The Bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, and his wife Heather are heading to Africa next week to lead clergy training. 

The couple will first travel to the Diocese of Blackburn's link Diocese of Free State in South Africa to oversee a week of training with those in church ministry. 

The training week will focus on 2 Corinthians and Paul's teaching on Christian ministry. 

It marks the second visit for the couple to the Diocese of Blackburn's link diocese. They will then move on to Kenya, where they will run similar training sessions, also over the course of a week. 

"We are looking forward to travelling to Free State – it will be our second visit to our link diocese," said Bishop Henderson.

"Heather and I will be leading training sessions arising out of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians with the overarching theme of 'Authentic Christian Ministry'.

"Paul received much criticism of his leadership and in his defence and rebuttal of those allegations, he outlines some of the key aspects of Christian Ministry that reveal it is genuine and authentic.

"We will repeat the same programme of talks at a teaching week in the Diocese of Voi in Kenya, at the invitation of Bishop Liverson Mng'onda."

He is leading training in the Free State at the invitation of the diocesan bishop, the Rt Rev Dintoe Letloenyane.

Bishop Henderson asked for prayers ahead of the visit. 

"We are looking forward to all these speaking engagements and we ask for people's prayers for safe travel, good health and blessing on our times of ministry," he said.