true

2009-10-06T02:18:29Z

As African Leadership equips National Directors like Debey and his colleagues to spread the Gospel in churches and communities throughout Nigeria, we are grateful for the support of our donors who make this national transformation possible. 6

Liberia is a nation of 3 million people on the coast of West Africa, and is about the size of Tennessee. African Leadership has been training pastors and church leaders there since 1997. As of March 2008, we have 200 students attending 10 classes at 9 training centers, with over 700 graduates who are active in church ministry. Our National Director for Liberia is T. Debey Sayndee. The national average income is only 140.00 per year, and the vast majority of Liberians are poor, with very few resources for pastors or church leaders to go to school or seminary. Pastor training is essential for the health and growth of the church in Liberia, for mature leadership, and to build church unity. Since 1989 Liberia has witnessed two civil wars, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and virtually destroying the Liberian economy. In bringing the Gospel to Liberia, the practice of ancestral worship and other traditional practices create cross-cultural challenges. Some 40% of the people in Liberia, including some members of churches, are involved in these traditional practices, which include polygamy, idol worship, and ancestral worship. African Leadership is thankful to have a presence in Liberia. “African Leadership in Liberia runs the Bible Training Center for Pastors and Church Leaders program to train and equip men and women for effective ministry; and community forums to deal with issues and effects of the war. My role is to train the trainers to offer the courses as well as facilitate the forums, and I monitor the course offerings in the eight centers around the country. I motivate pastors to remain prayerful and committed to their calling even in the midst of the extreme challenges here in Liberia, through workshops, personal counseling, and visitations." As African Leadership equips National Directors like Debey and his colleagues to spread the Gospel in churches and communities throughout Liberia, we are grateful for the support of our donors who make this national transformation possible. As we visit with our African Directors and attend graduation ceremonies, we are amazed at the dedication of these pastors. They usually work full time jobs in addition to their pastoral workload, while attending classes 2-4 days a week. Their desire to be better teachers and preachers is reflected in their joyful completion of the 2-year program, which provides comprehensive training in all phases of church leadership, equivalent to a foundational-level seminary or Bible College degree, utilizing a 10-course, 2,500-page Bible centered curriculum, developed by Dr. Dennis Mock and translated into a nine African language by African Leadership. Students attending leadership classes desperately need support to complete their courses, to graduate, so they may minister to their congregations with biblical maturity. Financial support is needed for feeding the students, support for teachers, and for travel costs. It is a wondrous work of grace that so many pastors are able to attend training, as the truth of the Gospel is the only hope for most of these people, living in one of the poorest nations in the world. Please pray for Debey, and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Liberia, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders. African Leadership-Liberia hopes to graduate some 100 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 training centers may be established, spreading the word about our Training Program, resulting in more pastor registrations, and expanded educational opportunities for the maturity of the Church. With such immeasurable need for training of pastors and church leaders, African Leadership is working to bring accessible, affordable training to Liberia for the vitality and health of the Church. The African Leadership team members and teachers face difficulties traveling, with dependable vehicles always in short supply, as they organize and teach their classes Please consider how you might lend your support, as you pray for Debey and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Liberia, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of Pastors and church leaders.

2009-10-16T19:49:36Z