In 2017, the first French-speaking Institute of Children’s Ministry in Africa was held at the local church and national office of the Church of God of Prophecy in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Nine nations participated, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The historic training was sponsored through a partnership with the churches of the state of Tennessee.
Following that institute and realizing the strategic importance of West Africa for gospel advancement, the vision was birthed to host four more institutes for these nations for further development of these leaders and impact throughout the region. The state of Tennessee committed to raising the necessary funding for these events, which ultimately would cost more than $170,000.00 to accomplish.
In subsequent years, trainings were held in Togo (2018), Guinea Conakry (2019), Cote d’Ivoire (2022), and Benin (2023). It was at the third Institute in Guinea-Conakry that the Holy Spirit began to refine the original vision for training these leaders. The International team began to pray and dialogue with the national bishops about how best to guide the remaining trainings so that the leaders of West Africa were not only developed as leaders but were equipped to multiply themselves throughout the area and beyond. The vision was enlarged to include a training event in 2022, in which a small group of individuals were taught the essentials of training and would lead the fifth and final training in 2023.
In pursuit of fulfilling this vision, International Children’s Ministries developed a new curriculum called Train the Trainers, which was first presented in 2022 to a select group of 22 potential trainers. For four days, individuals participated in this intense training experience that taught them how to conduct needs assessments, modeled various training methods when teaching adults, and worked to enhance their skills and presentation techniques. Participants were also taught elements of effective training design, including the use of icebreakers, alternatives to lectures, and the development of quality visual aids. They also identified their preferred learning styles, learned the basics of a positive learning environment, discussed dynamic delivery techniques, and learned how to address challenges when training others.
Each trainee also presented a 10-minute class to the group on the final day. They were critiqued by the International Children’s Ministries training team and their peers based on seven categories of effective training that were presented throughout the week.
In addition to the development and offering of Train the Trainers, International Children’s Ministries worked with the World Language Department of the International Offices to translate its 300-page Trainer’s Notebook into the French language. The notebook includes 30 core lessons that can be taught by our network in multiple categories of ministry, such as creative teaching methods, classroom management, evangelism, and discipleship. Each lesson includes a teaching manuscript, a student guide, and learning activities.
September 14-17, 2023, eight years after the initial commitment to West Africa, International Children’s Ministries hosted the final training event of the five-year program. Those who graduated from the Train the Trainers in Cote d’Ivoire were the principal instructors for this event. Over the four-day Institute, more than 260 children’s ministers and pastors from throughout the host nation of Benin participated in 19 workshops covering various topics.
While at the Institute, the Holy Spirit began to speak to Dr. Shaun McKinley, international director of Children’s Ministries, about the need for a training coordinator and liaison who could shepherd the work in the coming year and provide support, as well as accountability, to these master trainers. As he began to share the vision with the International team and national bishops, a leader emerged who agreed to serve in this new role. Additionally, by the end of the trip, the funding for a monthly allotment for this liaison was also provided.
At the conclusion of the event, the selection of Pastor Setin Minwalo Aubed, of Cote d’Ivoire, to serve as our first-ever training liaison was announced. “When our training team and national overseers began to discuss how best to ensure that the investment we’ve made in developing training in West Africa is not only sustained but grows in the future, we agreed that someone needed to be selected to serve as a training liaison for our ministry,” Dr. McKinley told the audience. “After prayer and dialogue,” he continued, “the team was unanimous that God’s hand was on Setin to serve in this vital connection for accountability, reporting, and resourcing.”
“It has been a joy to witness Setin’s passion, anointing, and calling throughout this five-year commitment,” said KidServe Coordinator Michelle Brooks-Young during the announcement. “There is no doubt that he will lead this area of Africa to reach the harvest of children that is so abundant around them.” Setin will also continue to serve as pastor of the Danane Church of God of Prophecy, which is located in the western part of the Cote d’Ivoire, where he has served for six years.
International Children’s Ministries is excited to see the work in West Africa thrive as we continue to receive weekly reports of what the trainers are doing throughout their nations. Thank you to our generous donors, not only in the state of Tennessee but also other congregations and children’s ministries outsidethe state , who have partnered to help us keep our five-year commitment to West Africa. We are also grateful for the trainers who have sown into this fertile soil—Kim Batson, Michelle Brooks-Young, Kathryn Creasy, Gladys Hawkins, and Shaun McKinley.
If you would like to help support the work in West Africa, please visit cogop.org/children to give online or contact cpgkids@cogop.org to learn about the many possibilities to partner with us.
