Equipping church leaders to grow healthy churches throughout Africa

Imagine you’re a mechanic. New cars come out with new tech, so there are new things that can go wrong. The thing is, imagine you have no way to learn how to maintain or repair those vehicles, just a dusty manual from a Ford Model T. So, how are you going to fix anyone’s cars? 

Joshua:  Equipping The Church

The world is changing, but too often pastors lack the resources they need.  When resources are available, many only answer questions asked by Germans in the 1500s, or Brits in the 1800s, or Americans in the 1950s.  But this is 2025, and Africa is very different from those places. As a result, there are not enough resources answering questions ordinary Africans are asking today.  This leads to a dark place: when the Church can’t give a good answer, people go looking elsewhere — to traditional witch doctors or to contemporary false teachers. Just as the mechanic needs the latest manuals, so the Church here needs sound training and resources that connect Scripture with their local African contexts.

ACTEA invited me to join their efforts in addressing this. ACTEA offers accreditation for Bible colleges and seminaries and provides continuing education for their professors and administrators.  Now, as a result of my work, there are new forums for discussing current issues — including ACTEA’s journal (African Christian Theology) and an on-going book series.  My colleagues and I are helping current and future African church leaders engage these critical issues so that people don’t turn to witchdoctors or false teachers.

Ruth:  Declaring Freedom for All

The high rate of sexual and domestic abuse is one of the top concerns of the Church in Africa, just as it is elsewhere. African church leaders want to know how to respond in an effective and healing manner,  but in addition they want to see their churches have a truly transformative impact in addressing this abuse. They’re seeking the right knowledge and the right tools for this work.

That’s what I’m working on together with African scholars and advocates.  The Church in Africa has given birth to some deeply transformative movements like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. These movements have offered hope and healing to both oppressed and oppressor.  And this work of the African Church has inspired a new vision: to see the Church in Africa and throughout the world become a source of hope and healing for those trapped in abuse, so that both abuse victim and abuser will be able to declare, “Christ has set me free!”

We’ve served in Kenya for 20 years but, as you can see, there’s still exciting new work happening!  So, let us be your hands and feet in Africa, helping to build up the Church and strengthen her through our work with our African partners. We’re looking for your prayers, monthly support, and one-time gifts (such as the $2,500 that would sort out the plumbing in our house once and for all!) Please pray about which you could do.

grace and peace in Jesus,
                   Joshua & Ruth Barron and family

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Download a PDF version of this update here.