A vision for strengthening the church at the grassroots

This opening post in the BUILD Partners’ blog introduces the vision of BUILD in the words of two Ugandan church leaders: one at the local level, one at the national level. Both with have the first name ‘Henry’: Henry Majwala and Henry Orombi.

Beginning at the grassroots, Henry Majwala not only attended the programme, but went on to train others, who in turn went on to train others. That cascade of training he initiated has been witnessed and documented first hand. When asked about why he believed in the vision of BUILD he responded with these words:

“Through our work with BUILD I would like to see a pastor who can preach effectively himself and stand firm himself, even though he has received very little formal theological education. And if that pastor is not around on a Sunday there are people who have been trained by him to stand-in for him. People who the congregation can trust, that they can say this person is really speaking something. I would like to see model churches developing – churches that people can point to and say there is something different about this church, its organisation, its leadership, its life.”

Turning to the national level, BUILD has grown under the watchful eye of a number of Archbishops of the Church of Uganda. At a key stage in its development the Most Reverend Henry Luke Orombi, the COU’s seventh Archbishop, wrote these words to commend the programme:

“The COU is very grateful for the BUILD initiative, which has given us simple, practical and effective tools for equipping our multitude of workers on the ground. Many leaders need training brought to them and on-going encouragement in the midst of the challenges of serving Jesus Christ today. BUILD is meeting those needs with its faithfulness to the truth and teaching of the Bible, and is bringing change to people’s lives, churches and communities. All this is in keeping with the COU’s core values, such as selfless service.

“The COU is very proud of this home grown resource, which we have had such a hand in developing. And we now praise God for the way in which he is using BUILD to strengthen and multiply church leaders in our neighbouring countries and beyond. We trust that you will find BUILD as useful and instructive as we do, and may God continue to bless this work and build his church, to the praise and glory of his name.”

This blog, like BUILD Partners itself, exists to get behind that local and national vision and provides ways to understand it, explore it, learn from it, share it, pray for it and support it.

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