News from our field
Bible Basics proves to be valuable tool for pastors in Kenya
It is a very basic course: Bible Basics, originally written to introduce people to the Christian faith. Who would have thought that this course would have such a big impact on pastors? Marten and Esther Visser made this discovery during a recent visit to Kenya.
“You know, I never went to Bible school or received any theological training, and yet I became a pastor because someone had to do it,” John Ochieng confides to his interviewer, Esther. “So I didn’t understand some of the basic concepts, which meant I was teaching the people in our church the wrong things.”
John took the Bible Basics course along with about two dozen pastors from various denominations, ranging from Roman Catholic to Seventh-day Adventist and Anglican. Not online, but offline, in a classroom. The course is also very well suited for use in a classroom setting. Moreover, the pastors find the interaction with one another especially valuable.
John was particularly drawn to the topic of “Creation,” which is where the course begins. “We talked about it at length in class, and I gained such valuable new insights,” John says. “I discovered that I had misunderstood things, such as the tree of life.”
The pastor takes the printed course with him to church every time. “I draw from it when I have to preach. Last Sunday, for example, I preached about the paralyzed man who was brought to Jesus by his friends. And I also learned that Bible stories are not isolated texts, but are part of a history of salvation,” he adds.
Sarah also learned a lot from the course. “I learned much about the Fall, in particular. And I now know that God created the world simply by speaking. It was very helpful to study the stories from the Bible one by one. Now I can teach others, too.”
A lady in a beautiful yellow outfit says that through the course, she discovered that those who believe in Jesus Christ will not be lost. “We have fallen, yes, but by trusting in Jesus, we become children of God,” she beams.
Several pastors mention how valuable it is to be able to identify with people from the Bible. The course covers people from the Bible one by one, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and of course Jesus. This narrative approach fits in very well with how they read the Bible. The pastors indicate they would like to be even better equipped.
Kenya has over 200,000 pastors, a significant proportion of whom have little or no theological training. Fortunately, many of them do have access to the internet. A growing number are following not only our Bible Basics course but also the Pastor Training course, which is specifically designed to equip pastors.
Thank You, Lord God, for these dedicated people who serve You with such love. Thank You that this group is receiving valuable training so that they are equipped to teach others. We pray that many more pastors will receive training and thus share the Gospel in a way that does justice to the Word of God, and builds others up in faith. In Jesus’ Name, amen.