From Bible college student to Bible college Director

By Tim Allan |

Joseph now trains pastors of the future, with help from one of his old teachers in West Africa.

The joy and lasting value of Christian leadership training is epitomised by the long-term relationship between an SIM mission couple and a West African Bible college director.

The couple, Mary and Dietrich*, teach at a growing Bible college in the capital of the country they have served in for nearly four decades.

Pastor Joseph is now the director of the college, the very place where he was taught by Mary and Dietrich nearly 20 years ago.

Their history together is a model of the way Pastor Joseph would love to see church leaders trained in his country, where all too few have much formal theological education. His vision is to see Bible teachers from the Sahel equipping future leaders of the Sahel church in a sustainable way.

He said: “I was blessed to come here as a student, when it had only just opened and was one of the few, if not the only, French-speaking Bible college in the region.

“I always knew I wanted to teach Christian leaders, right from the very first moment I became a Christian, but I never expected to become director of this college.”

God placed exactly the same call on Mary’s heart when she was a theology student in America, in the 1970s and 1980s.

She and Dietrich moved to the country in 1987 and she started developing a resource centre for Christians, with books and media, while also doing some teaching. When the college opened officially, she and Dietrich were among the first teachers.

She said: “It’s such a joy to see former students going on to become leaders, and Joseph is definitely one of those. When the former director left, I knew he was the right man for the job. He was already teaching here and I was glad to see him become the director.”

Joseph, who is now studying for a PhD, took over in 2018 and immediately recognised the need to put the school on a better financial footing.

It is now supported by an SIM partner project, which Mary and Joseph developed together in 2020.  The project is also helping the school increase the capacity of its African teaching staff by sponsoring teachers for master’s and doctoral studies. 

There are now more than 20 students in a three-year programme, supported by 13 teachers. The curriculum covers all aspects of theology, including a detailed Bible overview, hermeneutics and homiletics.

The college is open equally to men and women. On the day I visited, one of the female students gave an impassioned sermon on Exodus 3, which drew praise from Joseph and others.

Many of the students rely on scholarships for funding and Pastor Joseph would love to see local churches offer more financial help. He is working hard to help the church see the true value of what the college provides. He has also established a coalition of Bible schools in his part of West Africa, including those teaching in Hausa and Fulfulde, in the hope they can collaborate more effectively.

Joseph’s own faith journey is a testament to the power of God, working through those who have been theologically trained.

He was raised as a Muslim but his older brother, who had become a Christian through the work of SIM mission workers, challenged him on his faith. As soon as that process began, when he was 18, he very swiftly committed his life to Christ.

He said: “Almost as soon as my journey started, I read the whole Bible and then began teaching people in my class, even though they were already Christians! My classmates called me ‘Pastor’ even then.”

His wife, Annah*, comes from a family who became Christians through the work of SIM mission workers.

The challenges for the college are many and varied. There is the obvious financial challenge. In a low-resource environment, making ends meet is never easy and the college relies on significant financial aid from overseas. Very few of their students are able to pay what their tuition costs.

In such an environment, it is hard for the church to prioritise theological education, while there are also political and geographic challenges. 

Despite the challenges, Mary and Dietrich are encouraged to see the college producing well-trained graduates.

Mary said, “We are thankful that the college is in good hands and that, despite the problems affecting this region, they are looking to the future with hope. It is a joy to see leaders being trained well and equipped for service.”

*Names changed

Prayer:

• Pray for Pastor Joseph and the Bible college team as they train future church leaders in a region where theological education is rare. Ask God to raise up more local teachers through the partner project.
• Pray for sustainable support for the college, including local church engagement and financial provision for students. Ask God to stir hearts to invest in Christian leadership training.