Delivering the Message

I'm in Kigali, Rwanda teaching a group of native pastors.  This is our sixth class, and it's going well.  These pastors happen to be the replacement pastors for those killed in genocide in 1994.  Our host, Pastor Denys, himself a natural leader, and a miraculous suvivor of the massacre, went out about a month after the three month slaughter and hand picked these men for their faithfulness and willingness to lead their respective congregations.  Twenty years later Global Baptist Training Foundation was founded and through a former Congolese student of mine, I was introduced to Pastor Denys in 2012.  

Now after six years of training we are teachng this week in the work of preaching or delivering Biblical messages.  Accomplishing this class through a translator can be challenging, but I have one of the best translators in the world passing along the information from English to Kinyarwandan.  Today was one of the most satisfing teaching experiences I can remember.  We are working on getting the central idea of text of Scripture and then producing an outline that reflects the elements of the text's central thought.  I told them today in jest that if they didn't work hard and get it down that I would see to it that they ended up out in the Congo jungle.  They laughed so hard it was difficult to get them back on point!

But around 2:30 today, I looked over at my translator and saw a look on his face that told me what I have been waiting on for some time.  They are getting it!  All of the previous training has been building toward this class on preaching and it is such a joy to see that they are beginning to really see what it means to faithfully proclaim the Scripture.  

Imagine a small army of trained Rwandan pastors who are determined to train others just like themselves!  When possible, it is so much more profitable to train the nationals to do the work of the ministry.  They already know the language, live in the culture, and love the people!

So tomorrow is another graduation day and another milestone in reaching the heart of Africa with the gospel of Jesus Christ carried forth by Rwanda's choice servants!  Pray for them!

Bruce

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