The African Call

By Danny Bullock, Pastor • Antioch West, Magnolia

By now, many of you pastors and churches have read the challenge from Johnmichael Poulin to heed the call from African pastors to come to help them learn and better understand the Word of God. Allow me to share my experience in Tanzania over the past nine years as an encouragement for you to accept this challenge and link hands with these men in Africa.

In 2014, Mike Goodwin, president of EIM (Evangelistic International Ministries), took me with him to Tanzania on an assessment trip to see if there indeed was a legitimate need to begin a teaching ministry in that country similar to what Johnmichael is now proposing to be done in other areas. After meeting most of the 22 Baptist pastors who had sent an appeal to EIM, Mike promised them we would bring teams of three to four pastors three times annually for three and a half years. He tasked me with executing that plan. God brought together close to 20 different men from 4 states to teach biblical, theological and practical courses. Leaders from BMA Seminary, Central Baptist College, BMA Global, LifeWord and multiple churches went there to teach.

Was all the money spent and all the time invested worth it? We think so. The original 22 churches and pastors have now multiplied to almost 50. The pastors took our outlines and lessons back to their churches, taught those subjects to their congregations and used them to disciple young preachers who are now planting more churches.

If you are wavering about whether or not to have your church join this endeavor, allow me to share what a blessing this has been to me. Pastors, I believe you will benefit from doing this more than you realize. You will certainly benefit those you teach, but remember that the one who studies to teach and preach always learns more than those who listen.

I cannot fully explain how much better I understand the Bible today than when we began in 2014. Feeling the weight of the responsibility of teaching pastors who would then, in turn, teach hundreds of others led me to study harder than I probably ever had before. I did not want to teach anything incorrectly and have that error be repeated. Consequently, I grew in my own knowledge and comprehension. Because of that, not only did I benefit, but those who sat under my teaching and preaching over the past nine years have also told me they have benefited.

One final blessing will be experienced by those who accept Johnmichael’s challenge. Your time in Africa will probably result in your ministry having a far wider scope of influence than you have here in America. Few pastors influence more than 10 congregations in their lifetime of ministry. Those who go to Africa and spend three years teaching 20-30 pastors who will duplicate that many times over can eventually leave a legacy of influence over hundreds of congregations and thousands of people.

I hope you will join other pastors and churches in helping BMA Global impact the African continent. If you wish to speak with me directly, please contact me at danbull0550@gmail.com or (870) 904-5032.

Executive Editor’s Note: The referenced article by Johnmichael Poulin can be found in the Oct. 18 issue of the Baptist Trumpet or online at baptisttrumpet.com/2023/10/17/we-need-your-help.