The work

As with all of E3's work, carefully selected project partners lie at the heart of what we do. Whether they provide in-service training for remote rural pastors, or resource training centres for churches in urban townships, or train trainers to equip pastors in refugee settlements, or follow other approaches, the projects and their leaders are the key to effective work. We support these partners through three main activities: grant making, capacity building and curriculum development.

Grant making is our core activity. Experience has shown that well-targeted, well-administered and well-supported grants can have an enormous impact. They relieve the burden of fundraising from leaders and release them to focus on the work they do best.

Capacity building is central to all we do. This makes Entrust's work more than 'just' a grant-making exercise. We deliberately invest in key leaders in our partner projects and are increasingly involved in the direct training and mentoring of leaders involved in the work.

Curriculum development is a third area in which we support our partners and seek to influence pastor training more widely. Effective grassroots pastor training work not only needs committed and competent leaders, it also requires carefully designed curricula that can deliver the training. We encourage projects to develop resources in situ and to share them with others.

The Entrust programme is grounded in E3's values. Because the gospel is foundational we value clarity and unity on central issues whilst respecting difference on non-essentials. This enables us to work with a wide range of churches and leaders. And because the gospel has implications for the whole person and the whole of life we believe in well-rounded leadership. We therefore encourage training that deepens leaders' personal knowledge of God and his word, develops their practical skills, and drives the growth and mission of local churches.

The formation of Christ-like character is an important part of this and we seek to hold out the Bible's patterns and qualifications for leadership, including the encouragement of prayer and obedience. This is best achieved on a one-to-one basis in the midst of ministry and we promote this sort of mentoring.

Finally, we encourage training that equips leaders to build teams and release entire congregations into active service. Therefore, while pastor-teachers are our focus, the work we support takes in other leaders in their vital ministries. Ephesians 3 is followed by Ephesians 4, which explains the need for pastor-teachers, "to prepare God's people for works of service..." (Eph 4:12). This is the heartbeat of the Entrust programme – equipping those who equip God's people for mission.