Adult Christian Education Foundation

The acef has but one program, the bethel bible series. Our records show that through the years, this tool designed to help church members gain a deeper understanding of the biblical message has been used by almost 7,000 churches in the us. The bethel bible series has successfully crossed the denominational barrier and has served 47 Christian denominations and has enrolled congregations in every state of the usa. With that number of churches and in that number of denominations, the total number of people reached is far over two million. The acef offers training seminars to teach not only the material, but the administration of the bethel bible series. A group of 17 pastors and lay leaders from the united states, kenya, tanzania and australia attended the july 12-20, 2023 seminar remotely via zoom held in madison, Wisconsin. With the training they receive, the participants are equipped to engage their congregational members in meaningful, ongoing biblical study. The initial training in the congregation is offered to a select cadre of lay people who agree to a discipleship program that involves an intensive, disciplined two-year study. This small group of "disciples" is prepared to fulfill a variety of leadership roles in the church, but is especially trained to teach the bethel bible series in the next step of the program, the congregational phase. Throughout the year, lesson materials and supplies are sold to congregations enrolled in the bethel bible series. On april 24-28, 2023, more than 250 tanzanian pastors and church leaders participated in a five-day bethel bible series new testament training seminar in kigoma, tanzania. Bethel bible series trained teachers, pastors from manna ministries international in kenya, taught this seminar. "i had the privilege of teaching the manna ministries pastors at training sessions held in nairobi and kisumu, and then through our online zoom class," said rev. Jeff quinto, executive director of the bethel bible series. "for the first time we had africans teaching africans! And this will be our pattern going forward." These same bethel bible series trained teachers from manna ministries international in kenya will introduce the bethal bible series old testament training to pastors and church leaders in uganda on may 13-17, 2024.