THE LAUSANNE MOVEMENT DIASPORA ROUNDTABLE GERMANY 2014

 

The Lausanne Movement Europe Diaspora Leaders

The Lausanne Movement Europe Diaspora Round Table

During the Diaspora Consultation in Amsterdam, September 2013, Brother Hun told us about the Lausanne movement Diaspora Congress in Manila in March 2015. We subsequently agreed to meet at least once, either in the U.K. or in Germany for the preparation of the congress and he asked me to invite African Ministries to participate in this roundtable.

So this meeting was held in Burbach – Holzhauer near Haiger in Germany from 9 to 11 February. Gathered around the same table, Various leaders from Ministries of immigration from Africa, Asia, India and Latin America, and the European leaders of movements and Missions acting in and among the Diaspora communities in Europe, such as Allianz Mission, the European Ministry for Refugees, the “Diaspora Church and Reverse Mission”, “KIT – Migrant Church Planting” a Danish Ministry established due to the Danish authorities awareness of the importance of the religion in human life, after many foreign representations of this country had been burned because of Islamists wrath… I regret that African ministries, numerous in Europe, especially in a movement called “GATE” (Gift from Africa To Europe) did not respond this invitation. Ministries from Latin America and India were also reduced in number, while those from Asia were well represented.

After sharing in turn on the experiences of each other, we analyzed the situation of immigration in Europe and the difficulties in relations between ministries of immigrant and indigenous ministries as well as ministries of immigrants among themselves, we thought about strategies to bring a change of mentalities to partnership.

We have highlighted some difficulties in assessing migrant populations, particularly in France were the statistics in this regard are either inaccessible, or non-existent, unlike in many European countries. It would be a good tool for the study of church planting. We emphasized the need to work in partnership, on the one hand with indigenous ministries to evangelise the migrant population as well as the autochthones more prone to secularization, and on the other hand between the various ministries from immigration. Having identified the barriers to collaboration, (lack of mutual understanding, lack of communication, excessive expectations from one another, often stereotypes from colonization etc.), we decided to investigate how to remedy this situation for the advancement of God’s kingdom. A working committee was set up to work before the Manila meeting, which will meet to develop an initial program and make proposals.

The next meeting will take place in the coming months. We expect at least two meetings before end of year or early next year 2015 the latest.

MISSION IN CAMEROON 2013

Open air evangelism in the Makèpè Round About

Part three

Evangelism in Duala: second step

 

After our trip in North Cameroon, we arrived in Duala in the South on Christmas Eve for a last program schedule for December 25^th to 28^th: three nights of evangelization on the theme of the family “God heals and restore families,” and the last evening closing with a concert of “JOBS” a Christian band.

The program of this stage had a different purpose from those made previously: the restoration of families. The sequence was identical to the one of the action in the North. We had set a podium outdoors at the “Makepe Roundabout” and large projection panel. The evening meetings were introduced by the praise led by the worship team of Pastor KOUM’s Israel Makepe Baptist Church d he Christian Band “JOBS”. Then a movie was shown in the theme of that night’s meditation and a speaker brought a message shortly before the end of the projection and launched the appeal. After the evangelizing team had taken care of those who approached, the technicians sent the end of the projection and people were invited to come back next day. Pastor KOUM spoke first evening, Daniel Mpondo spoke the second evening and Dominique Dick spoke the third.

Many people gave their lives to the Lord; others came to receive restoration in relation to their families, reconciliation commitments were made. Testimonies comforted us, like that of a young man with a motorbike who was passing by and seeing the crowd stopped to see what it was about. He eventually decided to stay until the end of the movie. He was so upset that when the preacher launched the call he came forward to give his life to Christ. He then committed to do his best for the reconciliation in his family. He told us that throughout the film, he saw the story of his family and when the preacher gave the message; it was like if it was all about him. He was convinced that the speaker was speaking to him and Jesus was asking him to surrender and let himself be restored.

We celebrated a wedding on Saturday 28^th. In Africa events such as weddings and funerals are special opportunities for evangelization. It is Pastor Dick who spoke during the wedding service On Sunday 28^th Rev. Daniel Mpondo gave the message to Israel Makepe Church on the theme “the place of a man in the family according to God” when Dominique Dick was expected at the Francophone Community Shalom.

We came to conclusion in the late afternoon at the “Makepe Roundabout” were the “JOBS” band led us to the presence of the Lord with a wonderful concert of praise. Pastor Emmanuel Koum throughout the concert encouraged the attendance with the word of God and at the end many lives came again to the Lord. What a grace! Thank you Lord for giving us to experience such moments being mere labourers into your harvest!

Glory and praise to the One who was, who is and who’s coming!

MISSION IN CAMEROON 2013

North Cameroon (continued)

Second step: evangelism in Ngaoundere

After a bit chaotic and gruelling journey, through a full of potholes and dusty tracks roads, we finally arrived in Ngaoundere more than five hours after our departure from Garoua.

The program of this stage had a different purpose than the one before. It concerned the planting of an evangelical Church in a suburb of Ngaoundere Town. Four evening meetings were planned. But after three nights we had to agree that it was not necessary to continue, given that it was already crowded to one pastor who did not yet have a team that could take care of all the souls won to the Lord. Therefore, our brother pastor KOUM had to take the decision to stop everything and take a day earlier the road back to Duala where we were expected for another program.

In Ngaoundere the course of evening program was similar to what we did in Garoua: after a time of praise and worship, the projection of the movie was launched and before it ends a preacher gave a message after which a call to repentance was launched. It was only after the work of counsellors that the remaining part of the movie was resumed. At each call many people came to give their lives to Christ.

Again we had extraordinary testimonies of conversion: the second night, a counsellor brought a young man who wanted me to pray for him and his friend. Actually that young man came the day before and gave his life to Jesus because he was moved by the message that spoke exactly of his life. So that same evening he went to seek for his friend to ask him to come and see to what Jesus can do to his life: he would forgive all his sins! His friend told him he had committed so many crimes and atrocities that nobody would forgive. The young man replied that they had grown up together, rose hell together, and there were no atrocities his friend had omitted that he, himself had not committed, and Jesus has forgiven him. He said he had been forgiven and received a new life, there was no reason that his friend misses this: it could happen tom too! Therefore his friend accepted to come with him to the even meeting and went through the same experience: he was convinced that the preacher was talking about his life and also decided to surrender his life to Jesus.

 

When I launched a call to repent that night, he was the first to come before. He received forgiveness and became a new creation in Jesus! We experienced many testimonies of this kind and I will never cease to say t the greatest miracle we encounter when preaching and evangelising is a soul saved!

May the Lord be glorify!

MISSION IN CAMEROON 2013

The Garoua Protestant Council of Churches' Evangelism Campaign

Part two: Mision to North

Step One: Garoua

For this program the Evangelist Singer Armando GOMES of Bulles in France, bravely joined us despites the fears of his family. He had been a valuable support that enabled us to intervene alternatively in neighbourhood that we had invested. His presence in the team was very much appreciated and we hope to partner with him in other projects. Pastor Dominique Dick of Guadeloupe who had problems with his connecting flights joined us latter, strengthening the teamwork that way.

The campaign was organised under the control of the Council of the Protestant Churches of Garoua. We enjoyed a well thought out preparation of the field by the evangelistic team led by Pastor Emmanuel KOUM that came from Douala, and a group of pastors of Evangelical Churches of Garoua under the leadership of Pastor Robert BELLO.

The actions took place in two rounds: after a short exhortation in the morning in the premises of the Lutheran Evangelical Church, the evangelism teams were divided in areas were they did door to door in the side of the town were the public meetings had to take place in the evening, announcing Jesus and distributing leaflets and treaties.

We received a welcome that we did not expect in a heavily Muslim region. Many souls came to Christ and miracles have been experienced in families were some stories are harrowing. One example is of this mother whose son had been gone for years and she had no news. She challenged the team to pray for him to come back and if he comes the whole family was to give their lives to Jesus. Then the team prayed and les than half an hour later he showed himself back home! He said he had come back to collect his things in order to definitely disappear from the life of his family because he was going to join a Secret Society to engage in magic, which he showed the invitation to Pastor Maurice who was leading the team. He right away received the Word of God and gave his life to Jesus. Thanking the team, he told them that is it really God who had sent them for his life for he had just experience a turning point he did not expect; he had been rescued in-extremis! His mother was happy and glorified God, it was the feast in that family that was so grateful to God for having allowed the people to knock at their door that day. Victory to our GOD!

We lived many other adventures as exciting with the Lord, but for me, the greatest miracle was when the appeal was launched after the movie followed by a sermon and we saw hundred of souls advance to give their lives to Jesus-Christ. What a grace and privilege of being an instrument in the hands of the Lord for His work!

But also a hint of sadness when we learned before we left for Ngaoundere some quarters demanded us to also organise public meetings and we could not. In fact we invested for two evenings a target area in which evangelism team were sent in the morning to proclaim the Good News and invite the people to join the evening meeting.Then after two days we went to another neighbourhood.

 

Our adventure ended there with our brother Armando GOMES we left in Garoua were he still had a program with the young people of the churches who participated to the campaign and another program with the local Christian Radio. He had to travel the following day to Douala were he was also expected by the Francophone Community Shalom for another program that we have had very positive feedback: the “Shalom Community has been blessed by his passage.

MISSION IN CAMEROON: DOUALA 1

Part one: Douala with Francophone Shalom Community of Bonalembe

For Duala Program December 3 to 10, we were the guests of the Francophone Community “Shalom” of Bonalembe Cameroon Baptist Congregation (CBC) by Shepherd Dr. Emmanuel MPONDO. Duala program was upset by the last-minute withdrawal of one of the gusts of Strasbourg. The consequence was the posters had not been changed when I arrived in Duala.

Other guests, Dominique DICK of Guadeloupe and Armando GOMES of France, couldn’t join us for this first work for various reasons. But they eventually joined us later on for actions in Northern Cameroon with Emmanuel KOUM and a group of pastors of Evangelical Churches of Garoua.

In Duala we participated in two Christian radio broadcasts, the RNB (Good News Radio) and RVN (New Life Radio). With the latter I subsequently participated in a two hours round table with some local pastors on the issue of some men of God who seem to seek God through the properties and the consequences of these abuses.

In the end we were only two speakers for the evenings of December 5^th to 7^th, the Evangelist Noah MBELLA of the Arch, based in Duala, and myself.

The worship band of the Shalom Community has led us wonderfully during each evening meeting before the Lord’s presence with an exceptional praise. A team led by Sister Chantal had prepared a repertoire which introduced harmoniously our evening messages and joined me for a few songs that I had prepared as introduction to my messages or sometimes conclude my preaching. We had some awesome praise moments that prepared for good speech listening. Glory be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus-Christ.

We ended the week with a great Sunday worship, December 8, when members of the Church were invited to renew their commitment to Christ, to be Jeremiah for their people because today’s times are similar to those of the Prophet’s era, and the Lord is looking for men and women who stand in the gap for the Nations. Many people came forward and the Lord was at work! Hallelujah! We ended the program with a meeting late in the afternoon. Again the Lord was manifested in power, many souls came to the Lord, and many have renewed their commitment to God and we prayed for the sick. We then spend time praying for the needs.

May the Lord be glorified!