Pastor Training in Malawi
Malawi is a nation in SE Africa with a population of approximately 13 million people, and is considered to be one of the ten poorest nations in the world, with an average yearly income of 170.00 per person. According to statistics, about 70-80% of the Malawi population is Christian. Of this figure, about half are Protestant and half are Catholic. African Leadership has been training pastors and church leaders since 1994. As of March 2008, we have over 585 students attending 32 classes at 22 training centers with over 1200 graduates who are active in church ministry.
African Leadership is thankful for their National Directors in Malawi. T.K. Ilesanmi is our Director for the Central and Southern Region, and Ruben Nkhata is our Director in the Northern Region. African Leadership equips National Directors like T.K. and Ruben to make a lasting impact in churches and communities throughout Malawi, by training the 850 church leaders and pastors who are enrolled in the Church Leadership Training Program. The 2-year program provides comprehensive training in all phases of church leadership. It is equivalent to a foundational-level Seminary or Bible College Degree, utilizing a 10-course, 2,500-page Bible centered curriculum developed and translated by African Leadership.
African Leadership-Malawi is also working to address social needs, such as health care and child protection. Below is a message from T.K.
"African Leadership’s partnership with UNICEF Malawi is very fruitful indeed. The UNICEF National Campaign on Child Protection titled "THE CHURCH AND CHILD PROTECTION", utilizes material written by African Leadership’s Gerry Wolf and myself, and is being promoted with the hearty endorsement of President Bingu wa Mutharika. This campaign is saving children, and has lifted our ministry profile higher among Churches and Christian organizations in Malawi. Our graduates’ effectiveness in their various churches is of great encouragement to us. The programs we offer have earned us great respect and national recognition among the churches and leaders in Malawi. Our Child Protection manual for UNICEF is an excellent example." T.K. Ilesanmi, Malawi National Director for African Leadership
In bringing the Gospel to Malawi, the practice of ancestral worship and other traditional practices create cross-cultural challenges. Many people in Malawi, including members of churches, are involved in these traditional practices, which have a lot of influence on the people, and seem to be some of the root causes of the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Malawi faces many serious physical challenges. The HIV/AIDS crisis has, among its countless effects, left an estimated one-third of all Malawian children orphaned and vulnerable to exploitation. Secondly, poverty is contributing to an increased number of child abuse cases being reported. In the midst of such far-reaching social needs, the staff desires train even more Pastors and Church Leaders in the Program, for effective service and ministry in their communities.
Please pray for T.K. and Ruben, and their families and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Malawi, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders. African Leadership-Malawi hopes to graduate some 140 students each year, who, when their training is finished, will periodically attend alumni training for HIV/AIDS issues, Islam apologetics, and financial management. Hopefully, from the networking of these alumni and teachers, new classes may be established, spreading the word about our Training Program, resulting in more pastor registrations, and expanded educational outreach for the maturity of the Church. The two most pressing needs facing African Leadership-Malawi are finances for:
1. Assisting needy Pastors and Church Leaders in building programs.
2. Addressing social and spiritual problems facing the nation such as HIV/AIDS drugs and support for orphans and needy families.
T.K. recently asked the American church to pray for peace in the political process, protection from the exploitation of the poor by Islam missionaries, unity among the churches and church leaders, and for local church involvement in the Leadership Training Programs.
African Leadership is thankful for National Directors like T.K. and Ruben, who labor tirelessly to make a lasting impact on the church and communities in Sub-Sahara Africa. Please consider how you might lend support, as you pray for T.K and Ruben and their families and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Malawi, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders.
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