Working as a church planter here in WV I find that sometimes the thing I need most is to know I am not alone in this ministry. God has blessed me with great people who have kept me aware that I am not alone and with their support of the work that is being done as well as helping provide assistance in many different ways I keep moving forward. For most of the time since I have been in ministry I was a bi-vocational pastor, so as you might already realize there was not much time to participate in things that were being offered to the other pastors. One of my special memories is this time when I was invited to an Adrian Rogers video conference being held here in Charleston. When I was invited I was told someone had paid for my admission so I took a day off work and joined several pastors for a day of learning. I am not sure that the person who paid my way knew I was a huge fan of Adrian Rogers, but that made the gift twice as meaningful, because besides what I learned that day I left there very encouraged and feeling part of something important.
In February 2010 I was teaching a small group of pastors in South Western Uganda as part of a weeklong conference. These were bush pastors who were probably saved at a village crusade and answered God’s call and began preaching with no training. Many did not even own a Bible. These pastors are not paid and most of their congregation tithe with seeds or fruit. At the end of the day I asked them how we could be of more help, and their answer was unanimous that they needed education. I asked them about doing another conference next year and if they would attend and they hesitated to answer. That is when I learned that they would not have the funds for transportation, lodging or meals. When I left Uganda a few days later I realized that they were church planters with no one helping to support and encourage them and the ministry.
After I returned home my thoughts continued to be focused on how I could help. I really believe God had a plan and that is why a church planter from West Virginia ended up in that remote part of Africa with a room full of bush pastors. With what I feel was a mission from God I began to share that vision with anyone who would listen and shortly we began to put together a plan that would include transporting, housing, feeding, and teaching 170 pastors and their assistants. In the spring of 2011 we held the first of six week long education conferences. These six weeklong conferences will be held over the course of three years. Along with meeting the needs of the pastors these conferences give them a chance to spend time with other pastors that share their burdens. We are teaching four classes that are spread out over the three years which I believe will equip the pastors for their work and give them a more solid foundation on which to build. It is also a blessing to watch the pastors as they make friends and share their story. I might add that the number for that conference topped out at 225 pastors and although we could only transport and house 170 we did feed and provide school supplies for all 225.
Of course teaching pastors is only part of the fourteen day mission trips to Uganda and along with the conference we also do a four day crusade and another two day new believer’s conference. Every team member on these trips has an opportunity to share their gifts as a source of hope and encouragement to the people of Uganda. I really believe that when one of our teams steps off the plane in Uganda it is at that moment when hope is brought to Uganda. Without the help of so many people here in the U.S. it would not be possible to realize the dream that is helping to grow a new generation of believers in this one time almost forgotten part of the world. May God bless you for your help as we once again prepare to leave for Uganda.
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