Propelling The Gospel Forward in Ethiopia
An update from Josh Pannell, Dean of Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia…
As I sit down to write this update, my heart is filled with gratitude. It is evident that everything happening at Trinity Fellowship is a testament to the Lord's grace and your unwavering support. Your faithful prayers and generous gifts have been instrumental in advancing the gospel in Addis and we are excited to share how you have propelled the gospel forward in Ethiopia through your partnership with us.
In the growth of Trinity Fellowship Church, God has consistently brought young men to us with a desire for pastoral ministry. In September 2021, we inaugurated Trinity Fellowship Pastors College, with eleven church members making up our first class. Today, we're thrilled to see another cohort of ten men, all church members, who started the Pastors College this past September. Their backgrounds include Ethiopians with theology and Bible degrees, a popular secular music artist with a desire for pastoral ministry, and a Somali man with an MDIV who aspires to plant an underground church among his people.
Following the apostle Paul's charge to Timothy—"watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16)—we seek to equally emphasize both theological precision and the development of pastoral qualifications. Pastors are not merely conveyors of the gospel; they are living examples of its transformative power. Because of this, our program places great importance on the pursuit of practical holiness and pastoral qualifications. Throughout their studies, students receive personalized discipleship from Trinity Fellowship Church's elder team.
Our program also offers demanding academics. It consists of 42 one-week master's level block courses, each comprising 25 classroom hours. The curriculum is rigorous and designed to prepare men for the challenges of pastoral ministry.
The year began with me teaching the first three weeks of class. I covered Prolegomena and Bibliology, followed by Hermeneutics, and concluded with Biblical Theology. Michael Granger, our lead pastor at Trinity Fellowship Church, then taught The Gospel-Centered Life, and Kruger DeKock from South Africa taught The Gospel-Centered Pastor. Jason Hudson, a seasoned Sovereign Grace pastor, led Pastoral Ministry 1, and Ben Lovelady taught our course on The Torah.
Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome teachers from Africa, Europe, and North America. They are both scholars in their respective fields and seasoned pastors with decades of faithful shepherding. In the coming months, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of individuals such as Thomas Schreiner, Steven Wellum, Jason Derouchie, Andreas Köstenberger, Michael Heykin, Conrad Mbewe, Peter Leithart, Matthew Harmon, Thomas Renz, Ronald Kalifungwa, Paul Kayumba, Eric Bancroft, Bob Kauflin, Mark Prater, Josh Blount, Tim Kerr, Markus Kniesel, Pete Payne, Mark Alderton, and others. Truly, the Lord continues to abundantly bless us!
One of our main objectives at Trinity Fellowship is to gradually phase ourselves out and pave the way for the ministry to be fully led by locals. Our goal is to achieve this within the next decade. The new year at the Pastors College marks significant progress towards this vision, as several graduates from 2022 are actively serving the college.
Mekdim has taken on the role of Operations Manager while pursuing certificates in counselling through CCEF to further prepare himself for ministry. Samuel, another graduate, now serves as my Academic Assistant while also advancing his studies as he pursues an MTh at Union School of Theology. Finally, Amanuel has taken on the role of Student Care Coordinator, dedicating 10 hours per week to student discipleship. This year has also given several of our graduates the opportunity to assist me in teaching selected sections of my classes. In the image above, Brian Kiama is teaching his 30 page thesis paper on membership in the New Covenant from Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8, which he wrote during his time at the Pastors College.
Witnessing these graduates stepping into these roles is not only a testament to their growth and the Lord's faithfulness, but also a significant step towards transitioning Trinity Fellowship completely to Ethiopian leadership.
I am grateful to God for the work unfolding at Trinity Fellowship, and I am grateful to each of you for partnering with us on this journey. Drawing from Paul's words in Philippians 4:18–20, we can confidently say that we “have received more than enough. The gifts you sent, through Epaphroditus, are a fragrant offering and a sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And just as God has provided for us, He will also supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Let us give glory to our God and Father forever and ever. Amen.”
