
- the readiness to share the Gospel in word and deed to the glory of God, every single day in Africa
- Our partnership in Christ to reach out to all nations in Africa, through all challenges, recognising the very great needs and doing something about it.
- Our supporters, and raising up of support and prayers to fund mission and development in Africa
Please pray with us for:
- Those reached with the Good News, who have made a decision for Jesus, to be faithful in meeting together for church, discipleship and outreach.
- Funding of all our future missions, development, and for the AE coordinators and evangelists
- For all those suffering through conflict, poverty, disease, economic and environmental issues – that God will show a path through of hope, certainty in Christ and healing.
- The leaders of Africa, through the love of God, that all Christians can live a godly and peaceful life dedicated to glorifying God.
- For all team leaders, support office staff, boards and volunteers that they might be blessed in the love of God and sow peace in Christ for a harvest of righteousness
At AE the gospel is at the core of what we do. Our missions are holistic and aim to engage entire cities with the good news of Jesus Christ. We have a passion to meet the urgent need of theological education for church leaders in Africa and is committed to helping train godly leadership, equipping church ministers to be faithful to the Gospel, and to grow the church. Unfortunately, in many parts of Africa the local pastors are not trained at all which often leads to pastors unknowingly spreading a false Gospel.
Pastor Training Courses (PTC) are an important way that African Enterprise works in partnership with the local church in Africa. These courses are offered to those already in Christian leadership positions in their local church or other ministries. AE wants to equip them with solid skills in understanding and teaching God’s word so that they may be even more effective in what they do. Training the local church leaders is a big need and through AE we provide the necessary training programs.
All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17
Let us pray for the Pastor’s Training Course,
- That AE, through the PTC bring the richness of the Gospel to life in the local churches
- That the PTC keep bringing the African church to maturity in Christ by the delivery of training to the church leaders that result in a better understanding and handling of God’s word.
- For financial support to make these courses self-sustaining
- For the lecturers to have an increased mission awareness in their home churches
- That the true Gospel of repentance and forgiveness in Jesus’ name would be preached in all of Africa, and that false ‘gospels’ would be revealed.
Let us pray for the discipleship and follow up of new believers
- That the church will effectively support the new believers on their journey
- That enough resources will be available in order to assist the new believers to stay active
- To give understanding of God’s Word but also embed trust
- That lives can be transformed to accomplish His purpose
- To provide opportunities for personal growth and spiritual formation that strengthen the new believers in their Christian walk
- That the African church will be empowered to help all the new believers study the bible and apply its truths in their daily lives.
Let us pray for the unity of churches in approaching new believers
- That the true Gospel will be shared and a fire will be ignited
- For the effective follow up of new believers
- Please grant our leadership a plan for growth and development
- For more churches to enroll in our school of evangelism and partner with us on mission
(Paul and Timothy) went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. Acts 16:5
Leaders with solid foundations that can hold fast to the Gospel and proclaim it faithfully are needed across the African continent in order for the church to grow. African Enterprise’s Pastor Training Program aims to strengthen and further equip these leaders in the faith so that they in turn can strengthen others.
With our online PTC course being easy accessible and free, we have had people signing up and completing one module after the next during lockdown. Even in countries where we do not have offices, such as Emmanuel from Nigeria.
An ordained Anglican minister, Emmanuel lives in a rural setting near Jos, Plateau State in central Nigeria. Jos has frequently been the scene of inter-tribal and religious tensions. The most recent kidnapping of school children happened 400 km to the north.
Emmanuel has benefited enormously from studying PTC courses by distance and then online.
In his own words:
“I have a great aspiration to be a good teacher of God’s word. Truly speaking I have gained a lot, particularly in the area of missions, evangelism, preaching, teaching and pastoral care.
The benefits are not only limited to me alone, but have been extended to my parishioners as I have started teaching them also, and apparently the Community too is benefiting.
Please kindly extend my profound warm greetings and Peace to your members of staff, entire African Enterprise and the financial contributors who have been supporting this gesture, and making it easy and accessible to people like us, who have the opportunity to study, looking at the part of the world we are.
I must say this again, I am profusely grateful to you and the institution for opportunity given me.”
Thank you for supporting our PTC program and equipping pastors across Africa with knowledge and truth.
We are also excited to announce our new partnership with the Africa Study Bible (ASB).
The ASB aims to be ‘God’s Word Through African Eyes’, and was created to address the reality of life in Africa.
We are privilaged to be able to incorporate their great insights and study notes into the online version of the PTC. This will greatly assist in helping contextualise these notes to the African context. Watch this space for a formal press release coming soon.
If you are currently located in Africa you are eligible for a FREE digital edition of the Africa Study Bible for an entire year. The Africa Study Bible app is now on the Tecarta Bible App, the world’s best study Bible app which is available to download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
PTC prayer points
- Pray that the partnership with ASB will lead to more Christian leaders being strengthened in the faith.
- Pray for our development of online education in Africa (including mission preparation), with grateful thanks to Moore College for the moodle delivery platform.
- Pray for Emmanuel’s ministry to be effective and that he may persevere in a life of godliness.
Meet Ben Sachie, the inspiring Team Leader of AE Ghana
Bernard Owusu Sachie, Team Leader of AE Ghana, has been serving at African Enterprise since 2004.
Born in 1965, Ben lived with his aunt and uncle, and did manual farm labour until the age of 10, when he was able to attend school for the first time. Ben recalls his first public Scripture reading in primary school, which was from Jeremiah chapter 1:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
After committing his life to Christ in high school, Ben felt called to Christian ministry. Describing himself as a “nervous person” who prefers “committing myself to do background work, rather than to be put forward”, Ben was encouraged by these words, also from Jeremiah chapter 1:
“Do not say, ‘I am too young’. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you”.
And Ben has done just that.
After completing high school, Ben joined a fellowship that conducted rural evangelism and planted churches.
He then completed a Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree in Theology, and pastored a church for 12 years.
He has also served in multiple leadership roles, such as the Administrator for Ghana’s Bible Training Centre for Pastors, Secretary of Ghana’s Evangelism Committee and coordinator for several pastors’ conferences and evangelical crusades, including Ghana’s Franklin Graham Festival.
Ben feels privileged to have served AE since 2004, when he first coordinated an AE mission.
“Working for AE has been a blessing to me. I have seen a lot of lives transformed by the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… I believe that our gracious Lord is always on the move to accomplish His plan of redemption. He really has better things for us, and yet only together with us would they be made perfect.”
Ben Sachie has chosen to partner with the God who continues to work out His perfect plan, through us. The God who knew him “before he was born”.
Ministry focus for AE Ghana:
- Vocational training through the Street Kids and Vulnerable women training programs in Kumasi and Accra.
- Togo mission outreach: 2020 follow up and 2020 outreach.
- Mission follow up in Accra
- Leadership training and ministry centre Accra
Click here for more on Ghana.
Featured Photo – Ben’s family:
Front: Vida (Ben’s wife), Agnes (granddaughter), Beatrice (granddaughter), Linda (Step-daughter and mum of Agnes & Beatrice)
Middle: Josephine (daughter), Sarah (daughter), Mercy (daughter)
Back: Ben, Ernest (brother-in-law), Victor (son)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
A Hunger for the Word
What struck me the first time I visited Kigali to teach PTC in 2015 was the hunger of the students for God. In a country where many crave physical nourishment, I saw a deeper hunger – a voracious appetite for learning about God’s word, and delight at the feast of ideas laid out in the training material provided by Moore Theological College.
Our students come from diverse backgrounds: pastors, evangelists, church planters, university campus workers and aid workers; some with tertiary educations and others with much less formal education; some with excellent English, but most working in an English-speaking ministry setting for the first time. Regardless of circumstances, these students each relish the opportunity to be further equipped to handle the Bible correctly.
As a former school teacher, my favourite element of class time is the discussion around Bible ideas. Given the non-denominational setting of our classes in the African Evangelistic Enterprise Rwanda headquarters, we enjoy a rich diversity of churchmanship and theological perspective. Our free-flowing conversation, discussion and theological reflection is marked by a godly humility from men and women who understand the weight of their calling. Where differences occur, the cohort is learning to go to the Bible to assess the validity of individual preferences and practices, rather than assuming them as concrete principles.
Whenever we spend time outside of our normal setting, our eyes are opened to new perspectives and experiences.
I feel deeply blessed by my time in Rwanda, and my learning and fellowship with so many gospel-hearted brothers and sisters. God has taught me about the spiritual richness of his people in other parts of the world, the way other Christians enjoy the blessings our Father bestows, and their fervour to follow Jesus. I often observe a hunger for God that is missing in my own country where bellies are always full.
Perhaps we all need reminding to hunger and thirst for what is most important in this life…
Having ministered at Anglican Churches in Sydney since 2012, Dan Bidwell is now the Senior Pastor at Yountville Community Church in California’s Napa Valley. He was involved as a visiting PTC lecturer in Rwanda from 2015-2018, and is currently developing a partnership with IFES and GBU Rwanda to enable the theological training of university campus workers.
