Two new churches are born

Planting and Nurturing Enduring Churches. Who’s ever heard of, let alone taken, let alone successfully completed, a course with a title like that? Two students taking part in More than a Mile Deep* training in Zimbabwe took this course and not only successfully completed it, but actually planted two churches in the process.

One of the new churches is Dorset Church.

One of the MMD students/church planters wrote of the experience: “We had always thought that the Great Commission was for the [foreign Christians] who visited our countries to plant churches and preach the gospel. The MMD course Planting and Nurturing Enduring Churches taught us that Christians could plant a church using the MMD guidelines. We followed the guidelines of first visiting the area, finding its history and the places of idol worship, and praying around them. We were guided to approach the leadership of the area and inform them of our intended planting of the church. In the process of engaging the leadership of the area, we were able to minister to them on a personal basis. In the first church we planted, we ministered to the Counselor [DC1] [LL2] of the area and she accepted Christ and has been very supportive of our work up to now.”

One of the Dorset village leaders testified: “The community has been greatly impacted as the church is sending a number of disadvantaged children to school. There were many dropouts in the area due to poor families failing to educate their children. The church has also made school uniforms for children in child-headed families [teenagers raising younger siblings] and orphaned children.”

The Dorset village chief commented: “This church has impacted the community and though I did not initially believe in Christ, I am ready to give my life to the Lord because the gospel they preach is real and I can attest to that. We will allow them to build a church building and any projects that bring development.”

Two new churches. School children and local families receiving tangible aid. A chief giving his life to Christ. Local believers realizing the Great Commission applies to them and discovering how God will use them in their own communities. Eternal results.

A beautiful picture of Entrust’s calling to multiply leaders for multiplying churches.

*More than a Mile Deep, one of Entrust’s leadership training partners in Africa, is a locally directed training program using biblical curriculum designed and written by Africans for use in uniquely African contexts.