Pastor Training in Mozambique

Mozambique is a nation of 22 million people on the southeast coast Africa, and is about twice the size of California. African Leadership has been training pastors and church leaders there since 1998. As of March 2008, we have 217 students attending 7 classes, with over 900 graduates who are active in church ministry.

Our National Director for Mozambique is Rev. Candido Mafumo. Rev. Mafumo organizes and administrates the AL learning centers in Mozambique, where 24% of the population is Catholic, 30% Protestant and Zionist, 12% Muslim, and the remaining 24% atheistic. Pastor training is essential for the health and growth of the church in Mozambique, to have mature leadership and build church unity among the many churches and denominations. The national average income is only 250.00 per year, and the vast majority of Mozambican people are poor, with very few resources for pastors or church leaders to go to school or seminary.

Students attending leadership classes need support to complete their courses, to graduate, so they may minister to their congregations with biblical maturity. All 12 classes need financial support for feeding the students, support for teachers, and for travel costs. It is a wondrous work of grace that so many pastors find the strength for attending 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.

African Leadership is thankful to have a presence in Mozambique. As African Leadership equips National Directors like Rev. Mafumo and his colleagues to spread the Gospel in churches and communities throughout Mozambique, 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.

Please pray for Rev. Mafumo and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Mozambique, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders. African Leadership-Mozambique 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 Mozambique 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 Candido and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Mozambique, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of Pastors and church leaders.