Discipleship Ministry

Let’s make discipleship in Uganda a priority.

Why not train teachers and student leaders in discipleship? We supply relevant materials for the student leaders, linking schools with churches to promote lasting discipleship and faith.

Your donation will help provide materials and support for the participants in this program. With your help, our Ugandan schools and churches can be further saturated with disciples of Christ!

Over the last few years in Pader, Northern Uganda, the Emmanuel International team has noticed that there is a hunger in the churches for discipleship. Churches know how to call people to Christ, but many do not know how to help the flock grow.

Michael and Marianne Botting have informally been involved in discipleship ministries in schools since their arrival in Pader in 2012. As Interim Chaplain of Pader Girls Academy in 2015, Marianne piloted some materials for adolescents called “Understanding True Love” – a biblically based course that teaches teens about the love of God, and helps teens understand love and relationships in light of that love.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Soon after, we piloted the materials with a youth group at a local church. The success of these pilots and the invitations received to bring the course into other schools and churches prompted an idea.

Why not train teachers and student leaders in discipleship and create stronger linkages between local churches and schools to provide pastoral support for students?

Walter was hired in 2017 as the key person for this ministry

This is what the school discipleship ministry has been doing, under the leadership of Walter, since 2017.

As we speak now, in 2019, there is an active and dedicated inter-denominational group of Christians from different churches who move from school to school as one, to proclaim Christ, share their testimonies, encourage the students, and provide guidance and counselling. They currently are operating independently, under their own leadership. This year, through their ministry, 12 schools were reached, and over 1,500 students were ministered to, yielding 270 decisions for Christ (that we know of). Discipleship and Leadership training was also carried out in 5 of these schools, where 16 active Bible study groups have been established with 388 members. The Understanding True Love course is also still going on, and this year 110 students completed the course and were awarded certificates. School administrators have greatly appreciated the ministry, testifying that there have been noticeable improvements in student behaviour and a decrease in cases of stealing and pregnancy among the student population.