Posts in category: South Sudan

Here’s an update from John Brand about the South Sudanese Church Workers’ Conference in September:

Plans are beginning to take more shape for the South Sudanese Church Workers’ Conference in September. Thank you for your prayers and to those who have already given.  The plan is now to bring 50 delegates together from South Sudan and Uganda, and the total cost for the five days of conference – including accommodation and food – will be £5,000, to which my own travel costs etc will add another £1000.

So, if 100 churches or individuals contributed £50 each, that would pay for the 50 delegates. Or you could sponsor one delegate for the cost of £100. Could you help us reach that target? We’ve already got finance for 3 delegates, so there’s only 47 to go! You can give here or on my Go Fund Me page.

Thank you!

As Principal of EBC I was truly overjoyed to hear of the invitation that has been extended by the leaders of the Africa Inland Church in South Sudan (AIC-SS) to our former Principal and current Academic Dean, John Brand, to lead the upcoming Church Workers’ Conference from Monday 7 – Friday 11 September. What an amazing opportunity to glorify God so far from home!

As current Principal I would like to whole-heartedly endorse this venture and ask people to please pray for John as he begins to make preparations for this exciting venture. Of course a trip like this is not free, nor are the running costs for the conference itself, so please would you prayerfully consider sponsoring John as he seeks to carry out the Lord’s work and fulfil the ministry opportunity the Lord has set before him? I will l leave John to tell you in his own words how people might support him. Thank you for taking the time to read this and to prayerfully consider if the Lord would have you support this work. In His love always,

John writes, “Those familiar with my ministry will be well aware of my involvement with the Sudanese and South Sudanese churches since my visit to Khartoum in 2001 which was truly life-changing. Over the next 9 years I visited both Khartoum and Juba on an almost annual basis and set up a charity, which is now closed, Friends of Sudan, (which became Friends of South Sudan, following the secession of the south and the formation of the world’s (still) youngest country in 2011), providing financial and training support to churches and Christian schools in both the north and the south. (You can read more here.)   Over the years, I have kept in close touch with a number of church leaders and individual believers and have had the great privilege of mentoring some of them from a distance. One Christian in Juba is currently studying with Edinburgh Bible College thanks to the accessibility afforded by zoom.

I am somewhat daunted by the prospect since I am now in my early 70s and not my mid 50s as at the time of my last visit, but my heart rejoiced when I received the invitation.  The believers in South Sudan are among the very choicest in all the earth and I can say of them, as David said, “As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” (Psalm 16:3)

One challenge, for which I would appreciate much prayer, is financial, since I no longer have access to charity funds as previously.  I am planning to do a sponsored marathon walk in the summer to raise funds, and am also setting up a crowdfunding option, trusting the Lord that he will supply according to his riches in glory.  We are looking at around £3,000 in all to help with the costs of the conference itself. Your support would be a great kingdom investment. I have now set up a Go Fund Me page where you can donate and we will, in due course, make you aware of other ways in which you could support this initiative.

Thank you for your service to the saints.”

We have just enrolled another student in our main training course, the Diploma in Applied Theology.  What differentiates this Diploma from the alternative Diploma in Theology course is the ‘Applied’ element which involves practical training and ministry experience in the student’s home church, under the mentorship of an experienced Pastor.  What makes this enrolment noteworthy is that Emmanuel is a member of the Africa Inland Church (South Sudan).   Many of you will know that our Principal has had a long association and involvement with the AIC in Sudan and South Sudan, beginning in 2001 when he visited Khartoum for the first time to speak at a church conference.  Over a number of years he conducted seminars in both Khartoum (Sudan) and Juba (now South Sudan), and maintains links with several of the students he taught in those years as well as others.

In the past we have tried a few ways to see if we can provide some training at a distance but none of them have worked for various reasons but now, with very good internet in Juba, Emmanuel is able to join some of our zoom classes and also do some modules by eLearning.   We are hoping we may be able to help two or three other men as well.

As well as praying for Emmanuel and the many believers and churches in South Sudan, please pray for South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation which came into being in 2011.  There is a fragile peace between warring factions within the country; a peace that is currently under threat because of treason and other charges which have been brought against the suspended Vice President, Riek Machar.  (See BBC report).  Emmanuel tells us that the streets of Juba, the capital, are filled with militia and military vehicles.

Also noteworthy is the fact that Emmanuel is one of 16 new students who have enrolled on various courses this autumn, the highest number of new students we have known in the 13 years we have been in existence. How grateful we are to God, as well as to you for your prayers for us.