Bringing the Bible to life.

Changing lives.

What we do

Teach the Bible to Rural Pastors

We provide local community based Bible Schools for people who are already pastors in rural churches. The school runs for one week per month over three years.

Improve Rural Pastors Farming

We provide hands on practical training and advice in crop production and livestock rearing for rural pastors who are enrolled in our bible school .

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Why ART exists

Christianity Is Moving South

There are over 500m Christians in Sub Saharan Africa.

By 2020 it is estimated that 64.7% of the global Christian population will live in Africa.

One hundred years ago 80% lived in the Northern Hemisphere.

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800,000 Pastors Are Untrained

The majority of churches in rural areas, especially those outside the mainstream denominations, are lead by men who have only a rudimentary understanding of God’s word.

It is perhaps for this reason that Christianity in Africa is said to be “more than a mile wide but only an inch deep”.

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Rural Pastors Are Poor

Rural Pastors have neither the necessary qualifications for urban bible college admission nor the finance to pay for it.

In addition they are already pastors of churches and have to work their land to survive since rural churches are typically not able to support their pastor financially.

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Progress to date

300 Pastors Trained in 11 Centres in Kenya

ART began training rural pastors in 2009 and the first group of 123 pastors graduated in 2013 from three centres in Nyanza Province, Rift Valley and the Coast Region. In April 2017 a further 180 pastors graduated from 8 centres in Nyanza, Western and Coast regions.

Previously these pastors had little knowledge of the bible, no understanding of how to preach or care for their flock. Pastor Bernard from Rift Valley who graduated in 2013 says

“now we have been transformed in our hearts and our minds and in the way of doing things”.

Reaching more pastors

ART encouraged students from the group that graduated in 2013 to help train others. A total of 7 volunteered to train other groups local to them. They have proven to be faithful and able men as they helped train the most recent graduates in 8 centres across Kenya. Others are now volunteering to help train other pastors, thus enabling more pastors to be reached.

The principle behind Paul’s charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2 is a key part of ART’s strategy.

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others”.

Ten's of thousands of Lives Impacted in the rural Churches

The impact of these pastors on their churches and communities is huge. Since their training many have seen their churches grow.

Previously they had little of no knowledge of the bible, no understanding of how to preach or care for their flock. This has now changed and youth and children’s work has also become an important part of their ministry.

As a member of a church in the Rift Valley put it:

“our pastor has really grown and changed over the last few years”

Vision 2030

0 Pastors

Help ART to train these Pastors

across the African Continent

by 2030

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Lives Transformed

This is God’s grace…our knowledge was very low.
Many a time we’ve preached what is contrary to the true meaning of scripture.

Pastor Joseph Mwamodo, Kasigau, Coast Region

I have now learnt that there is a lot of nonsense going on in our churches.
Now I have a chance to rectify that nonsense by being a good preacher.

Pastor Vincent, Mumias, Western Region, Kenya

Our pastor has really grown and changed over the last few years.
Member of pastor Maura’s church

Church member, Rift Valley, Kenya

We thought we knew what we were doing.
We’ve realised we knew nothing.

Pastor Joseph Mwamodo, Kasigau, Coast Region

The course Spiritual Growth… has moved me closer to God. I have known God more deeply.
I thank the sponsors, the director and the teacher.

Cornelius Mzungu, Pastor Kasigau cohort

Africa Rural Trainers are a miracle to me. I had desired to study but had financial constraints.
To God be the glory.

Joseph Mnyaka, Pastor, Kasigau cohort

I’ve been a preacher for the last twenty-five years but the quality of my sermons has been wanting.
I’ve been enlightened spiritually, academically and morally.

William Thoya, Pastor and Chief, Kaloleni

“It taught the value of understanding historical and textual contexts of a text.. How could we have known how to interpret a text by discerning whether the language used is literal or figurative?”

Jonathan Mwangeje, Pastor , Kasigau cohort

Watch Interviews With Pastors

Preaching Transformed

Before joining ART Pastor Kenneth Chomba admits that his sermons had no structure and would often be made up in the pulpit!

Pastor Kenneth explains how ART has changed his understanding of the Bible and his preaching.

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Pastors United

Pastor Enoch explains how pastors from different churches and denominations became united through learning the Bible together and realising that there were no barriers because they were one in Christ.

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Family Life Changed

Pastor Stephen comes from a tribe where men do not normally eat with their family. He and his wife and daughters explain how ART’s course on the Pastor and his family completely changed his approach to his relationships in the family.

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FGM abandoned

Bishop Stephen explains that in the Kisi tribe female genital mutilation FGM is still practiced even though it’s against the law. This short series of interviews illustrates how widespread the practice is and it’s cultural origins. Testimony is given as to how the word of God changed one of ART’s training cohorts views on FGM.

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Victims of Post Election Violence Reconciled

Pastor Bernard was a victim of the 2008 Post Election Violence (PEV) in Kenya. He tells us of his experience and how many Christians were caught up in the violence because of cultural pressure. He explains how ART has changed his life and brought him to a place of being reconciled.

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Where we train

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Kenya – current country location – click to see all centres

Vision 2030 planned locations – hover to see detail

Meet the Team

Anthony Wainaina NjugunaHead of Training

Anthony heads up the training programme for ART. Anthony, Edwinah, Aicken and Adiel are based in Nakuru. He has been a pastor for a number of years and recently completed an MA in Christian Education at Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology. Anthony is responsible fort the overall operations of ART in Kenya with pastoral oversight of the team. He is also particularly involved in the curriculum development and in evaluating pastors training.

Benson OdengeTrainer Western Province

Benson lives in Mumias and trains a group of pastors there as well as overseeing the training of other centers in the Nyanza Province, together with some of the pastors who have graduated from ART. He has a Masters in divinity from a US Bible Seminary. His passion is to empower church leaders to fulfill the great commission by establishing them in sound doctrine and sensitizing them to engage in productive enterprises in order to avoid financial handicaps that may impede their ministry.

Tom Kalume Trainer Coast Region

Tom’s passion in ART is to equip, shape and produce excellent pastors who can equip the church with the word and release them to the nations to make a difference. In ART we believe in non-residential local theological schools that bring the Bible to life. Visit Tom’s blog and see what God is doing in rural towns with ART.

Judy Luhombo Course Developer

Judy is a graduate and post graduate from Wales Evangelical School of Theology in the UK and administered their Distance Learning Programme for number of years. Judy has also worked with the Middle East Reformed Fellowship and their centre in Lokichogio. She has a passion for equipping rural pastors and understands the need to produce material that is at an appropriate level for these pastors.

Meet the Trustees