This past Easter, over 16,000 people gathered across 142 churches in Toliara, Madagascar. However, three-quarters of those churches didn't have a trained pastor to preach. The Scriptures remind us how important it is to ensure the gospel is passed on truthfully. Hebrews 2 begins, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”
This is a real danger in some developing countries, where the gospel is growing most rapidly.
Rev Berthier Lainirina, Principal of St Patrick’s Theological College in Madagascar, shared the incredible story of church growth in his home country when he visited Australia last September. He exclaimed, “Over 2000 new believers were baptised in one week!"
His country is one of the poorest in the world, with political instability and limited access to education and medical care. When a terrible drought hit the southern region in 2020-21, many families starved to death. "The government couldn’t do anything. As a church, we said, ‘we need to do something!’" said Berthier.
Berthier reached out to me for help, and through the generosity of Anglican Aid supporters, we sent funds to enable local churches in Madagascar to distribute food. But the story didn't finish there! By demonstrating the love of Jesus through practical care, thousands came to Christ and joined the church. Forty new churches were planted in Toliara in six months!
This rapid growth means there’s an urgent need for biblically faithful church leaders who are equipped to disciple new Christians, so their faith will be built on solid ground.
TRAINING CHURCH LEADERS IN MADAGASCAR
Berthier explained that while serving in the context of poverty, he sees many Christians tempted to fill their needs in ungodly ways. Some of the biggest ministry challenges are the deception of the prosperity gospel, and the temptation of syncretism (when people consult diviners and witch doctors for health concerns). Church leaders must be able to articulate the truth of the gospel clearly, to steer new followers of Jesus away from these practices. Berthier knows that pastors and ministry leaders must be equipped with a strong foundation grounded firmly in the Word – and he is spreading this message across the six dioceses of Madagascar.
One student, Rakoto Vincent, was supported through Anglican Aid to study at St Patrick’s and graduated with a Certificate of Theology. He told us: “Doctrine is the subject that I understand well because it is the base of Christian teaching. I'm able to discern false teaching to protect my faith. My Bible understanding is growing. It helps me to prepare sermons.”
IN AFRICA AND BEYOND
With the help of Anglican Aid, people from all over Madagascar are being trained to be faithful pastors, Sunday school leaders, youth leaders, and more. And this story is being replicated across many countries in Africa and beyond. Anglican Aid is partnering with church leaders in South Sudan, Tanzania, DR Congo, and Seychelles to equip them to teach the Bible well.
The impact of this training cannot be understated. Archbishop Justin Badi, in conflict-torn South Sudan, told me recently, “We talk of violence, we talk of wars… it is a symptom and demonstration of how shallow the gospel is in the hearts and minds of our people. So, my priority will actually be making and teaching disciples to disarm hearts and minds from violence and hatred.” Badi believes in the transformative power of the gospel to end the hatred fuelled war in his country.
In Seychelles, Diploma of Theology graduate Jude Marie told us of the profound impact his training will have on youths, who are frequently ensnared by the drug trade route running through his country. "On a physical level, the government is taking care of this, but on a spiritual level, we're going to be there when the people say, ‘OK, I'm going to drop the heroin, what do I do next?’ You've sown a seed in me, if I can sew a similar seed in another person's life, that will replicate. God multiplies.”
Bishop Stanley Hotay in Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, told us that they’ve planted over 465 new churches, and asked for our help. “We need help to support the education and the sound knowledge of the Bible to our students and many pastors and evangelists.”
Too many people in places like Mt Kilimanjaro have to go to a church where the pastor hasn't received any training and doesn’t know how to teach the Bible to their congregation. If we can invest in giving them good Bible training for two or three years at a local Bible college, they will be prepared to share and defend the gospel in their communities for a lifetime.
Canon Tim Swan is the CEO of Anglican Aid.