Pastoral Training

Embi pastors class

Benji with the Poroma pastors

Warming up by the fire before class

This year Christian Union Bible College launched a new ministry, the satellite program of Pastoral Training.  This program is designed specifically to meet the immediate need of the Christian Union Church.  Of the 114 pastors that are a part of CUC, only 14 of them have a Bible college education.  Many of these 100 pastors have not been to school past the 3rd grade.  Some of them don't even know how to read and write.  Most of them preach to their congregations from sermons that they have heard others preach before. 

Many of these pastors are married and have kids which makes it very hard for them to attend Bible college.  So CUBC started this new program of Pastoral Training.  CUBC is carrying the classes out to the pastors.  Classes are being taught in Embi, Montanda, Poroma, Kar, and Waralai.  Classes are all day for one week at a time, but only once every 6 weeks.  This gives the pastors the opportunity to receive a vital education, while still pastoring their church and taking care of their families.

Some of the classes that have been taught this year are: Bible Study Methods, Cults & Animism, an overview of the Bible, Theology, and Holiness.  One of the pastors, Joshua, said:  "I grew up Catholic.  I only recently have been a part of this church.  I have always struggled to prepare sermons, because I didn't really know anything about what we believe or what the Bible says.  I have learned so much in this class."