She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)
As we are coming into a season of celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus, we wish all our friends and partners a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We thank you our friends for your continued prayers and partnership with us in our ministry of equipping servants for the Ethiopian Church and beyond. We would like to take this opportunity and give you our seasonal update.
Graduations: Addis Ababa and Hawassa Campuses
Evangelical Theological College (ETC) held its 37th commencement program on June 7, 2025, for graduates of the Addis Ababa campus. There were 95 students who graduated from the undergraduate program and the five graduate programs. The graduates represented 25 denominations in Ethiopia. We are looking forward to graduating 28 students from our Hawassa campus on the 17th of January.
New Students Admissions for 2025/26
In two rounds of admissions, ETC has accepted 366 new students both at ETC Addis and Hawassa campuses. This figure shows that there is 21% increase in new student’s admissions compared to last year admissions. For the Addis campus, we have accepted 316, students, 134 B.Th regular, 37 B.Th. Online, 134 for the MA programs and 11 for the new ThM program in Islamic Studies. We have accepted 50 new students for our growing Hawassa campus. Our total enrolment for the new academic year is more the 850 students. We praise God for the continued growth of ETC’s enrolment numbers.
Strauss-Kedamo Lectures
One of the biggest highlights of events at ETC has been the 2025 Strauss-Kedamo Lectures. The 2025 and the 3rd Strauss-Kedamo Lectures was held from October 15 -17, 2025. This annual lectureship is conducted at ETC to honor the legacy of Dr. Steve Strauss and Evangelist Kedamo Mechato who played a great role in the establishment and growth of ETC.
This year, we had the honor of having Dr. John B. Carpenter, a former ETC professor, an author and scholar in church history and biblical theology. The topic addressed was “Reformation Principles for the Ethiopian Church: Identity, Worship, Ethics” The three-days lectureship has been well attended and received. Our gratitude goes to Dr. John Carpenter and his wife Mrs. Mary Carpenter for coming and speaking at this important lecture. We praise God for adding this new annual ministry opportunity to serve the Ethiopian church.
Ethiopian Youth Leaders’ Summit
ETC partnered with SIM Ethiopia and Rejoice Africa to host the first-ever Ethiopian Youth Leaders’ Summit from February 20 – 21, 2025, in Addis Ababa. Over 230 youth leaders from across Ethiopia participated in this gathering, designed to foster connection and encouragement among those involved in youth ministry. We are especially proud that several ETC graduates – particularly the MA in Youth Ministry program played key roles in organizing and leading the summit. We extend our gratitude to all who contributed to making this event a reality.
Discipleship and Troubled Youth Seminar
ETC conducted a seminar focused on youth leadership and discipleship, attended by over 150 leaders. Speakers included Dr. Wudassie Eshetu, Dr. Paul Mermilliod, Dr. Nebyou Yonas, and Dr. Seyoum Antonios. This seminar addressed critical issues such as understanding troubled youth in Ethiopia, discipleship as intervention and prevention, and contextualizing challenges faced by the youth in Ethiopia. The sessions were well received, and the seminar was a beginning to a long journey that needs to be continued in supporting and training leaders in walking alongside the youth in Ethiopia. We praise God for the opportunity the Lord has given ETC to serve the Ethiopian church in addressing such significant needs.
ETC Building Expansion Update
We are grateful to share that a steady progress has been made in the construction of ETC’s new building. By God’s grace, we have now reached the finishing phase. The plastering work on the front side of the new building, along with the three floors of the main building, has been completed.
During the Ethiopian rainy season, we began waterproofing the upper roof of the front building to protect the painted plaster work from erosion. Our primary focus has been on completing the front three floors of the building so that we can begin generating income by renting them out. The revenue from this section will enable us to finish the remaining parts of the building.
However, Ethiopia’s economic challenges—particularly the sharp devaluation of the Birr and ongoing inflation—have caused construction material prices to rise dramatically. As a result, the funding required to complete the building has increased significantly. We now need between $800,000 and $1 million to finalize the front section. This will allow us to generate income to complete the rest of the project and provide scholarships to needy students. Furthermore, completing the front side of the building will provide us the very much needed space to house our ThM and the PhD programs that will start in the Fall of 2026.
We remain deeply grateful to all our partners and friends who have stood with us throughout this journey. Once again, we humbly ask for your continued prayers and financial support to finish strong and bring the first phase of the building to completion. This building is not simply mortar and brick—it is a launching pad for the future ministers of the Ethiopian church and beyond. Your financial support at this critical time means so much to us.
Image 1: Photo taken from the roof of the front 3-story building; Image 3: New Building Meeting Hall
ETC’s Doctoral Program Curriculum Leader Team Establishment
ETC remains purpose-driven, continually responding to the felt needs within the Ethiopian context. In the past few years, ETC has launched MA programs designed to equip leaders to serve children, youth, and the Muslim population, as well as to prepare men and women to lead the expanding educational institutions and educational programs of the church. Recognizing the increasing demand for qualified teachers and ministry workers, at its regular meeting on May 20, 2025, the ETC Board approved the establishment of a task force to identify and design the curriculum for ETC’s proposed doctoral programs. Following this decision, the ETC administration formed a doctoral program curriculum leadership team composed of senior academic leaders: Dr. Frew Tamrat, Dr. Alemseged Ketema, Dr. Anwar Mehammed, Dr. Tessema Wachemo, Ms. Ruham Gezahegn, and Pastor Henok Afework.
This leadership team is responsible for identifying priority PhD and ThM programs that ETC intends to launch in the near future, as well as developing the curriculum for each specific doctoral and ThM program. The work has been underway since August 2025.
Impact Story: Sherefedin Kedir, Missionary to the Dasenech People
Sherefedin Kedir, now 35 years old, came to the Lord 15 years ago from a Muslim background. The Lord miraculously called him to Himself and His kingdom. He grew up in a strict Muslim family, but when he was in grade two, a health problem forced him to stop his schooling. He then left Addis Ababa to live with his mother in Hosanna.
There he discovered that his elder brother, Mohammed, had begun following Jesus. Mohammed had been expelled from their father’s house in Addis Ababa and had also come to live with their mother. One day, while their mother was away, Mohammed was praying in the house, and Sherefedin was miraculously delivered from demon possession. From that moment, Sherefedin gave his life to the Lord.
Since then, Sherefedin fell deeply in love with Jesus and decided to become a missionary. Guided by the Lord, he began serving among one of Ethiopia’s unreached people groups—the Dasenech. He learned their language, preached the gospel, and by God’s grace planted a church among them.
After serving the Dasenech people, Sherefedin realized his need for formal training in Bible and Theology. In 2019, he joined ETC, majoring in Missions. By God’s grace, he graduated in June 2025. Reflecting on his time at ETC, he said, “ETC created passion for the lost people.”
Now, equipped with the Word of God and strengthened with ministry skills, Sherefedin has returned to the Dasenech people with renewed zeal. As a result of his ministry, many are coming to the Lord. We are grateful to God for the privilege and opportunity to train people like Sherefedin at ETC—men and women who are taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreached parts of Ethiopia.
Dear friends of ETC, when our building project is completed, we will be able to welcome many more students like Sherefedin and provide additional scholarships for those serving in remote areas of Ethiopia. We are deeply thankful to all our friends who are partnering with us in bringing this project to completion—for the glory of God and the blessing of His people in Ethiopia and beyond.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
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