A Bridge Across Borders: Empowering Zimbabwe Pastors Through Shared Study

Empowering Local Leaders through Theological Resources

Risen Church sits on a plot of land in Cypress, Texas, that was previously used as a milk farm. The land still has the farm feel, with large oak trees standing guard in front of the church building that’s surrounded by acres of undeveloped land. The church, since being planted twelve years ago, has seen significant growth in this beautiful space, and with it a desire to make an impact overseas.

In 2025, the church took a big step, spearheaded by Missions Pastor Mark Baker, and sent their first team on a mission trip to Zimbabwe. “When we announced from the stage our planned trip to Zimbabwe last year,” Mark recalls, “there were several people who texted me the same day saying, ‘I’ve been praying for this!’ I’d been asked for some time when we were going on a trip, so it was an answered prayer for many in our church.”

When he first started his role at Risen Church, the church was still small and the ministries were still being formed, so Mark was asked to grow their missions involvement. And through the Lord’s leading and provision of connections, the church had already been partnering with a U.S.-based ministry doing work in places like Zimbabwe. As Mark evaluated options for a trip, this one stuck out because of “their model of missions—they’re empowering local leaders. So we partnered with them to go and do that in Zimbabwe.”

As they were preparing to go, Mark heard about the opportunity to apply for Crossway resources to take with him to these pastors. He explained that he learned, even before going on the trip, that “the average pastor in Zimbabwe only owns a Bible. That’s the only book that they own. Some don’t have a Bible at all and just have access to the Bible on their phones.” The books Mark and his team carried with them in their luggage to Zimbabwe proved to be a foundational way to continue the work they started during their time in the country.

Through supporting Crossway’s Global Ministry Fund, donors to Crossway have made it possible for these and other resources to get into the hands of those in need through creative methods, like those in the States carrying them to areas they’re visiting—places where otherwise, theological resources may not be available.

Give the Gift of a Bible

Your gift of $3.50 will provide a Bible to someone in need. Crossway is providing one million Bibles to men and women who may not have their own copy. Join us in this effort and allow someone to read God’s Word for themselves. Would you consider partnering with us? Learn More.

Teaching the Basics

The team from Risen Church went to Zimbabwe with the goal of pouring into the lives of pastors through a four-day training summit with a focus on trauma care. But for two of those days, Mark’s team was given permission to take aside thirty of the attending pastors for theological training. Mark reflected on how transformative these days were for the pastors:

I don’t think they had ever had theological training before. Up until that point, it’s just been them and their Bible. It might have happened that they shared the gospel with their neighbors or started a church or worked for a non-profit ministry. And because churches here are very organic—usually house churches of twenty to thirty people—they need to find someone to lead. What we learned is that usually they pick someone in the group who has a well-worn Bible. They’ll get up to fill that gap and preach on a Sunday morning. That’s the basic story of most of the pastors we trained.

Because the pastors had never received training, the Risen Church team focused on sharing the foundational truths of the gospel, many that the pastors had never heard or learned.

Each pastor received a set of Crossway books that the team from Risen Church had brought with them in their luggage, many of which focus directly on the topics the pastors learned during the summit. “Something we learned during our time with these pastors,” Mark explained, “was that whatever books are donated to them they will read, whether it’s something like a prosperity gospel book or something more theologically robust and helpful. And moreover, they needed not only resources, but someone to guide them through things like the fact that these two polar opposites of books they might’ve been reading don’t actually connect.” While they didn’t have time to read through the books they were given during those two days of training, Mark packed in as much teaching and training as possible. Then, the pastors could go home and continue to learn through reading the books they’d been given.

And that was the reality that faced both the pastors and the Risen Church team: after the training, the pastors would go back to their homes to continue their ministry, and the church’s team would return to the States. The pastors were taught so many key truths of the gospel, but would it stick in the long-term?

An Investment for the Long Haul

As training concluded and the team prepared to leave Zimbabwe, Mark asked each pastor if they would be willing to commit to joining a monthly Zoom meeting with the same group of pastors who had received the training. At each meeting, he shared, they’d discuss half of one of the books they’d been given. They were asked to read it ahead of time, coming prepared to discuss and ask questions. And over subsequent months since Mark returned from the trip, he rejoices that all of the pastors have committed to these meetings, despite a few roadblocks.

Internet connection is very spotty in Zimbabwe. So to have them connected all the way through the meeting is great. And some of them are in and out throughout the call. I originally thought a daytime call their time would work best for them, but they’re all bi-vocational so usually they’re working a different job during the day. We wait for our meeting until evening their time because that’s when they’re able to get off public transportation and to their homes. Their kids are often running around in the background of their one-room houses. It’s really amazing that they’re willing to do the call at all.

As a first book for discussion, Mark chose The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses by Chris Bruno. Though theological in nature, it’s also inherently devotional and served as a great resource to work through for their own spiritual growth. While they learned the storyline of the Bible to accurately communicate to their congregations, they learned how to more accurately and comprehensively read the Bible for themselves.

Mark later assigned Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund, another theological and devotional style book, but soon he hopes to work through some of the more challenging books he gave to the pastors, like Do You Believe? by Paul David Tripp. He explained he wanted to “save that one for after I have more of a relationship with them . . . because there may be harder conversations—Tripp’s book is a bit more challenging and covers some topics that they may not agree with off the bat.” These are important for the pastors to learn, but Mark also understands he needs to be faithful to work through the basics that will build a foundation of understanding and trust.

Though they’ve had six months of Zoom calls, Mark knows it will take time to see the lasting impact. He’s making plans for another trip to Zimbabwe with some in his church family this summer, where he’ll have the opportunity to see all of these pastors in person again. “I know their faces because I see them on Zoom or on WhatsApp. But I think that’s where the real payoff of these monthly meetings will be seen—after a year having the chance to go back and encourage them that they have proven to themselves that they’ve been there for those calls once a month and have made that commitment.”

And when he goes, Mark plans to take more Crossway books with him to continue to encourage these pastors and others in need. He hopes and prays that as he invests in the pastors, they’ll grow more comfortable with one another and in confidence to share what they’re learning with others, especially other pastors who may have been in the same spot. He is confident that “they all know each other, so I’ve been trying to explain to them that I don’t have to be around for them to get together. I encouraged them not to feel like they’re competing with one another but actually supporting one another as a cohort of pastors. I want them to be confident that they can continue the work, even without the white guy in the room.”

Thanks to support from donors to Crossway, many churches like Mark’s have been able to carry resources abroad to those in need. God’s Word is going forth, and lives are being changed as couriers sacrifice luggage space to make room for priceless resources for pastors and lay believers alike. You’re invited to get involved in this work! If you plan to take a trip overseas where theological resources are needed, learn more about how you can carry books and ESV Bibles with you.

Pray for wisdom as Mark and Risen Church steward this relationship with the pastors. Pray for the Lord’s hand in the provision of another trip to Zimbabwe this year.

Pray for many other resources going out to hard-to-reach places through individual luggage bags. Pray that these resources would serve the church and grow men and women in faith.