THE MANI TEAM MEETING IN NAIROBI 2015

 

The MANI steering team

The MANI Leadership meeting in Nairobi KENYA

The Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI) Steering Committee, following the postponement of the Africa Heads of Churches Summit, gathering Unions and Federations of African Churches, previously expected in Accra, Ghana, from 9 to 13 February 2015, met the same dates in Nairobi Kenya, to organize the upcoming event of this movement an review some principles of its operation. Our meetings as usual begin with prayer, praise and meditation daily, before starting discussing or reporting on the subjects of the agenda.

As Introduction we analysed the situation in Africa regarding everything she undergoes to this world. We cannot ignore the social and economic changes affecting the life of the Church in Africa: changing our original plan because of the Ebola disease is one of the illustrations; what happens in Central African Republic and around Lake Chad with the Islamic sect Boko Haram, the persecutions of Christians in the Horn of Africa and Sudan are others. More than ever, Africa is feeling the impact of everything that happens in the world. It is in this perspective that we met in Nairobi to discuss about how to attain our objectives: to reach unreached peoples of Africa by the Gospel. For all this we have to listen and depend on the Holy Spirit, especially for the challenges that await us in Africa. We need help in our continent, not that of a man, a State or government, but of the Holy Spirit. Whatever the challenge, this is what we need and the Holy Spirit will strengthen and encourage us.

Two key points were on the agenda; 1) the postponement of the Accra Summit 2) the organization of the Consultation of our Movement in Addis Ababa in March 2016. But we also analysed the problems encountered in each MANI region after a report from every concerned leader. We also considered a policy or a plan to mentor regional leader’s successors.

The postponement of the Accra Summit:

The Very Rev. Dr Yaw Frimpong, coordinator for the Accra meeting, began by thanking all those who contributed to this organization despite its postponement. The Ebola issue did not only scare Africa but also the whole world. The epidemic is about to be controlled and Rev. Dr Yaw thinks we can maintain the Summit in the same venue. But a discussion took place between those who think we should move to Addis Ababa and hold the meeting shortly before the MANI 2016 Consultation and those who think it is wise to keep the meeting in Accra. Another suggestion was to swap the two; it was quickly eliminated because they are organizational and individual commitments that would have generated more problems instead of making it easy. We finally adopted to maintain the Summit in Accra, given the commitment of the local churches for this project and the existence of an organizing committee who did a remarkable job and reminded us that the meeting was not cancelled but postponed; besides, a budget was ready and the funds had already begun to be raised, it would be a waste to deprive us of this already available expertise. Therefore the Summit will take place from 8 to 12 February 2016 in Accra, Ghana.

The MANI Consultation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

After that, we reviewed the progress of the preparatory work for the organization of the Addis Ababa Consultation. Proposals concerning the various possibilities were submitted by the MANI Horn of Africa Coordinator as thumbnails. Ultimately we adopted the proposal of holding the opening and closing sessions in the premises of the African Union (AU) and the working sessions in those of the EIT/ETC. We have reviewed the participation quotas by region. Only 10 participants were retained for the Diaspora Region, at my request we obtained 8 more bringing it to 18 delegates.

Each of the Region coordinators or MANI representatives made his report in which he exposed the actions, the challenges or difficulties encountered and future prospects.

The succession plan for the leadership of the movement

The question was raised as to what direction takes the MANI at this precise moment of its existence. Should we shift into an organization or strive to remain a movement? Our movement has reached a level which we cannot continually operate as we currently do. In this, Brother Reuben, Continental Coordinator said that we are not an organization like the Lausanne Movement or like the COMIBAN, our counterpart in Latin America, which have structures. God is faithful, if we put our trust in Him He is!

The MANI is a movement based on a vision. We got to a point where we must certainly take it to another level. Reuben was designated as successor to Ross because he was the one most to carry the same vision and bring the movement to another level. He said in order to prepare his succession he needed to mentor one to three people during two to three years. For it is not a matter of a succession to the same thing as he does, but a continuation to bring the movement to a higher level. Moreover we should not forget we are catalysts, not competitors. We must be careful not to put ourselves in competition with those in the field.

The MANI is not just a Continental Coordinator, but a team with regional coordinators and local partners as well as foreign ones, such as Emerging Leaders, Strategic Prayer, Church Planting, CAP, Missions to Muslim with especially “Vision 5:9” etc. working in their own areas and networks and contributing simultaneously to expand the MANI network. We must be aware that the time has come for new leadership and pray that the Lord will establish one according to His project. The environment has hanged. Our continent is characterized by a rise in fundamentalism and especially Islamic fundamentalism as the world has never known. Listening to God and covering all with our prayers, we need someone who will bring MANI to where God wants to take us.

We will return to our respective countries and nations. Then we have to examine where we are with our vision, becaus after all, it is all about what is happening in Africa: let's identify our resources, what remains to be done and human resources ready to accomplish the task. Once done, we must be able to present to the Church and say "this is what happens..." May God help us!

 

THE MALTA "BLUE MED" CONSULTATION 2015

The Consultation venue

The Malta Blue Med Consultation

The Malta Consultation was to examine the situation of evangelization in the countries of the Mediterranean basin and to share our experiences in this field. So we met for a week at Dolmen hotel were we exchanged, shared, listened and fraternized.

The days started every morning with a prayer meeting dedicated to a specific country before finding ourselves in the great amphitheatre where we had a meditation time preceded by a moment of worship and praise which sometimes was executed in the various languages spoken in the Mediterranean.

After that, we followed presentations by speakers from diverse backgrounds. Thus, during that week, we were listening to the ministries based in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Libya etc. Given the delicacy of the matter, I will not extend further on the meeting.

But we realized the difficulties that our brothers faced in the exercise of their ministries in the field. We give thanks to God because if foreign ministries are difficultly penetrating these countries, indigenous ministries rise more and do a considerable job. But most often they lack resources both financial and human. There is a great need for discipleship and also leadership.

Contrary to what we thought, the governments of these countries are not often those that prevent or prohibit missionary work. These are local people who often make it difficult and sometimes force their governments to take measures to prevent public order. The openings are increasingly and paradoxically, with the rise of radical Islamism, people are turning more and more towards Christianity which led their representatives to say that “90% of Muslims know Jesus and believe that He is the answer, but they are not ready to pay the price.”

Apostle Paul's shipwreck location

We also reviewed the work done by the members and ministries of the diaspora in Europe and the potential offered by sub-Saharan Africa to mobilize for evangelization in North Africa.

Apostle Paul's shipwreck location

Apostle Paul's shipwreck location

MISSION TO CAMEROON : DOUALA 2014

Crusade announcement

Mission to Cameroon 2014: Evangelism in Douala

We had several programs in Douala. We started with the preparation of the International Bible Camp planned for 2016 in Cameroon with young people of Martinique an Guadeloupe. Pastor Emmanuel KOUM had gathered the pastors of churches that participate in this project ad we discussed its organisation. Later we had a meeting with the young leaders to refine all aspects of the project including tourism.

But the most important part of the mission in Douala will be the implementation of the “Douala For Jesus” project. It was about an evangelistic rally that was to cover five districts of Douala from December 15 to 30, and an evening of prayer with all participating churches on December 24, in a large public square. This night watch prayer was planned to be my last intervention since my commitments forced me to return the next day, December 25^th, to France.

This project was originally to be conducted with 200 evangelists from different churches including about 40 young people from YWAM. We had met before our departure to Tibati for training. They were ultimately about 120. They all had “camped” during the first part of the mission to the pastor Emmanuel Koum’s compound. Women in the rectory living room transformed into a dormitory and men in two flats also transformed into dormitories. We had all of us to be up at 6am to start a personal meditation before joining together at 6:30am for a time of praise and exhortation up to about 7:15am. While I was going for my morning jogging few minutes later, the evangelists were having their breakfast before proceeding to the neighbourhoods of the place where the evangelistic meeting had to take place. The Churches of the invested district had in charge to feed them for lunch and the evening meal were taken at pastor Koum’s where we were all staying. When back from the evening meeting and before diner, we had some debriefing focussed on the actions of the day, which allowed to prepare the following day.

The districts invested were:

The Lion District of Bali from 15 to 17 December 2014, preacher Daniel Mpondo

The 7^th District Bepanda New Route from 18 to 20 December 2014, preacher Emmanuel Koum

The District Makepe Roundabout from 21^st to 23^rd December 2014, preacher Papa Samuel Mahop

The Night watch of prayer was also to take place at Makepe District on December 24^th with Daniel Mpondo as preacher. And that was my last intervention in the “Douala For Jesus” project. The last two Districts to be invested were the Bilonguè from 26 to 28 and the Angel Raphael from 29 to 30 December.

The work was harder in the South who was Christianised before colonisation that in the North strongly Islamic. While more advertising media were used, Christian Radio broadcasted and mass distribution of flyers, banners held in main axes in the city, we did not have an evening audience we had in the North. It reminded me somewhat countries in Europe. Nevertheless, dozens of people came to the Lord, many lives had changed and were saved.

At the time I make this report, I still have no echoes of what happened in the two last areas where I did not participate in evangelism. But I know that the Lord has supported His work and added to the churches many souls. His Name be glorified!