Pastor Training in Zambia

Zambia is a nation of 12 million people in southern Africa, and is about the size of Texas. African Leadership has been training pastors and church leaders there since 1997. As of March 2008, there are 462 students attending 29 classes at 17 training centers, with over 1100 graduates who are active in church ministry.

Our National Director for Zambia is Rev. Christopher Mwanza. Rev. Mwanza organizes and administrates the AL learning centers in Zambia, where 95% of the population are Christian and 5% Muslim. Pastor training is essential for the health and growth of the church in Zambia, to have mature leadership and build church unity. The national average income is only $450.00 per year, and the vast majority of Zambians are poor, with very few resources for pastors or church leaders to go to school or seminary. Responding to a call for church leadership, they often draw from what little they learned from their prior church experience, usually untrained leadership, as the majority of church leaders have no formal training, and often little education beyond school year 7, when Zambians must begin paying tuition to attend school.

Students attending leadership classes need support to complete their courses, and minister to their congregations with biblical maturity. All 29 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 Zambia. As African Leadership equips National Directors like Rev. Mwanza and his colleagues to spread the Gospel in churches and communities throughout Zambia, 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. Mwanza and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Zambia, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders. African Leadership-Zambia hopes to graduate some 230 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 outreach 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 Zambia 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 Christopher and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Zambia, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of Pastors and church leaders.