TANZANIA PASTORAL CONTINUING EDUCATION
Summary
This project exists to support local Tanzanian pastors to further their education in secondary school and pastoral and theological training. As pastors grow in their academic competency, they more effectively serve their congregations and promote and mentor emerging leaders for the Church of God of Tanzania.
Cost
The total project cost is $4,700 per year.
Project # 42.40476
BACKGROUND
The Church of God in Tanzania began in 1959 and has grown to over 250 churches and over 5,000 believers. With a growing church, more trained and educated pastors are needed to continue the momentum of growth.
Vision
Vision
Many Tanzanian pastors lack secondary school education, Bible school training, and/or further theological training that would strengthen them personally and with regard to their impact as pastors in their communities.
STRATEGY
The goal for this project is to provide pastors with financial assistance to enable them to further their education so better equipped to mentor and develop a new generation of emerging leaders in the Church.
Currently, there are 14 pastors pursuing further education, but the Church of God leadership in Tanzania would like to increase that to 20 pastors!
The current request is for $4,000 per year with the hope to increase as more students are assisted.
“As leaders in the Church of God of Tanzania we are fully engaged in the implementation and evaluation of these programs and remain deeply involved in ensuring that these projects continue to impact the Church of God of Tanzania in positive ways.”
Archbishop Rev. Eliya Dahhi
and General Secretary Rev. Dismus Mofulu
The Church of God in Tanzania
The Church of God began work in Tanzania in 1959 through the work of Stan and Marion Hoffman. It has been home to a number of Church of God missionaries over the years who have worked in the areas of pastoral training, primary and secondary education, and evangelism. Currently, Mike and Heather Webb, Global Strategy regional coordinators for Africa, live in Babati, Tanzania and partner with the national work in Tanzania along with work across the region.
The National Assembly of the Church of God in Tanzania is completely self-sufficient. Not only that, but they have a focus on evangelism and are passionate about reaching out in areas of the country where they do not currently have a presence. There are 253 churches and 5,397 believers. With such a large contingency, Tanzania is seeking ways to be a support to the Church of God in neighboring countries as well.
The Church of God in Tanzania has over 250 churches!
The Widening Education Gap
A large percentage of the pastors in the Church of God of Tanzania have very low education. Although they may have attended Bible school at some level, they lack both advanced theological education and regular academic experience. Many of the pastors have a regular education level of 4th-7th grade and no secondary school experience at all.
As the younger population of church-goers grows in their level of education, even in small villages, the older generation is left behind academically. While the pastors continue to need Bible and pastoral training, they also need and desire to advance their academic experience in secondary school in an effort to remain relevant. It is becoming more and more difficult for pastors to maintain their credibility in their communities when the younger generation of believers have passed them by in every academic metric.
A more educated pastoral leadership community in the Church of God will be a more strategic, creative, and critical thinking community of leaders.
Pastors who are poured into continue to give back to the church. Those pastors have become the decision makers and the directors for ministry throughout the Church of God of Tanzania. They have utilized their experience and education to invest in others in the Church and have contributed to the Church of God in Tanzania becoming increasingly self-sustaining and self-propagating.
Will you join Global Strategy in preparing a path for the next generation of leaders?
Ways to make a difference
- Online—Visit this link
- Check—Make checks payable to “Church of God Ministries” and specify “Tanzania Pastoral Education - 42.40476” in the memo line
For more information, contact Global Strategy Projects at 800.848.2464 or GSProjects@chog.org.
