Reaching the Displaced Sudanese Church
God is bringing the nations to us—though not in the ways we expect. Political unrest, conflict, and mass migrations have reshaped the demographics of many countries where TMAI serves. These circumstances are often difficult, but they also present opportunities for obedience to Christ in reaching all nations with the gospel.
For Shepherds' Training Institute (STI) based in Lebanon and Egypt, serving a new people group required an in-depth assessment and understanding of their spiritual and situational needs.
A Sudanese Pastor’s Request
Since opening its Cairo campus in 2019, STI has always had a small representation of Sudanese nationals in its 2-year preaching cohort. ME*, one of the earliest Sudanese students, was an enthusiastic and faithful pastor. From his first classes, ME told STI leaders, "We Sudanese pastors need this in-depth training."
Sudan is one of the world's most conflict-torn countries and a challenging place to send missionaries. Sudanese civilians have fled in large numbers to neighboring Egypt seeking refuge from a devastating civil war. In God’s sovereignty, over a million Sudanese nationals are now at STI's doorstep, ready to be reached with the good news of Jesus Christ.
ME believed Sudanese leaders needed a more foundational training as they minister to communities of largely transient refugees in an often-harsh environment. These pastors are compelled to serve the Lord, but like their congregations, they also carry the burden of working long hours to support their families, leaving little time for focused exegesis and sermon preparation.
Many Sudanese pastors also had differing levels of education compared to their Egyptian counterparts. ML, an STI faculty member, said, “There are a few of them that don't have any degrees, so they do it just because they love the Lord and they want to help their community."
A Teacher’s Listening Ear
What Sudanese leaders needed was a program that considered their situation and could equip them to respond to the great shepherding need at hand.
It took the STI team a few years of listening and praying. Then in 2025, STI began offering a quarterly series of preaching seminars to provide training for a group of 25-30 Sudanese ministry leaders.
“We want these pastors to go back to the main thing—the Holy Scriptures—for their own sake, for their life, and for the flock they are shepherding”
The dedicated setting immediately created a different classroom dynamic; the students felt at ease asking questions and raising concerns from their context.
“The more we listened to their questions, the more we realized there are a lot of problems with their practical ecclesiology,” ML said. As displaced peoples, Sudanese believers are tightly bound with their communities; this can create challenges when implementing biblical practices of church discipline and eldership.
The Authority for the Nations
To address these challenges, STI faculty resolved to set a deep foundation for their Sudanese students: Scripture as the sole authority for life and faith, above all cultural preferences and problems.
"We want these pastors to go back to the main thing—the Holy Scriptures—for their own sake, for their life, and for the flock they are shepherding," ML said.
As they acquire essential biblical study and application methods through the seminars, ML hopes that some attendees will be motivated to pursue further training. At the same time, STI continues to adapt its curriculum to serve the dynamic needs of the Sudanese church.
Political and social circumstances are bound to change, inviting TMAI's schools to be receptive and purposeful in how they train. Yet around the world, our theological training remains anchored in what is unchanging: the sufficient Word of God. As students stand in this foundation, may they be prepared to preach the truth and shepherd the flock to maturity, wherever God sends them.
**names abbreviated for security purposes
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