Evangelism & Discipleship Training in the Buvuma Islands

Ministry Director:  Pastor Mumbya Samson

 Mission Statement:

Seek and save the lost among the Buvuma Islands before they return to their homelands, and envision and equip Christian leaders with the message of Truth for the purpose of transforming individuals, families and communities.

     Discipleship training for pastors, lay leaders and other church members began on Lingira Island in May 2005.  After seeing a need for people to hear and know the Word of God, and for Christian leaders to be trained, the discipleship program was born in the hearts of Pastor Mumbya Samson and Karina Thomas.  Pastor Samson was also appointed by the leadership of the Deliverance Church to train leaders throughout the islands of Lake Victoria. Prior to this training, no discipleship was offered on the islands and pastors and lay leaders were self taught.

     Since then, Pastor Samson, Pastor Robert (Lingira Deliverance Church), Karina, and now Andrew and other SHIM members and guest speakers, Pastor Samson, Karina, and Pastor Nakitembe Moses of Lingira Deliverance Church, as well as other guest teachers, have taught in Lingira village on such Biblical topics as Repentance, Faith, Fruits of the Spirit, Gifts of the Spirit, Family, Evangelism and The Doctrine of Christ, among other subjects.  The program is run at no cost on a six-month schedule. Students completing the course receive a Certificate of Discipleship. The first students in the program were those of Lingira and Kyoya on Lingira Island and Buwanzi Island. Twenty graduated after the first six months. Since then, SHIM has also conducted full courses on the islands of Namiti, Kirewe, Bukali, and Jaguzi, as well as repeated courses in Lingira and Kyoya villages. Pastor Samson, Robert, and Papa and Mama “O” have also completed a very successful discipleship training in Busia district, eastern Uganda.

     Island pastors have approached both Pastor Samson and Andrew regarding the need for a diploma Pastors Andrew, Samson, Robert, and Bob Peterson are working on a pastoral training curriculum for oral learners, as most of the islanders, and many of the pastors, cannot read or write in any language.. Pastor Samson plans to finish his own diploma in ministry in 2008 in a one-year program, and then Andrew hopes to assist him in offering a similar training to the pastors.

     While reaching the islands with the discipleship training, the vision also expands to the mainland, where we hope to offer the training in the villages. One mainland church has already requested the program.

    Regarding evangelism specifically, SHIM networks between Americans and Ugandan pastors and evangelists to facilitate an organized program of crusades throughout the Buvuma Islands.

     Our desire for discipleship and evangelism is to train up, envision, and assist the local pastors in personal spiritual growth as well as ministry skills and biblical and theological training, thus preparing and enabling them to reach their own people more effectively with the life saving and life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.