NEWS

The joy of receiving a new Bible in his own language

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THE TRAINER OF TRAINERS SEMINAR

Hundreds of pastors and leaders from different denominations attend our training seminars each year. We provide materials for every pastor to use for the purpose of ongoing discipleship training for their congregations. As we follow up on these pastors and churches leaders we find that majority have been transformed in their walk with the Lord and their churches have been growing in number. In many cases these pastors have trained others who are now ready to lead new churches.

Our Training of Trainers has been very a very powerful tool of biblically training reliable men who in turn trains others in accordance to 2 Timothy 2:2. A great example is Rev. Githinji, who attended our 2014 training of trainers in Kabazi. He has been training other pastors in Nakuru County and was one of our key trainers during the Nyahururu leadership Seminar in July 2015.  

ATL has taken the lead in the nurturing of indigenous African Pastors. We equip them with training skills so that they can train others. This is the most effective way of reaching to as many pastors and church leaders as possible

“We believe that leadership truth can best be delivered by using African Pastors that have gone through our training and have been trained as trainers. This is because the African pastors know the local language and understands the idiosyncrasies of the culture”

Dr. Silas Waweru

 

Equipping Shepherds: A Strategy for making a mile wide, a mile deep

Pastors and church leaders in Africa face new challenges and often battle feelings of inadequacy and frustration. Overwhelmed and overworked, they press on despite a lack of resources and support.

But what can we do to help in this situation?

Perhaps we need to renew our commitment to increase our investment in the lives of those within the church and ask God to help us see the potential for authentic leadership within them. Then as we partner together, under the umbrella of leadership training, we can build an empowered teams that will change lives and impact their community for the cause of Jesus Christ.

In 2011, it became clear to me that in order to sustain the rapid growth of the church in Africa, we must invest our resources in developing leaders.  Many pastors in African do not submit to any authority; they are the authority. In other words, they do not have a system of leadership; rather, they take on the burden of all church matters. From finances to visiting the needy to preaching, African pastors often carry out all the functions of the church. This stems from a lack of knowledge, rather than a desire to manage. “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge,” (Hosea 4:5).

Shifting church leadership

In order to shift the leadership focus from a “one-man show,” we need to invest our resources in Servant Leadership Training. African Transformation Leadership has taken a very bold step in order to develop a healthy, functioning team leadership in every church in Africa. Our strategy is to build leaders who will in turn build other leaders and expand the scope of personal impact. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others,” (2 Timothy 2:2)

As leaders, it is important for each of us to think through our efforts to intentionally and consistently empower other leaders.

I have heard many people say that the church in Africa is “one inch deep and a mile wide.” How can we change this? How can one pastor who is in charge of several congregations be able to deepen the faith of believers?

At the heart of leadership shift, we need to focus on coaching and mentoring emerging leaders. We need to develop leadership that will empower the team model and seek to inspire and influence potential leaders within the church.

 

We need to consolidate our efforts in helping the pastors to see and capture the essence and need of transforming the leadership in his church. We can train pastors to realize that their role is to equip believers to make disciples.

We can teach him to influence other potential leaders through:

1.      Proclaiming biblical truth regarding empowerment

2.      Training church members to better understand and appreciate the unique contribution each person can make

3.      Involving them in church matters

4.      Delegating responsibilities with other

African Transformational Leadership is equipping pastors with skills to realize that true quality of leadership is best measured by observing the habits, values and behaviors of those church leaders who serve with us.  The pastors are challenged to provide a variety of leadership training opportunities, equipping others to serve their congregations.

Join us in this life changing Ministry.

 

 

TRANSFORMATIONAL SERVANT LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND ENGAGING CULTURAL CHANGE

What if your Pastor had never had any Leadership Training? How might this impact the health of
your church? How would discipleship efforts be affected?
What if your Pastor asked you to serve him?
What if your Pastor handled all church matters by himself, without support or oversight of elders?
What if your Pastor accepted and gave bribes?

You might be thinking these scenarios are unthinkable, but they are reality in parts of Africa.

African Transformational Leadership exists to serve the church in Africa through Training for Transformation.

 Mark 10:42-45 "42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. 
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to
be first must be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom for many.”

There is a major dependency on Western books in Africa. Few leadership books that are used have  been written from an African perspective and do not address the core issues affecting the leadership of the church. African Transformational Leadership has a powerful training program, allowing us to train African Pastors in their own context to better serve the Lord. We are investing our time, energy, skills and resources to train Servant leaders who make contribution to the growth of God’s Kingdom. We are training pastors to address the leadership issues and cultural issues using the Scripture. This is a major breakthrough in the church in Africa. In order to do this, Rev. Robert Kamau, the founder of ATL a Kenyan-born scholar, a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson MS and Doctor of Ministry candidate at Tennessee Temple University has written a two-manual curriculum: "Transformational Servant Leadership in the Church and Community" and "Church and Culture" to address these needs.  Both manuals are available in English and Swahili. 

The first manual will equip and empower the pastors with servant leadership skills. The second manual will address cultural issues such as polygamy, wife inheritance, female genital mutilation, witchcraft, HIV/AIDS, pain and trauma, gender discrimination and others. We will use 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul’s exhorting Timothy to transmit the truth to others. We believe that leadership truth can best be delivered by using African Pastors that have gone through our training and have been trained as trainers.  Robert’s  experience as an African and having worked as a Director of training for several years has shown that local African Pastors that have been trained as trainers  are the best trainers because they already know the language and understands the idiosyncrasies of the local culture, hence making them more effective in their communication. This greatly enhances our chance of meeting our objectives of enabling the pastors to serve God and the community more effectively. So we will train and equip the trainers who will in turn train others. 

Pastor Joseph is an example of a pastor that we have trained

Hear what he has to say:

Come, Join us, My name is Pastor Joseph Mwai. I realized that be a servant leader, I had first of all desire to be transformed in my mind and heart. After going through the training of Servant Leadership I prayed this prayer: "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." I also prayed that God may create in me a pure heart, a new heart and a new spirit. God heard my prayers and I can now confess that I am a new creature, a new servant, fully transformed The Lord has removed the heart of stone from me and given me a heart that is able to listen to others and do the will of God.
This is what has touched my heart above anything else in the training:

1. That as a leader I am called first to be a servant.
2. A call to leadership is a call to serve.
3. We must learn to model Christ-like servanthood in every situation. God has chosen us to lead.
4. Not only must we be strong and do the work, we must be strong in our wholehearted devotion to him and remember who we are working for

So what is next? 

1. A servant-leader focuses I will focus on the growth and well-being of people in my church and the community to which I belong.

2. I will shares power, put the needs of others first and helps them to develop and perform as God desires.

3. I will be more loving and caring.

4. I will develop and equip others in the body of Christ.

5.  I am now ready to share powers with other, put the needs of others first and mentor other leaders.

6. I have a class of 25 men that I am training.

Pastor Joseph’s story is one of many we will share with you. Stay tuned to learn more about our mission and those we serve. To God be the Glory!

 

 

ANGLICAN CHURCH IN KENYA OPPOSES REGISTRATION OF LOBBY FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS

The Anglican Church has called on the Registrar of Societies not to honour the court order requiring the government to allow for registration of an umbrella organisation for gays and lesbians.

Archbishop Eliud Wabukala on Wednesday said the ruling was against the Constitution that Kenyans overwhelmingly voted for.

Dr Wabukala said the ruling was based on a narrow judgment, which did not consider a number of key background issues.

“The judgement was made on very narrow considerations and it is not only against Christianity but also against the Muslim teachings and traditions,” said the archbishop.

Speaking at the Imani Conference Centre in Nakuru where he led a workshop for the Mothers' Union executive committee members, Dr Wabukala said the ruling was also going against the rich African traditions that recognise a family as one made up of a man and a woman.

While pointing out that the church would not support the move that aims at promoting and empowering gays in the society, he added that the church only recognises a marriage between a man and a woman.

RIGHT FAMILY UNIT

“The church supports a family unit and the society at large. Families can only be formed through the right family unit.

“Any law that goes against the family values is naïve and should not be allowed in any country,” he said.

The High Court on Monday ordered the NGOs Coordination Board to recognise and register a gays’ lobby it had earlier rejected on moral and religious grounds.

The court ruled that the Constitution allows for the recognition and protection of the rights of "every person", including minority groups such as gays and lesbians.

The archbishop was speaking on the final day of a three-day Mothers Union retreat in Nakuru sought to discuss matters that will guide the running of the church in the next three years.

He added that the Mothers Union also is responsible for ensuring that families remain intact.