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| From the Get Ready to Lead E-mail Newsletter |
May 20, 2008, Vol 9, Issue 18
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 Get Ready to Lead!
"It's simple. We're just changing the world."
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| Ripe for reformation in Africa: A special report on Passing the Baton's newest project |
 This is a special report on Passing the Baton's South Africa Project this summer. If you're curious about the project and the impact it could have, or would consider supporting the project with prayer and a financial gift, I invite you to read on.
"The Shackled Continent"
That's the moniker Robert Guest, the Economist's Africa editor, has given Africa. In spite of the continent's vast natural resources, very few places in Africa are free from hunger, disease, violence and instability.
Yet there is tremendous hope. Gavin Brettany, a Zimbabwean who travels the continent training educators in biblical worldview, points out that in many ways Africa's problems today are similar to Europe's problems just before the reformation. He believes Africa is ready for transformation!
African Christians know that reformation requires more than church planting. It requires education. There is a growing consensus that for Africa to truly experience reformation it must give careful attention to providing Christ-centered education for Africa's youth.
Yet the Stakes Couldn't Be Higher
African Christians understand that they are several years behind the well-funded Islamic extremists in the race to win the heart's of Africa's youth. Armed with millions of dollars in oil revenue, radical Muslims enter communities, start free schools, and then pressure citizens to convert to Islam.
 Some genuine education takes place in these schools, but the horrifying fact is that students are being trained in a radical ideology that threatens to overturn centuries of Christian influence.
ACSI plans to turn this crisis into an opportunity by aggressively training teachers and starting schools throughout the continent. They'll be educating Africa's future leaders to the glory of God, and we are excited about helping.
We believe that the natural place to begin this project is in the nation of South Africa. Most sub-Saharan African nations look to South Africa with great hope. What happens in South Africa quickly spreads throughout the rest of the continent. In addition, South Africa is still largely a Christian country--according to South Africa's latest census, over 60% of people still claim allegiance to Christianity. Christian schools have grown rapidly and now account for 43% of the independent schools in the country.
The Missing Piece South African
Christian Schools Desperately Desire
 South Africa's Christian schools are pursuing educational excellence and have befitted from worldview training in the form of Biblically Integrated Curriculum Workshops.
The great need right now is to prepare teachers to effectively disciple students. With such training Christian schools can prepare the next generation of Africa's culture-shaping leaders. Without discipleship training, the Christian influence will remain "a mile wide and an inch deep."
ACSI has invited Passing the Baton International to conduct a nationwide project to train Christian school teachers to pass the baton of godly faithfulness to the next generation.
As God provides the resources, Wolfgang Seibler and I plan to travel to South Africa to lead three two-day workshops held in Durbin, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. Faculty members from schools all over the country plan to attend.
Our workshops combine training, encouragement, practical application and strategic planning to ensure that teachers are fully capable of implementing what they learn.
The Financial Need
Christian education in South Africa is a labor of love--most of the schools are utterly unable to afford the kind of discipleship training they so desperately desire.
 These schools have sacrificed in order to pay for Passing the Baton training materials and our team's in-country expenses, but they are unable to do any more. I want Passing the Baton to do everything possible to help, but I do not feel led to divert resources away from our other important projects to pay for the extraordinarily expensive international travel required.
I know things are tight right now, but your financial gift will make it possible for us to influence the Christian school teachers in an entire nation in Africa, and by extension bring hope to Christian educators across the continent. If you'd like to stand with us, click the "partner with us" link above to donate securely on-line. You'll instantly receive a receipt that you can use to deduct your contribution from your taxable income.
In coming weeks I'll share ways you can pray for our team as we seek to light a small match that by God's grace will set the hearts of Christian educators across Africa on fire.
Until then, make it a great week!
--Jeff
Jeff Myers, Ph.D., President
Passing the Baton International, Inc.
P.S. South African Christians are determined to light the fire of Christ-centered education across the entire continent of Africa, and we want to help them do it.
Passing the Baton offers a critical piece of their strategy, that of preparing teachers to effectively disciple students for culture-shaping leadership. I invite you to participate with us in prayer and financial support as our team travels to South Africa for high-level training sessions with South Africa's Christian school teachers.
Click the "partner with us" link above to donate securely on-line.
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