The first step of SEED was to establish a self-sustaining place of refuge & training.

On March 14 of 2013, thanks to our Lord and Savior and some wonderful partners, the dream of SEED became a reality. Through many great ministry partners who offered up their land acquisition expertise, knowledge of contracts, financial counseling, and generous gifts, one hundred and twenty-five (125) acres was secured and purchased for LEADLiberia's SEED Farm. 

The development of our SEED Farm was finally in motion and positioned as our focal training platform for pastors to gain valuable training expertise and resources to take back to their communities to stimulate their local economy and ministries. Our SEED Farm is located a little over 40 miles from Monrovia and is situated between the towns of Woodie, Main, and Gbalatuah which straddle the small Main River.


THE INSPIRATION

Pastors trying to lead church communities in Liberia are faced with confronting difficult physical and spiritual challenges.

Ministry efforts are especially burdensome when considering the vast majority of local pastors are doing so with little to no basic life skills, let alone formal pastoral training.  These men and women can't rely on church communities for economic support, and without skills and training, are unable to practically serve.

For this reason, many pastors have no choice but to "abandon the ministry" in pursuit of work to ensure provision for their families.

While LEADLiberia's last 17 years have been fruitful, they continue to reveal a real concern as to whether the ministry fruit can be long-lasting.  As a result, a purposeful and deliberate initiative to drive holistic and sustainable pastoral care is now in motion. 

We envision the empowerment of pastors to lead their churches through our core ministry training in concert with basic life skills training. We believe this training can be applied to provide for the needs of their families thus giving them sustenance to be focused and effective in their ministry calling. 

LEADLiberia seeks to plant such enduring work through SEED.


FARM HOUSE Construction & DEVELOPMENT

The first step in responding to the needs of Liberian pastors was to develop and construct a self-sustaining place of refuge and training.

This would essentially be in the form of an operational farm and conference center. Here pastors will receive vital life skill training in areas of agriculture and pastoral theology.

This will allow them to return to their villages and regions better equipped to minister holistically to their church communities in poverty.

SEED seeks to accomplish this by providing a centrally located teaching facility (i.e., SEED Farm).

Eight (8) major purposes include:

  1. Developing a sustainable farm and structure  to serve as a focal training ground for pastors which will provide resources (agricultural seed and livestock) for them to take back to their communities to stimulate their local farms and economy.
  2. Providing life skill training in the areas of agriculture (cash crops, animal husbandry, and poultry, etc.) and other relevant programs to equip pastors in make a living, thus finding the freedom to engage in full time ministry.
  3. Establishing an alternative approach to poverty alleviation for the local church.
  4. Providing pastors the deeply impacting experience of pastoral training in a concentrated, communal setting similar to a retreat.
  5. Developing a model for ministry support to strengthen partnership both locally and internationally.
  6. Providing a self-sustaining model of ministry for the team at LEADLiberia (resources from the farm cover the operational and staffing costs).
  7. Providing a best practices model for farming that is eco-friendly, high yielding, and cost-effective using appropriate technology.
  8. Promoting local food processing projects to add value to locally produced crops for economic empowerment.

AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

With utter dependence upon God for the accomplishment of this venture, the hope is that what begins with a single SEED grows into maturity and spreads to additional SEED Farms taking root in other regions of West Africa.

We believe through SEED that little by little, churches will be strengthened, farms re-built, and communities will move forward from paralyzing poverty into a healthy life, physically and spiritually.

We also believe that the SEED that can change the tide of poor economics does not come from a single fundraiser, a single campaign, a single donor, or an army of short-term summer projects. It requires a commitment to a longer-term sustainable effort that takes root and grows into a strong and enduring crop that gives hope to a nation — and in the process, illuminates the glory of God.

Please contact us to learn more about SEED and how you can get involved to keep the mission of Christ in motion in Liberia.