New Update Post

Well, it has been a while since you have heard from us. I know, that is not good! This has been a very interesting, challenging, blessed, unsettling, joy-filled, frustrating year and a half!

So much of our work is tied to the institutional development of Discipleship College and with what has been going on, it has been hard to come up with some more personal stories from personal ministry. Yet, through this period, I have sat down about 4 times to try to get a newsletter or other update sent out and as I was working on it, something new would happen and rock the boat again – changing what I could and could not say.

Student development

Let me start by saying that in terms of student development, things have been going fantastic! Several of the students who were brand-new to the college when we first arrived in early 2011 have now completed their studies and have been completely transformed; developed into well-trained, critically-thinking ministers. There are several testimonies that are exciting, but perhaps the pinnacle is the two brand-new church plants being led by Samson Mugi in Nakuru, Kenya and by Kabanda Martin in Kampala, Uganda. Both churches are off to great starts as the church in Nakuru has become a leading cooperative project of the District, Regional, and National churches which put up a large temporary structure on the land obtained just off of the main highway through Kenya. Pastor Kabanda in Uganda has already held his first baptismal service where 15 brand-new converts were baptized!

Institutional development

In terms of institutional development, that is where things have been an up-and-down venture. The basics of the situation are this: it is proving very difficult to have denominational goals and Kenyan expectations meet. Add to that the ever changing political and social situation in Kenya and you can recognize a recipe for complications.

In several ways we have made tremendous progress in accomplishing the things necessary to achieving the privilege of granting accredited degrees. DC has a new library, a new administration and welcome center, and other upgrades to the campus. We have also overseen the development of approved strategic plans, 10-year projections, and a campus master plan. We have also developed curricula at the diploma and degree levels in several fields of ministry ready for submission to the Commission for University Education.Yet in order to achieve a university charter which is the only way to offer accredited degrees in Kenya for the long-term, there are many additional things which need to be accomplished, some of which push the boundaries of what is normally done through Church of God World Missions. Please pray with us that God would direct the steps of the leadership of DC and COGWM and that God would provide the needed finances to accomplish these things so that the building of the Kingdom of God in Africa can continue and advance through our school

On the More Personal Side

Tanya and I are currently on an educational sabbatical. I have found it difficult to complete the writing of my doctoral dissertation while working in the field. Given the importance of my doctorate, not only for myself, but for the legitimacy of the college and our applications with government agencies, we have returned to Tallahassee, FL in order to complete my degree.

The current timeline awaiting final approval by the graduate school would have my work completed by January with graduation at the end of the spring semester. Please pray that God would help me to write diligently, clearly, and efficiently so that there are no delays and this chapter in our lives can be concluded soon.

While we are away, an interim director has been named, DC graduate Benea Alukwe. Please pray for his guidance.

Also pray that Tanya and I would be refreshed, encouraged, and revitalized through this time.

And On the Even More Personal Side
Tanya and I just became grandparents for the first time! Our daughter, Amber, who spent a year and a half with us in Kenya working at a preschool, recently had a daughter, Nohealani R’Nae Matthews. See her absolute beautifulness below!!!!!!