In December of 2016 I (Rev. Paul Arndt) and my family had the privilege to partner with Rev. James May and Lutherans in Africa (LIA) to help train 40-50 African pastors to be teachers of the Lutheran faith.
There are millions of Lutherans in Africa. There are more Lutherans in the country of Ethiopia than there are in the entire United States. There are also countless Lutherans in Madagascar, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria. That is a good thing except that most of these "Lutherans" are Lutherans in name only.
Rev. James May founded Lutherans in Africa in 2010 and started teaching Lutheran doctrine to pastors and "lay evangelists" in Africa. Ever since then LIA's services have been in demand by bishops, pastors and catechists all over the African continent.
There is a severe shortage of trained pastors in Africa. In America, the Lutheran Church has 1 pastor for every 376 members. But, in Tanzania, for instance, there is 1 pastor for every 3,500 members. By training African pastors to be teachers of the faith, Lutherans In Africa is able to help fill the need for pastors across the continent of Africa and further spread the Gospel, allowing God to work through His external Word.
The Lutheran Church in Tanzania alone has over 5 million members, but many struggle to understand what Lutherans believe and why. The average pastor serves 12 parishes but only visits one each Sunday. The other eleven are served by "lay evangelists" who have had little or no training. Even those who are trained have few books and limited opportunity for further formal study in the Living Word and doctrinal theology.
By training pastors Lutherans in Africa is teaching not merely this generation, but the ones to come.
Lutherans in Africa's new Lutheran School of Theology (LST) is located at the foot of the Ngong Hills just outside of Nairobi, Kenya. The buildings are constructed with as many of the natural resources that are readily available and already on the 15 acre site (lots of rocks).
The Lutheran School of Theology's physical site is also self-sustaining. It has solar power, a freshwater well with a gravitational distribution and drip irrigation system, a massive garden, poultry and cows. All that is physically needed is contained on the site and is cared for by the participants of each seminar and the students at the Lutheran School of Theology.
The future site plan for the Lutheran School of Theology includes the following:
- a Church – which can seat 200-300
- an outdoor fellowship pavilion
- seminary for 30-50 students
- primary school for 150 students
- medical station
- cafeteria and library
- student housing
- housing for missionaries and guests
- garden and livestock
The full development of the 15 acre site will help Lutherans in Africa serve the students in the following ways:
- it will provide a centrally located site in the continent of Africa (near Nairobi, Kenya) to reduce travel expenses for students and LIA staff
- it will remove expensive rent for staff housing and the LIA offices in the city of Nairobi
- it will provide lodging and classroms for longer, in-depth training that faithfully teaches God's Word
- it will consolidate translating work
- it demonstrates the long term commitment of LIA to the community
Although this December, 2016 picture shows a humble classroom, the students were eager to learn God's Word.
Our humble shelter at the Lutheran School of Theology also served as a place to gather for the Service of the Word. Note the baptismal font at the entrance of our "church". We enter with the Triune God's saving name and redeeming activity placed upon us. The African pastors and students also come well prepared to hear God's Word. Though they don't have much, they bring their best to God's house. Before standing on holy ground they make it a point to polish and shine their shoes.
Though the landscape is beautiful, there are many daily chores that need to be done. The Lutheran School of Theology has an expansive garden, cows that need to be milked twice a day, chickens that need to be cared for, three daily meals that need to be prepared for 50+ people and laundry that needs to be hand washed, hung and dried by the winds coming down from the Ngong Hills.
In 2017, the teaching and proclamation of the Gospel continues.
The construction of the Lutheran School of Theology's classrooms and buildings, though at times challenging and tedious, presses on. Led by on site Architect and Project Manager, Jason Stephens, a two story library, cottage for visiting professors and the May family home is now being built.
With the foundational floor of the library finished, the first class at LIA's Lutheran School of Theology started in the Fall of 2017 with 37 students. They had over 100 applicants but didn't have enough beds at the moment to house them all. Great is the hunger!
In December of 2017, I and my family will be serving at the Lutheran School of Theology. We ask for your prayers for the staff and families of LIA and all of the pastors and students who will be traveling to the LST site. We rely on all of the gifts that only the Triune God can give to build, strengthen and defend His Church.
"Though the Devil be the master of 1000 arts, the Triune God and His Word are Master of 100,000 more."
(Dr. Martin Luther, Large Catechism)
If you would like to learn more about Lutherans in Africa and how to financially support the formation of African pastors in the Lutheran faith, you can visit their website at ...
Credits:
PAUL ARNDT AND LUTHERANS IN AFRICA