The January 2026 report from the Discipleship of the Good Shepherd Africa highlights the organization’s growing mission to nurture children spiritually and prepare them for the future of the Church and society across Africa.
Key Focus Areas
DGS Africa, in partnership with Anglican Mission Africa (AMA), continues expanding children’s ministry initiatives across Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. Their shared vision is to make children’s spiritual formation a central priority in churches and dioceses.
Major Developments
* The CEO, Canon Kistos, led a major clergy conference in the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland, Zimbabwe, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger children’s ministry.
* Churches recognized challenges such as lack of funding, limited child participation, absence of child protection policies, and weak leadership focus on children.
* The conference resolved that every church should:
* Budget for children’s ministry
* Establish DGS atriums for spiritual formation
* Train leaders and volunteers
* Prioritize teens’ ministry
* Adopt DGS as a core discipleship model
Growth Across Africa
DGS reported strong demand for training and formation programs in:
* Kenya
* Tanzania
* Zimbabwe
* Zambia
* Uganda
* Rwanda
* West Africa, especially Nigeria
Training programs for 2026 include clergy conferences, infancy training, leadership refreshment visits, and expansion of atriums across dioceses.
New Workshop Initiative
DGS has developed a new workshop for teenagers and young adults focused on:
* Pregnancy and new life
* Spiritual awareness of unborn children
* Parenting and Christian nurturing
* Preparing future parents to become “good shepherds”
The workshop is currently under review and expected to launch mid-2026.
Spiritual and Theological Emphasis
The report strongly emphasizes that:
* Children are “the Church for tomorrow”
* The Holy Spirit is central to all DGS teaching and formation
* Long-term spiritual foundations are more important than rapid growth alone
* Churches must intentionally disciple children from infancy
DGS is also strengthening its theological foundation through advanced training in children’s ministry.
Operational Needs and Prayer Requests
DGS Africa requested prayer and support for:
* Formation leaders and interns
* Expansion of training programs
* Social media and financial systems
* Air travel funding for ministry expansion across Africa
* Continued partnership with AMA
The organization also highlighted funding needs for:
* General ministry support
* Nairobi office operations
* Travel and leadership development across Africa
Overall Message
The report presents DGS Africa as a rapidly growing, Holy Spirit-centered movement focused on transforming the future of the Church by investing deeply in children’s discipleship, family nurture, leadership training, and sustainable church structures throughout Africa.
