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

This week in Tanzania, 120 students from 18 dioceses are travelling to continue their pastor training at Bunda, Munguishi, and Lake Tanganyika Bible colleges. For some, this is a two-day, 1,000-kilometre journey by bus and on foot. I am so encouraged by these faithful brothers and sisters who are working hard, often with few resources, to strengthen God’s growing church in Tanzania. 

It is a joy for me to see this story replicated in many parts of the world. Anglican Aid is supporting the training of pastors and equipping of Christian leaders for 25 countries, including some of the world’s poorest like DR Congo, Madagascar, and South Sudan. 

This is vital work, because trained pastors and leaders lay solid foundations for strong, gospel-grounded churches, and in many developing countries, the church is also transforming communities through health, education, and other projects. 

Anglican Aid is supporting Bible training of pastors and church leaders for 25 countries

“In this province there are 500 churches, and the churches run 256 schools and 30 hospitals!”

Tim joins in community consultation in PNG

New partnerships in PNG

In Papua New Guinea (PNG) the church is engaged in this kind of work. I first visited PNG on a short-term mission trip when I was 21. What struck me then was learning that most clergy had precious little education, let alone theological education. Sadly, this is still largely the case.

Anglican Aid is developing a new partnership to train pastors in PNG through online and in-person theological education, working together with three denominations in the Milne Bay Province: Anglican, United (former Methodist) and Kwato (Congregational). In this province there are 500 churches, and the churches run 256 schools and 30 hospitals! 

Already, Anglican Aid has supported the adoption of Moore College’s Preliminary Theological Certificate (PTC) course in PNG, and future lecturers through Bachelor and Masters courses. In December, I visited potential sites to build a residential Bible college. Currently we are renovating a small college in Alotau, where short courses will be held while we develop the larger facility. We are also partnering with Restore Mission to equip a 20-metre schooner as a much-needed supply ship to support remote villages where the churches run schools and health clinics. 

Our prayer is that this partnership will be a major investment by Anglican Aid, together with supporters like you, in the future of the PNG church. I invite you to join in this work by praying as these exciting projects develop!

Tim Swan

CEO, Anglican Aid