Theological Education: A Top Priority in Christian Growth

Hugh and I had the opportunity to meet with an administrator from UBS last week. He updated us on the status of the Baptist Seminary in Uganda which we visit during our annual mission trip in June. Hugh had the privilege of speaking to the graduates (pictured above) in June 2008.

UBS is being defunded by the International Mission Board as they seek to turn over control of seminaries to the local associations. The seminary was founded in 1988. In 1998 there were 40 students. In 2008 there were 240 students who reported 11,542 decisions for Christ in their ministries during this past year. It cost about $400 per student per year to provide theological education through the seminary each year. (There are 3 levels of education at the seminary, with students attending classes for 3 weeks, 3 terms per year. All classes are taught in English, so pastors and lay leaders who do not read and write English must be taught in local Bible Schools where they are available).

UBS is dedicated to training Pastors and enabling them to grow in their Christian life and ministry. The students are accountable, not only in their studies, but in their ministries as they give reports on new converts, baptisms, church growth, new church plants, etc. UBS sees theological education as one of the main factors in the rise of Baptist churches and membership growth in Uganda. They take the commands of Mt. 28:19,20 to make disciples seriously as they train men and women in the necessary skills as they continue in the ministry to which God has called them. SBC missionaries first came to Uganda in the 60's. In 1978 the churches were shut down by Idi Amin. In 1988 there were 126 churches with 5,621 members. In 2008 there were 1100 churches with 63,109 members. Most (village) Baptist churches are grass thatched pole structures like the small mud hut homes of the people.

As elsewhere around the world, the Muslims are hard at work, even offering money for pastors to convert or for Muslim men to marry wives of other religions. Students at UBS come from 70 of the 78 districts in Uganda and several neighboring African nations. 60 of the students are from the Internally Displaced People camps along the Sudan border (where people were moved by the government from their homes to camps of 10s of thousands of people in an effort to stop the rebel forces from N. Uganda and the Sudan (led by Kony)).

There are many outside forces trying to stop the spread of the Gospel in Africa and Uganda and around the world. Evangelical Christianity is the only answer. As Believers in Jesus Christ and Followers of the Way, we must see the needs, offer resources and support, and heed the call of Jesus to go into all the world and be His witness and make disciples. Please pray for the leaders of UBS and those who make decisions for them. The field is indeed ripe for harvest. Pray that the Lord would send laborers into the fields.

I am reminded of that song, "My house is full, but my fields are empty. Who will go and work for me today? It seems my children all want to stay around my table. No one wants to work in my field. No one wants to work in my fields."

What a blessing it is to be called, or to go, or to pray, or to give. What's your heart? Is it,"Here am I, Lord. Send me." ? Or "Pray ye, the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth laborers"? Or " Give and it shall be given unto you "?. . . Answer His call. It will change your life.