Last month I had the privilege of traveling to Kenya in West Africa with my good friend and colleague in ministry, Todd Johns.

We traveled to Nairobi, Kenya where we led a conference for urban pastors that are a part of the Africa Gospel Church.  More than 35 pastors gathered for this retreat that for much needed rest, teaching and encouragement.

Our goal was to deal with the practical challenges to ministry that these pastors face each day in their local churches. The pastors has been previously surveyed and the top three areas of concern for them were discipleship, preaching and leadership.

Todd taught on discipleship, specifically the three "phases" as he called them. He laid out strategies to think about how we can disciple people into a relationship with Christ through meeting people right where they are at in life (pre-conversion discipleship), and then encouraged them to disciple the existing church (re-awakening of the church) and for those who need to mature into the deeper walk with Christ (post conversion discipleship).

Todd shares his testimony in the slums

I taught on biblical leadership and shared some lessons on more effective preaching. The pastors responded positively to the teaching. 

We purchased notebooks for each of the them and they filled them with notes from the sessions. They have asked us to come back and teach more on these and other subjects. 

We are planning to add an area to our web site with a database of subjects that pastors around the world can link to and download free resources to assist them in evangelism, church planting and growth, preaching and discipleship.

 One of the exciting things for me about this trip is the relationship that Todd and I have. I had the opportunity to disciple Todd after he met the Lord in a church I pastored years ago. He is a spiritual son to me. I feel toward him like I imagine the Apostle Paul felt about Timothy.

I think the Kenyan pastors connected with the spiritual relationship that Todd and I had. Many shared with us that they were challenged to start mentoring young leaders because what they had saw in Todd's life. I have to confess, that felt really good.

Please pray for the ministry that began there and for the on-going ministry if the AGC in Kenya. I have been asked to go back to Kenya in November to speak to the whole denomination. There will be nearly 2,000 leaders at that event. I am humbled and overwhelmed! 

I am asking the Lord for provision to take my family with me since the event will be over Thanksgiving. That way our family can be together and experience what the Lord is doing in Kenya.

Thank you for reading!

God bless you!

Bert L. Jones

President & CEO