Following the establishment of the regional hubs for Eastern and South-Central countries in Africa, the Explore team is currently finalising the Southern Africa hub, with an emphasis on training facilitators to lead small groups of the Explore correspondence course to pastors in 2025. The goal for the year is to double the number of students from 2024 (462 students who studied 632 modules), and to reach out to pastors in rural areas, where 31% of the South African population resides. Reports show that the triple challenges facing the country – poverty, inequality, and unemployment – are especially severe for people living in these areas, as the majority of the nation’s resources and attention are directed towards urban hubs. The need for theologically trained preachers in the rural context is acute, as many pastors struggle due to a lack of resources and training.
Explore, with its strong theological foundation, is a critical tool for teaching and discipling in this context, enabling pastors to develop a deeper understanding of God’s Word. This equips them to share the truth about God’s salvation plan, and to be able to counter the many false teachings that can prey on the vulnerabilities of the poor. A training session has already been conducted in the Eastern Cape, at Dumisani Theological Institute, with sessions in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga in the pipeline.
Please be in prayer for these efforts in reaching and equipping the most marginalised in our society.
You can partner with Explore’s expansion in Southern Africa by sponsoring a student or group of students to complete the Explore modules. These scholarships help ensure that this world-class discipleship tool impacts more people and churches in our country and across the African continent.
