Train One, Transform Many

There are multitudes of untrained pastors in Kenya, and they run their churches based on what they know. Unfortunately, what they know is very limited. It is not unusual for a Kenyan who has just come to know the Lord Jesus Christ to find himself pastoring a church of equally new believers. These pastors have no resources to help them grow in the faith, nor are there resources available to train him how to effectively shepherd the flock. For the majority of pastors there are no books, no training manuals, no tapes, no videos, no Bible study courses and no trained trainers; no resources of any kind are available to him. The pastor may have a Bible, but often his copy is incomplete. Despite the fact that there are several seminaries in Kenya, most pastors could never afford to attend, nor would they ever be admitted because of inadequate education.
Consequently, a pastor does the only thing he knows. He mimics the message and the preaching style of the person who led him to the Lord. Or he might study the message and mannerisms of other itinerant preachers who may happen to pass through his village. If he lives in or near the very few urban areas of Kenya, the pastor might have access to television and he can learn from the various televangelists, most of whom are importing America's worst examples and worst doctrines.

Although there is a widespread passion for the Lord in Kenya, the depth of understanding the faith is marginal at best. As Paul says in Romans 10:2, "They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." This is the reason it has been said of African nations that their Christian faith is a mile wide and an inch deep. Evangelism is rampant, but discipleship is practically non-existent.

Evangelism is a top priority in Kenyan churches and it is done with great fervor. However, without proper follow-up and discipleship, new Christian churches soon become nominal in effectiveness. Biblical knowledge and understanding is most lacking. The role of a pastor and the proper functioning of the church are ambiguous. Mission outreach is flawed as it recycles the same shortcomings over and over. Basically, there is a crisis of lack of knowledge that pervades the grassroots of the Christian church in Kenya. If left unattended, this cycle will destroy the church (Hosea 4:6). People will get saved (praise God), but without proper discipleship, personal Christian living will be shallow and fruitless while the purpose of the church will be thwarted. Consequently, there is a great need in Kenya for quality pastor-training. A pastor not only needs to know the Word of God, but he also needs to properly understand the role of pastor. He needs to understand how God has designed the church to function so that every member of the body of Christ is being enabled to do the work of ministry. We at Providence Training Center are passionate about effectively equipping pastors in their personal walk with Christ and in their roles as pastors. Our goal is to combine the pastors' existing zeal with knowledge that transforms and seeks to equip others.