SOS

The SOS Pastoral Training Center - Vision Statement

by Shannon Hurley

The construction of the Pastoral Training Center is now well on its way! This week, our construction team dug the footings for all four of the main administration buildings and plan to have each one of these buildings erected by August. Next year, we plan to complete the student housing for a launch of the initial Discipleship Institute in January, 2018. This is the first of three phases (Others being: the Bible Institute and the Pastors' Institute) of the entire Pastoral Training Center. This is SOS's most significant endeavor to strengthen and build God's church in Uganda, for which we have been laying the foundation for the past decade with the Baptist Union of Uganda. Please be watching the upcoming newsletters for more details for the Pastoral Training Center.

Why has SOS Ministries established a Pastoral Training Center?

If one were to travel to Uganda, one would be overwhelmed with the reality that there are a lot of organizations training pastors in this country. They're 100's of pastors' conferences each year, 100's of missionaries, and over a 100 Bible schools in Uganda. Such a presence of Christian leaders and institutions begs the question of why SOS Ministries, Uganda would feel the need to develop another pastoral training institution. Well, after working in Uganda for 13 years, SOS has come to see that another training center is not only needed, but we believe it is mandatory for significant kingdom impact.As a ministry we have come to see, despite the strong "Christian" presence in Uganda, that institutions and missionaries with a strong, loud, biblically voice are almost non-existent. We have become eyewitnesses of the fact that much of what is considered "Christian" in Uganda is entrenched in the false doctrines of the health/wealth/prosperity gospel or Word of Faith Movement. As a result, most institutions training pastors are training pastors in confusion or are being trained in a false man-centered system. Consequently, the vast majority of institutions in Uganda are not suitable to be considered a Christian training center.

Furthermore, it is apparent that there are some good, God-honoring institutions faithfully training men for ministry. Yet still, we are convinced that most of these institutions are not equipped well enough either from a personnel standpoint or from a facility standpoint to be able to train men effectively or sufficiently. Most institutions seeking to honor God are very poorly funded and staffed and often are not biblically weighty enough to gird a minister for effective service. The few adept institutions remaining are often controlled by the Ministry of Education to the point where they become ineffective. The Ministry of Education most often forces schools to become universities, necessitating multiple faculties beyond pastoral training, and the schools ultimately become distracted in their mission and are consumed by these other more lucrative disciplines.Due to such practical deficiencies, we are convinced that there are very few institutions capable of providing high quality training, worthy of the high calling of pastoring God's Church. Subsequently, God's church remains weak and God's truth muted by the booming screams of Pentecostal false teaching and echoing Muslim calls to worship.We believe that not only is a school like SOS's needed, 100 such schools would be ideal. An army of God honoring pastors needs to arise, which calls for several, well-equipped, truth infused, and well strategized training centers needed. We hope to be one of them.

- Shannon

Edward & Hope Tie the Knot !

On January 30th, the pastor of our local church, Edward Kintu, covenanted before God and our villagers to love Hope Kezaala until death. Edward is very special to Shannon, as in many ways, he would be considered his "Timothy". We have watched Edward grow from a young village man who could barely speak English to a powerful preacher, discipler, and translator! And Hope, who has been a daughter in our home for the past 7 years, has blossomed from an unbelieving Muslim to a beautiful young woman, devoted to her Lord!

This traditional African wedding was complete with music, celebratory shouts, and hundreds of smiles! We were all rejoicing that our bachelor pastor had found the perfect teammate with whom to serve God! The sweet couple has already settled into their home on the SOS campus and has offered gracious hospitality to the many well-wishers who drop by each day. Edward and Hope are preparing to transition to the United States where Edward plans to complete his seminary education before returning as a professor at our Pastoral Training Center. We look forward to watching God use this dynamic team to continue to further His Kingdom here in Uganda!

- from the Hurleys and the SOS Family

SOS says goodbye to a dear friend, co-laborer, mentor, and pastor...

Last month, we prepared to give you all an update on the condition of our beloved Community Outreach Manager, Sam Wamanga. Instead, we are announcing that we have said goodbye. In January of this year, Sam was diagnosed with a glioma brain tumor. We understood that his cancer was very aggressive, but were completely shocked to receive a call on Wednesday night, February 17th, that he had gone home to be with the Lord. Just the week before, Sam was in his home on the SOS campus, exchanging his usual jokes with our daughter, whom he had affectionately nicknamed, "Director." Shannon visited him in the hospital the day before he died, and the doctor recommended radiation to shrink the tumor to enable him to be coherent enough to organize his financial affairs. When Sam told Shannon before he left the room, "I love you, Shannon," we had no idea that those would be the last words Shannon would ever hear from Sam on this side of eternity.

Sam led a full life, faithfully serving God's people in Uganda for several decades (for more details on his life, see Sam's interview in the SOS newsletter of November). Sam's children received a final charge, just a couple hours before he took his last breath. His last words were, "We should not spend more time and money on things of this world, but prepare ourselves for heaven." Sam lived these truths out as he served his Lord up to his final day. We were honored to have Sam as a key member of our team in the early years of our ministry as he served as an advocate of SOS to the Baptist Union of Uganda and as an encouragement to everyone with whom he came into contact. In his daily service at SOS, Sam patiently helped people who were sick and hurting, seeking to lead them to follow after Christ by exemplifying Christ's love for them. Sam was buried in his hometown of Mbale, where he received a hero's farewell from over 1,000 people who were impacted by his life. Due to Sam's influence upon Baptist leaders, Sam's legacy will continue through the ongoing ministry of SOS to the Baptist Union of Uganda.

We would all be wise to heed the final words of this godly man. Since James describes us as a "vapor," we'd be prudent to maximize our "vapor" to the fullest, by living for heaven as Sam did so well.

- the SOS team

Celebrating 18 Years of Marriage!

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Shannon & Danielle celebrated 18 years of marriage this past February! We praise God for their faithfulness, devotion and vision for this ministry, and their great passion and love for the people of Uganda. !

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An Inside Peak at an SOS Conference

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SOS is in p eak Conference season, having just completed the Western and Southwestern Conference in Mbarara in January. The Conference theme was "The Sacred Pulpit: Seeing the pulpit from God's perspective". In May SOS will be hosting two conferences for BUU pastoral training, in the Central & Southeastern region, and in the Northern & Eastern region. Please pray for SOS for the upcoming Conferences, regional leadership training and BUU leadership meetings.

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March 2016

SOS Ministries Updates