Out of Africa Newsletter from The Africa Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene for June 2014 - Issue 1
In This Issue PALCON in Zimbabwe
Teaching Children to Change the World
JESUS in Africa
An Unsung Hero
Prayer requests and praises
Pray for the leaders in Zimbabwe to use the new insights gained during the PALCON. Pray also that they share them with those they lead in a transformational way.
Pray for the church in Kiatine, Kenya. Pray also for the other churches that show God's compassion for orphans.
Pray for the JESUS film teams in Africa and around the world. Pray for those who respond to the film as they will experience
resistance and possible persecution.
Pray for the unsung heroes who make ministries possible.
To do...
Find an unsung hero this week in your community. Pray for that person and ask God how you can bless them.
Watch the JESUS film and imagine hearing the gospel for the first time. Or better yet, invite an unsaved friend to watch it with you,
Explore the Africa Region
Come to the website:www.africanazarene.org
@NazAfrica
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PALCON in Zimbabwe - by FSC Paul Mtambo
The key speakers were Dr. Stan Toler, GS Emeritus, and Dr. Greg Crofford, Regional Education and Clergy Development Coordinator. Dr Stan Toler's presentation was on leadership while Dr Crofford's was on spiritual gifts. The presentations were well received by the participants who still had a hunger for more and requested me to invite Drs. Toler and Crofford back to Zimbabwe for another workshop/conference.
Mrs Jabulani Mafodha, a pastor's wife from Zimbabwe West, said, "These teachings have made a tremendous impact on my life and I will not forget this PALCON. I will apply these teaching in my life and ministry with my husband. Please invite them back to Zimbabwe soon."
Rev John Shikupa, lead pastor in the Zambia Southern Pioneer District, said, "These presentations have helped me to come out of the box. I will never be the same again."
On May 22, there was a meeting for district superintendents only. Again Drs. Toler and Crofford gave insightful tips of ministry to them. At the end of the meeting, Holy Communion was served to the group.
Teaching Children to Change the World - by Rev. Augustus Musili
We feed them by sharing what we have and we teach them to know Jesus Christ. I believe that if they just know Jesus as small children, they will become strong Christians.
Sometimes, we tell them Bible stories ourselves. Sometimes, we use the Proclaimer to share the words in their language. We wish
we had enough Good News Bibles for everyone to read from a personal copy, but for now we do the best we can.I know another religion that is strong in this area has plans to change the world, but God talked to me and said to prepare children to become church leaders in this world. My happiness is that one day they will serve God. (To watch a video about Kiatine, click here.)
http://engagemagazine.com/content/video-kiatine-academy-kenya
JESUS in Africa - by Theola Phiri
When I joined the Africa Region JESUS Film Ministry office in 2000, the teams were using reels to show the film in Africa. These showings were done by volunteers with a heartbeat for the lost, mostly over weekends. It would take these volunteers hours to set up the equipment and during the showing they would have to change the reels for the full movie to play. Fourteen years later our equipment has evolved to a system that can fit in a backpack that can easily be carried by one person. Other than the screen most of the parts stay in the backpack so there are very little time spent setting up.
We thank God not only for those faithful volunteers who leave their comfortable homes and their families behind to spread the gospel, but also those dreamers who are always busy improving and researching for new ways to use technology to spread the gospel. Even though today's equipment sets are much cheaper than the old reels, we still have a shortage of equipment in critical areas. The JESUS Film Harvest Partners office is working tirelessly to get the much needed equipment to the districts, but the demand increases almost every month and they just can not keep up with the world's need for equipment.
The Africa Region alone has 141 registered JESUS film teams. At any given time though only about 104 are active. Some of the teams are waiting for equipment or parts. Others are in areas of political turmoil.
You can help by praying for the safety of our volunteers and our equipment. As our equipment is top of the range, it is also very alluring to those with criminal intent. Your church can sponsor a team by supplying funds for their administration, petrol (for generator), transport needs,
etc. You can assist by offering to transport equipment to areas where shipping will just not be feasible. Or you can purchase a set of equipment for a district. Please contact your district office for information on how you can get involved with the JESUS film ministry.
(Click here, for a video testimony from Ghana about the JESUS film)
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An Unsung Hero - by Dr. Greg Crofford
Mr Luphas Phiri is one of the unsung heroes of theological education in Africa. He has capably served for 7 years as registrar for the extension program of Nazarene Theological College of Central Africa (NTCCA). Luphas admitted: "I was scared when I first started, but missionary Gary Sidle took a lot of time with me and has also really encouraged me in my faith." As Luphas has grown in the job, besides his administrative duties, he will sometimes attend district assemblies and make a presentation about the extension program. Although from a Christian background, it was only in 2007 that he "got serious with the Lord." He was baptized that year, and has taken an active role in his local church, the Woodlands Church of the Nazarene in Lusaka, Zambia. Luphas plays the keyboard during worship and has served on both the NMI Council and the church board. He concluded: "For me the Lord means everything. I owe it all to him."
Luphas Phiri represents the many committed Nazarene laypersons who serve the Lord and the Church of the Nazarene in Africa. We salute them for their vital work of equipping Nazarenes for transformational leadership in the church and the community.
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Amy Crofford, editor
Africa Church of the Nazarene
17 Botes Street
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
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