Jimmy Odoch has always loved teaching God's Word. Now, after four years of theological training at The Master's Seminary, he is preparing to return home to Uganda. See how a conversation with TMAI President Dr. Mark Tatlock helped clarify his calling to train faithful men who will teach God's Word to others.
There's no confusion in Jimmy Odoch's mind about what he loves to do.
“I grew up teaching Sunday school," he said. "I grew up teaching kids. So I love teaching about God.”
Jimmy is preparing to return to Uganda to serve on faculty at TMAI candidate school Shepherds Training College (STC). 15 years ago, as an engineering student participating in local apologetics ministry, he already had an eye towards missions in East Africa.
“It's because of my love to teach God’s Word that I started considering getting more theological training while I was at university," he explained. "But I had not really thought about formal seminary education until later.”
After his first engineering job ended, Jimmy decided to pick up a trade. He enrolled in a Christian welding school run by a missionary. After six months, he took to the trade so quickly that the school hired him to teach not just welding, but Bible classes.
With Jimmy's evident skill, his pastor in Uganda urged him to consider Bible school as a step towards seminary training.
The Road to Kubamitwe
Through his church network, Jimmy came to California for Bible college in 2020. There, another pastor suggested Jimmy's next step. John Pleasnick and other leaders at Faith Bible Church in Murrieta had graduated from a local Californian institution.
“Have you considered The Master’s Seminary?” John asked Jimmy.
Jimmy weighed several options for his theological training and decided to apply to TMS. His pastor in California gave him one more idea, as Jimmy remembers.
“Hey, we support a missionary in Uganda called Shannon Hurley. Would you consider serving alongside him when you return from TMS?”
With this in mind, Jimmy travelled to the village of Kubamitwe to visit Shannon, STC's director, and discuss what a partnership could look like. In God’s sovereignty, Dr Mark Tatlock also happened to be visiting STC at the same time, and the men met together.
“That was one of the most godly conversations I've ever had with anyone,” Jimmy said. “I think it was the Luke 24 experience—the road to Emmaus where those men were speaking with Christ, and they had a warmness in their hearts.”
The discussion lasted less than an hour, but it gave Jimmy the clarity he needed to understand TMAI's vision and his potential role in the ministry.
“The more effective goal is to have a few select men trained at TMS and then send them home to train their own people.”
He explained, “What they're trying to achieve is the 2 Timothy 2:2 model—training men who will pass on the truth to other faithful men. TMAI is committed to doing that, and to do that in a meaningful and impactful way. But it requires substantial resources to bring everyone to the U.S. for training. The more effective goal is to have a few select men trained at TMS and then send them home to train their own people.”
Teaching Them to Know Christ Fully
In 2023, Jimmy agreed to join Shannon and the faculty team at STC. With clear purpose for his theological studies, he received a full-tuition scholarship from TMAI to begin the Master of Divinity program at TMS. As he nears the end of the four-year program, he says his studies have reinforced his confidence in the Bible and the priority of the local church.
“The high view of Scripture’s sufficiency and authority that TMS has is unbeatable,” he said.
This understanding of God's Word is radical in the Ugandan context, where Jimmy said even so-called believers are still governed by African traditional worldviews.
“Many Ugandan Christians do not know Christ,” he shared. “They have knowledge about Christ. They do not know Christ personally.”
“My ministry is at home. I can’t wait to go back to teach those men.”
Jimmy is equipped and ready to serve at STC. He has the same passion for teaching God’s Word as he did in college. But now he has a mission that will take his giftedness further: discipling and building up church leaders in Uganda who are devoted to God and to His Word.
“My ministry is at home,” Jimmy said. “I can’t wait to go back to teach those men.”
Training faithful pastors begins with men who are committed to knowing and teaching God's Word. Through Shepherds Training College in Uganda, Jimmy Odoch is preparing to return home and equip local church leaders to faithfully preach Scripture and train others. Your support of TMAI helps make this work possible by providing theological training to men like Jimmy who will return to serve their own people. Partner with us to help train the next generation of faithful pastors around the world.