Hope for Tanzania

Church Planting in Dar es Salaam

Stephen is the founding pastor of a number of churches in Dar and other African countries (The Oasis of Victory Faith ministry). A group of independent pastors in Dar have formed a network under the guidance of Stephen whose purpose is to encourage each other in their work, to pray and to share experience and spiritual gifting. Most of these pastors are very poor and relatively uneducated with a low level of Bible training. As their churches are not part of one of the large denominations they do not have access to Bible training schools and other support. At present the churches are generally small with some being based in largely Muslim areas. There is also an urgent need to evangelise and disciple the youth of Tanzania.

A plot of land has been purchased to the west of Dar to build a small Bible school with basic accommodation that pastors from Dar can attend to receive Bible training and mentoring. The pastors will receive training in the Bible, evangelism and church planting as well as in basic literacy and numeracy, vocational skills and entrepreneurship. Building of a simple church has already started (see photo). The immediate needs are for finances to build two classrooms for the Bible school (~£10,000 each) and a hostel (cost unknown). There is no water on site so there is also a need to buy a large 10,000 litre tank which can be filled from a tanker.

There are opportunities for Bible teachers to visit Dar to assist Stephen and the other trained pastors in the network. We are also keen to send Christian books, and particularly those of a reference type, to start a library at the college.

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