Photo taken during the Haggai South Sudan training for church leader 31^st October 2026 in Juba; photo credit: Awuou Michael  

By Awuou Michael.

Haggai South Sudan has concluded a three-day training for 60 church leaders, with a call for stronger Christian leadership, peace and the promotion of the Gospel ahead of the country’s anticipated December 2026 elections.

The training, which ran from October 29 to 31 in Juba, brought together 60 church leaders and participants from different backgrounds to strengthen their leadership skills and encourage them to use the Gospel to transform churches, workplaces, families and communities.

Speaking during the conclusion of the conference, Nuha Yunis, a facilitator from Haggai South Sudan, said the programme aimed to help Christians understand their responsibilities as leaders and ambassadors of Christ in society.

Younis said young people had an important role to play in promoting peace and contributing to national development, urging them to use modern communication platforms, including radio and television, to spread messages of love, peace and acceptance.

“Young people have a very important role to play in building this country. They should use the platforms available to them to promote peace and unity,” Yunis said.

She said Christian leadership should be demonstrated through good conduct, patience, listening to others and offering guidance to those in need.

“Leadership is not only about holding positions. It is also about how we conduct ourselves and how we influence the people around us,” she said.

Yunis further urged Christians to become agents of positive change by practising the values they preach and extending their service beyond church activities.

“We want Christians to understand that they are ambassadors of Christ wherever they go, whether at home, at work or in their communities,” she added.

Addressing the country’s political leadership ahead of the anticipated December 2026 elections,  Yunis called on South Sudanese to prepare to exercise their voting rights and elect leaders committed to peace, security, stability and national development.

She urged citizens to approach the electoral period peacefully and called on political leaders to prioritise the interests of the country.

Yunnis also commended President Salva Kiir Mayardit and called for God’s guidance and blessings upon him, while urging those holding positions of authority to govern with justice.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Abraham Panchol, a medical doctor working and one of the participants, said the training had strengthened her understanding of Christian leadership and the responsibility of believers to contribute to community transformation.

Ms. Panchol said the lessons had emphasised that the Word of God should not only build individual Christians but also be used to positively influence others and strengthen communities.

“The training has helped me understand that the Word of God is not only meant to build us as individuals, but also to help us transform the people around us,” Ms. Panchol said.

She said churches should promote collective leadership rather than concentrating responsibilities in the hands of a few individuals, adding that believers should help develop others in their faith and leadership abilities.

“Leadership should not be left to only a few people. We need to develop others and give them the opportunity to grow in their faith and leadership,” she said.

Ms. Panchol encouraged Christians to extend their service beyond church activities by demonstrating their faith through their relationships with friends, colleagues and members of their communities.

“We should not limit our Christian service to the church. We must also demonstrate our faith through the way we relate to people in our workplaces and communities,” she added.

Another participant, Kwacijowk John, a member of Miracle Ground, said the training had broadened his understanding of Christian service and evangelism.

John said it was his first time attending a Haggai training programme and that the sessions had helped him understand that spreading the Gospel was a shared responsibility among all believers.

“This is my first time attending a Haggai training, and it has opened my understanding of what it means to serve God and spread the Gospel,” John said.

He said the conference had reinforced the importance of ensuring that the Gospel reaches people from all backgrounds without depending entirely on missionaries or religious workers from outside the country.

“Every Christian has a responsibility to spread the Gospel. We should not leave this responsibility to missionaries alone because we can also do it ourselves,” he said.

John called for the continuation of the programme and encouraged Christians to use their different abilities to spread the message of the Bible.

He also said the message of Jesus Christ was centred on love and peace, adding that embracing Christian teachings could encourage people to live harmoniously and relate to others without hatred or jealousy.

“The message of Jesus Christ is about love and peace. If we practise these teachings, we can live together in harmony and avoid hatred and jealousy,” he added.

The three-day conference brought together 60 church leaders and participants to strengthen Christian values, leadership and their contribution to society. The training was held under the theme, “Together We Can End Gospel Poverty