Lagos, Nigeria—A City Of 20 Million

“As of 2000, the population of Lagos, Nigeria, was roughly 7.2 million, somewhere between those of greater Philadelphia and Chicago. By 2030 it will be 24 million, nearly as large as metropolitan New York and London — combined.”

—From “A World Of Boomtowns”

While in Africa, I’m teaching 28 lessons in 8 days. Twenty of these lessons are on church history. I’m teaching a class to students of the West Africa School of Missions. Twenty-five students attend this ministry training academy. Most of these young women and men have already graduated from university. Many left their home churches in West and Central Africa and left their jobs in various fields like education, law, and engineering to be trained for the full time ministry.

Singing Before Class

They are part of a three-year program that for the first two years focuses on biblical and ministry training. The third year is a ministry practicum. Then, the plan is to place students in the full time ministry in West and Central Africa. There are churches that currently exist without full time paid leaders. Once trained, these students will be able to fill these ministry needs. The school of missions is funded by the Beam Fund.

I met students from cities in Nigeria, Ghana, the Congo, and Guinea-Bissau. I’ve never taught a more eager class. The students were hungry to learn.

No School Of Ministry Sings Like the One In Lagos.

I realize that not everyone loves church history. To me it felt like the students understood that they were part of the history of the church in West and Central Africa, so they wanted to learn as much as they could from the mistakes of the past so they would not repeat those mistakes.

Please pray for the West African School Of Missions. Many of these students will finish the school within the year, and they will go strengthen and establish churches in West and Central Africa. Pray that these students will go throughout West Africa strengthening the churches and making disciples.

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