2025 African Theology and Leadership Institute

Theme: Sustainable Church Growth and the Theological Foundations for Eﬀective Pastoral Leadership

Dates: March 13-15th, 2025

Location: Providence Baptist Church, Monrovia, Liberia

Institute Overview

The 2025 African Theology and Leadership Institute (ATLI) is designed to empower pastors, church leaders, theologians, and Christian educators by equipping them with practical tools and deep theological foundations that support sustainable church growth and eﬀective pastoral leadership. Set in Monrovia, Liberia, from March 13-15, 2025, this three-day institute will directly address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by the country’s churches. The program strongly emphasizes biblical and theological models of leadership and growth, aiming to promote spiritual health and communal and economic ﬂourishing within African contexts.

Recognizing the diversity and complexity of African societies, ATLI will focus on developing strategies that empower churches to grow sustainably while serving as beacons of hope and transformation within their communities. Participants will explore ways to enhance their leadership eﬀectiveness, engage with their communities more meaningfully, and navigate the evolving social and economic landscapes that impact church life.

Key Highlights of ATLI 2025

Biblical and Theological: Anchoring church leadership in the rich scriptural and theological tradition, participants will explore how biblical models of leadership provide a roadmap for addressing modern-day challenges, including leadership integrity, pastoral care, and spiritual
Sustainable Church Growth: The Institute will address how churches can achieve growth that is not just numerical but deeply rooted in spiritual vitality, community engagement, and economic resilience. Discussions will focus on long-term strategies for nurturing discipleship, fostering healthy congregations, and building churches that are ﬁnancially
Contextualized Leadership Models: The Institute will highlight leadership models that reﬂect African cultural values and respond to African nations’ unique social, political, and economic conditions. Participants will learn how to eﬀectively lead congregations that respect and engage local traditions while advancing the church’s mission.

Through a rich and dynamic mix of theological teaching, leadership training, and community-building, the 2025 African Theology and Leadership Institute will empower African church leaders to embrace their role as spiritual and social leaders, capable of guiding their congregations toward a future marked by faith, justice, and ﬂourishing for all.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, March 13
9:00am - 9:30am	Breakfast and Registration
9:30am-10:30am	Worship & Exhortation Pastor Klah Doteh, Gethsemane Faith Church Pastor Solomon Gueh, Living Stream Tabernacle
10:30am-11:30am	Morning Pleanary Speaker Rev. Dr. Samuel Reeves, Pastor, Providence Baptist Church Theme: Spiritual Leadership in Uncertain Times - Anchored in Christ. This lecture explores how churches remain anchored in Christ amid uncertainty and change and how spiritual leaders can model faithfulness, encourage hope, and lead with courage in uncertain and challenging times.
11:30-11:45AM	BREAK
11:45am-1:00pm	Breakout Sessions
	Pastors Session Facilitator: Rev. J. Francis B. James, ECWA Theological Seminary Theme: Shepherding with Vision: Theological Foundations of Sustainable Ministry. This session explores the theological underpinnings of contemporary pastoral ministry while interogating strategies for theologically sound church growth. Participants will seek to equip leaders to navigate the complexities of modern pastoral leadership with vision and endurance.
	Lay Leaders Session Facilitator: Rev. Victor Doe, Pastor, Trinity Healing Temple Jacob Town Church Theme: Empowered Lay Leadership for Ministry Effectiveness This session explores the critical role of theological reflection in equipping lay leaders for impactful ministry. It examines strategies for developing and mobilizing church members to foster sustainable community engagement. Participants will gain insights into cultivating a well-informed, empowered laity capable of advancing the church’s mission with lasting effectiveness.
1:00pm-2:30pm	LUNCH
2:30pm-3:30pm	Afternoon Plenary Speaker Rev. S. Odell Swen, Pastor, Stokes Chapel AME Church, Chair, Dept of Theology, Bryant Theological Seminary Theme: Leadership and Justice – Prophetic Leadership in the Church. This lecture explores the prophetic role of pastoral leadership in advancing justice, righteousness, and societal transformation. It examines how church leaders can faithfully speak truth to power, advocate for marginalized communities, and embody a justice-centered ministry.
3:30pm-4:30pm	Breakout Sessions
	Pastors Session Facilitator: Rev. John Kollie, Pastor, Trinity Healing Temple Headquarters Church Theme: Equipped to Lead – The Pastor as Shepherd, Teacher, and Visionary. This session explores the multifaceted role of pastoral leadership, focusing on leading with theological depth and cultivating a church culture that nurtures spiritual maturity and long-term sustainability. Participants will engage with strategies to strengthen their pastoral identity, inspire transformative discipleship, and lead with vision and purpose in an ever-changing ministry landscape.
	Lay Leaders Session Facilitator: Rev. Maria-Salome P. Smith, Providence Baptist Church Theme: Christian Education Beyond the Church Walls – Integrating Faith into Everyday Life. This session explores how lay leaders can equip and support church members in applying biblical principles to their daily lives—at work, in their families, and within their communities. Through practical strategies and theological reflection, participants will examine ways to extend Christian education beyond Sunday worship, fostering a faith that is lived out in every aspect of life.
4:30pm	Closing Comments and Benediction
Friday, March 14
9:00am - 9:30am	Breakfast and Registration
9:30am-10:30 am	Worship & Exhortation Pastor Klah Doteh, Gethsemane Faith Church Pastor J. Francis B. James
10:30am-11:30am	Morning Pleanary Speaker Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam, Director of the Center for the Repair of Historic Harms, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), Presbyterian Mission. Theme: Reckoning with the Past, Reimagining the Future – The Western Church’s Impact on African Religious Communities This lecture examines the historical harm inflicted by the Western Church on African religious communities, including the effects of colonization, theological imposition, and cultural disruption. It will also explore the possibilities for a future rooted in justice, restoration, and mutual flourishing to find pathways toward decolonized theology, cultural reclamation, and transformative partnerships.
11:30am-11:45am	BREAK
11:45am-1:00pm	Breakout Sessions
	Pastors Session Facilitator: Rev. E. Alfred Walker- Founding Pastor, One Faith Apostolic Ministries Theme: Preaching for Growth – Proclaiming the Gospel with Power and Relevance. This session explores the art of crafting sermons that ignite evangelism, foster discipleship, and deepen commitment to Christ. Participants will engage with strategies for delivering biblically rich, culturally relevant, and spiritually compelling messages that resonate with congregations. This session equips preachers to proclaim the Gospel with clarity, conviction, and transformative impact.
	Lay Leaders Session Theme: Every Member a Minister – Empowering Laity for Evangelism and Discipleship This session explores practical strategies for equipping and mobilizing lay leaders to take ownership of evangelism practices and discipleship formation. Participants will engage in discussions on fostering a culture of personal witness, strengthening community outreach, and ensuring that every church member is actively involved in advancing the Gospel. Through biblical insights and hands-on approaches, this session will empower laity to serve as effective ministers in their daily lives.
1:00pm-1:15pm	Closing Comments and Benediction
Saturday, March 15
9:00am - 9:30am	Breakfast and Registration
9:30am-10:30am	Morning Pleanary Speaker Rev. Dr. Gordon Mikowski, Associate Professor of Christian Education, Princeton Theological Seminary Theme: The Leader as Practical Theologian The pastoral leader works at the busy intersection of the contextual and the principled, the theoretical and practical, and the descriptive and the normative. Using the tools of theological study as well as social sciences, pastoral leaders help the community to define its identity and to face its challenges with grace-filled wisdom.
10:30am-11:30am	Pleanary Speaker Mr. John Davies, Managing Director, Fouta Cement Corporation Theme: Financial Stewardship for Sustainable Church Growth This lecture equips pastors with practical insights into principles of stewardship, financial planning, and resource management, specifically tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities facing churches in Liberia. It will explore strategies for cultivating a culture of generosity, ensuring financial accountability, and leveraging resources for long-term ministry sustainability to empower church leaders to build financially resilient and mission-driven congregations.
11:30am-11:45am	BREAK
11:45am-1:00pm	Breakout Sessions
	Pastors Session Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Nuwoe-James Kiamu Chair- Communication Department, African Bible College Theme: The Power of Proclamation – Preaching that Inspires Liberation, Hope, and Action This session seeks to equip pastors with theological insights and practical strategies for preaching that goes beyond proclamation to transformation. It will explore crafting sermons that ignite liberation, instill hope, and mobilize congregations toward faithful action and empower preachers to preach with clarity, conviction, and prophetic relevance.
	Lay Leaders Session Facilitator: Rev. Dr. Gordon Mikowski, Princeton Theological Seminary Theme: Catechesis and Church Identity – Preserving Doctrine and Tradition in a Changing World This session explores the vital role of Christian Education in grounding churches in sound biblical teaching while navigating the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Participants will examine strategies for developing doctrinally sound educational approaches that honor tradition while embracing innovation. Through theological reflection and practical insights, this session will equip leaders to cultivate a faith formation process that strengthens church identity and fosters a deep, enduring commitment to Christian teachings.
1:00pm-2:30pm	LUNCH
2:30pm-3:30pm	Afternoon Plenary Speaker Rev. Dr. Momolu Massaquoi, President-Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, Pastor-Howell Macedonia Baptist Church Theme: The Mission-Driven Church – Balancing Mission, Evangelism, and Discipleship This lecture explores how churches can cultivate ministries that grow both numerically and spiritually by maintaining a dynamic balance between mission, evangelism, and discipleship. It will examine strategies for creating and empowering ministries that are rooted in the Great Commission, ensuring that evangelism and discipleship remain central to sustainable and transformative minis
3:30pm	Closing Comments and Benediction