Qualifying the Unqualified

A Multiplication of Faithful Leaders

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

The Gospel has always advanced this way: one faithful leader equipping another, who in turn equips others. Long before churches are planted, communities transformed, or generations discipled, God raises up shepherds who rightly handle His Word and faithfully care for His people. Across Uganda, thousands of churches gather every Sunday beneath tin roofs, mango trees, or simple mud structures. Many are led by pastors who have answered God’s call despite never having the opportunity to receive formal theological education. Most receive little or no salary, support large families through farming or small trades, and faithfully shepherd congregations in places where Biblical resources are scarce. In many rural communities, prosperity gospel teaching, folk religion, and doctrinal confusion have flourished where sound Biblical instruction has been sparse.

More than a decade ago, while studying for 2 years at Wheaton Graduate School, Robert Sityo worshiped alongside the Wheaton Bible Church family, carrying a burden that stretched far beyond the classrooms of Wheaton. He dreamed of returning home to Uganda to continue equipping rural pastors who had faithfully answered God’s call but had never been given the opportunity to receive sound biblical training. That vision became the Bukeeka Evangelical School of Theology (BEST) which began with a handful of volunteer instructors meeting three times a year in borrowed classrooms and has since grown into one of Uganda’s most respected centers for theological education. Through God’s faithfulness and Wheaton Bible Church’s ongoing partnership, what began as one man’s calling has become a movement that is equipping pastors, strengthening churches, planting new congregations, and advancing the Gospel across Uganda. This is proof that when the Church invests in faithful leaders, the impact reaches far beyond what anyone could imagine.

While seminaries exist, they remain beyond the reach of many village pastors. Tuition is costly, educational requirements often exclude those called to ministry later in life, and leaving home for extended periods is simply not possible. Many cannot even meet the educational requirements for admission. Fountain of Hope Ministries had a simple yet compelling mission for BEST: “Qualifying the Unqualified.” Three times each year, pastors travel from villages, refugee settlements, fishing communities along Lake Kyoga, and towns across Uganda to study Scripture, theology, and practical ministry. They return home better equipped to faithfully preach God’s Word, disciple believers, strengthen families, and lead their churches with biblical wisdom. For more than a decade, hundreds of pastors have graduated from BEST, creating a ripple effect that reaches far beyond the classroom. One of those pastors is Solomon Kyambadde.

For more than ten years, Solomon faithfully served a rural church in western Uganda. Like many pastors, he believed that passion and the leading of the Holy Spirit were sufficient preparation for ministry. When the Ugandan government announced that pastors would need recognized theological training for their churches to remain open, he enrolled at BEST simply to meet the requirement. What he encountered transformed far more than his credentials. As Solomon learned how to faithfully study and interpret Scripture, he began to recognize how often he had unintentionally misunderstood God’s Word. He later shared that while he came seeking a certificate, God instead reshaped his entire ministry. His preaching became more faithful, his leadership more discerning, and his relationships at home were restored. His wife witnessed the difference, and so did his congregation. Within eighteen months, church attendance had doubled. A false prophet who had nearly destroyed his family no longer held influence because Solomon had learned to recognize error through Scripture. Today he oversees more than fifty churches throughout his district and, while still completing his studies, has planted two new churches.
His story illustrates a profound truth: when one shepherd is equipped to faithfully teach God’s Word, entire communities begin to flourish. John Kairugavu’s story reflects the same pattern. Growing up with a deep desire to serve Christ, financial hardship placed theological education beyond his reach. When he learned that churches without trained pastors could soon be forced to close, he feared his calling would end before it had truly begun. Then BEST came to his village. Looking back on his graduation, he said, “Honestly, I don’t know where to start… Here I stand among the theological leaders of our country. God brought BEST to our village, and He changed my future.” Pastor Basalirwa described his own experience through the story of baby Moses floating helplessly down the Nile. Before the waters could overtake him, God provided rescue. Likewise, before his church could disappear under new government requirements, God provided theological training through BEST. Members of his congregation traveled with him to graduation because they recognized that his education had become their blessing as well.
These stories reveal that the impact of theological education extends far beyond the pastor himself. As leaders grow in Biblical understanding, churches are strengthened, marriages are restored, believers mature in their faith, and new congregations are planted where none existed before. The ripples continue long after the classroom is empty. In late 2023, however, this growing movement nearly came to a standstill. The primary funding source for BEST’s January training unexpectedly fell through after more than 200 pastors representing over 120 churches had already committed to attend. Many had traveled from remote villages where access to Biblical resources was almost nonexistent. Without immediate support, the training would have been canceled, delaying theological education for pastors whose congregations depended on their faithful leadership. Through God’s provision and the generosity of Wheaton Bible Church, that funding gap was met. The classrooms opened, the pastors arrived, Scripture was taught, and more than 200 church leaders returned home equipped to shepherd God’s people with greater confidence and Biblical conviction.
The fruit of that investment continues multiplying across Uganda. It can be seen in rural churches where pastors now preach God’s Word with clarity. It can be heard in congregations singing with renewed hope after years of doctrinal confusion. It can be found in families being discipled together, young leaders preparing for ministry, and new churches taking root in communities that had little access to faithful Biblical teaching. The same partnership that helped establish a permanent home for True Worship Centre in Soweto is also strengthening churches across Uganda through pastors who have been equipped to faithfully proclaim Christ. This has always been the vision behind BEST.
Not simply to graduate students, but to prepare shepherds who will feed Christ’s flock, guard the truth of the Gospel, disciple future generations, and raise up even more faithful leaders. One trained pastor influences hundreds of lives. One healthy church transforms an entire community. As those churches plant new congregations and disciple future leaders, the Gospel continues advancing from village to village and from generation to generation. As BEST prepares to welcome another class of pastors each year, the need remains as urgent as ever. Wheaton Bible Church’s continued partnership will sustain theological education for pastors who would otherwise never have had the opportunity to receive it. Through Biblically grounded leadership, these pastors are strengthening local churches, confronting false teaching, serving their communities with wisdom and compassion, and proclaiming the hope of Christ where it is needed most.
There are few callings more sacred than shepherding Christ’s Church. To lead a congregation is not merely to stand behind a pulpit each Sunday; it is to steward a people purchased by the precious blood of Christ Himself. Like a shepherd who rises before dawn and walks beside his flock, a faithful pastor bears the joyful weight of watching over every soul entrusted to his care. He leads them away from hidden dangers, searches for those who wander, and ensures they are nourished: not with whatever the world offers, but with the life-giving truth of God’s Word. He knows that sheep who feed on poisoned pastures will grow weak, while those who feast on Scripture will stand firm, mature in faith, and bear lasting fruit. This is why faithful theological training matters. At BEST, pastors are not simply learning doctrine; they are learning to faithfully build up the bride of Christ. They are being formed into shepherds who can lovingly guard their congregations from false teaching, wisely lead through suffering and uncertainty, and faithfully equip God’s people for every good work.

We are deeply grateful for the generosity that made it possible for the previous graduating class to complete their studies. Because of your partnership, pastors were and continue to be equipped, churches remained open, new congregations have been planted, and countless believers are being discipled under faithful biblical leadership. Thank you for investing in leaders who are multiplying the Gospel across Uganda. Together, we are witnessing God build His Church: one pastor faithfully trained, one congregation strengthened, and one community transformed at a time.

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