10 | March 2025
New Training Center Prepares African Missionaries to Reach Nations By Lauren Milewski, IMB, Kenya
Editor’s Note: Chad and Miriam Pumpelly are IMB Missionaries from Ohio.
IMB missionary Chad Pumpelly will direct the Lead Global Training Center in Nairobi, Kenya. The center’s goal is to equip “African churches sending African missionaries to the ends of the earth.” IMB Photo
International Mission Board missionaries commissioned a new facility, Lead Global Training Center, in Nairobi, Ken- ya, on Jan. 26 to prepare Africans to reach the nations. IMB missionaries, along with senior leaders from Rich- mond, gathered to pray for healthy African churches to send African missionaries and to praise God for the work He is already doing across the continent. Chad Pumpelly, who serves with the IMB and directs the Lead Global Training Center, shared his hope for the fa- cility. “I want to look around the room one day and see African missionaries being sent out,” he said. Pumpelly’s wife, Miriam, added, “Our hope is for African believers to own their part in the Great Commission and for us to equip those who are already called, so they can use their skills for God’s glory throughout the world.” The dedication included messages from local IMB mis- sionaries and Todd Lafferty, IMB’s executive vice presi - dent. During the program, IMB missionaries who gathered spent time praying for the dedication of the facility, the future potential of the people being sent out through the training and the people groups God will reach through them. Daren Davis, who leads IMB’s work in Sub-Saharan Af- rica, and Lafferty celebrated with a ribbon-cutting and a dedication stone. At the end of the event, everyone spent
time worshiping God for all He is doing in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. The goal of the Lead Global facility is to equip church- es to engage unreached people groups effectively. IMB missionaries aim to help African Baptist churches reach a point where they can send and support missionaries inde- pendently. Historically, missionary support has not been a priority in African church budgets, so the IMB team is working to help churches understand the value of this in- vestment. IMB and Lead Global will work together to help churches fulfill their role in the Great Commission. Pasifique, a believer from Burundi, is already embracing this mission. Two years ago, he was trained in the com- ponents of the missionary task and discovered a passion for sharing the gospel. After completing the training, he and a colleague shared the gospel in a challenging area, resulting in 16 new baptized believers. Now, he wants to become a trainer himself, so he can equip churches in Burundi and other French-speaking countries in evangelism, discipleship and church planting. He is among the participants who attended the first Lead Global training in February. The Lead Global property was originally purchased by the IMB (formerly Foreign Mission Board) in 1980. Since 2019, the site has been used for missions training, while leaders Story continues on the next page...
Made with FlippingBook Converter PDF to HTML5