SOWERS International Australia helps local churches in Africa to reach their communities with the gospel through open air meetings. The SOWERS Program trains and equips church teams in culturally appropriate ways to lead people to Christ and disciple the new believers.
The SOWERS Program
The Program is very low cost, sustainable, simple, Biblical, church based and singularly effective. Trained churches have the ability to pass the SOWERS Program on to others through a series of seminars. Although training is normally given to churches, the SOWERS Program may also be taught in Seminaries and Bible Colleges.
The Sowers Program is also designed to be self-sustaining by training and developing experienced leaders to train and lead new leaders, and to develop the growth of the Program from the local area into the surrounding regions within a country under the control of a National Board.
Due to the significant number of languages in Africa there is a continual development of training material and associated material used in the outworking of the Program, and in the practical provision of training materials, transport and materials used during outreach programs. The Australian Board works closely with the National Boards and the various individual staff involved to support them to maintain and expand the ministry.
WHAT IS THE TRAINING LIKE?
The key to the SOWERS Program is the step-by-step approach to training. Here is how it works:
LEVEL 1 - Members of a local church are trained to lead a person to Christ; to be an effective team member in the open air; to counsel after an evangelistic meeting and to do effective follow-up. The seminar concludes with an open-air meeting where Level 1 students will counsel enquirers.
LEVEL 2 - Mature Level 1 graduates are chosen to be trained as preachers and team leaders. The course provides training in how to plan and conduct open air programs. It includes Biblical inspiration, manual-based instruction and develops the student's practical skills and includes a sketchboard workshop and open-air meetings.
When a church has people trained at Level 1 and 2 it is able to continue using the Program for its outdoor evangelism without further input from the Mission.
LEVEL 3 - If a Sower wants to learn to train others, he/she may apply for further training and if approved they will be trained at a special three-day seminar to teach Level 1 seminars.
LEVEL 4 - This is a supervised period of learning how to arrange and conduct Level 2 SOWERS Leadership Seminars.
Lastly, there is an advanced level of teacher training and leadership development:
LEVEL 5 - This gives the training and resources to conduct Level 3 Seminars. Their appointment as SOWERS Associate Level 5 will involve other SOWERS Program functions to inspire and develop active Sowers. Completion of SOWERS training at this final level equips a SOWERS Associate Level 5 to teach students and teachers of the Program at all levels including this one.