Welcome
As Christ’s followers, we have the Holy Spirit residing within us, which means we have His power to preach The Word in all of the world. We can’t save anyone, but it’s our responsibility to tell people about the God who can. Romans 10:14 asks “How will they believe unless they hear?”. This is what we do at FaithByTheWord Ministries!
FaithByTheWord Ministries is a Christian Not-For-Profit 501(c)3 Corporation founded and headquartered in Burlington, NC USA. We have, by the grace of God, since 2021, established a worldwide ministry with over 146,000 followers in 192 countries and:
- We Train 8000 Pastors and Spiritual Leaders every year.
- We Plant 3 churches every week.
- We Donate 2,750 bibles every year.
- We Lead 1,000,000 souls to Christ every year.
FaithByTheWord was founded as a means to encourage everyone to get into The Word. The Word is the means through which we are able to draw closer to The Lord so we can seek his mercy, love, and grace in times of sickness, sadness, or sorrow. It is through faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ that we can know we have a home in Heaven someday and share in His love, shelter, and protection while we live in this world.
A major focus of our Word Missions today is the planting of churches and the training of pastors for the remote villages of Africa.
The Continent Of Africa
Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both aspects.
It covers 20% of Earth’s land area and 6% of its total surface area.
With 1.4 billion people as of 2021, it accounts for about 18% of the world’s human population.
There are 54 different countries in Africa and thousands of languages.
Africa is considered by most paleo-anthropologists to be the oldest inhabited territory on Earth, with the Human species originating from the continent.
The Sahara is the world’s largest desert and covers the northern section of the continent. Central Africa is mostly rainforest. East Africa is tropical. There are vast savannahs populated by elephants, lions, cheetahs, and countless other animals.
East Africa is the fastest growing region for Christians on this planet!
More Christians live in East Africa than any other African region and by 2060 forty percent of all Christians in the world are expected to live there!
Our primary geographical focus are the small remote rural villages of East Africa surrounding the major cities in the countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sudan.
Our primary short term goal is reaching out to the remote villages to plant a church, including the construction and furnishing of the church, supplying all members with a Bible of their own, and staffing the church with a trained pastor who will also serve as a school teacher.
Our primary long term goal includes safe water development projects (spring protection, bore holes), support for schools (establishment of a school and the education projects needed to sustain it), support for village medical needs (covid medication, typhoid medicine, mosquito nets).
The People Of Rural Africa
Sharing The Gospel
1 person dies every 5 seconds without knowing Jesus.
There are still 1,657 unreached people groups who have never heard about Jesus.
There is only 1 Bible for every 300 Christians in East Africa primarily due to the cost of shipping. FaithByTheWord Ministries was quoted a price of $2,000 to deliver a case of 24 Bibles to a remote village.
Experience shows that for every Bible sent to East Africa 10 lost souls will accept Christ as their Lord & Savior in the first 12 months and the number only goes up each year thereafter.
When the people hold their Bibles they hold them like they’re holding baby Jesus Himself! When they came out to show us the Bibles they had tears of joy!
Many have waited their whole lives to have a Bible of their own.
Many churches still only have a single Bible which they divide up into 20 or 30 sections and swap around every few weeks.
To overcome the prohibitive shipping costs we are blessed to partner with Project Bible Runners – a Godly blessed ministry that specializes in delivering The Word Of God around the world. Project Bible Runners is globally focused on gathering and running Bibles to every nation, tribe and person until every faithful follower of Christ Jesus holds in their hands The Word Of God.
Pastoral Training
The common language of all 2,500 East African villages is English. Our mission is to take The Word to all 2,500 rural villages in East Africa and train and ordain a pastor for each village within 5 years.
Our main purpose is to train pastors who will be able to train other pastors who will be able to train others. If we train 10 who train 10 who train 10 who train 10 we will have trained 10,000 pastors – enough to plant in all 2,500 remote villages of East Africa and all 10,000 remote villages of India!!! Our plan is to have a trained pastor in all 2500 remote villages in East Africa within a few years.
Church Planting
The villagers in these remote rural areas feel they dishonor God by not providing a church from which to worship Him.
The goal of every village is to build a church albeit a very basic structure of poles and tin sheets.
Without aid from outside ministries, such as FaithByTheWord, to buy materials, it can take years for a village to save money a little at a time and buy materials as they go even though it may only be a few poles or a sheet of tin.
However, when the first pole goes in the ground they have established a church and will worship there every Sunday even though they may be drenched in the rain. They don’t have umbrellas and overcoats but they are honoring God!
Orphans
In the entire continent of Africa, there are an estimated 52 million orphans. Statistics for orphans show most have lost their parents through diseases such as typhus, yellow fever, malaria, ebola, and diarrhea. 32 percent of orphans in Africa have had parents die from AIDS.
With approximately 140 million orphans in the world, Africa’s 52 million make up more than 30 percent of the entire world orphan population.
Close to a Quarter of all African Youths are Orphaned. In East Africa, around 20 percent of the population under 18 is considered orphaned.
Many orphans have no support and are forced to fend for themselves and find that extended family members are often unable to provide any support at all.
Education
There are approximately 9 million children of primary school age unable to attend schools in Africa due to various reasons.
For every two children who attend school in Africa, one will drop out before graduating.
Approximately 8 of the 10 countries with the lowest primary enrollment rates are in East Africa. Only 7 in 10 children who live in rural areas will ever set foot in a school.
Parents often can’t afford the cost of education, including books, uniforms, and tuition fees for their children to attend schools in Africa. In response, 15 countries have abolished school fees since 2000, enabling more children to attend primary school.
Many private schools cost over $9,000 per year.
Healthcare
For the traditional African, health is not just about the proper functioning of bodily organs. Good health for the African consists of mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional stability for oneself, family members, and community.
Less than half of Africa’s citizens (52%) – some 615 million people – have access to the healthcare they need, the continent’s quality of health services is generally poor and the family planning needs of half the continent’s women and girls are unmet.
Water
In Eastern Africa, deep water wells of at least 1,000 feet are needed to provide parasite free water. East Africans walk 3 miles each way every day to get clean water. Diarrhea is a major cause of death due to the parasites in the water.
In East Africa, 75% of the population is under age 25 due to lack of disease control.
Life In Rural Africa
Christianity In Africa
Christianity is the largest religion in Africa, accounting for roughly 63% of the continent’s population, with sub-Saharan Africa now hosting more Christians than any other region globally. Christianity is not just a religion but is a relationship with our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.
History and Roots
• Ancient Origins: Christianity arrived in North and East Africa in the 1st century AD (starting in Egypt and through early figures like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts)—long before European colonization.
• Early Church Fathers: Indigenous African theologians and martyrs like Tertullian, Cyprian, Athanasius, and Augustine of Hippo shaped core Christian doctrines and creeds.
• State Religions: The Kingdom of Aksum (modern Ethiopia and Eritrea) and ancient Nubian kingdoms adopted Christianity as an official state religion in the 4th and 6th centuries.
• Colonial and Post-Colonial Growth: While European missionary work and colonization expanded Western denominations, the massive explosion of African Christianity (growing from roughly 10 million in 1900 to over 685–700 million today) largely accelerated following independence through indigenous churches, Pentecostalism, and evangelical movements.
Countries with the Highest Christian Populations
• Ethiopia: ~77.5 million Christians (dominated by Ethiopian Orthodox)
• Nigeria: ~74.4 million Christians (primarily Protestants and Pentecostals)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo: ~63.1 million Christians (predominantly Roman Catholic)
• South Africa: ~52.9 million Christians (majority Protestant)
• Kenya: ~40.7 million Christians
• Tanzania: ~31.3 million Christians
Countries with the Highest Percentage of Christians
• Zambia: ~96% of the population
• Seychelles: ~95% of the population
• Rwanda: ~94% of the population
• South Africa: ~85% of the population
• Ghana: ~71% of the population
Christian Population By Country
Angola: 91%
Botswana: 70%
Cameroon: 60%
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): 92%
Equatorial Guinea: 89%
Ethiopia: 62%–67% (highest total population of Christians at 77.5 million)
Gabon: 88%
Ghana: 71%
Kenya: 64%–85%
Lesotho: 90%
Madagascar: 75%
Malawi: 80%
Mozambique: 61% (up 5 percentage points over the 2010–2020 decade)
Namibia: 90%
Nigeria: 46%–50% (second-highest total Christian population at 74.4 million)
Republic of the Congo: 91%
Rwanda: 94%
Seychelles: 95%
South Africa: 80%–85%
South Sudan: 60%
Tanzania: 60%
Uganda: 80%
Zambia: 96%
Zimbabwe: 80%
Key Denominations and Trends
• Major Traditions: The landscape is shared among Roman Catholics, Protestants (Anglicans, Lutherans, Baptists), Eastern/Oriental Orthodox (especially in the Horn of Africa), and fast-growing African Independent and Pentecostal/Evangelical churches.
• Demographics: Rapid growth is driven by youthful populations, high birth rates, and localized cultural integration.
Christian Persecution
Christians Face Persecution Worldwide
Christian persecution today is a painful reality for millions of believers around the world. While the Christian faith teaches love, peace, and forgiveness, many of our brothers and sisters face extreme hardships simply for following Jesus Christ. From violent attacks to legal restrictions, the high levels of persecution against Christians continue to rise.
Primary Drivers of Persecution
Authoritarianism: The rise of authoritarian regimes is a major threat to religious freedom.
Jihadist Violence: Transnational Islamist militant groups, particularly in the southern Sahara region, have intensified their attacks, creating millions of refugees.
Religious Nationalism: The increase of religious nationalism, such as Hindu nationalism in India, has led to rising attacks and anti-conversion laws targeting Christian communities.
90% Of The World’s Christian Persecution Is In Nigeria
Nigeria is not a Christian country, but it is a country with a near-even split between Christians and Muslims. Christians and Muslims live in roughly equal numbers, with Islam dominant in the north and Christianity dominant in the south, though significant populations of both faiths can be found throughout the country. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and Nigeria is home to some of the world’s largest Christian and Muslim populations.
Approximately 46-50% of the population is Christian, while 46-50% is Muslim, depending on the source and year. About 2-8% of Nigerians practice other religions or no religion, including indigenous beliefs.
The country is often described as having a Muslim North and a Christian South, but this is an oversimplification. Christians are the majority in the southern and some central regions, while Muslims are dominant in the northern regions, though both groups have significant minorities in all areas.
The Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the government from establishing an official religion. Sharia courts are recognized for certain non-criminal proceedings in some states.
The death toll among Christians killed in Nigeria has been staggering. With more than 50,000 Christians killed, Central Nigeria has seen an increase in attacks, spreading beyond the northern regions. The Christian community faces relentless violence from extremist groups that target them for their faith. The central government’s failure to counteract this violence continues to fuel the crisis.
According to a report issued in August by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), an African nongovernmental group that documents human rights violations, in the first seven months of 2023 alone, more than 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria.
Numbers vary and are difficult to verify, but between 2009 and 2023 in Nigeria, Intersociety reports at least 52,000 Christians killed, 18,500 abducted and unlikely to have survived, and more than 20,000 churches and Christian schools attacked.
Christian persecution has intensified dramatically over the past five years (2020-2025), reaching its highest point in three decades. More than 380 million Christians worldwide now face high to extreme levels of persecution and discrimination. This rise is characterized by increased violence, a growing number of countries with severe restrictions, and the specific targeting of Christian communities in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
North Korea is one of the most oppressive regimes for Christians
North Korea is known for its brutal suppression of religious freedom. Any expression of faith outside of state-sanctioned activities is met with harsh punishment. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Christians in North Korea face imprisonment in labor camps, torture and even execution. Owning a Bible or gathering for worship can result in death.
Yet, the underground Christian church continues to survive. Believers secretly pass down scripture and meet in hidden places to worship Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:10, Jesus reminds us, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The faith of North Korean Christians is a powerful testimony of courage and commitment.
India faces rising attacks from Hindu nationalist groups
Christian communities in India are increasingly under attack from Hindu nationalist groups. These groups target Protestant churches, harass Christians and push for laws that make it harder to practice Christianity. Some states have introduced anti-conversion laws that make it dangerous for believers to share their faith. Human Rights Watch reports that violence against Christians has been rising, with churches vandalized and pastors attacked.
In one incident in 2022, six Dalit-Christian women were arrested for praying at a party, with charges alleging they were attempting “forced conversion” of those around them. Over 300 similar crimes were alleged the previous year.
Despite the hostility, Indian Christians continue to stand firm. They are living examples of 2 Timothy 3:12, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Their faith and perseverance remind us to pray for religious freedom and justice for all believers in India.
China faces daily government crackdown on Christian worship
In China, the government’s “Sinicization” policy aims to bring all religions under strict state control. Amnesty International reports that Christian persecution in China includes church closures, surveillance of religious gatherings and the removal of crosses and Christian symbols. Protestant churches are especially targeted, with many pastors being detained for their faith.
Despite these restrictions, Christianity continues to grow. The underground church remains strong, and believers gather in secret to worship. Hebrews 13:3 urges us, “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” We must continue to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters in China and pray for their protection.
Pakistan constantly suffers the misuse of blasphemy laws against Christians
In Pakistan, Christians face severe discrimination and persecution. The country’s strict blasphemy laws are often used to target religious minorities, including Christians. The U.S. Department of State’s Report on International Religious Freedom highlights cases where Christians have been falsely accused of blasphemy, leading to imprisonment or even mob violence. Many Christians also struggle with social and economic discrimination, making it difficult to find jobs or housing.
Yet, even in the face of injustice, Pakistani Christians continue to trust in God’s plan. As Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Their strength in adversity is an inspiration to believers everywhere.
The Great Commission
Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:18–20
Key Components of the Command
Jesus outlined four main actions and promises in the passage:
• All Authority: The mission is backed by Jesus’s supreme authority over heaven and earth.
• Go and Make Disciples: Believers are instructed to actively evangelize and incorporate people from all ethnic groups and nations into lifelong followers of Christ.
• Baptize and Teach: New believers are to be baptized in the name of the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and systematically taught to obey all of Jesus’s commands.
• His Presence: Jesus promises his continuous, unbroken presence with his followers until the end of the age
FaithByTheWord Has Been Called To This Mission
The Great Commandment and The Great Commission go hand in hand. These two are inextricably linked; they are integral parts of the body of Christ and disciple making.
The Great Commandment fuels the Great Commission, as our love for the Lord leads us to love our neighbor. God’s love transforms us and compels us to love others, on mission together, with the gospel above all.
As followers of Christ, we’re all called to go. “Go” is a simple verb that requires action; our action, our movement and our motivation.
Discipleship
A disciple is a dedicated student, learner, or follower who commits to the teachings, lifestyle, and philosophy of a master, leader, or religious figure.
Etymology and Core Meaning
• Origin: The word comes from the Latin discipulus (meaning learner or student) and the Greek mathētēs, linked to the verb meaning to learn.
• Role: Unlike a casual fan or a student who merely memorizes facts, a disciple actively apprentices under a teacher to adopt their character, values, and mission.
Religious and Historical Context
• Christianity: The term is most commonly associated with the followers of Jesus Christ. While Jesus had many followers, the New Testament specifically highlights the Twelve Apostles as his closest companions, as well as the seventy sent out on mission.
Jesus came from Heaven to teach the Gospel of Salvation to people of earth.
Jesus’ entire ministry only lasted 3 years and ended when He died on The Cross at Calvary at the age of 35. During His 3 year ministry Jesus built a primary team of 12 disciples to teach. The objective was to teach 12 who would teach others who would teach others, etc. until The Gospel was taught around the world.
The Main Purpose For FaithByTheWord
Our main purpose at FaithByTheWord is to train pastors who will be able to train other pastors who will be able to train other pastors. If we train 10 who train 10 who train 10 who train 10 we will have trained 10,000 pastors – enough to plant in all 2,500 remote villages of East Africa and all 10,000 remote villages of India!!! Our plan is to have trained pastors in all 2500 remote villages in East Africa within only a few years. In 2025 we trained over 8,000 pastors.
Evangelism
An evangelist is a Christian preacher or missionary who travels or hosts meetings to proclaim the gospel and persuade people to convert to Christianity, or a zealous promoter who enthusiastically advocates for a non-religious cause, ideology, or product.
Religious Meaning and Biblical Roots
• Origin of the Word: Derived from the Koine Greek word euangelion, meaning “good news” or “gospel” (from eu meaning “good” and angelos meaning “messenger”).
• The Four Evangelists: Traditionally refers to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the four authors of the canonical New Testament Gospels.
• Biblical Office: In the New Testament (such as Ephesians 4:11), the evangelist is listed as a specific calling or ministry office alongside apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers, tasked with equipping the church and reaching non-believers.
• Key Figures: Early biblical examples include Philip the Evangelist (Acts 21:8), as well as modern historical revivalists and preachers like Billy Graham.
Evangelism In rural Africa
The rural areas of East Africa is the fastest growing region for Christians on this planet and by 2060 forty percent of all Christians in the world are expected to live there!
These magnificent numbers are due to the excitement generated when they learn about Jesus. These are people raised under witchcraft and sorcery. They truly believe it is disrespectful to talk to any of the many gods they have and that to do so would result in their death.
When they hear about Jesus – a God that wants you to talk to him and if you tell him you are sick He might make you well – they just can’t wait to tell everyone they know.
We will take 2-3 days teaching them how to share the ABC’s of salvation, how to answer common questions, and how to baptise.
For the next 5 weeks, for 6 days each week, each adult in the village will go village to village sharing the gospel. Each evangelist will baptise 40 people every day! The numbers are almost unbelievable! Each village averages 25 families with 2 adults each so that means 50 x 5 x 6 x 40 baptisms during those 5 weeks. That is 60,000 baptisms due to our visit to a single village!
Appendix A – History Of ExpeditionsTo Africa
In order to manage all of our ministry efforts around the world, FaithByTheWord Ministries International assigns Executive Pastors to lead each Country, each Region in each country, and each District or County within each Region.
Each National Executive Pastor is responsible for appointing the Regional Executive Pastors in their country. Each Regional Executive Pastor is responsible for appointing the District / County Executive Pastors in their Region.
Just to manage Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria this will require an Executive Pastor Team of 1020 representing a population of over 460,000,000.
We are now spreading our ministry across 14 Of the 53 African Countries including Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
All Executive Pastors, whether National, Regional, or District, must meet a set of minimum requirements:
- They must be experienced and accomplished Pastors in their own Church.
- They must have proven preaching and teaching skills and capable of organizing and leading crusades and Bible study classes.
- They must be experienced with Internet use and have a smartphone or laptop computer with internet access with which to communicate with FaithByTheWord and the other Executive Pastors they may lead.
- They must have proven leadership abilities.
- They must have established financial support by their home Church.
2023
The main purpose of our 2023 Mission Expedition To East Africa between October 21 and November 2 of 2023 was to install Executive Pastors over the regions, and districts in Uganda.
2024
The main purpose of our 2024 Mission Expedition To East Africa between October 21 and November 2 of 2024 was to install Executive Pastors over the regions, and districts in Kenya.
2025
The main purpose of our 2025 Mission Expedition To West Africa between October 20 and November 1 of 2025 was to install Executive Pastors over the country of Nigeria and the 8 Regions and 36 States therein as we have in East Africa in Uganda and Kenya. However due to malicious Christian persecution the 2025 expedition was cancelled with only 2 days’ notice when the country cancelled the Visa.
2026
The main purpose of our 2026 Mission Expedition To East Africa between October 19 and October 31 of 2026 was to install Executive Pastors over the regions, and districts in Ethiopia.
We installed the Ethiopia Executive Pastor Management Team with an Executive Pastor over the country of Ethiopia, each of the 12 Regions in Ethiopia, and each of the 770 Districts (Wards) in those Regions totaling a team of 783 Executive Pastors.
2027
Our 2027 Mission Expedition will be to Tanzania.
Appendix B – Outreach Ministries
Appendix C – Our Statement Of Faith
• The Bible: Believed to be inspired by God in its entirety, completely without error in its original manuscripts (autographs), and the final authority for faith and life.
• The Trinity: One God who eternally exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus Christ: God the Son who became human through the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary and atoning death for the sins of humanity, rose bodily from the dead on the third day, and ascended to heaven.
• Humanity and Sin: All humans are born with a sinful, fallen nature (“total depravity”) and are spiritually dead and lost apart from God’s grace.
• Salvation: Saved strictly by grace through personal faith in the finished work and shed blood of Jesus Christ—not by human works, church membership, or moral performance.
• The Church: A spiritual unity of all true believers in Christ across denominations.
Appendix D – The ABC’s Of Salvation
A – Admit
Admit what you have done wrong and ask forgiveness.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death.
I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
B – Believe
Believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again as a payment for your sins.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
C – Confess and Choose
Confess and choose to allow God to be in charge of your life
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
A Prayer for Salvation
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.