English Page

WELCOME TO SOMABIBLIA. HERE YOU CAN READ AND LISTEN TO MESSAGES OF BIBLICAL TEACHING.

Hello! My name is David Stamen and I have been travelling to Tanzania on an annual basis since 1991. I was initially invited to speak at a conference of village churches in the Iringa region, connected to a particular Pentecostal denomination in Tanzania. Over the years, invitations have come from other groups within Tanzania, which also led me to become particularly associated with an indigenous work that began chiefly among the Maasai, but now encompasses others also. More recently, an ‘effectual door’ has also opened to speak among the churches of the Evangelical Assemblies of God Tanzania. At the moment, invitations to this group of churches fills most of my itinerary when I go – I endeavour to go twice a year for about 3 or 4 weeks at a time, speaking at least once a day virtually every day. After my first visit to Tanzania, I immediately set about learning Swahili and I can now speak Swahili socially, which, apart from being a tremendous help to me in getting to know people, is also greatly appreciated by the Tanzanians themselves. However, I preach mostly in English, though I do ‘lapse’ into Swahili at times. To preach fluently in Swahili is still something that lies before me!

I also started to write numerous biblical teaching articles in Swahili or that were translated into Swahili, and to record the sermons I was preaching, which were being simultaneously interpreted. I put these on the website I created, called somabiblia.com. On average, this attracts about 150 people a day. As many people use facebook in Tanzania, I have also posted these teachings on a facebook page. This seems to be a blessing to quite a few people, given the feedback and correspondence that it has generated and the friendships this has led to. For example, my visit of June 2018 came exclusively from churches in Dar Es Salaam whose pastors or church members had come across my website. These represented six different denominations or independent works. My audio messages have been broadcast on a local radio station in the north of Tanzania by one of the directors who came across my website, and a Christian newspaper based in Dar Es Salaam also published all my written messages week by week over many months. So, whereas in the earlier years I used to spend most of my time preaching and teaching in villages and sleeping in mud huts (which I loved!), I am now increasingly being invited to speak in a number of different cities in Tanzania, especially Dar Es Salaam. In fact, it has been a prayer burden for some time that the Lord would open effectual doors in Dar Es Salaam and this is what is now happening. It was a special blessing and privilege to speak for five days at a youth conference in June 2018. In addition to this, the website has resulted in further invitations within Tanzania and from neighbouring countries, such as Kenya, Burundi and the D. R. of the Congo.

As I mentioned, my time is filled with preaching and teaching when I am in Tanzania, but it is impossible to go without helping my brothers and sisters who are in need – particularly as our ‘little’ goes a long way in their situations. However, great wisdom and care are needed in giving help so as not to generate envy among others and not to expose those to whom you give to temptations that may overwhelm them! Over the years the support has included paying for the corrugated metal sheets that are the main expense of building a more weatherproof meeting place for believers – this is a useful way of helping all the believers in a locality as they generally find it very hard to raise such money by themselves; helping widows and abandoned mothers; food relief at times of flooding and drought; supporting one or two key faithful pastors; providing clothing and emergency medical expenses, and especially at this time of the Covid-19, providing food to families who are really struggling. Hunger or the threat of hunger is an ever-present reality for many at this time. If you read the various pages on this site, you will get an idea of the different kind of the support that people have received.

I am very thankful to Lord for the opportunity to go to East Africa and to share and declare His word, and am very appreciative of the prayers of God’s people!

If you would like to read more of the background of this work and what I am involved in, click on the following link:

www.eastafricamission.blogspot.co.uk

Nearly all these messages have been written or preached by me. You may download or copy these messages for free for personal use. If you wish to copy and distribute or publish any of the material, this is normally possible but please contact me first about your intention. Please include my name and the website name when printing, as follows: © David Stamen somabiblia.com
However, the articles or messages may not be sold. They are not to be used for financial gain. You can contact me by phone on: +44 7985653844 by email: dsta12@hotmail.co.uk

Nearly all of the audio messages are in English with simultaneous Swahili translation. However, I do lapse into Swahili at times so some content might be lost to the listener! You will also find English articles below. All the material on this website is for free. None of the material may be sold in any form. Thank you!

PLEASE NOTE! THERE ARE MORE SERMONS ON THE SWAHILI PAGE.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

ARTICLES IN ENGLISH