The Challenge in Africa
There is a severe shortage of trained pastors in Africa.
In Tanzania, for instance, there is on average 1 pastor for every 3,500 members. The Lutheran Church in Tanzania alone has over 10 million members, but the struggle is to equip each congregation with a trained and ordained pastor.
The average pastor serves 12 parishes but only visits one each Sunday. The other eleven are served by evangelists who have had little or no training. Even those who are trained have few books and limited opportunity for further formal study in the Living Word and doctrinal theology.
Rev James May, the director of Lutherans in Africa, was called to Kenya because it was a transportation hub. Each month he was traveling to other African countries to organize training seminars. Overtime, several bishops repeated the same comment, “These seminars are great but they are not long enough to train pastors. You need come back three of four times a year.”
Since he was already working in 20 countries across the continent, this just was not possible. So the bishops made the motion at the annual board meeting of Lutherans In Africa (LIA) to found a faithful, yet sustainable seminary.
The Solution
By forming pastors, evangelists, and church workers, The Lutheran School of Theology is shepherding not merely this generation, but the ones yet to come.
The Lutheran School of Theology …
- is centrally located to reduce travel expenses
- is sustainable and self-sufficient in design
- faithfully teaches God’s Word
- is united by the Lutheran Confessions
- gathers around historic liturgical practice of the Divine Service
- provides longer, in-depth training
- equips students in their service through translation work
- shows the long term commitment to the community
“The things which you have heard from me amongst many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 2:2
Here’s a brief video conversation with Rev. James May, the executive director of Lutherans in Africa, and Dr. Gregory Schulz, a visiting professor, explaining how and why the Lutheran School of Theology was created.
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Thank you again for your generous support, encouragement, prayers and many kindnesses.
We’ll 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).