We traveled with brother Yohana Mugo. We left home on Sunday evening, crossed the Kenya-Tanzania border, and spent the night in Tanga (a coastal town in Tanzania). A Zambian missionary couple church planting in Tanga opened their home and we spent the night with them
From Right: Yohana, a Zambian missionary couple
DAR-ES-SALAAM: First Group of Pastors.
We left Tanga for Dar-es-salaam on Monday morning and arrived the same day in the evening. On Tuesday morning, we started teaching the first group of pastors for four days (Tuesday-Friday).
Brother Yohana and I took turns teaching the Old Testament Survey. Alongside the survey, we deliberately pointed out the nature and character of God, the sinfulness of man, and God’s purposes and promises of redemption in Christ (see photo below).
ZANZIBAR ISLAND
On Saturday morning, I crossed the ocean to Zanzibar Island to mainly teach in-house meetings and campus students while brother Yohana remained in Dar-es-salaam to preach at Berea Fellowship Church. The photo below was taken in one of the house meetings.
Meeting with Mwalimu Nyerere University Christian Society students’ leaders.
Jonas Kakiziba and his fiancée, Deborah It is brother Jonas Kakiziba and his fiancée, Deborah (in the photo) who organized both the house and campus meetings in Zanzibar. The two are prayerfully considering starting weekly house Bible study meetings but they desire to be trained first. I will be having Bible classes with them through zoom until they are well equipped to lead house meetings.
DAR-ES-SALAAM: Second Group of Pastors
I left Zanzibar on Tuesday morning and arrived in Dar-es-salaam in the afternoon to join brother Yohana who had already started teaching the second group of pastors (see photo below).
We took turns teaching the Old Testament Survey and deliberately pointing out the nature and character of God, the sinfulness of man, and God’s purposes and promises of redemption in Christ. We taught this group for five days (Tuesday- Saturday). On the last day, we taught them “Preaching the gospel from the Old Testament.”
GENERAL COMMENTS
Tanzania is a very dark country. As far as biblical Christianity is concerned, it is one of the countries experiencing the blackest of darkness! On one hand, the Tanzanian “church” is largely charismatic chaos- health, wealth, and prosperity preaching “church.” On the other hand, it is very religious- having a form of godliness but denying its power. The truth is not known. Sound doctrine and theology are not known. You will be hard-pressed to find a healthy, solid, sound, biblical local church in Tanzania!
Encouragingly, most of the pastors (and church leaders) we taught appeared to be very hungry and thirsty for the truth. They were very humble men and women with a very gracious and teachable spirit. As we labored to show them the truth from the Scriptures, most of them openly confessed that they have been in the dark all along and misleading their congregations.
The fear for most of them was that once they start teaching these truths, they will be chased out of their pulpits by their denominational leaders.
UPCOMING MISSION TRIP
God willing, we will be traveling on 6th December 2021 and start teaching New Testament Survey to the two groups of pastors in Dar-es-salaam.
During this time, I will again cross the ocean to Zanzibar Island and teach in-house meetings and campus students.
HOW TO PRAY AND SUPPORT
What we are doing in Tanzania is “Theological studies by Extension.” Doing block classes every time we travel. We desperately need well-trained men to travel and help teach these pastors and church leaders. Pray that the Lord will bring men our way who will volunteer to travel and teach.
Pray that the Lord will raise men in Tanzania. Men, who not only know the truth but men who love Christ passionately and are ready to serve Him zealously. Pray that the Lord will help the men we are training to develop convictions, courage, and boldness to serve Christ in the midst of opposition.
Pray that healthy, solid, sound, biblical local churches will spring forth in Tanzania.
Pray and consider supporting my next trip in December. I am raising $160 for the same.
Pray and consider supporting financially the ongoing translation work. Tanzania is a Swahili-speaking country and we have to translate all the English readings to Swahili. Pray also that the Lord will provide Swahili literature.
Comments