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INQUIRY

March 2008

Have you planned a trip to a new place recently?

Developing a new ministry from the ground up has some similarities to planning a trip to a place that you have never been before. Where will we go? What will it be like? What should I bring with? These very same questions have been a part of the Ambassador Institute development.

The Ambassador Institute started as a directive from the Lord in the spring of 2006. As my family traveled many places telling people about our time in Africa, the Lord continued to remind me of the needs that remained back in Africa. That prompting became a proposal and then a call from World Missions in August of 2006. The Distance Education Board was formed in January of 2007 and I started last August.

In the beginning it seemed that providing training over the internet would allow us to offer courses world wide right from an office in Minneapolis. It quickly became obvious that the type of course and the style of teaching varies greatly from place to place. What makes sense to one area does not connect with another one, so the approach needed to change. The languages, the cultural differences and the types of student all needed to be considered in the development of an approach to education. However, the Lord was the one that was leading the way for this school and this program to begin.

“Where will we go?”

The need for training around the world has been great and the invitation to several countries had been received. It was decided to start in Uganda because English is their national language, Nate and Rhoda Jore have been there for a year and there were already five pastors to work with as teachers.

“What will it be like?”

Our perception of training usually includes a classroom, books and lectures. In Uganda the classroom might be in a home or outside under a tree. Africa is primarily an oral culture. They have used “story telling” as a means to pass on information, history or training, and they are very good at it.

In an example class, we told a story from the Bible to use as a teaching tool. Immediately after the story was told the students were asked if they could retell the story in their own words. A student stood up and retold the story word for word.

“What should I bring along?”

On my past trip to Uganda, in February, I brought many books and resources that I thought might be helpful. In fact one suitcase was full of materials and resources. When it came to the actual preparation of the example classes none of those materials were actually used. They just began with the Bible. The books and resources will be used later on to supplement their study and class preparation, but even without them, they are ready to begin.

Right now, Nate is meeting weekly with the pastors in Uganda and they are preparing the courses that they will begin to teach. They have six semesters of courses that will make up the first level of training. The hope is to follow the Ugandan school calendar and cover all of these courses in two years.

It is exciting to visit new places and there can be anxious moments when things are new and different. On this trip of developing training, the Lord has brought it all together and His Word promises that He will carry it to completion as well.