Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship Program
Meet Pastor Joseph Epola
Your recurring monthly gift supports the education and training of all the pastors in this program, not just one individual. Get to know Pastor Joseph's story, then explore the other pastors growing through RPI's Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship Program.
Pastor Joseph Epola
Program: Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship
Learn about Pastor Joseph Epola through the testimony above and pray for his ongoing ministry.
Your recurring monthly gift helps provide education and training for all the pastors in this program, not just one individual. Meet a few of the other pastors below.
Help Equip Pastors for Ministry
Your investment supports pastoral education and training as a whole. You can invest in the program while continuing to follow, learn about, encourage, and pray for pastors like Pastor Joseph throughout their journey.
Sponsor NowPrayer Requests
Family and Protection: Pray for God’s care, protection, peace, and wisdom for Pastor Joseph and his family as they navigate challenges.
Evangelism and Ministry: Pray for open hearts, opportunities to share the gospel, and courage to minister faithfully in a challenging community.
Provision and Sustainability: Pray for wisdom and dependable opportunities to provide for his family through agricultural work and other livelihood efforts.
Joseph's Story
Pastor Joseph encountered the Lord during a village crusade, where he distinctly heard the voice of God calling him into ministry. Currently, he leads a church in Kamuli village. He is a new pastor with just three years of pastoral experience. He has been married to Nakirya Mary for 20 years, and they are blessed with seven children. Pastor Joseph's commitment to his family and ministry is unwavering.
Despite the joy of answering God's call, Pastor Joseph faces significant challenges in his new pastoral journey. He grapples with criticism from those who doubt the effectiveness of his prayers. His mother struggles with mental illness in full view of the villagers, and many believe his prayers for healing are ineffective, attributing a form of unworthiness to him. Furthermore, the distance between his church and home also presents logistical challenges, testing his dedication. These are not just hurdles, but they are the very fabric of his daily life. Amidst these trials, he remains steadfast, finding solace in God's faithfulness and continually witnessing church growth.
As a new pastor, Pastor Joseph recognizes his need for further training. He believes his need for biblical leadership training is heightened because of inconsistent church attendance and the need for a permanent church residence. Despite his earnest efforts to provide for his family, he continually finds himself burdened by debts and an inability to afford further personal and pastoral growth. Your support can make a difference in Pastor Joseph's life and ministry. He desires to attend bible school but struggles to attain this because of his financial constraints. By investing in Pastor Joseph's training at the Rural Pastors Institute, you will help him overcome these challenges, significantly contributing to his personal growth and pastoral development. Your sponsorship transforms the lives of men like Pastor Joseph, allowing them to receive solid biblical teaching, family discipleship training, and valuable leadership skills.
Get to Know Joseph
Pastor: Joseph Epola
Program: Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship
Source: Original pastor testimony supplied for RPI profile conversion
Following His Journey
RPI continues to encourage and equip rural pastors through biblical discipleship, practical sustainability training, and ongoing relationships. New personal updates about Pastor Joseph Epola will be shared when verified.
Entrepreneurship and Ongoing Discipleship
In September 2026, 20 RPI pastors and their wives completed entrepreneurship training in partnership with Ekisinga. The training provided practical instruction designed to help families develop sustainable sources of income while pastors continue faithfully serving their churches and communities.
The pastors also toured RPI's goat project as they prepare for future hands-on training. The project is one of the practical ways RPI is exploring opportunities that can help pastors and their families strengthen household sustainability.
Alongside vocational development, RPI continues providing discipleship, follow-up, encouragement, and practical training for graduate pastors as they apply what they have learned within their families, churches, and communities.
Building Skills for Sustainable Ministry
RPI's Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship Program seeks to equip rural pastors with practical knowledge alongside ongoing biblical teaching. Skills related to raising chickens and managing small agricultural projects can offer families additional ways to pursue reliable income while pastors continue serving their congregations.
We believe that practical training, discipleship, and encouragement can work together to strengthen households and help relieve some of the financial pressures that rural pastors face. This describes RPI's broader program, not a confirmed chicken project undertaken by Pastor Joseph.
RPI’s Goat Project: Practical Skills for Sustainable Ministry
RPI's goat project is one way we connect practical vocational learning with our long-term commitment to rural pastors. Goat raising and livestock management can offer pastors skills to explore ways of providing for their families while continuing to serve their congregations.
Through the Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship Program, RPI seeks to pair ongoing discipleship with practical training that can help pastors build more stable livelihoods. The goal is not to replace biblical teaching, but to help reduce financial pressures that can make rural ministry difficult.
The goat project illustrates practical sustainability opportunities within RPI’s program. Pastor Joseph’s individual involvement with this project has not been confirmed.
More Than a Training Program
RPI's relationship with pastors continues beyond their initial biblical training. Through ongoing discipleship, encouragement, follow-up, and opportunities for practical sustainability training, participating pastors can continue growing as leaders while working toward stronger families, churches, and ministries.
Help Equip Pastors for Ministry
Your recurring monthly gift supports the education and training of all pastors in the Vocational / Sustainability / Discipleship Program, not one individual pastor.