Basic Training

We are pleased with the wall out front and various conferences going on here, but the very most important thing happening at the Phare at the moment is the new session of UWM's Discipleship Experience.

A week back 6 men gathered here to begin a 3-month live-in intensive training course. Balla Konate, our pastor from Ouakam, will take these young church leaders through the entire Bible, one book at a time. For many, this is the first time they've had any formal training of any sort. For all, this is the first time they have had a chance to study the Old Testament in depth. Balla has the immense pleasure and responsibility of covering virgin ground with them.

And the classes are intimate. This is a rare thing here. A small class. With discussion. In Wolof. And with personal attention from a teacher. Four hours a day (at least). For 10 weeks. Serious Bible learning. Intense learning. I can't tell you how excited I am to be part of this, even just as a coach and supporter.

The men also spend time learning some basic ministry skills and discussing issues of the Christian life in this country. That latter always proves interesting as they consider how biblical insights about the nature of God and man and spiritual reality should impact their own culture and traditions and family and church life. (Balla told me just now that questions about alcohol and divorce popped up this morning in the midst of looking at Deuteronomy!)

These men have been sent to us because they are already active lay-leaders in their village churches. In this group, some have been Christians for 20 years. All are bright and eager to learn and zealous for Jesus and the church. But their basic knowledge of the Faith and of the Word is still minimal. Sadly, this is not unusual here. In fact, the most urgent need in the churches today is for trained leaders.

This course is only meant to begin a training process for a church leader. It is very basic. We're not trying to do seminary work or even Bible school. Others are working on that. We're down a level from that, helping guys with minimal schooling in French and little basic Bible knowledge. It's basic, but it is critical. And, in fact, it is the kind of training a new believer should get in his local church. But, for now, in this young Church, there is a gap and we're trying to fill it.

Pray for these guys, please. And pray for Balla as he teaches, that he'll not just pass on knowledge and skills, but also a vision and a desire to train others. These guys can be key to strong churches in the villages if they themselves go back and pass on the love and knowledge of God's Word that they've received.

The Wall is Done

I took a clip of the wall work on Saturday when I came over to settle up with the mason, but haven't been in the office since to post it here. Monday was a big holiday in the Muslim world. Even today the city is very quiet, many of the folks being out in their home villages to be with family.

So, again, a big thank you to Christ Community Church - Stow Campus Senegal Team!!! This is major progress and we're very excited.

I also found on Saturday that Jean Gomis and Patrice were working on the plumbing of the back up water tanks. Jean cleaned out the tanks late last week. There was an accumulation of muck in them, entrained in the water from the city over several years. It finally had started to block flow!

Then when they were cleaning out the valves and all, they found that rust in the galvanized pipes was also a problem. They ended up having to replace a number of sections. It was a bit of a patch-job. We'll have to replace it all soon with new, non-rusting tube. But not this week!



Of course, this is all construction stuff. But the campus continues to be a place of meeting and growing and all. Campus for Christ was here for three days at the end of last week. I even had a chance to share a brief devotion with them. In English, strangely enough. There are currently a group of young Americans helping out with ministry at the University. So to make it easier on them, Pascal asked me to address the Americans directly while he translated into French for the staff and African students who were also part of the retreat.

Today, as quiet as things are with the holiday, there is a small group of southerners having a spiritual retreat and consultation, it seems. And, biggest news of all, perhaps, Balla has started up again with a half-dozen guys for the 3-month Discipleship Experience! I'll get photos and post that tomorrow perhaps.