One of the greatest privileges of my ministry is the opportunity to train pastors and church leaders in various locations around the world. I’ve discovered it’s far better for nationals, who understand their culture and speak the native language, to reach their own with the Gospel. But so many have no access to Bible School or Seminary.
You can’t imagine the joy and satisfaction of being able to offer this kind of training to such faithful servants. But as incredible as this is, to date, no experience has been more rewarding for me than the time I’ve spent instructing and discipling Christian leaders from the Masaai tribe in Masulu, Kenya.
My first visit to Masulu was in the summer of 2013. Pastor Henry (top photo on the left), who heads the Masaai Outreach for New Life Mission Church, had rescued a failing work, transforming it into a thriving Christian community. But upon my return this past summer, I was pleased to discover that in just a few years the ministry had more than doubled!
In fact, under Pastor Henry’s leadership, in addition to evangelism and discipleship, the Masaai Outreach now sponsors a home for orphaned boys, a vocational training center, a Christian school and a rescue for Masaai girls, who otherwise would be forced into early marriages as young as age 9 and undergo ritual female circumcision. (Note the picture of girls from the rescue on the upper left).
Many of the over 40 pastors and Sunday school workers who attended the training this summer walked for two days each way. As part of our 3 days together we also had a question and answer time. One Masaai pastor asked me (through our translator David) “What if my efforts to fulfill the vision God gave me failed? Does God withdraw His vision and blessing?” I reminded him of Moses. He was called by God to deliver Israel. But his first effort failed miserably when he murdered an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. But 40 years later, in God’s timing, in the midst of a burning bush, God renewed the vision!