A Special Zeal to Evangelize

Students Discipleship Program through AE Ethiopia

“I have been protected from false teachings after I learned about the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith”

12th Grade Student, Abigya, is part of the Students Discipleship Program that is currently running through AE Ethiopia in the city of Jigjiga. Having attended the program for 5 years, she is in the final round of the discipleship program.

The 2022 Students Discipleship Program kicked off in Ethiopia with churches being mobilized to register students for the program and to participate in the training. The program takes students through curriculum-based training that aims at their spiritual growth and have them rooted in the faith.

Abigya mentions, “This program has been essential to my spiritual growth. Because of this training, I came to understand the basics of Christianity and the motivation to reading the Bible. I have also been protected from false teachings because I learned about the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith and can easily identify the false ones and confront them with biblical truth. It has also been helpful to know Christian ethical principles.

I want to continue with my spiritual growth and become more rooted in the faith. I want also to get involved with the discipleship program by teaching children.”

The discipleship training has aroused a special zeal to evangelize

Nahom Tamirat is an 11^th grade student from Gulele Paulos FGB Church in Addis Ababa and has been attending the training for the last 5 consecutive years.

“I am so blessed that I started such discipleship training in my early formative years.  The training has been very helpful for me. It has produced inside of me an interest in reading the Bible. Now I read the Bible daily. I can sense a transformative change in my life. One of the immediate results of the discipleship training is that it has aroused a special zeal to evangelize to friends. And this means beyond evangelizing through Word, it involves becoming a witness of Jesus through my lifestyle. My goal is to be a servant of God wherever he leads me”

I want to bear witness about the goodness of God in the way I live

11^th grade student, Hiwot Mengitsu joined the program for the first time and is very happy for the opportunity of learning God’s word in a systematic way.

“I come from a Christian family but in the past my parents did not allow me to come to church for the discipleship program even though I had been wanting it. Since I came here, I have liked the fellowship with students, it is refreshing. I only wished I had started earlier. The courses are very instructive. I have learnt more about Jesus and Christian ethics.

As a Christian, ethical living is very important. My life goal is to honor Jesus by living a faithful life and to bear witness about the goodness of God in the way I live. I also want to testify about Jesus to my friends.”

Many churches are partnering with AE Ethiopia to register students for the program and carry out the curriculum-based training. AE Ethiopia Team Leader made visits to more than 20 churches seeing the program taking roots. The follow-up visits have shown that the program is taking roots and the students are enthusiastic about the training. Let us keep this project in prayer to ensure that this next generation is grounded and ready for the Great Commission.