Uganda · since July 2025
At the Bwembe Bible and Vocational School, young men are trained for two years: in the Word of God and in a trade they can live from. For us, the two belong together – anyone who is one day meant to carry a church should also be able to put a roof on a house.
Why this school exists
Young men in Uganda often face two gaps at once. They know Jesus, but nobody has ever explained the Bible to them. And they are able to work, but nobody has ever taught them a trade. That is exactly where we come in.
We want our students to grow strong in faith – grounded in the Word of God, rooted in prayer and led by the Holy Spirit. We teach leadership, Bible knowledge, theology, church building, evangelism, worship, pastoral care, spiritual life, marriage and family.
And we want them to have real skills. Anyone who leaves the school has a trade – bricklayer, carpenter, and now tailoring as well. With it he can feed his family, help build at the children’s home nearby and serve his region in very practical ways.
“The things which you have heard from me … commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” – this verse from the Second Letter to Timothy sums up the whole plan of the school in a single sentence.
That is why nothing here is just theory. What is taught in class is also built on our own land – the students and their teachers finished the school building themselves.
Later on, outside helpers, interns and Bible students from abroad should also be able to join in and gain experience here. That makes it more than a place of teaching – it becomes a place where young men grow into leaders.
Two pillars
Both kinds of training run side by side for two years, in the same building and with the same people. Neither is a side dish to the other.
Spiritual training
Three days a week of Bible teaching with a teacher who holds a doctorate, plus a lecture every two weeks via video call from Austria. Every week has a spiritual and a personal theme.
Vocational training
Also three days a week, with dedicated teachers. The building doesn’t happen on paper but on our own land – and at the children’s home, a ten-minute walk away.
Their first own toolsTrowels for the bricklaying course, two weeks after the opening – in front of the school building the students helped to finish themselves.
A real school
A fixed timetable, fixed blocks, fixed breaks – Monday to Friday. The times shown here come from the weekly timetable on the school wall in Bwembe.
The curriculum
Every week has a spiritual theme for the head and a personal theme for the heart. Both are taught together – that is the core of our curriculum.
There is no curriculum for weeks 13 – 16 yet.
To read
This is the complete teaching material – a separate lecture for every week, exactly as it is taught in Bwembe. All materials are in English, because that is the language of instruction. Just click on a tile and the PDF opens.
There are no lectures for weeks 13 – 16 yet. Lecture 29 covers weeks 29 – 30, Lecture 31 covers weeks 31 – 32.
Weeks 1 – 12 · 14 documents
A Guide for Followers of Jesus
A Four-Part Bible Study on God's Word
God's Word is True and Enough
A Detailed Journey Through the Old Testament
From the Preparation of the King to the Great Commission
Advent Sermon on Micah 5:1-4
Salvation by Grace – Overcoming Pride, Fear of Man, Keeping Your Word
Responsibility in Family & Faith – What Godly Manhood Looks Like
Repentance and the New Birth
Finding Our Identity in Christ
Our Example, Our Center, and Our Lord
Living by the Word
The Fruit of the Spirit
My Path in Christ
Weeks 17 – 32 · 15 documents
Knowing Christ, denying self, taking up the cross daily
The Great Commission and courage to speak for Jesus
Telling my story so it points to Christ
To serve, lead, protect – loving like Christ
Faithfulness and responsibility in the local church
One Body, Many Parts – Serving Together with What God Has Given
One Body, Many Parts – Serving Together with What God Has Given (in German)
Servant leadership – not to be served, but to serve
The personal, divine Spirit of truth who glorifies Jesus
Grace gifts for the common good of the body
Spirit-filled endurance, fruit, and witness every day
Standing firm in Christ with the armor of God
Entrusting the Word to faithful people who teach others
Ministry practice, evangelism, testimonies, group work
Personal reflection, prayer retreat, restoration
Teaching via the screen
A laptop on the table, a video call – and the lesson runs as if the teacher were standing in the room. Turn the sound on: it’s amazing how clearly the connection carries all the way to Bwembe.
Berndteaches every two weeks
live via video call
The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2 · World English Bible
Who teaches
Bible teacher · three days a week
Robert studied for thirteen years and earned his doctorate in Christian Leadership. He also holds a master’s in theology and diplomas in pastoral care, discipleship and church ministry. His dissertation centred on exactly the question that concerns our students most: how do you lead a church today?
He could earn considerably more elsewhere. He sees his work here as an investment in Uganda’s young men – and he is authorised to award our students state-recognised diplomas.
Teaching from Austria
Teaches live via video call from Austria every two weeks. Each month, he and David prayerfully decide the spiritual themes together in advance.
On the ground in Uganda
Our man in Uganda. He teaches whenever he can and decides the topics of the Bible lessons together with Bernd.
Construction · Carpentry · Tailoring
Construction, carpentry and sewing each have their own teachers, on set days of the week. So far, our sewing teacher pays her own transport to get to lessons.
The place
The building cost around €5,000. Once the shell and roof were up, the students laid the floor and plastered the inside together with their teachers – the building was their first joint project.
God has given us a piece of land: 10,000 square metres in the heart of Uganda, less than a hundred metres from the lake and a ten-minute walk from the children’s home.
What we hold to
Our school stands on Holy Scripture as the inspired, inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Our teaching is evangelical, faithful to the Bible and open to the work of the Holy Spirit – in word and deed.
What keeps the school going
A Bible school in Uganda costs less than most people think – and you can see exactly where every euro goes.
The Bible teacher, three days a week. For someone with his level of education that is little – he sees it as an investment.
The trade teacher, also three days a week, for bricklaying and carpentry.
That is what the school building cost. The students did the floor and the interior plastering themselves.
Application
Young local men with a calling and a passion for Jesus – ready to study seriously for two years.
The application form is intended exclusively for Ugandan citizens.
Student Application FormWhat we have GetDone
