Andrew Connally School of Preaching
Arusha, Tanzania, East Africa

Purpose:
The Tanzania work involves a three-fold strategy of developing self-sustaining churches: evangelistic campaigns, printed literature and Bible training. BVBID is training faithful native preachers who take the gospel to their own country and culture. Plans include a graduate program to develop leaders in the churches of Tanzania and East Africa.

Current Coordinator: Gary A. Fallis
Gary has preached the gospel for 35 years. For 15 years he served as the Administrator, Dean and instructor at the Brown Trail School of Preaching in Bedford, Texas. He has led or participated in almost 100 campaigns. He has worked closely with Perry B. Cotham in several foreign campaigns since 1974. Gary has studied at Lubbock Christian College, is a graduate of the Sunset International Bible Institute and holds the M.S. and M.Div. degrees from Abilene Christian University. Prior to entering preaching, Gary taught English in public school and has the B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from Texas A & M at Commerce, Texas. He joined the Bear Valley Extension Program in September, 2002. He is married to Sarah Fallis, an experienced teacher of children and ladies, who works with him in Tanzania during the summer.

History:
The Bear Valley Extension School in Tanzania began in 2002. David Hamrick and Cy Stafford met with the elders of the Kensington Woods church in Hattiesburg, Miss. who oversee the work of a 20 year plan to develop self-sustaining churches in Arusha and Moshi in northern Tanzania. The Hattiesburg church built a three-story building in Arusha that is the location for the Arusha Bible School and the Andrew Connally School of Preaching.

The first students enrolled in March of 2001. On March 15, 2003, nine students graduated from the Andrew Connally School of Preaching and fourteen from the Arusha Bible School. Since that time, the school has doubled in attendance, with 30 studying in the Arusha Bible School and 27 in the Andrew Connally School of Preaching.

Because of the growth in each program, the Hattiesburg church has purchased nineteen acres of land about 7 miles from Arusha to serve as the future location of the Andrew Connally School of Preaching. The campus will have four major buildings: a kitchen, an office building, a building for classrooms, computer lab and library, and dormitories. Construction of the facility is to begin in 2004 and be completed with one dormitory in 2005. A second dormitory will be completed in 2006. This will enable the Andrew Connally School to double its student body to 50 students in a first-class study environment. The campus will include homes for the resident missionaries and apartments for the Bear Valley faculty.

Area of Influence:
The Andrew Connally school is serving much of East Africa. Four of the countries that comprise East Africa now have students studying in the Andrew Connally School of Preaching— Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and the Republic of the Congo. Since the courses are taught in English, many students are from Kenya because English is the official language. English is a second language in the other East African countries. From the beginning, the scope of service was intended to be not only Tanzania, but all of East Africa and beyond.

Programs offered:
The Arusha Bible School and the new the Kilimanjaro School in Moshi offer a practical study in discipleship and Christian service. Those who complete the program receive a Certificate of Completion from BVBID.

The Andrew Connally School of Preaching provides a comprehensive, in-depth program to train gospel preachers and church leaders. The curriculum consists of more than 40 courses. Sixteen courses are taught by Bear Valley staff and qualified teachers from America. Graduates receive the Bachelor of Biblical Studies from BVBID.

Curriculum for each program:
The Andrew Connally school offers a curriculum that mirrors the curriculum of Bear Valley in Denver. A copy of the curriculum is included.

Goals and plans:

• An apprenticeship program is planned to begin in 2006.
• A Graduate Program is also planned to begin at the same time.
  

Items of Geographic Interest:
There are many outstanding attractions in Tanzania. Northern Tanzania where the school is located is home to several of theses: the Serengeti, Tanzania’s largest and most famous national park, the Ngorongoro Crater, a 20 mile wide crater containing some of the best wild-life viewing in Africa, and 20,000 foot Mt. Kilimanjaro, “the roof of Africa,” the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. The island of Zanzibaris on the eastern coast near Dar-es-Salaam. On the northwest border of Tanzania is Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, and the second largest freshwater lake in the world. The city of Arusha is a center of the United Nations and referred to as “The Geneva of Africa”.

Facilities:
The Kilimanjaro International Airport, located between Arusha and Moshi, makes northern Tanzania easily accessible.

The city of Arusha is the safari capital of East Africa, and has numerous accommodations for visitors and guests. Some of these are expensive, but the Arusha Resort Centre and Outpost are adequate and safe at a reasonable cost.

Food of a good quality can be purchased at a reasonable rate. Mc Moody’s is a Mc Donald’s clone; Dolly’s offers good sweets and fresh bread. An array of fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased inexpensively at the market. Shoprite is a new western style grocery store.

Taxis are plentiful, but leave something to be desired.

Money exchanges are available almost everywhere. The National Bank of Commerce offers good exchange rates, but missionaries are your best source of information.

Restroom facilities are usually only available at nicer places of business—restaurants etc.  

People:
Tanzania’s population is about 31 million, comprised of about 120 tribal groups. Tanzania is one of the least urbanized countries in sub-Sahara Africa. However, the urban population is growing. For example, Arusha is approaching one million people.

Education is offered in the city, but many in rural areas never receive education. Economically most people are poor. There are those who are rich, but hardly a “middle-class” at all. However, because of the absence of “things,” there is a greater interest in spiritual matters. Most people are friendly, and many of them receptive to the gospel.