ABOUT
ON BOARD
A Texas U.S.A. based 501(c)3 organization and a registered Kenyan Society.
MISSION & HISTORY.
Our Mission: On Board Ministry equips Kenyan church leaders with sound Biblical doctrine through comprehensive education and strategic resource development, empowering them for effective shepherding in Kenya’s rapidly growing Christian mission field.
Founded in 2000 by Rev. Dallas Turner and his wife, Alexia, On Board Ministry (OBM) was born from a vision to address a pressing need in coastal Kenya: untrained pastors leading growing churches, some without access to a Bible. After years of mission work in East Africa, Dallas saw that while local churches were multiplying, many pastors faced barriers to affordable, accessible training due to cost or distance. OBM was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to provide low-cost, Biblically grounded education taught by Kenyan leaders in small, local groups. Early on, OBM gratefully utilized a condensed Bachelor of Theological Studies curriculum generously provided by Dr. Alvin Low, which laid a strong foundation for training hundreds of pastors to lead with doctrinal integrity.
In 2017, Dan and Tonya Trantham joined OBM to refine its strategic focus. While church planting was once a primary goal, OBM now empowers Kenyan churches to mature and plant new congregations independently. To better serve this mission, our School of Theology now features a new curriculum authored by Dr. Michael Waldrop, specifically designed for East Africa, taught by local Kenyan pastors, and written to the Kenyan educational certificate-level standards. Additionally, OBM is launching an initiative to train Kenyan leaders to write, edit, publish, and distribute biblical education materials in Swahili and other local languages, ensuring resources are culturally relevant and widely accessible. Operating in Kenya as Turner OBM Ministries, a registered society based in Kisumu, OBM supports churches in the four lower coastal counties: Kilifi, Taita-Taveta, Kwale, and Mombasa.
CHALLENGES.
Kenyan churches face significant challenges in maintaining Biblical fidelity. The spread of word-of-faith movements, the allure of the prosperity gospel, charismatic teachings, tribal traditions like animism and ancestor worship, and the influence of nearby Islamic communities can dilute sound doctrine. Without ongoing support, even well-trained pastors risk drifting from their Biblical foundation.
OBM addresses these challenges by equipping pastors and congregations with contextualized training and resources. Our continuing education conferences reinforce Biblical teaching (Sola Scriptura) focusing on the health of the local church, while our new publishing initiative provides locally crafted Bible study materials to counter false teachings and strengthen church maturity.
THE MINISTRY.
OBM’s work rests on four pillars, each designed to empower Kenyan churches for Biblical maturity and growth:
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School of Theology: Our core program delivers a new, East Africa-focused curriculum authored by Dr. Michael Waldrop. Taught by trained Kenyan pastors and certified to Kenyan educational standards, it equips leaders to shepherd healthy churches.
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Continuing Education Conferences: Bi-monthly conferences, now opening to other ministries in Kenya, provide ongoing training in Biblical doctrine and church governance, fostering local ecclesia maturity and accountability.
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Summer Group Trips: These trips support community outreach by OBM-affiliated churches, encouraging local congregations and engaging North American supporters.
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Biblical Resource Development: OBM is training Kenyan pastors and theologians to create and distribute Bible study guides, pamphlets, and curricula in local languages, tailored to the East African context, to make biblical education as accessible in Kenya as in North America.
While OBM supports existing church plants with resources like rent and utilities, our focus is equipping Kenyan churches to plant new congregations independently, guided by Biblically grounded leadership and local governance.
ORGANIZATION & MANAGEMENT.
On Board Ministry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 74-2931569) based in Fort Worth, Texas, and operates in Kenya as Turner OBM Ministries (SOC/58215), a registered society based in Kisumu. We prioritize funding local leadership over full-time North American missionaries. On average, 55% of donations support pastor training and resources, 26% cover travel for U.S. leadership, 10% fund continuing education conferences, 5% support administrative costs (e.g., Kenyan government fees, printing), and 4% develop our new publishing initiative.
OBM’s training and support focus exclusively on the four lower coastal counties of Kenya. Through partnerships with local churches and a Kenyan-led society, we ensure accountability, sustainability, and cultural relevance in all our work.