October for Africa
Why focus on “Africa”? Because 1 in 4 Christians in the world live in Africa! The Church of the Nazarene in Africa enjoys an exploding growth of believers yet at the same time grapples with a huge challenge to train up pastors and lay leaders. The rapid increase in the number of churches in Africa has far exceeded the theological training of church leaders. EDUF speaks to this need.
The purpose of EDUF is to increase access to Nazarene Ministerial Education Throughout Africa.Currently: Africa has about 8,500 Local Nazarene Churches and about 1800 ordained clergy, making 4.7 churches for every ordained elder.
What do you know about Jesus’ mission in Africa? Do you know that there are 54 countries are in the continent of Africa? The Church of the Nazarene is planted in 44 countries across Africa. How many languages are spoken in Africa? Over 2000!
Pastors in these 44 countries Africa need multiple options to become better prepared to lead their churches. Pastors need training in many different languages. They need training at different educational levels. Some of them need entry level and oral methodologies. Other leaders, especially the instructors at our Nazarene institutions, need masters’ level studies and doctorates.
EDUF started the fund-raising strategy called
“October-for-Africa”
Our goal every October is for every church to give $100 for the region’s top educational priorities. How can YOU help in October?
When Jesus ascended to the Father, He left us, His Church, with His mission – to go into all the world making disciples by teaching them to obey everything that He taught. The Church of the Nazarene continues Jesus’ Mission – making Christ-like disciples in the Nations. The means and method for accomplishing this is sending Nazarene people with funds that Nazarene people give. We don’t write grants for corporate donations. We Nazarenes give because we love God, and we respond to His Mission on earth. We give to World Evangelism Fund and we pray for Nazarene missionaries to be Jesus’ witnesses – even to “the ends of the Earth” as He told us to do.
EDUF continues to learn about the realities at the grass roots level that our African leaders are facing to train up our pastors in Wesleyan holiness doctrine and experience. Jehovah’s Witnesses produce a lot of attractive literature in the heart languages of our people. What a huge challenge for us! As African leaders say to the rest of us “Tuko Pamoja” – we ARE together – in Jesus’ Mission.
Links to October for Africa bulletin insert and poster