THIS IS WORTH THE READ IF YOU HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR US! As promised… An .account of the AMAZING work of God during this trip to Africa Background One of the key components of the mission strategy of World Hope Ministries International is to see indigenous ministries equipped and capable to lead and do for themselves. Our goal is to assist, not to control or colonize. When we began the first World Hope Bible Institute in Africa (2008), we started in a community where WHMI had developed a long-term relationship with the spiritual and civil leaders of Lemoru, Kenya, about 80 miles from the Ugandan boarder. The pastors, from a wide variety of denominations, embraced the Bible Institute concept whole heartedly. Last year we saw 100 of them graduate with the Diploma in Ministry, having completed 16 courses, written a thesis, and received the recommendation of the local leaders. Immediately after that graduation, a group of them sat with me and pledged to do what we had talked about since the Institute began—to start their own World Hope Bible Institute in another remote area. In November that group of brothers opened a new WH Bible Institute in Lodwar in the far northern region of Kenya among the Turkana people. I felt like a proud dad!!! During the years we were teaching in Lemoru, a dear friend from the past, Bishop Joel Chege, agreed to help me find other locations in Kenya in need of free, quality, systematic theological education. With his help, we opened WH Bible Institutes in Nyahururu (the highlands area of Kenya) and two more Institutes among the Maasai people in the lowland plains (one in Suswa and one in Kajiado). Through my dear brother Joel, we also opened another WH Bible Institute among the Maasai in Tanzania. And, God graciously gave us another Bible Institute in the Kawangware slum through a dear brother, Bishop Munene. This was all wonderful… a total student count of about 600-700 students in East Africa. Recent Developments. One of my hopes was to see partnerships develop internally among these Institutes. While we love the connection to WHMI back in the states, the real power comes when the indigenous leaders take the ball, making it theirs, and go with it. During this most trip to Kenya, I taught among the Maasai in Kajiado and headed to teach in Nyahururu. Instead of being joined by an American as co-teacher, I was joined by WHBI-Lemoru graduate, Sammy Saina. Talk about feeling like a proud spiritual dad—Pastor Saina, did a magnificent job and was received as a faculty member among people not of his tribe, but who knew they were hearing a man teach with authority and knowledge. It was amazing. But that is not even the best part. At the Nyahururu Institute, we were joined by the leaders of other WH Bible Institutes in Kenya and Tanzania . They began to discuss how they could help each other—both in the completion of their current course of study and how they could help launch new WH Bible Institutes in East Africa—together!! The leader from Tanzania said, I am a Maasai man; I speak Maa and can help teach in the Maasai Institutes, The leader of the Kawangware Institute said he could help teach in the Maasai or Turkana Institutes; and one of the leaders of the Nyahururu Institute said he would try to go teach in Turkana this year. I cannot fully explain the beauty of this. Furthermore, the leaders began to discuss the horrible damage being done by the prosperity teaching (a false gospel) in East Africa. Before we left Nyahururu, they had approved a draft of a joint statement speaking against such false teachings and for the true gospel of the Bible. They agreed they would ask all students of WHBI in East Africa to sign this statement and that they would invite others to join them. They expect to collect more the 1000 signatures. When they do, they intend to release the statement among all churches in Kenya calling for a return to the true Gospel. Can you see why I am blown away????!! This is nothing less than an amazing work of God. The power of spiritual unity that comes from sound doctrine is palpable and powerful. God is using the World Hope Bible Institute in ways that I could have never even imagined. And, as soon as I get a few confirmations, I will tell you a story of similarly amazing things that are happening in Zimbabwe. Oh my dear friends, thank you for praying; thank you for giving; thank you for encouraging; thank you for going. PLEASE DO NOT STOP! This is far beyond anything we had hoped—and I believe we have just begun. with Joel Ikaba; James Munene, Sammy Saina, Craig Kendrick, Dwight Davis, James Tembo
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 19:38:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015