Zamo Biyela, a South African alumnus of African Christian College knows firsthand what it means to minister without the support of a paying congregation. For many ministers, the lack of financial support becomes too great for them to bear.
But Zamo’s studies equipped him not just theologically, but practically. “Going to African Christian College helped me a lot in terms of thinking about ministry. From the onset, I looked for ways to sustain my life,” he reflects.
But around him, others were struggling. Churches were being left without equipped leaders. And the cycle continued.
“I always had a dream to start a school that could provide basic biblical training for preachers,” Zamo shares. “But the problem was not just training. It was retaining preachers after they had been trained, even when churches could not afford to support them.”
That dream became the Ekklesia Trade and Ministry School, a concept born directly out of the African Christian College model. The school does not only prepare students to preach. It equips them with trade skills so that when they return home, they can start businesses, generate income, and sustain themselves in ministry without waiting for a congregation to pay them.
The school currently enrolls twenty preachers on a twelve month programme combining basic biblical training with practical trade skills. “We currently offer welding and farming as our trade programmes and most people seem to love it,” Zamo notes.
What makes the model particularly compelling is that the skills are taught by members of the church community itself. Builders, welders, and farmers within the congregation become the teachers. The body of Christ, with all its gifts and abilities, is put to work for the good of the whole.
The results are already visible. Graduates are returning to their communities and replicating elements of the model, improving both their churches and their livelihoods.
Zamo did not just survive the challenges of ministry. He built a system to help others do the same. That is what transformational leadership looks like.
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