The first testimony is from Dr. George Wafula, whom I have had the tremendous joy to co-labor with on many occasions in East Africa. Your generous gifts to this ministry have been employed to support Bro. George, his family, and his ministry of multiplication for many years. Bro. George writes, “I am the Director of Kenya Ministry Training Institute, which has branches in both the nation of Kenya and the nation of Uganda. KMTI is a Bible training college for pastors and church leaders. I have been involved with KMTI for the last 23 years as a teacher, principal and currently the Director. Due to this, I travel extensively throughout these two nations, to multiply the word of God into the lives of those who will teach others also! We have graduated over 3000 pastors and church leaders, who are spread all over East and Central Africa. These followers of Christ are committed to do God I am also the pastor of Grace Ministries International in Bungoma, Kenya. Our church is located 95 Kilometers from my work station in Kitale, so I have to drive there every week to minister in my home church. I want to thank my dear brother Ed Lacy and each one of you for your continued support; even during these difficult times. My wife and I are grateful to be the recipients of your love and generosity, at such a time as this. It is quite amazing to see the hundreds of pastors and senior overseers, which attend the Ed Lacy annual conference in Kenya. These pastors and church-planters take ‘2-inch’ mattresses and sleep on the hard floors, in both our teaching hall and our guesthouses, for the 4-full days of the annual ‘Bible Training Conferences’, which are taught by Bro. Ed, with me as the interpreter. These men sleep on the floor joyfully, because of the truth, which they will receive from the fruit of Bro. Ed’s study of the Word of God. I know of many conferences in Kenya and Uganda, where pastors and overseers are promised accommodatations in nice hotels and guesthouses. However, not many of these pastors are excited to attend, because they get nothing of spiritual significance from these meetings. Oh, but I am so very grateful to the LORD for the favor that God has given to our brother, Ed Lacy, to come every year (for 15 years) to teach us the word of God. I truly believe that he has the word that the church in East Africa needs in these days. I am forever thankful to his wife, Dianne, and all those who pray for him and support his ministry. The church in East Africa is being enlightened and edified through this ministry. Brothers and sisters, thank you so very much for supporting his ministry, so that he might support men like me, both spiritually and financially.”

The following testimony is from another dear pastor and church-planter, that we have had the joy of working with and supporting, both with financial support and persevering prayer, for many years. His name is Pastor Fredrick Mulei. He is both a pastor and overseer of many others pastors. He also has a significant orphan minister in Kenya. The following words are his testimony of gratitude to you, “Dear Bro. Ed, It is with profound sense of appreciation, that I testify of how God has used your ministry to be a blessing to my ministry, my life and my family. For the last 16 years, you have mentored me with true biblical teachings such as ‘Christ-centered Evangelism, as well as many other workbook studies, which cluster around a God-pleasing ministry. My personal ministry has grown both numerically and spiritually, because of the Word of God that you have rightly interpreted and applied to the ministry that the Lord has given to me. I thank my God for bringing you into my life.

Our meeting and subsequent working together to further the Gospel in East Africa, cannot be explained—except by the sovereign work of God alone! Only He could have produced the amazing spiritual success that has resulted from this partnership in God’s mission. The whole area of East Africa has been gloriously affected, through the teachings that you have offered to hundreds of pastor such as I. God has encouraged and sustained me in magnificent ways! I give all glory and honor to Him. I have also learned how to suffer for Christ in a manner that magnifies the Lord Jesus Christ. I have learned how to do God’s work; God’s way; for God’s glory! Ed, may God continue to strengthen you to continue to expose the false teachings, which continually sprout up in Africa, for there are many heresies, which spread like a bush fire. These are used by the adversary to injure and destroy many souls. Oh, but God continues to use you to expose the doctrines of demons and replace them with the powerful truth of the Word of God. Dear man of God, I am forever grateful for your life and the teachings that you have invested in me. I am also so very grateful for the financial support that you give to support our ongoing ministry of church planting and the orphanage. God is using them both to extend His Kingdom into the hearts and lives of multitudes of Kenyans.”

Then lastly, I would like to share the following words of thanks from our dear brother, John Machuka. On my own behalf, and on behalf of our ministry and the churches that we serve in North West Kenya and Eastern Uganda, I take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to you for your continued support in biblical stewardship toward our ministry.

It is because of your training resources and sustained financial donations that we have been able by the grace of God to grow and establish this ministry over the past years, reaching and equipping many needy and economically challenged churches, whose dream of attaining biblical and ministry training was a distant possibility. Your support goes a long way in strengthening more than 200 local churches drawn from over 80 different denominations. Many peoples’ lives are transformed as they grow into an intimate relationship with God through training and mentorship. Now we have 950 trainees doing pastoral ministry in their churches, each teach and exhort a minimum of 25 people weekly. CBLTK takes biblical and ministry training to church leaders where they live and continue to serve in their church. Many of these churches here have been led by people with no biblical training. The kind of Christianity that is practiced is characterized by compromise, false teaching, mediocrity and moribund faith. Church leaders in rural and remote areas desired training and saw no possibility for it. This mode of training organizes 2-hour weekly training sessions of 12 participants who are pastors or associates. They are taken through courses that are tailor made for Christian missioners working within diverse typical African culture. Christ Centered Evangelism from your resources continues to be one of the most relevant courses we have ever taught. Redeemed to Worship is another, just to mention a few. These, coupled with other courses, have made it possible for the pastors to correctly study, interpret, apply and teach the Word of God to their own lives and to their congregation.

Syncretistic practices were perceived as normal in churches where aspects of African tradition practices were incorporated into Christian worship. These adversely watered down the power of the gospel and the meaning of Christianity. People professed Christian faith, but held onto aspects of animism believed for physical wellness. Another disturbing dimension has been the Prosperity Gospel in churches focusing on physical health and material wealth, while Holy Spirit Power incorporates numerous ideas about supernatural power, protection from curses and the devil, as well as the expression of spiritual gifts. These doctrines were taught at the expense of Jesus teaching on discipleship. As a result of these, those who are Christians were weak in faith. Families were weak. Sinful behavior reigned rather than becoming like Jesus. Divisions existed within and between churches rather than unity. The Lordship of Jesus was not emphasized as most church-goers were biblically uninformed. The result is a religious deception among many professing believers and a weak witness of Christ to the lost. The people remained lost while in churches, downtrodden, and disillusioned. Churches followed lies and teachings of men rather than biblical truth. They had zeal for God, but not according to knowledge! The message of salvation in Jesus by faith alone was lost. 1,000,000s were and still remain perishing from a proclamation of a gospel that is false, distorted, not the gospel of the bible! This is the context that informs our partnership, that the people in our ministry environment may truly know the Lord on His terms, and not their religious fads and perceptions.

Most of the people we target live in rural areas are characterized by poverty. Most are sustenance farmers that earn just enough for basic food, clothing, and shelter. To some, these fundamental needs remain a challenge. Therefore, paying for training in an institution is a challenge. Many serving in church leadership roles have a desire for training, but cannot leave sustaining their family to train in institutionalized bible schools and seminaries in large cities. The few that leave for training do not return to the area they came from. Only an intentional strategy, taking training to church leaders where they live, as they remain in their churches and train on the job can change the situation. Pastors and church leaders learning biblical truth, teaching the Word of God in their churches, and the churches carrying out the Great Commission to the lost.

We thank God for the hundreds that are turning to the faith through the ministry of these church leaders.
We pray for you often in our meetings and it is our desire and prayer that we remain true to the vision. Once again thank you. Pass our sincere regards and appreciation to the friends and supporters of the ministry through whom God makes this ministry possible. We are deeply indebted to them. Love you all!

Friends, All three of these men, George, Frederick and John, are such faithful servants of the Lord Jesus. They work tirelessly in their ministries, and willingly and diligently have given themselves in the preparation and organization of every Bible Conference we have held over these many years, which host so many other pastors. They are committed to following up and continuing to work with these men after the conclusion of the conferences, because their desire is for multiplication, for the glory of our God.