12/03/25 Kenya and South Sudan

By Bruce Snavely | December 17, 2025

At almost any given time, Global Baptist Training Foundation theological training classes are ongoing in countries across the continent of Africa! The class pictured here was in Kenya and ended about a week ago. Among this group is almost undoubtedly one or two future trainers. Trainers are those who have completed the GBTF curriculum and graduated, have evidenced a deep understanding of the theological material and concepts, have shown themselves as excellent communicators, have expressed a sincere desire to train others, and have competed required trainer training. This class was taught by Trainer Jackson! We do not ever want to lose the vision of why GBTF exists: to train nationals to train nationals!

A few months ago, we highlighted baptisms in churches in our GBTF network. As you may remember, South Sudan was unable to baptize due to the lack of any water! Drinking water has been scarce. We previously showed pictures of baptisms in mud puddles, but at this time, there have not even been mud puddles. Finally, some rain has come. One village agreed to allow three of our local churches to use their water reservoir for a fee. The three churches agreed. but the local church in this village decided not to participate because this reservoir is actually their source of drinking water!!

In spite of that, 83 were baptized and added to the other two churches! Pray for South Sudan. Pray for our GBTF trainers. Pray for our GBTF-trained church planters who have woefully limited resources. GBTF donors and partners have built buildings, dug wells, supplied chairs, purchased Bibles, and even given to buy pallets of clothing for these refugees from war-torn Sudan. It is not a safe country. Consider this news item from today! Mambo Samuel, our GBTF South Sudan Country Coordinator, is a hard-working and self-sacrificing servant of the Lord. We are SO thankful do him.

These are just two of the thirty nations where GBTF is actively training and equipping the nationals to train other nationals, to start new churches, and to baptize and disciple the tens of thousands who are coming to faith in Christ! Visit www.globaltrain.org to join us in this great mission!

Finally, Bruce’s new book, The Voices of Nationals, is available. This book allows nationals to tell their stories while underscoring the Biblical pattern of training nationals.