Local Leaders has identified that one of the key ways to lift the standards of a Bible college is to lift the competence of the faculty. We support masters and doctoral studies for faculty members which are done in their region or by distance education, so they can stay at the college. This greatly reduces the cost compared to training in the West. Furthermore, their studies are more relevant and suitable for the context of ministry in the Majority World.
Recognise the value of sponsoring a faculty member to complete a Masters or PhD qualification. This builds on their existing competence to teach their students.
Speak to your Local Leaders Regional Director to discuss your options and confirm your commitment.
Donors will be updated with news of the faculty member’s progress.
South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, India
Joshua George is a husband, father, minister, and teacher. Supported by Local Leaders International, he completed his MDiv and MTh at South Asia Institute for Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) in 2019. He and his family have planted a thriving church in India and Joshua also teaches at SAIACS.
As an outstanding candidate, he has now received a Local Leaders Faculty Study Grant to undertake doctoral work researching how urban educated young people in India respond to preaching. He is currently completing his PhD through Malyon College in Queensland, whilst continuing to teach at SAIACS.
Joshua recently visited Australia as part of Local Leaders 2022 Speakers Program and met with many of our supporters. He shared about his experiences teaching at SAIACS and explained his PhD research on how Indian millennials are responding to the gospel, especially highlighting the contextual differences between young people in urban and rural areas.
Joshua reflected on his visit:
“During a span of two-and-a-half weeks, I must have met and interacted with more than 100 new people individually or in small groups who have had some association with Local Leaders International. Each meeting had something different to offer in terms of the types of people as well as the questions that were asked of me. These people spanned ages, ethnicities and vocations, and asked questions about theological education in India as well as the social, religious, and political issues prevalent in both urban and rural contexts. I was amazed at how genuinely concerned these people were about what they were supporting. Many of them had never visited India physically, but their hearts and prayers certainly had.
… As theological educators in a developing country like India, we are not just training men and women to run better church meetings. We are wrestling worldviews with scripture, battling socio-political powers with the values of the kingdom, and transforming a nation with the gospel.”
“Faculty who receive our grants assist in the accreditation and continuing operation of theological institutions that provide essential pastoral and ministerial training to Christian workers and pastors in a locally-relevant way”
© Local Leaders International 2023 • Website by Cocoon Creative
© Local Leaders International 2023
Website by Cocoon Creative
