Committed to Learning in the Long Haul

Bradley needed all the Bible education he could get. 

His church had just nominated him to become the next pastor.

Suddenly, the courses he’d been taking at the International College of Bible and Missions (ICBM) took on new urgency.

But he couldn’t afford to quit his day job to study full time on campus.

Bradley’s family had migrated from India to South Africa a couple of generations previously. His father’s family had had some Christian influence, while his mother’s family included several Christian pastors. 

Born into apartheid in the 1980s, Bradley grew up in a township called Lenasia, within the borders of the city of Johannesburg. The South African government created Lenasia in the early 1960s as a place for the local Indian population to live. Many Indian families were forcibly relocated to Lenasia.

Bradley’s childhood felt fun and carefree. He enjoyed sports and excelled in volleyball. He started learning guitar as a teenager, partly for the cool factor and so he could help lead worship at his church.

Bradley remained lukewarm in his faith — even while leading worship — until his early adult years, when he decided to get serious with God. 

At about that time, he learned about the International College of Bible and Missions in Johannesburg, an Entrust ministry partner. 

Established to train men and women to serve the leadership needs of evangelical churches across Southern Africa, the school keeps costs as low as possible to make its programs accessible to under-resourced leaders.

Most of ICBM’s students already serve in key roles in churches and ministries — but often lack access to affordable, formal, accredited ministry training. Which is exactly what ICBM offers.

In 2005, while continuing to work in the corporate world, Bradley started taking ICBM courses now and then, enjoying the program’s emphasis on knowledge and theory. 

And then, to his great surprise, Bradley’s church nominated him to be their pastor’s successor. They saw godly character and leadership potential in this young man.  

As Bradley stepped into that new role as pastor, he realized his need to scale up his training. He began to take ICBM classes as a part-time student on a more regular basis.

But the cost of tuition was still a problem. 

While ICBM’s tuition is relatively low, it was still out of reach for Bradley. 

Through various scholarships, some provided by friends of Entrust, Bradley has been able to continue his education since first starting in 2005. He jokes that it’s been “a loooooong time,” but he’s glad to go slowly to absorb what he’s learning.

He’s now enrolled in ICBM’s newly accredited Christian Religious Professional occupational qualification. This program not only assesses his knowledge but also prepares him through practical skills and workplace requirements. 

As a result, Bradley feels he’s gained even more from the program and is equipped in his ministry skills.

He’s also mentoring two of his church members who are now studying at ICBM.

Bradley loves living out what he’s learning, day to day. His ICBM classes have helped him better lead his church to share and live out the gospel — both globally by supporting international ministries and locally. To serve those in need in their local community, the church provides groceries, job preparation and training, biblical counseling and more.

Bradley also performs funerals for any family who asks, be they part of his church or not. He sees these occasions as great opportunities to share the gospel. 

Thanks to Entrust’s partnership with ICBM, Bradley is on track to earn his occupational qualification as a Christian Religious Professional. And God is using everything Bradley’s learning along the way to transform lives in Lenasia and beyond.