Training Pastors, Transforming communities
Barnabas Factor Executive Director Tom Salter and wife, Barbara
A word from our Executive Director, Tom Salter:
I’ve been a pastor for over 50 years. I know firsthand the impact a pastor can have on those in their congregation and the ripple effect in the community. Strengthening marriages, building up leaders and connecting people to community resources. During my first trip to Africa in 2008, I realized that in addition to these pastoral duties, pastors fill so many more roles in their communities. They are community leaders, trauma counselors, peace makers and vocational trade educators. Since that trip, I've made it my life's work to train and equip international pastors and leaders.
I’ve been a pastor for over 50 years. I know firsthand the impact a pastor can have on those in their congregation and the ripple effect in the community. Strengthening marriages, building up leaders and connecting people to community resources. During my first trip to Africa in 2008, I realized that in addition to these pastoral duties, pastors fill so many more roles in their communities. They are community leaders, trauma counselors, peace makers and vocational trade educators. Since that trip, I've made it my life's work to train and equip international pastors and leaders.
About Barnabas Factor
The mission of Barnabas Factor began with encouraging pastors and training on the importance of preventative self-care. We then expanded our focus internationally to train pastors in theology and Biblical studies as well as community reconciliation and trauma counseling. Our training curriculum now helps to equip leaders in sustainability farming methods.
In short, when we train a pastor in much of the developing world, we are setting loose a change agent who will bring transformation to their community. And the need to train is enormous.
Pastor to Pastor Training Networks describes the need: “Seminaries and Bible institutes do exist in cities and highly populated areas. Unfortunately, these institutions are simply not enough to train all of the pastors who need training. Furthermore, rarely do training options exist in remote or outlying areas. Yet, there are far more churches outside the cities than inside. The vast majority of churches exist where there are no training options available. The existing training options are simply inadequate in both numbers and quality to meet the overwhelming need.”
Barnabas Factor is active in Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and in some Asian countries. We have trained over 32,000 pastors and leaders through one-to-three-day seminars that include Biblical and theological studies, leadership development and trauma counseling orientation. We also offer more in depth, intensive training on these and other topics at our 25 Bible Institutes.
The mission of Barnabas Factor began with encouraging pastors and training on the importance of preventative self-care. We then expanded our focus internationally to train pastors in theology and Biblical studies as well as community reconciliation and trauma counseling. Our training curriculum now helps to equip leaders in sustainability farming methods.
In short, when we train a pastor in much of the developing world, we are setting loose a change agent who will bring transformation to their community. And the need to train is enormous.
Pastor to Pastor Training Networks describes the need: “Seminaries and Bible institutes do exist in cities and highly populated areas. Unfortunately, these institutions are simply not enough to train all of the pastors who need training. Furthermore, rarely do training options exist in remote or outlying areas. Yet, there are far more churches outside the cities than inside. The vast majority of churches exist where there are no training options available. The existing training options are simply inadequate in both numbers and quality to meet the overwhelming need.”
Barnabas Factor is active in Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia and in some Asian countries. We have trained over 32,000 pastors and leaders through one-to-three-day seminars that include Biblical and theological studies, leadership development and trauma counseling orientation. We also offer more in depth, intensive training on these and other topics at our 25 Bible Institutes.
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