Grace News is Anglican Aid’s quarterly newsletter, through which we share encouragement and updates from our project partners.

I’ve just returned from the New Wineskins Anglican Global Missions Conference in the US. It was a joy to gather with mission-minded Anglicans from all around the world to talk, think, and pray about this year’s theme: Hope for the Nations. 

I gave a seminar entitled ‘Why hope for the nations flows from quality theological education’. We read in Ephesians 4:11-13, that Christ gave the apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip his people for works of service, so the body of Christ would be built up into full maturity. It is word-based ministries that bring maturity, enabling God’s people to stand firm against false teaching, speak the truth in love, turn from stealing, work so they can share with people in need, and be kind, compassionate, and forgiving (Ephesians 4:15, 25-32).

Training for ministry at Munguishi Bible College, Tanzania

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13

Anglican Aid’s Theological Education Program Manager Judith Calf (second from left) met students at Bunda Bible College, Tanzania

So why is theological education a priority for the world’s poorest nations when they have so many other unmet needs?

Consider South Sudan where 77% of people live on less than $3 a day. This nation of 15 million is one of the world’s poorest. Corruption is rife. Leaders seize power using lethal force and witchcraft. Tribes battle over land and grazing rights. Prosperity preachers lead people astray, sending them into financial and spiritual ruin.

Poverty relief work can go some to way to bring hope for this nation, but all this evil, which both causes and exacerbates poverty, springs from sinful hearts. Effective poverty relief must be accompanied by the change that comes from the faithful teaching of the word of God. And faithful teaching requires theological education. There are 3.5 million Anglicans in South Sudan but with 60% of leaders untrained, the church there is ill-equipped to grow God’s people in maturity so they can bring hope, both in relief from poverty now, and for life everlasting in the world to come.

This is why in South Sudan and beyond, Anglican Aid invests heavily in theological education along with our aid and development programs. Last year, with your help we supported the training of over 750 pastors in countries including South Sudan, DR Congo, Madagascar, and Tanzania. Thank you for your partnership in this! We pray that as they go on to teach and lead churches, their people will grow in maturity and love for their neighbours, bringing deep and lasting hope for the world’s poorest nations.

Tim Swan

CEO, Anglican Aid