A blessed Thanksgiving weekend to all of you. We do praise the Triune God from whom all blessings flow.
I’m back in the United States.
It was a blessed and productive six weeks with Rev. James May, Dr. Gregory Schulz, Lutherans In Africa, and the students and staff at the Lutheran School of Theology.
After a bumpy and dark drive to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, ticket and luggage check-ins, security lines, a red eye long haul flight over the Sahara, a layover in Schiphol International Airport (AMS) in Amsterdam, another long haul flight over the Atlantic, customs and immigration queues, baggage retrieval, and 30 hours of travel, all is well …
… except my body is physically in the eastern time zone and my circadian rhythms are still keeping time back in Kenya.
Since it’s 3 am and everyone else is sleeping, I’m taking advantage of the quiet hours to edit, render, and upload a series of videos that I recorded at the Lutheran School of Theology, but didn’t have the internet bandwidth to accomplish what was needed.
(Thanks to Elon Musk, we do have basic access to the internet at the mission site through Starlink, but not enough to upload large video files.)
A Conversation with Rev. James May and Dr. Gregory Schulz
In this five part video conversation (here), Rev. James May (the Executive Director) and Dr. Greg Schulz (the Academic Dean) share their experiences and challenges in establishing the Lutheran School of Theology in Kenya.
They discuss the mission and vision of forming African Lutherans to be teachers of the faith, focusing on theological education, support, and sustainability.
The conversation covers the …
- current state of Lutheran theological education in Africa
- the accreditation process
- and the importance of self-sufficiency for the seminary’s future.
The conversation also highlights the unique cultural and educational dynamics of the continent and the broader implications for Lutheran missions worldwide. Tune in to learn about the significant strides being made and how you can support this vital mission.
This is a Master Class on how to effectively accomplish the mission of the Church on the continent of Africa.
You can watch the five part video conversation here …
Would You Like to Volunteer and Serve at the Lutheran School of Theology?
There are a multitude of opportunities for you to volunteer at the newly accredited seminary in Kenya. We have had many volunteers from the United States, Australia, Finland, and Canada come and help us with all kinds of projects.
Here are some of the needs we have:
- Livestock and garden help
- General clean up and organization
- Cabinet making
- Library cataloging
- Electrical
- Painting
- Landscaping
- Operation of Large Machinary
- Mechanical
- All types of trades
- Other things you can think of …
Volunteer page and application form here.
One Urgent Need: An Excel Genius for Academic Transcripts
The newly accredited Lutheran School of Theology is in need of an academic recording and grading system for student transcripts. Current estimate for an all-in-one package is $2,018 (UDS). But in keeping with the self-sustaining model, the same recording system and functionality can be accomplished by someone who is an “expert” in Excel spreadsheets and formulas.
If that’s your skill set, or if you’re interested in serving at the Lutheran School of Theology you can fill out the application form on Lutherans In Africa volunteer page (here).
If you’re an LCMS pastor, would you consider teaching at the Lutheran School of Theology?
If interested in teaching at the Lutheran School of Theology you can fill out the application form on the Lutherans In Africa volunteer page (here). Rev. James May (Executive Director) and/or Dr. Gregory Schulz (Academic Dean) will get in contact with you.
- The Lutheran School of Theology (LST) regularly host 3-4 Lutheran (LCMS) pastor/professors a year from the USA, Canada, and other countries. The LST could double or triple that number.
- We need LCMS pastors to come and teach at our seminary so that Rev. May can teach around the continent.
- Intensive classes are typically two weeks long. This is a great opportunity for your congregation to fund a mission activity that will enliven your preaching and teaching for years to come.
Volunteer page and application form here.
I also wanted to provide you with a way to sign up for the Lutherans in Africa email updates as well.
Thank You for Your Ongoing Support
I thank God for His provision supplied by you. Your generous support, prayers, and many kindnesses have blessed us and the work of the Gospel.
If you would like to stay informed about my work with LIA in Africa, you can sign up for email updates here.
We commend all into His hands.
Come what may, we do belong to Jesus.
If you would like to continue to support the Missionary at Large position through East Bethlehem you can either give a charitable donation by check or through electronic giving. Here’s a link that will give you more information … Support Missionary at Large (here).