Pastor Training Seminar

Our seminar group picture.


Tom teaching in french, Pastor Youssouf translating into Bambara.


Pastors very interested and taking notes.

Friday and Saturday this week we held a Pastor's training seminar on leadership. Our village pastors and some lay leaders came for the two days to study what it means to be a leader, and to have vision for a church. Tom R. from Fourou came and taught. He taught in french, and Pastor Youssouf translated into Bambara. (Tom drove a dirt road that is normally a bumpy 45 min drive, but because of rainy season was a squishy, mushy 1.5 hr drive...) Thanks for coming out, Tom!

This was kind of interesting because some of the key words are hard to translate into Bambara. So there was a lot of discussion over what word was best to describe "vision" and a few other words. It was a bit annoying at first, because it was a bit disruptive to the seminar... (Western point of view--- get the material out!) But I soon realised that this discussion was processing time, and they were getting it way better than if we "glossed over" the glossary. Anyway, the seminar was well recieved, and each pastor was challenged to come up with a measurable vision for his church.

One pastor shared that his vision was for his church to reach 23 villages around his village in the next 10 years, and to see leaders raised up amongst these new villages. (He has a church of about 120, he counted 4 adults he considers trained and ready to go now...) God bless a man of agressive vision for Christ!!

It is really a privilege to be with these pastors, and encourage them. They are the future of the church in southern Mali. I'm expendable. They are vital. Pray with us that God would protect them physically and spiritually. Pray that God would grant these men their aggressive visions for the cause of Christ. Pray that we would be a help to the process, and an encouragement to these pastors...

Oh- did I mention that these pastors' salary is $50 a month? Who among us is willing to sacrifice and work like that for Christ?

Thanks for stopping by,
Tom & Lisa