November 2014 Update: First-Time Training in Kenya and Senegal

This July, APT Ministries was able to introduce training for the first time into two new countries in Africa . . . Kenya and Senegal!

In Dakar, Senegal, I was joined by an American pastor who is returning to Europe as a missionary after 14 years as pastor of Central Bible Church in Portland, Oregon.  This is what he said after participating in the Thompson Bible training.

“The training offered by APT Ministries on the use of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible is one of the most valuable seminars for training church leaders that I have experienced. So few leaders in Africa have access to a wide range of study tools and even fewer to formal theological training. This seminar responds to the urgent need to provide reproducible training to pastors, elders, and other church leaders. Once they master the basic inductive study tools provided by the Thompson Bible, these church leaders are well on their way to feeding themselves spiritually so that they can better feed their spiritual flock.” (David Stevens).

David and I are discussing how he can have more opportunities to participate with APT Ministries in training pastors in Africa in the future from his new ministry home in Belgium.

LIBERIA and EBOLA

In September, the APT Ministries Liberian training team conducted a workshop for pastors in Monrovia, Liberia in spite of the threat of Ebola. I had advised them to postpone the training because of the Ebola outbreak, but they believed they should continue regardless.

Here is what the team wrote me about the workshop:

“We finally conducted the workshop for some 56 determined and dedicated pastors and church leaders who could not accept “no” for an answer. Despite the Ebola scare and risk, they mobilized themselves and underwent the training. Some of them said to us, perhaps there will not be time left for them to attend a postponed workshop because of the severity of the Ebola virus in Liberia; hence there is a need to be trained so as to share the gospel quickly with the living and dying in Liberia.”
These Liberian pastors said it so well. “There is a need to be trained so as to share the gospel quickly with the living and the dying in Liberia.”  This is why APT Ministries is committed to training pastors in Africa who are key for the fulfillment of the Great Commission in their countries!

Bibles for 2015

These workshops and others this year in Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria were only possible because of your prayers and financial support, especially in providing for the Thompson Bibles we use for training.

Our training expanded 45% in 2014 for our biggest single year total of pastors and leaders trained in the history of the ministry!  Thank you for being a part!

As God leads us into His future, purchasing Thompson Bibles is an ongoing annual need. In order to plan for 2015 we have the opportunity to purchase up to 2,000 English Bibles at $10.00 a Bible before years end.  This is an incredible price for APT!  This price greatly reduces our budget for English Bibles in 2015.

French Bibles Needed

We also need $24,000.00 for French Bibles. Our French Bibles are significantly more expensive, but the need for training in francophone countries is as important as in English speaking countries.

Would you consider helping us in this end of the year need?

Thank you for being a part of this ministry!