Some ministry moments stand apart from the rest — ones that remind you exactly why you said yes to the calling in the first place. For the Empower One team, a two-week leadership and generosity training conference held recently in South Sudan was exactly that kind of moment. Twenty-five years of ministry have passed for some on this team, and still, this trip rose to the top.
Building What Comes Next: Vision 2032 and “Second Steps”
For the last year, Zach Potts and David Kaya have been developing a critical piece of Empower One Africa’s Vision 2032 plan — what David calls “Second Steps.” These are the intentional steps that follow church planting: the leadership, administration, planning, budgeting, and communication that lead to long-term sustainability and ultimately, self-sustainability. Getting churches planted is one thing. Getting them to thrive on their own is another — and that’s exactly what this conference was designed to address.
God invited an incredible team to South Sudan for this gathering. Pastors and women’s leaders traveled in from South Sudan, Sudan, and Congo to take part. The first team — focused on leadership training — kicked things off, followed by Mike Congrove and Matt Jones, who led the second half of the conference covering generosity training.
Two Weeks That Changed Everyone in the Room
The sessions were deeply interactive — not just presentations delivered from the front, but real conversations, breakout groups, and workshops where participants rolled up their sleeves and worked through what they were learning together. The hunger in the room was unmistakable. The men and women were fully engaged, soaking up every piece of content while asking sharp, thoughtful questions that pushed the teaching team just as much as they were being pushed. As one team member put it: “We learned just as much from them.”
In Their Own Words
Taylor Kaya, Empower One Africa’s Trips Coordinator and College Ministry Leader, shared a message from the African leadership team that captures the spirit of the conference beautifully:
“Thank you for boldly spreading the Word of God, encouraging leaders, praying with families, sharing your knowledge, wisdom, and practical insights, and strengthening the local churches through teaching and training our church leaders. The leadership training strengthened and equipped our leaders to serve with clarity and purpose, while the generosity training challenged and inspired many to grow in stewardship and giving.”
“Your visit was not just an event — it was a blessing.”
A Story Only God Could Write
Among the many meaningful moments of the trip, one stands out as a picture of what God is doing in this work. A member of the teaching team — who has spent her ministry career primarily teaching women — found herself one evening laughing quietly with the Lord at the scene before her. She was teaching a room full of African pastors and leaders, men and women alike, on the steps needed to plant churches in the most unreached areas in the world.
Her translator for the session? One of Empower One’s own pastors from Sudan — a man she communicates with regularly and loves dearly. He is a former Muslim who came to faith in Jesus Christ, became a pastor, and now stood translating her words to his people. The layers of grace in that single moment are almost too much to take in.
“I am in awe of how the Lord works,” she reflected, “how He uses the unexpected and ordinary to bring His Kingdom forth. We were all there for one reason — our hearts to reach those who have never heard the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
— Ephesians 4:4–6 (NIV)
Be Part of What God Is Doing
The work of Vision 2032 is underway — churches are being planted, leaders are being trained, and the Gospel is reaching people who have never heard it. None of this happens without a community of faithful supporters walking alongside us. If you’ve been encouraged by what God is doing through Empower One Africa, consider joining us — through prayer, through giving, or by taking a trip yourself.
Come with us! https://empower-one.org/take-a-trip/
