Missions News

TEACHING IN NICARAGUA

KENYA - A TASTE OF REFORMATION REVIVAL

Just a few weeks ago, I had the awesome privilege to teach the ‘Christ-Centered Evangelism” study at the Kenya Ministries Training Institute, (KMTI). Approximately 400 pastors and leaders attended; and over half of the pastors were former graduates of this institute. There were many other pastors from several denominational backgrounds, who were also in attendance. Most of them were from this particular area of Kenya; however, some pastors travelled from Sudan and Uganda. I would begin teaching at 9 a.m. (which is midnight our time); and I would conclude at 5 p.m. Beginning on the first day, there was a glorious liberty and a true sense of spiritual hunger and teach-ability among those in attendance. My interpreter, Pastor George Wafula, was absolutely awesome in his translation work. Bro. George, (who is also the Director of this Institute) and I have taught this study together on many different occasions. The Lord had used these truths in 2005, to transform and reform his evangelistic message and methods. George had been praying for the last 6 years for an opportunity to have this conference at KMTI. During every session, the pastors seemed to be hanging on every single word. At the end of our brief breaks between sessions, they would literally run back to their seat with great excitement and anticipation. You may not be aware of this, but a large percentage of the churches in Kenya and across the continent of Africa have been corrupted by the ‘health and wealth prosperity gospel’; which has been exported to them from our nation. But brothers and sisters, throughout these 18 hours of teaching, the Spirit of Truth was being applied by Sword of the Spirit in mighty power, to deeply penetrate the hearts, lives, ministries, methods and message of these leaders.

It was absolutely amazing to see the Holy Spirit begin to turn their ‘man-centered’ evangelism upside down; and powerfully inspire them to return to God’s instruction manual; and make a new commitment to do God’s work; Gods way; for God’s glory! I really do not have the words to express all that the Lord did throughout this time. Enclosed are the words from George Wafula. He puts his feelings into words, to testify of the great things that the Lord has done! “This was a blessed moment in the history of our Institute! It has been my desire since 2005, when I first heard this teaching, that you would come and pour the truths of ‘Christ-Centered Evangelism’ into the lives of hundreds of leaders in my area of Kenya. God has made it possible! This meeting was one of its kind in the history of our Institute! Everyone is thrilled with what God has done in these days. I am constantly receiving phone calls from pastors who attended the conference, testifying about what God has done in their ministries; and how they are already beginning to implement what they have learned. God has truly ploughed deep into the hearts of the pastors who attended. The pastor of one of the largest churches in Bungoma testified that he has never attended a meeting, that has so ‘opened his eyes’ in this vital area. He confesses that he was ‘lost in his teaching on evangelism’. But he has already begun teaching this study in his church! Many pastors and bishops have been calling me and openly confessing that they were guilty of doing God’s work in their own ways; and they are ready to change and return to God’s plumb-line! I will never forget on the last day of the conference, when I came across 5 pastors who were laying prostrate on the floor and were crying out to the Lord. They were repenting for deceiving the people through their own preaching! Another pastor told me that God has given him great illumination this week. He said that he had come to realize that he had been blind and deep in a hole. But he says that the blinders have been removed from his eyes; and now he can see! There were several Bible College principles and teachers who left confessing that they had never heard the truth in such a way! Glory to God! Praise His Holy Name! The pastors and leaders have requested that you would come every year to speak in our annual conference.” 

Bishop Fredrick Mulei e-mailed this testimony, “It has been a great and tremendous moment to see the great power of God convicting the hearts and lives of pastors and church planters. As I mingled among most of them, I heard many confessing to God, that they must abandon their ways and return to His means to carry out His mission. They were confessing that they had acted in ignorance of the truth. The pastors from the Bungoma district posted a joint resolution to ‘never again use an unbiblical approach when evangelizing the lost’. They further resolved to teach ‘Christ-Centered Evangelism‘ to all of their church leaders, in order to restore God’s method and message of evangelism, as outlined in the Book of Acts! They all testified that ‘our eyes have been opened to see what we should be doing, in the evangelism of the lost’. We, as leaders of the body of Christ have been instructed, corrected, challenged, strengthened and invigorated, according to the awesome power of God and the might of His glory!" Friends, only the mighty work of the Holy Spirit applying His Word, can bring about these awesome results! Glory to God!

On the last afternoon, I announced that we were going to have a session in which we would have questions from the audience. I informed them that we would take as long as needed, to field and answer the questions from the Word of God. But all of them shouted in ONE ACCORD, “There are no questions! We only have to obey what we have been hearing!” Wow! What a precious blessing to see the Holy Spirit apply the truths of this study to turn the evangelism methods and message of these pastors “upside down”; and then “right-side up”, for the glory of our King and Savior! I have also received another glorious report from 4 precious pastors who had studied these truths during past conferences. They have been joining together to take the teachings of “Christ-Centered Evangelism” to the nations of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, and Buruni! Already, we have received many ‘Macedonian calls’, as a direct result of this conference. Please pray for God’s wisdom, so that I might know which of these doors is the next one to walk through.