EVANGELISM
In 1987, a Preaching Training School was established on the grounds of Chimala Mission. Due to evangelistic campaigns in 1986 into the Kukuyu, Kyela, and Mbozi districts of Southwest Tanzania, a training school was needed to develop men who could strengthen congregations in their home areas. With the support of Springtown Church of Christ, fifteen young men from southern Tanzania came to study the Bible at Chimala Mission for one year. From its humble beginning, Chimala School of Preaching has made a tremendous impact, spreading the word of God in southwest Tanzania.
In 2004, Chimala School of Preaching joined forces with Bear Valley Bible Institute to form the Chimala Bible Institute. With this partnership, the school was able to offer three different levels of training: Associates, Bachelors, and Masters degrees. All programs are two year studies.
The school has continued to grow in both size and scope and has had as many as forty full-time students in the programs. Students come from Tanzania, Malawi, and the Dominican Republic of Congo.
In 2018, a decision was made that the school did not need to focus as much on degrees and made the decision to revert back to a preacher training school that was organized and run by the native leaders and other visiting teachers. Although the students that began with the Bear Valley program would be able to finish their degrees, starting in 2019, all new students would go through training courses at the school without focusing on degrees. The preacher students would still be adequately prepared so that they could go into the districts of Africa and preach God’s Word.
This school continues to train men to take the gospel to people all over East Africa. It is the goal that the staff at the school will one day be able to run the school on their own without relying on full-time missionary help.
