The Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology (EGST) is the only graduate level theological school in a country of over 72 million people. Located in Addis Ababa, EGST was established in 1998 by a consortium of Ethiopian evangelical churches, including SIM's partner church, the Kale Heywet Church. The school provides training for a wide variety of ministries, with programs designed to develop students in teaching, pastoral ministry, leadership, and HIV/AIDS ministries.

	The cornerstone was laid at a special thanksgiving service in February 2007

After its beginnings in a borrowed office, with classroom and library space spread out in three locations, EGST purchased a small house on a 3,000 square meter plot of land near the city center. . Enrollment has quickly grown to 125 students, but the school has struggled with adequate space. Additionally, it has not been able to generate enough income from tuition to develop a core Ethiopian faculty.

The EGST Campus Development Project will help alleviate these struggles. Two buildings will be constructed to house:

• a library,
• computer lab,
• administrative and faculty offices,
• classrooms,
• seminar rooms,
• two flats for visiting faculty, and
• rentable office space to generate operating revenue.

The Phase 1 building is now completed and was dedicated in August 2009. Phase 2 construction will commence in late 2009, and with adequate funding should be completed in late 2011.

Pray

• for Dr. Desta Heliso as he takes up his role as the EGST Director in January 2008. Desta is the first Ethiopian from SIM’s partner ever to earn a theological PhD.
• for the role of EGST in fostering unity among the Evangelical churches as EGST students come from across the spectrum of Evangelical denominations.
• that EGST will accomplish its mission to train godly men and women to equip the churches of Ethiopia for maturity, ministry and mission.

Give

Your gifts will help lay the foundation for the future of EGST. Give online

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