by By Dr. Greg Trull
Writers have long called Cameroon “Africa in miniature” because of its central location, cultural diversity, and varied geography. To serve in Cameroon with its 256 tribal groups is to experience the full breadth of African culture.
After a spring term of preparation, a Corban team left PDX in the early morning of Thursday, May 17. After a night in Douala, we’ll spend Saturday driving through the mountain villages to our temporary home in Bamenda. Right around dinner time (for the Pacific Northwest) Saturday night, we’ll be starting our ministry at Hope Baptist Church. Just think, you can ask God to bless us right with your potatoes.
After our introductions to the ministries and people of Hope, we’ll be set for a busy two weeks. Hope Baptist, under the pastorate of Corban Doctor of Ministry student Ngoh Joel Nyah, has been our gracious host church since we began training pastors here in 2013. It is a dynamic church that ministers to more than 1500 each week at its main location and hundreds more through its five ongoing church plants. Hope plants a new church in the region about every two years. It’ll be a great day of faculty reconnecting with dear friends and our students being received with loving arms.
Monday we will begin our two ministry emphases. Our student team will be serving alongside church planters throughout the region. Students will learn ministry here through observing and participating with the planters as they do evangelism, prison and homeless ministry. They will also help run events for children and youth outreaches. Our students will enjoy a schedule filled with a wide variety of opportunities. As a bonus, they will also be featured on Hope’s weekly radio broadcast, hosted by Kingdom Princess Confidence. Pray for physical and spiritual protection, two-way blessings (being and receiving a blessing), and for hearts to embrace the adventure.
Our other emphasis in Cameroon is our Africa Training Partnership. Corban’s School of Ministry partners with seven denominations to train pastors and leaders. We’ve been blessed with amazing students. As student Rebecca Ade Akenji reflected, their “attending this course is an answer to prayer.” Every student entering our program must already be mentoring leaders. The idea is to immediately multiply our training. It has brought us many young leaders with great potential. This session, classes focus on leadership development and teaching. Our first cohort graduated May 2015. Many of them are now head pastors or denominational leaders. This year, we will celebrate 38 graduates joining us to pursue Corban’s mission of making a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. It will be a grand commencement party, Cameroon-style, filled with music, food, dancing and joy.
My attending this course is an answer to prayer – Rebecca Ade Akenji
Our Corban faculty will split time between teaching our pastor classes and working with the student teams. You can pray for Drs. Sam Baker, Tim Anderson and Greg Trull. Greg will also be meeting with denominational leaders to plan the next cohort. We already have had 200+ requests to join our third cohort. Pray for safe travels for our students, uniting fellowship, effective teaching, and wisdom as we look to the future together. You can also pray that our praising Jesus blows the roof off at graduation!
Thanks so much for your support of this important ministry. Your prayers impact the kingdom half a world away. Special thanks to Kathy Clarke and Kellie Wood who prayed over every copy of student notes as they printed. Thanks too for Sandy Clouser, Kelli Bennett and Karen Goertzen. Your extra efforts will make commencement special!
Written by Dr. Greg Trull | Edited by Sam Pearson
