“There is a big need for this sort of training in Kenya,” says Stephen Mbogo, head of African Evangelistic Enterprise – Kenya, of the Moore College External Studies course ‘Creation to New Creation’, which was recently taught in Nairobi.

“Christianity in Kenya has been described as one mile long and one inch deep. One reason for this is because much of the preaching has been done by people with little theological training.” Stephen saw this course as a good way to provide some theological basis for the work of many untrained African pastors and Christian workers – both full-time and lay.

Stephen Liggins, a Moore College graduate of 2002, was invited to East Africa by African Evangelistic Enterprise to teach Creation to New Creation course (also known as Introduction to the Bible). Mr Liggins taught the course to 23 students in Nairobi in March and to 28 students in Kampala, Uganda in April.

Students were both male and female and ranged in ages from about 15 to 60.

Many were untrained pastors and full-time Christian workers. Others were lay leaders and congregational members. Participants came from the mainline denominations (both evangelical and Pentecostal) as well as from a number of African independent churches.

“The course was very educational,” said Shitemi Stephen Misigo, 19, and currently on a one-year full- time traineeship with African Enterprise in Kenya.

“It helped me to go through the Bible in two weeks. I now have more knowledge of the Bible. A lot of my [sermons] have been effected by what I have learned.”

Pastor Nicholas Munyi Njeru was equally enthusiastic. “It provides a basis of Bible study and helps and gives the students a bird’s eye view of the Bible.”

Rosemary Mbogo added that the teaching material is a great resource.

“I wish every Christian and non-Christian would take the course. It should be made available to many more people,” she said.

Stephen Liggins said he enjoyed teaching the course. “For a start it’s great meeting Christians from other countries. The Christians in both Nairobi and Kampala were very welcoming. I really appreciated the opportunity to teach the course and found meeting the students both encouraging and enjoyable.

“Teaching courses such as this seems to be very strategic,” Stephen added.

“There are many people here involved in very significant ministries, who have not had much, if any, formal theological education. By teaching them some biblical theology, the impact should be very wide-reaching.”

At the end of each course Stephen urged students to remember 2 Timothy 2:15 – the need to work hard to correctly handle the word of truth.

African Enterprise is an interdenominational organisation involved in evangelism, training, reconciliation, and development across Africa. They have an office in Sydney.