Leadership Pyramid: Bible Teaching at Mulitiple Levels

Kakuma Camp Bible School

The Leadership Pyramid: Why We Support Bible Teaching on Multiple Levels

 This picture is of the signboard located just by the gate of the Bible school center we built in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in 2018.  We used money raised during my "Hiking to Help Refugees" campaign.  The center includes two dorms, classrooms, a small house for teachers, a kitchen and of course toilets and shower stalls.  Because of the generosity of our donors, we were also able to supply a solar system and build a baptistry.  I will attend the graduation of the school's first class on August 31.

The bulk of what we do has what I call the "common man approach."  This implies that before one begins ministry among a particular people group, one has to study their culture and way of life.  One big factor which will determine how you go about making disciples among the people is that of literacy.  If it is determined that the "common man," or average person, lacks sufficient literacy skills to read the Bible or other literature then an adjustment must be made as to how you will go about doing evangelism and Bible training.

We have for years worked with people groups having a very high illiteracy rate.  This factor forced Calvary Road Ministry, in conjunction with the Maasai Team of Kenya, to develop what are called "Story Cloths."  They can be viewed at www.calvaryroadministries.com. 

Now to relate this to what I call the leadership pyramid.   A pyramid is obviously held up by its base.  If the base is not wide and strong enough then the whole structure will topple over.  In the same manner, if one is to be used of the Lord to initiate and grow a movement among an unreached people, the strategies employed must meet the needs of the "common man."  Thus we use the chronological Bible storying method when teaching church leaders, and we supply scripture resources in digital format which can be listened to or watched, as in the case of the Jesus Film and other Gospel films.  Using such strategies enables people who have never, and may never, attend school become effective evangelists and disciple makers.

However, in every society there will be a certain percentage of the population which is literate.  To move those folks up the leadership pyramid, we help start and support local Bible schools.  Then a certain percentage of those who complete the Bible school will qualify for a seminary education.  Those who graduate from a Bible school or seminary will be the most likely to start similar schools back home, once their days as refugees are over.  They will be the folks who can read, teach and preach the text of the Bible in their churches.

If you visit CRM's website check out the "donate" button and give so that we can continue to sponsor students at the Uganda Baptist Seminary, or in a local Bible school.  Even more importantly, you will thereby enable us to supply more materials to the "common man" who forms that very important base, without which the "structure" cannot exist.