A New Mission | Trip #2 | Post #3

Saturday, March 25th. Today things started to get exciting. We had our first meeting with our Lead Trainers for this cohort. Lead Trainers (LT’s) are those from the past who have so set themselves apart by their scholarship, character, and leadership, that we could see them moving forward in leading future pastoral training for other Africans. There are currently 12 lead trainers. Three of them will be leading a cohort the week after we do, and the other nine are playing support roles (kind of like TA’s in college) for them or Stu, Mike and myself.  

We met for three hours. The first hour we went around and gave updates on life. We then broke for breakfast.  We then gave them instructions about their responsibilities as LT’s. We then broke into smaller groups. 

Part of the developmental process is to have them share in the teaching load from the very outset. By way of reminder, what we are setting in motion is a three-year, nine-course curriculum designed to help pastors become more successful in understanding and communicating the various styles of Scripture. My two LT’s, Vincent and Moses (pretty common name in northern Uganda) will each teach one lesson: Vincent, lesson six, Moses, lesson seven. I worked with all the LT’s who would teach lesson six, and Stu, lesson seven.  

I helped them understand the nature of the curriculum and how it flows. I also gave them some tips on how to manage the class and help the trainees stay engaged in the workbook they would be using for our five days of training. Then we spent time on the material itself.  

This introductory course is titled Knowing God, Scripture and Ourselves. Lesson six is an overview of the Bible as a cohesive story. Understanding this rightly makes interpreting any particular passage more likely as one interprets the parts of Scripture by the whole. I went through the lesson, encouraging certain areas to emphasize and others to pass on if time became an issue. Each lesson usually takes 2.5 to 3 hours in the classroom. 

I have to admit, my level of confidence was not high after the session. These brothers are all bright, but I wonder about their teaching ability. Then I remembered we are at the starting point in this process. I thought back to the changes that took place in the previous cohort and my confidence was restored. We’ve got three years to grow them…it will be fine. The picture here is of my lesson six group sitting outside the recently completed library for the Pastor’s Training Center.  

Turns out my luggage made it to Entebbe last night-so we are both on the same continent! The plan is it will be sent on a bus cross country today for a reunion tonight. I hope so as I have missed two days of walking due to trying to keep my limited clothing from getting too ripe. Today the high is supposed to be 85 with a real feel of 97! 

Tomorrow we get to worship with our friends from Living Stones Community Church.