The Story of Jephthah

The Old Testament tells the story of Jephthah, a military leader and judge whose Scriptural illiteracy lead to a disastrous outcome.

The story of Jephthah demonstrates the importance of understanding the nature of God something that has not changed since, says Jon* of the Program for Theological Education by Extension (PTEE).

In that time, the Israelites fighting the Ammonites and Jephthah was appointed as leader. After this appointment he made a vow, Jon says.

“If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering”(Judges 11:30-31 New International Version).

Jephthah was met with great success and returned home. However, it was his daughter and only child who walked out of the house. The two both agree that regardless the vow must be fulfilled and the daughter is sacrificed. Though some scholars interpret this verse as the daughter being set to a life of celibacy and solitude.

Jephthah and Scriptural Illiteracy

“That story, it gives us pause as believers when we read it because it just does not feel like the right thing has been done. But the story doesn’t really say ‘did you do the right thing did he do the wrong thing?’ The narrator is quite silent and I think that’s on purpose. I think that the storyteller, the person who wrote the book of Judges, is inviting us to test our Bible knowledge to see whether Jephthah did the right thing or not,” says Jon.

In fact, Leviticus Chapter Five warns against making rash vows. There is even a way to atone for such a rash vow via an animal offering.

Photo by Martino Pietropoli via Unsplash

“I suppose, he did not know the Torah. And then the second part is why would he think it’s okay that God would enjoy and be pleased with a child sacrifice,” Jon says.

Jon points to the culture of Jephthah’s time, where his enemies, the Ammonites, practiced child sacrifice.

“It looks as though Jephthah in Gilead had been polluted and influenced by the majority culture around him. That for some reason, he thought that his God, our God, the God of Israel would be pleased with something that a pagan god accepts,” Jon says.

This tragic event could have been prevented by an understanding of God and provides an example for believers to avoid repeating.

“We need to know our Bibles, not just our favorite passages of Scripture, but the whole thing because all of it is God’s word.”

Pursuing Bible Literacy Among Arab Christians

PTEE has dedicated itself to improving Bible literacy among Arab Christians to help form that understanding. The organization is run locally by Arab Christians who are uniquely equipped to face the challenges of Middle Eastern believers. Learn more about PTEE’s work here.

Not only do believers face persecution in some countries, but countries like Jordan are shedding believers. Many Christians have left the region leaving the local church to weaken to secularization or the dominant worldview of the region.

(Photo Courtesy of PTEE)

“The churches are either A becoming less active or closing, unfortunately. Or B, they are retreating and almost forming, there’s a tendency or a temptation just to form Christian fortifications or strongholds,

Christian Bubbles where the church can survive,” Jon says.

Here, like in history and other places around the world, Biblical literacy is a major need.

How to Pray

“Pray that God would continue to light fires of renewal in this in this place where his name was once absolutely above all.”

*Name changed for security

Header photo courtesy of  Aaron Burden via Unsplash

However, generations of Christians are disappearing from Jordan. The reason—Jordan’s economy. Kris Kuhlman of PTEE says Jordan’s economy is stagnant, making it difficult for people to build lives. When an opportunity arises to leave and secure a better future for themselves and their children, most people take it.

Christians Committing to Jordan

But Kuhlman also notes how some younger pastors are committing to a life in Jordan despite economic challenges. This is not unique to Jordan; similar situations are taking place all across the Middle East and North Africa.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

“There is an absolute necessity for a program like PTEE, who can bring the theological training, bring the leadership training and education to the Arabic speaking Christians, wherever they live…We can start training the next generation of indigenous leaders so that the Christians here…can be the ones who are leading their churches, and impacting their society, and being the light in this dark world,” Kuhlman explains.

Kuhlman says it is time to think differently about how we invest in missions. For example, there are great benefits in supporting the theological education and training of indigenous church leaders who already know the language and culture.

These same leaders are already a part of the local community and can better reach their people with Christ’s love and truth. Economically, the costs of supporting local churches outweigh the cost of training and sending a foreigner who could lose a visa and may not stay for more than two years in a country.

“PTEE is such a financially effective way of developing the leaders for the Arab church. Because they are the Arab speakers, they’re already part of the churches here. They’re part of the ministries, but they’re young. [Most are] unable to go to residential seminary,” Kuhlman notes.

Attending a residential seminary is highly impractical while these leaders work to support their families. However, PTEE’s ability to provide low cost but quality theological training is dependent on individual donors, churches, and Christian organizations.

Help Support Arab Church Leaders

A gift of $23 can support a PTEE student. This financial gift allows PTEE to avoid charging students the full costs associated with keeping PTEE afloat. Ultimately, students are charged an average of $10 per course for a registration fee. The registration charges are calculated based on the GDP of the country the student resides.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

Will you help?

To give to PTEE, click here.

“There’s kind of an unprecedented growth of new Christians…of people coming to Christ from the majority faith background. They need to be discipled,” Kuhlman says.

“PTEE is actually able to get into those areas in the majority world. Those students, a new convert of Christ is not able to just walk into a seminary. It just isn’t possible. But they can study through PTEE, become a leader among these new followers of Christ. It’s so vital that this theological education is affordable and accessible to them.”

Header photo courtesy of PTEE

Read about Palestinian Christians here.

Israeli/Palestinian Conflict Politics

George, an Arab Christian associated with Program for Theological Education by Extension, says there are situations where Christians from the West come to the Arab World and try to convince their Arab brothers and sisters of their own political stance regarding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Often, these political views pushed onto the Arab Christians lack a deeper understanding of the complexity of the conflict and how it affects the rest of the Arab World.

Palestine (Photo courtesy of MissyKel via Flicker)

“Israel is a complicated issue in our area…the religious and the political level. So, they need to separate between serving God and their stance towards Israel. If there are, let me say, missionaries who want to come and serve God or people who want to serve God but [they believe], they have some kind of, let me say, special belief about Israel, they need to come keeping this faith for them,” George says.

“I mean this does not help us if they believe [Israel will or the people of Israel will restore the land an all of this]… Let them keep this belief for them because if they want to come and convince us of this or talk about it to the government or any of these things, this will hurt us more than really helping us.”

Shifting Mindset About Israel

George is not asking anyone to change their political stance but to be aware of the context surrounding it. Promoting a pro-Israel stance comes across as political and damages the Gospel message in the Arab World context. Also, some Arab Christians disagree with the pro-Israel view for theological reasons. George says politics is not religion, and in the Arab World these two need to be separate. Religious work needs to be conducted without a political agenda.

(Photo courtesy of Anton Mislawsky via Unsplash)

“We have our reasons, theologically, [not] politically [for not being pro-Israel]. And in addition to that, [Christians] need to remember that…the first century, those Jews who did not believe in Jesus were cut out of, were cut [out of] Jesus,” George says.

“Whoever wants to benefit from Jesus, faith is the way to do this. So, he needs to understand it. I mean the Jews and Gentiles need to be saved in the same way which is through Jesus, faith in Jesus. So, whether you love Israel or do not love it, Jesus is the way for Jews and Gentiles and this did not change. It will not change.”

George recommends for Christians who have a heart for Israel to perhaps consider outreach in Israel rather than pursuing a political stance internationally. Second, trust God. Pray for God’s hand in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as well as for the global Church to stand with its family in Christ, not against it. Finally, pray for God’s love and truth to penetrate the hearts of those who don’t know Him.

Header photo courtesy of Anton Mislawsky via Unsplash.

“Those funds mostly will be used to support the students. PTEE, one of our commitments is to make theological education accessible and affordable. So, the average student pays maybe $10 to take a three-credit, twelve-week PTEE course. But obviously, PTEE has greater expenses; administration expenses and overhead. So, those funds really are used to make the classes affordable by covering the costs of registration, administration, all the bookkeeping, things that students don’t have to pay for,” PTEE’s Kris Kuhlman says.

As part of the conditions for the matching gift, PTEE needed to reach 50 new donors during the fundraiser. They reached 51. But, prior to the fundraiser, PTEE spent 50 days in prayer. Each day, they prayed the Lord’s work in their a new donor’s life.

“The giving base for PTEE is very small. We have maybe 20 individual donors that give throughout the year. So, to get fifty new donors was really a challenge, but we committed it to prayer, committed it to the Lord,” Kuhlman says.

Fundraiser: About More Than Numbers

Another exciting fact about the donations is not the amount raised, but that 33 percent of the donations came from the Arab community.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

“For the first time the Arab church was investing in a program [where] our vision is to strengthen and grow the Arab church. So, for us, that is exciting…that the Arabs now are seeing the value of this and willing to be partners in this work,” Kuhlman explains.

PTEE provides theological education by extension. This education model allows pastors and church leaders to gain a theological education without leaving their families, their communities, or their churches.

“We hear from so many students; they’re taking a course, perhaps in Christian education or counseling or stewardship, and they are applying what they’re learning immediately to their ministry, to their Sunday school teaching, even giving in their own church. So, we are really committed to this idea of learning in context and immediate application of what students are learning,” Kuhlman says.

Trusting God’s Timing

On a different note, what PTEE learned through the fundraising process has been invaluable. Through the waiting, the organization trusted in God and to wait for His timing. Kuhlman originally thought PTEE had not met its financial goal. But, a pleasant surprise awaited the PTEE team when they returned from Christmas break to find a generous gift from a final donor.

“I think He really wanted us to see that yes, we want to do our best effort and do things well, but that ultimately it needs to come back to trusting Him, having faith, and being willing to accept that if we don’t meet those goals, that is still His goodness and His love that He does not change,” Kuhlman shares.

Kuhlman says they also experienced how the value of the donations did not come from only the dollar amount given, but the individual who chose to support PTEE’s work. With each new donor came a person who was now aware of PTEE’s Kingdom work and investing in supporting the Arab Church.

As PTEE continues to serve God by serving the Church, pray for PTEE’s future projects. Pray for those who PTEE serves, their work, and for their safety. Pray PTEE would continue to be supported in a way that allows church leaders to gain an affordable theological education.

Partner with PTEE here!

Header photo courtesy of Program for Theological Education by Extension.

“There are several problems facing Christians in Jordan. One is emigration. Christians tend to emigrate to the United States, Canada, Australia, and to other countries. But, we still have great influence in Jordan,” Jiries says.

Out of Jordan’s 130-member parliament, nine of the seats are specifically reserved for Christians. The Christians in Jordan contribute politically and historically to the nation despite the majority Muslim population.

Christians in Jordan

The term ‘Christian’ in Jordan does not mean to evangelical Christianity. Instead, the term includes Orthodox, Catholic, Protestants, and Evangelicals, and can even refer to nominal Christians. Jiries estimates the total number of evangelical Christians is about 8000 out of 160000 the total number of Christians, significantly lower than current State statistics of the Jordanian Christian population.

(Photo courtesy of Sean MacEntee via Flicker)

But why is the number of Christians decreasing in Jordan when there are reports of Muslims being more open to the Gospel than ever before in the Middle East? The answer includes a combination of Christian emigration and the small number of converts that does not exceed 2000 (personal estimation). In addition, a high percentage of Christian women marry Muslim men, and their children are registered Muslims.

“[Jordan] have immigrants from Iraq and Syria and among these immigrants, there are some opening [up] to the Gospel. Relatively speaking from a historical point of view, this is probably the first time in the history of this area that many Muslims are coming to Christ,” Jiries says.

Reaching Jordanians with the Gospel can be a bit harder than reaching immigrants because they do not have as much of a reason to be open to new things as immigrants.

“There are few Jordanians coming to Christ more than any time in the past. But still, the number is very small and it is not a movement,” Jiries says.

Challenges of Faith

On the government level, there is nothing prohibiting evangelism or religious conversion. Jiries says the constitution allows Muslims to convert to Christianity if they want. However, challenges arise with the ‘family law‘. Islamic Family Law affects matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance and more in a Muslim’s life. To convert from Islam, a Muslim may be taken before the Islamic court by anybody. Jiries says, even after going to court, it is “officially impossible to change his religion because, it implies divorce and all its implication including becoming a ward of state. The High Court of Justice (civil court) cannot overrules the verdicts of Islamic court.”

But, through relationships, Christians share about Christ and His love. People do this with friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues. In Jordan, it is normal to discuss religion and personal faith. Jiries says sharing Christ is easiest when a Christian makes evangelism a way of life.

PTEE’s Role in Education

This is where PTEE enters. PTEE educates leaders for the Arab Church in Jordan and the Arab World.

“PTEE train believers and leaders. Our target is not only, for example—young people, but any age can study with PTEE because the idea is that the book is the teacher, and classes can be hold at any convenient place especially the churches,” Jiries explains.

“In any place where PTEE have ministry, classes are small and the number of students does not usually exceed 12 and the average is 6.5. A facilitator leads the class. His role is not to lecture or teach but mainly to lead discussions.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

PTEE program BA in theology is accredited by Asia Theology Association (ATA) and also by the Middle East and North Africa Association for Theological Education (MENATE).”

PTEE also offers a certificate of ministry for individuals who do not have a high school education or enough time to study courses that are more time consuming. The organization also offers classes for new Christians to learn more about what it means to be a follower of Christ.

When people take these courses, Jiries says they are often enthusiastic to have training in theology and church leadership. Moreover, PTEE’s courses do not require participants to move to other countries or even towns to complete their education. Instead, students study at a local church or other local place convenient to the students. They continue with family life, keep their jobs, and stay in church ministry or leadership.

Get Involved

Will you be a part of PTEE’s work to educate Arab Christians throughout the Arab world, but especially in Jordan where the Christian population is decreasing?

To start, Jiries asks you to become a prayer partner. Pray for PTEE’s ability to meet educational needs and for the coursework to continue to be affordable for students. Pray also for the students’ growth and the application of their course material.

Another way to help is by financially partnering with PTEE to continue providing affordable theological education for the Arab World.

To learn more and to give, click here!

“You know I believe that PTEE is very relevant to our situation in the Arab world because you can train the people in any country, in any place, and new converts from whatever background they have. PTEE will be a tool for them for the advancement of the Kingdom,” Jiries says.

Header photo by Stefanos Orovas on Unsplash.

“If someone wants to really live as a real Christian, a true Christian…he needs really to have courage, wisdom, and patience,” George*, a Jordanian Christian, says.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

Here is the thing about living in Jordan; religion plays a large role in society. A person’s religion is listed on official documents and IDs. Since Jordan’s official religion is Islam, a Muslim who converts to Christianity is subject to Islamic Law.

Therefore, leaving the Islamic faith could have repercussions. However, Christians and other minorities are provided the right to practice their religion freely.

Still, George mentions how living as a Christian in an Islamic country can sometimes present fewer moral challenges than perhaps in other areas of the world.

“Practically speaking, because of history, Islam took a lot of ethical and moral teaching of Judaism and Christianity…In the moral life, it’s easier for us to live here as Christians,” George says.

“We are not the same. We do not hold to the same doctrine [as Islam] and some main things, but still, not far from us in terms of morality.”

In a country that identifies with Islam, George says many Christians first draw their identity from Christ, and then as a Jordanian second. For George, this means loyalty to Jesus Christ comes first in his life, then loyalty to his country, to which he is proud to identify as a Jordanian.

“I think this is the same everywhere. Or at least it should be the same everywhere for Christians,” George says.

The Land of Opportunity

Some Christians have come to live in the Middle Eastern region because it is a place of opportunity when it comes to faith. George says Jordanian Christians also try to and should look at their homeland in a similar light. While Christians in Jordan do enjoy some liberties, many give their struggles and challenges to God. Rather than rallying against the difficulties they face; these Christians prefer to lay their burdens at Christ’s feet and walk in faith and ministry.

(Photo Courtesy of PTEE)

Please, would you pray for your brothers and sisters living in Jordan? Pray for their encouragement, courage, wisdom, and patience to persevere in their faith.

“We don’t want really anybody to try…to save us…We want really God to do this work because we know that if God does it, it will continue to happen,” George says.

Want a tangible way to support Christians in Jordan? Then give to Program for Theological Education by Extension. PTEE exists to train Church leaders at an affordable cost throughout the Arab world. Help PTEE train leaders in Jordan.

To give or learn more about PTEE, click here.

*Name changed for security.

Header photo courtesy of PTEE.

Support Advancing the Kingdom

During the next 10 days, PTEE is raising support through its Advancing the Kingdom Matching Campaign, running from November 9 – November 19.

However, this giving campaign has a couple of exciting twists. A generous donor has agreed to match up to $25,000, meaning PTEE could raise $50,000. There is one condition; PTEE must gain 50 new donors. All donations are used to provide affordable theological education and church leadership training among Arab Christians.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

“In Egypt where there are about 98 million people. There are as man churches in Dallas, Texas as there are in the entire country of Egypt,” PTEE’s Director of Communications Kris Kuhlman says.

“So, our goal is to train church leaders, to train pastors who are indigenous, who are Arabs, who are working in these churches to give them the training to equip them with the Biblical knowledge and the skills to advance the Kingdom of God in this unreached part of the world.”

In some countries, like Syria or Iraq, there are no seminaries or Bible colleges. If an individual wants theological education, he or she has to leave not just their family, city, and church, but even their country for many years. The churches and the families would be losing leaders who may or may not return.

Still, studying abroad is not exactly an option due to the economies of where Arab Christians live. For some, their entire income goes to rent, food, bills, and their children’s education. There are no leftover funds to invest in themselves. This is what makes PTEE so strategic and unique.

PTEE on Growing the Arab Church

PTEE provides education right where these church leaders live. Plus, thanks to generous donors, PTEE provides 3-credit courses at an affordable cost. Students only need to pay a small registration fee averaging at $10. This education structure removes the two barriers keeping church leaders from growing theologically.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

PTEE partners with World Ventures to make donations from the United States tax deductible. There are no minimum donation requirements for the campaign. If you can only spare $5, then $5 is enough. Plus, PTEE is up for the matching challenge to gain 50 new donors. Will you help?

“We’re excited by this challenge because we absolutely want to widen our donor base. For the first time, we’re having Arab churches become investors and partners with PTEE. We’re looking to spread to Australia, to Europe. The United States has been the most faithful and the most generous donors, but we are looking to increase our partnership with churches and individuals,” Kuhlman says.

“Especially for people who have never given to PTEE, but really have a heart for the Arab world or the Arab church, now is the time to invest in these Arab brothers and sisters who are toiling, who are sowing the seeds of the kingdom in this part of the world. So, we are asking, we are praying for 50 new donors knowing that during this campaign, your gift will be matched.”

Give to PTEE’s Advancing the Kingdom Matching Campaign and help invest in and grow the Church in the Arab world.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE.

Will you pray, too? Pray God would bring the 50 new donors needed for the giving campaign. Finally, pray for your Arab brothers and sisters who are working to advance Gospel in the Arab world.

Learning in the Arab Diaspora

The PTEE classes take place across the globe in countries like Sweden, Australia, Canada and even the United States. The PTEE former Executive Director of 28 years, Dr. Dick Hart, says classes in the diaspora are not very different from those within the Arab world.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

“You study your work at home, and then you meet for a weekly session face to face, and then after that, you take a quiz and carry on an hour and a half or so of discussion. At the end of the 10-week course, there is a project or a final exam or both. [For example] now, that will happen in Michigan, and that will also happen in Jordan,” Hart says.

Since the PTEE provides education by extension, individuals who emigrate from the Arab world can take their coursework with them and plug into a different seminar group in their new location. The class delivery model does not change because someone emigrated.

Choosing PTEE

But, why not study at a local seminary in their new culture? Well, the Arabic language is the heart language of the Arab world and the Arab diaspora. The PTEE’s course materials are in Arabic. Students understand coursework in their native language better than coursework in a language they are unfamiliar with or have known for less than a decade.

Studying through the PTEE also gives Arabs living in the diaspora a connection to home. More likely than not, the other PTEE students in the diaspora have also emigrated. Their classmates speak Arabic and share similar experiences. Since students are taught through a discussion approach, relating to and understanding each other through language and presuppositions helps students interact with each other and the PTEE content.

“I think that’s another thing: they have a good time in their discussions in Jordan, and they have a good time in their discussions in Sweden because they’re discussing in Arabic,” Hart shares.

The PTEE’s Impact Abroad

Hart says all the PTEE classes operated outside of the Arab world take place in local churches. Students tend to be members of the host church, though this is not always the case. The PTEE courses provide a chance for these Arab believers to sharpen their theological knowledge and then use the information to impact their local communities and to serve in their churches.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

“We have kind of an interdisciplinary approach that emphasizes being relevant in your local society. So, students (let’s say in Michigan) [are] working with people who are engineers and the engineers have their perspective. They get to know each other professionally. Maybe they get to know each other in terms of their hobbies, but their religion always is there even if it’s unmentioned,” Hart explains.

“The PTEE students are studying…[how] to find places to connect with the Westerners that they’re talking to, that the Westerners may find to be acceptable…so the Arabs are able to make contributions based on Biblical, cultural insights that will benefit the local society.”

Plus, studying through PTEE instead of a local seminary keeps education costs affordable. Typically, the PTEE tries to make tuition rates proportional to the economic situation of the country a student resides. For this reason, the PTEE tuition rate tends to be a case by case situation in the diaspora.

Be Prayerful, Be Active

So please, intercede in prayer for your Arab brothers and sisters living in the Arab diaspora. Pray for God to lead the right people to work with the PTEE as tutors and facilitators. Pray for current and future tutors to budget their time in a way which helps them to lead classes well.

Ask God to continue giving PTEE workers and students an attitude of joy in work and relationships. Pray for students as they immerse themselves in a part-time theological study while balancing everyday life.

Find ways to get involved with the PTEE classes in the diaspora here!

Reach out directly to the PTEE through email at pteemail@ptee.org or communications@ptee.org

E-learning: The Possibilities

PTEE’s e-learning project involves formatting PTEE’s established Bachelor of Theology curriculum into online classes. PTEE will have 50 bachelor level courses available online once the project is complete. Right now, PTEE is testing its second online course with students from 10 different countries, mostly in the Arab world and the Arab diaspora.

(Header and photo courtesy of PTEE)

“We want to expand our already wide reach across the Arab world into even more countries and make it even more accessible and more affordable to students,” PTEE’s e-learning Director Dr. Rick Weymouth says.

“We want to equip and empower believers wherever they live in the Arab world in their communities, in their churches, and in their local contexts. And e-learning is going to help us fulfill our mission and God’s mission for us as a program even more effectively.”

The e-learning project will provide a significant advantage for students, who on average are in their mid-thirties with families and established homes. PTEE strives to train students where they are geographically, but these students can sometimes miss out on connecting with classmates from different countries. However, e-learning will bring students together through online forums. It will build bridges to help connect and unify Arab believers throughout the Arab world and diaspora.

Since PTEE specifically reaches out to Arab believers from various backgrounds, this includes the younger generations and those who are of the Arab diaspora. PTEE’s e-learning project will allow students to study in Arabic regardless of where they are currently living, including if they are in the West.

Education Abroad

Years of war in the Middle East has caused thousands of Arab believers to seek asylum in other countries. These countries include regions where Arabic is a minority language. However, PTEE allows these believers to stay connected with the Arab church. Online courses will let them learn in their native language while preparing them to serve their new communities and hopefully their home countries when possible. Still, these believers are only one example of how this e-learning program will benefit PTEE students, particularly those living where the population of Arabic-speaking believers is small.

“We want to connect them. We want to join people, [Arab believers] together so that we can grow the church…and ultimately we’re hoping among those who’ve left the region and the diaspora, that they’re going to be supporting, encouraging, and maybe coming back to serve in the Middle East region,” Weymouth shares.

“We need to train believers to serve in this part of the world. We need to equip them, empower them, encourage them. Lift them up, lift their spirits, and this is one small way that we can be a help to that process through the PTEE and our online learning programs.”

PTEE e-learning Accessibility

PTEE courses are designed to help immediately impact local communities and churches through the education of the PTEE student. Courses through PTEE emphasize leadership education on location. It is an expectation that PTEE students will remain in their communities and continue serving in their churches while receiving their education. This means PTEE courses are immediately applied to real-life situations. The e-learning project will help this education model thrive with the changing generations and technological advances.

(Photo courtesy of PTEE)

“This online learning opportunity offers the PTEE unprecedented opportunity to expand our existing wide reach by increasing access to quality courses, and we hope we can grow our student base significantly through the online courses,” Weymouth explains.

PTEE has been encouraged by the high number of students who have participated in its field-testing for its first two online courses. In fact, most of these students are new to PTEE, which shows how this e-learning project is already growing PTEE’s student base.

“PTEE is going to be one of the first accredited TEE programs in the world to have its entire curriculum online. And God willing we’ll be the first theological program in the Arab world to offer 100 percent of a bachelor’s degree through our online courses.”

Be Prayerful, Be Active

PTEE would love for qualified educators, computer, internet, and video specialists to pray about the possibility of serving with PTEE. The ministry also could use financial partners and prayer partners.

Pray for the online courses PTEE is testing, the international students helping test these courses, and the IT support team involved with the e-learning program. Also, pray for the developers of these courses as they continue creating and tweaking these classes. Pray for Weymouth as he helps train and retrain tutors for leadership in the online context.

Finally, pray for the funds to finish the e-learning project. Pray for the right people to join the team and help complete the project. Ask God to glorify Himself through the work.

To donate to PTEE, click here.

PTEE in North Africa

PTEE’s *Ethan says he spent time teaching PTEE programs in both Sudan and South Sudan. Now, he is helping train the displaced Sudanese and South Sudanese churches in neighboring Uganda.

“We have many church leaders now who are leading the Church in South Sudan, they [were] trained by [the] PTEE program when they were in North Sudan. And the churches, they know [the] PTEE program…They want to be reached with PTEE programs. When we started to share with church leaders here in Uganda, most of the people welcome it because they know the effectiveness of the PTEE programs,” Ethan says.

Help Educate Through PTEE

PTEE’s programs train local churches not only in theological truths but also the practical application of these truths. PTEE utilizes the extension methodology, which includes on location leadership education, stakeholder-centered curriculum, interactive self-study course materials, weekly group seminars, qualified learning facilitators, and practical ministry experience. However, the Sudanese Christians living in the refugee camps need help to receive PTEE training.

Representative photo of Sudanese refugee camp in Uganda. (Photo Courtesy of UNHCF Photo Unit/F. Not via Flickr)

“We still need support for materials, especially here in refugee camps,” Ethan shares.

Currently, the training resources available to the Sudanese and South Sudanese Christians in these camps are in English, but these Christians speak Arabic. PTEE Arabic coursework could solve this linguistic problem. The issue, though, is resources.

“We need books, we need photocopy machines, we need papers. And…we need the Western Church, our brothers and sisters who are outside, they can support us,” Ethan explains. “Help us to make the materials to be available.”

Be Prayerful, Be Active

So please, consider coming alongside the Sudanese and South Sudanese churches in Ugandan refugee camps.

Start by praying for peace in Sudan and South Sudan. Ask God to encourage, strengthen, and help these Christians to persevere. Pray for the necessary resources to be made available for the Sudanese and South Sudanese Christians currently living in refugee camps in Uganda. And ask God to lead you in how you can come alongside your Sudanese and South Sudanese brothers and sisters.

Want to help? Give to PTEE to help reduce the tuition price of classes for Sudanese and South Sudanese Christians. Also, give to help purchase materials for the Sudanese and South Sudanese Christians who are seeking training in the Ugandan refugee camps.

Financially support the Sudanese Church in Uganda here.

*Name has been changed for security purposes.

(Header photo courtesy of PTEE)