09/28/25 GBTF This Week
Today, Bruce begins the long trip to Zambia to train 120 pastors and GBTF Trainers. Most of our African leadership team will be in Zambia to participate in this training. Look for updates and pictures later this week.
This past week, we had graduation in Ethiopia. A large group of pastors and church leaders have completed all 14 theological courses [we have now added a bonus 15th class with two more to come in the next year]. As we have often shared, graduation is a huge milestone for many reasons. Most, if not all, of these graduates had no access to college/seminary level education, especially Biblical theological training. Most, if not all, have never experienced ANY graduation ceremony in their lives. Global Baptist Training Foundation donors provide this training at no cost to the students, and we make the graduation an event that brings out many family, friends, and community leaders.
A second important reason this is so important is that now we have more and more pastors, church planters, even children’s teachers who will no longer be pulled by the wide range of false doctrine that permeates African (and American) culture! Finally, each graduating class yields several new church planters and GBTF trainers. The multiplication continues!
To these students: Congratulations on your dedication and hard work!! Thanks also to Fidele Shinga, GBTF Africa Director, and Naboth Atusasire, GBTF East Africa Director, for their leadership, teaching, and sacrifice. Naboth left his busy post in Uganda, including distribution of truckloads of food provided by GBTF donors for those suffering food insecurity due to an ongoing famine, to celebrate with these Ethiopian graduates who are in his region of directorship. Fidele, who is all over the continent of Africa, actually suffered food poisoning while in Ethiopia. He had to go to a clinic for tests and medication, but, as usual, Fidele continued to teach all but one day! Fidele and Naboth are in the front, center of the group photographs.
We also had classes in Eastern Rwanda this past week. Rwanda is seeing a growing number of classes throughout the entire nation. Hundreds are attending these classes, and we have many new church plants started by these GBTF-trained pastors and many new GBTF trainers. We are looking forward to taking a team to this area next July to work with the church plants, pastors, and trainers.
And Ntare Rodgers, GBTF African IT Director, continues to travel the continent of Africa. He delivers smart phones, provided by GBTF, to Trainers, pastors, and church planters. Ntare then trains all the participants in the use of the phones and the GBTF App that binds this network of over 2,000 together.
VIDEOS:
Ethiopia Graduation September 2025
Eastern Rwanda Class September 2025
Your donations make all of this possible. Visit www.globaltrain.org. You can read past updates from each country and donate safely.
Blessings,
Bruce and Grace Snavely
Global Baptist Training Foundation