Missions 101

The vision of Training Leaders International -- bringing together Christian pastors who have enjoyed the privileges of training with Christian pastors in cultures where there are few opportunities for training -- is proving fruitful and encouraging. It brings biblical and theological content to the people best positioned to pass it on to others. Most forms of short-term mission are fraught with troubling downsides, but this pattern of transferring serious theological nourishment is enriching both parties to the glory of God.

------D.A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

I love the goal of international, Christ-exalting, theological famine relief. And I love the way God has raised up Training Leaders International to meet that need with real live,

Spirit-filled, human teachers, on the ground, face-to-face with seasoned and emerging pastors and Christian leaders who have little or no opportunity for in-depth theological training. So I thank God for Darren Carlson, and the amazing ministry God is gathering around his vision. May the word of the Lord run and be glorified! 

-----John Piper, Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church

Church leaders in the developing world are longing to receive in-depth theological training but are most often hindered by lack of opportunity. TLI strategically leverages the advantages of the western church and training institutions by sending teachers with a passion to spread the supremacy of God and with humble hearts to serve these pastors who long to receive sound bible-based training. We are so grateful for their partnership with ARCC as we are together raising up a new generation of leaders thoroughly equipped to spread the gospel throughout Africa and beyond!

-----Jeff Atherstone, Principal of African Renewal Christian College

It's 2 AM and I'm wide awake... usually a good sign that the day didn't go as planned.

Long story short... nothing happened.

The squatters argued that they were not served a notice to appear, which is a bit funny because their lawyer was in court on time and they were all standing outside of the courthouse (so how is it that they didn't know to appear in court - seems fishy to me)... so now the seller of the land has to provide a legal document (insert a technical name that I can't remember here) which states that he really did serve them notice.

Due to this technicality the judge delayed the hearing until April 3.

But here is where the whole issue of integrity comes in. We could have had the whole thing taken care of today for just under $1,000 (remember this is a $100,000 land purchase so we are talking less than 1%). All we had to do was pay the judge and our case would have been heard.

I believe this is where the Western influence (or let's get more personal and say missionary influence) has added to the corruption in Uganda.

To a westerner "time is money" so it has become common practice to "pay" (insert "bribe") to speed up service. This happens with missionaries getting work visas at the Ministry of Immigration. It happens for missionaries seeking to register their NGOs (Christian organizations). It happens for missionaries who pay to get out of traffic tickets so they don't have to stand in long lines at the bank to pay the real tickets. It happens with couples who want to speed up their adoptions. The list goes on and on.

I'm not saying that all missionaries do this, but it is also more common than it should be among this crowd.

Our cultural (not biblical)  impatience has created a system that encourages corruption.

Part of me wonders if "being slow" has become the most profitable business practice in the developing world?

So today the squatters took a calculated risk and delayed the process. Now all eyes are back on us, the school with a mizungu (white) director. Will he bribe the court? Or better yet, will he pay us (the squatters) to stop fighting this case in court?

So here is the updated prayer list:

1) Pray that the judge, seller and squatters all show up in court on April 3 with all the legal documents filed correctly 
2) Pray that the judge grants us favor and makes his decision on the evidence
3) Pray that the squatters don't pay to win
4) Pray that the judge acts on his decision in our favor and sends his bailiffs to clear the squatters off the land
5) Pray that the squatters don't retaliate against the school or my family
6) Pray that the testimony of this purchase inspires our staff, students and everyone else involved to seek God's favor rather than paying for man's favor 

For three days we are featuring posts from Jeff Atherstone and his experience two years ago trying to negotiate land for what is now African Renewal University.

It's the halfway point... just over a week since being asked for the bribe to settle the land dispute and a week left until the trial.

A number of you have been praying with us and are curious about how things are going.

It's been quiet, really quiet. This is normal and if I keep calling the lawyers, seller, judge or anyone else involved I will look like the worried mizungu. Then they will get confident that I will cave in and pay the bribe, so it is true that Philippians 4:6 really works (be anxious for nothing) even for handling corruption.

But I did check in with our lawyers today and received some great news. The seller and judge are showing up to court on March 6 and they are both aware that we will not pay a bribe. This is great news because at least our case will be heard and then ultimately the decision is in the hands of the court.

Personally I feel more at peace about the whole situation than I have at any point in the process (prayer is working!). I'm also excited for the students and staff. I really believe that a strong stand against corruption will be a testimony for the institution and a legacy for the students to follow for years to come.