EVANGELISM AND CHURCH PLANTING IN COTE D’IVOIRE

Thirty five delegates from 12 districts in the Cote d’Ivoire annual Conference of the United Methodist Church have been trained on Evangelism and church planting skills. We thank the General Board of Global Ministries of the UMC for the support of this event and all friends who have donated in our Leadership Development Program through the Advance Project #3021990. For one week Pastors and lay people have learned a lot on how to reach the non-Christians with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God is glorified when His Kingdom is advanced. The Kingdom is advanced when multiple churches are planted. Churches are planted wherever the Gospel is proclaimed. The Gospel is proclaimed most effectively when we train missionaries, pastors, evangelists, church planters, and mission volunteers to have evangelism and church planting skills. New churches are a vital evangelism tool, the church continues to grow, there is need to train church planters with skills in personal evangelism and leadership. Churches still need to be planted in the West Africa. Church planting has become a cross-cultural task. During our training session the participants have learned the art of intercultural understanding and contextualization. Every participant was equipped to plant churches in various cultures to which God calls them. The Bible clearly shows that it is God’s desire and intention that every Christian should give witness to their faith and win others to Christ as a result. Relationships and small group discipleship are vital to the spiritual development of those who make decisions to become Christians. Being in Cote d’Ivoire as a Global Ministries Missionary, have experienced how cross-cultural communication is like the building of a bridge from one community to another. It is the bridging of enormous gaps that separate a people group from its neighbours. It is a way of providing viable access from one ethnic identity to another. Jesus Christ Himself is the greatest bridge builder of all time. Pictures of the Training

How to care about others in this time of EBOLA disease.?

Every single time as missionary, it’s time to care; it’s time to take responsibility; it’s time to lead; it’s time for a change; it’s time to Care for others. Since EBOLA disease started, this has been very difficult; and the victims are nurses, doctors and missionaries because we are called to share love and care about those in need. Today, the world is powerless to stop this disease; I believe God is above all. This life is about giving, sharing, learning, caring, helping, healing, and even more loving like Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Let us do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as ever we can. John Wesley was prophesizing time like this. EBOLA will be stopped when the global church will stand with one voice and put effort together by trusting JESUS CHRIST. Pray for missionaries, nurses and doctors and all stakeholders who are making effort to save lives. Your servant Rev Jean Claude Masuka Maleka

A STORY OF A PROPHET IN ASSIE KOUMASSI VILLAGE

From left is your servant Jean Claude, on middle is prophet Armand and Rev. Pastor SACHOU who is the director of Evangelism department.

I had a privilege to visit Assie Koumassi village. It is a well known village because there is a United Methodist member, ARMAND by name; who is a prophet.  Many people are traveling from all over the country to visit Armand for prayer, deliverance and healing. In this village, there is a UMC church building and a prayer camp building where Armand is performing miracles.   

                                       Inside the prayer camp. Hearing more stories from Arman

As Methodist, I know the name of prophet sounds unfamiliar in our church context… but when God gives you an opportunity to learn from others we have to see and analyze with God’s wisdom before assisting the church to keep our faith and our Methodist heritage. We all know that a prophecy is the ability to relate biblical truth in a timely and relevant means that offers interpretation of historic or modern messages from God. (Acts 2:14-36; Roman 12:6; Ephesians 4:11-14). My concern is the way many people are looking for healing and deliverance through the prophet but they look like living under fear and don’t have assurance of salvation.   

  

Something we can reflect on is what I have observed to see thousands of people running to the prayer camp but only hundreds of members are at the church of the village.  Many are looking just for their deliverance or healing but not to be a church member.  Those who came for deliverance, they don’t like to return where they came from if they are not healed. They prefer to stay around the prayer camp in any condition until they will see the hands of God.  It is really bad to see the conditions within the camp where hundreds of families are living. Ignorance is a big disease and the church has the mission to teach people.  

    Many people have constructed small houses where they are living to wait for their deliverance and healing. The condition is not good at all. 

  

                         The only place at the prophet's house where people will find water.

The Bible says in  John 8:31-36   ³¹ So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ³³ They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” ³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. ³⁵ The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

There is need of much training to fight ignorance in rural areas. Evangelism, church planting and discipleship are my main assignments which will help to set free those who are living with fear and without hope. My program is to train and provide effective leadership for the development of vital congregations filled with faithful disciples.

The United Methodist Church in Cote D’Ivoire is well established in the Southern region and the Northern region is under church planting program. Our slogan for evangelism is every town should have a United Methodist Church and in the South region where all big cities are reached, the slogan is every village must have a UMC congregation.  The current statistic is estimating 60 % of population is Muslins; 30% represent Christians and 10% are Animists (African traditional religious). The Northern region is dominated by Islam and Animism. To do evangelism and church planting in this part of the country needs more efforts, strategies and prayers.

You can get involved at many levels; offer prayers, financial support, resources, encouragement, perhaps join a travel team, or ideally, lead a team into mission.  All churches should have a heavy investment in supporting missions as well as serving in missions; across the streets from our churches and homes, around the world, and in all places between where the love of God can be shared and nurtured.     SEND YOUR SUPPORT TO ADVANCE # 3021990 For Leadership Development and  To my missionay  advance is # 3021390. You can visit www.umcmission.org

Expanding the Faith in Côte d’Ivoire - General Board of Global Ministries

Expanding the Faith in Côte d’Ivoire - General Board of Global Ministries

We are all God’s missionaries in the UMC

 

Talking to brother Dr Watara, who was an animist and now Christian, he wants to go in the Northern part of the Cote D'Ivoire to reach his fellow brothers and sisters with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Watara is physician medical doctor by profession. He spent more than twenty five years as animist (African religion). He told me that he was initiated to worship gods but God saved him, and he is surprised how God called him when is now old.  Watara is among 16 local missionaries who were trained at wesley center in Dabou. They were trained as trainers  in  our strategic plan to reach  everywhere in Cote D'Ivoire and  the surrounding countries, to plant churches.

Anytime you are hearing testimonies from missionaries, remember you are also part of God’s work. We are one body in Christ; our journey with God makes a difference in our world and prepares us for eternity. As missionary, I cannot move forward without your supports. Your payers and financial supports are making difference in the world. I cannot make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world without you. All Methodists members are by nature missionaries and all United Methodist Churches should be missional churches. 

God is leading us on a spiritual journey to transform ourselves, our community, and our world. Many churches are not experiencing how great it is to serve and to support mission work around the world. I invite you and your church to plan enters in covenant relationship with me and the mission work in Cote d’Ivoire. If you want to be part of our strategic plan, to plant the UMC, in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry and Benin; what you have to do is to pray for the Cote d’Ivoire annual conference, to pray for Bishop Benjamin Boni, to pray for the evangelism and mission team, without forgetting myself your humble missionary in Cote D’ivoire.  

Every church should have a plan to get the gospel to the ends of the earth through the support of missionaries both at home and abroad. Remember, the Great Commission commands us to preach the gospel to ends of the earth.

Every church should recognize the importance of church planting in their vicinity, their region, and to the ends of the earth. To omit any one of these steps is to misunderstand the Great Commission. Our primary goal for missions in Cote D’ivoire is church planting.

If you are interested to hear more about our work in Cote D’Ivoire, plan to meet with me. I will be in itineration in the USA from later July to September 2014. Your gift of LOVE and HOPE are our blessings in God’s mission. SEND YOUR SUPPORT TO Advance # 3021390.

“I continue to dream and pray about a revival of holiness in our day that moves forth in mission and creates authentic community in which each person can be unleashed through the empowerment of the Spirit to fulfill God's creational intentions.”  John Wesley

John Wesley's Prayer

I am no longer my own but yours,
Put me to what you will
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal
And now glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am yours. So be it.
And this covenant now made on earth, let it be satisfied in heaven.

Amen

NEED OF ABUNDANT GOSPEL SOWING

During our reflection in the 9^th Annual Conference session of the United Methodist Church Cote D’Ivoire which was in YOPOUGON District at EXODE church, from 26 to 30 March 2014.  Bishop Benjamin Boni exhorted the church to support its mission program in Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Burkina and Niger. In these countries; evangelism is rare or absent. The delegates who came from Burkina Faso and Guinea Conakry were happy to be present at the annual conference. It was a good opportunity for me to hear more stories of hope to spread the gospel. There is need of abundant gospel sowing because the surrounding countries are dominated by Muslims.   

           In the middle is a church planter from Burkina Faso who came at annual Conference

Another story, this time about John Wesley;

John Wesley was an itinerant evangelist traveling widely in order to preach the Gospel. One day, someone challenged him that he should only speak to people about the Lord when he sensed God prompting him. He tried it for one week. During that time he spoke to virtually no one because he never sensed the Lords' prompting. At the end of the week he concluded this didn't work and went back to speaking to everyone he met. I speak to myself: we have lost the art of abundant Gospel sowing.   As Methodists, we have to sow abundantly because we will also reap abundantly.

 Delegates from Guinea Conakry from left Pastor Grah who is living in Conakry and on the middle brothers from Guinea Conakry. 

 EXPANDING THE KINGDOM 

We are planning to train church planters and deploy them to plant multiple churches. In the Gospels the establishment of the church is announced and prepared by Jesus’s teaching of the kingdom. Although the kingdom of God cannot be equated with the church, the church is God’s primary instrument in this age to advance his kingdom as a sign of and witness to the kingdom that will one day come in fullness. Every Church Planting in this region will be accompanied by abundant sowing of the gospel.

 The life-changing power of the gospel

Never underestimate the power of the gospel.   Let me say it again—never, never, never, ever, whatever your assignment, wherever you go, never underestimate the power of the gospel. Treasure it. Go deep in it. Explore its riches. Live it out in your ministries. Embody it in your leadership teams and congregations.  Guard it with your life, and entrust it to others.

The evangelization of the poor involves both material and spiritual assistance

The Good News of Jesus Christ is transforming the poor and the villages. To be in God’s mission in Cote d’Ivoire, God has allowed me to witness that the transformation power belong to Him. Our responsibility is to preach the Gospel.  After visiting many villages and other places out of Abidjan, I saw poverty and sufferings. Many people are waiting for a better day but there is no a spirit of initiatives that can bring change. Climate change is also affecting the livelihoods of West African smallholder farmers who rely on rain-fed agricultural techniques, and it is expected to make food shortages more acute as the region’s population continues to grow. 

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world is a spiritual solution to a country like Cote D’ivoire. Many young people are victims of economical and sociopolitical crisis of the last 10 years.   People are living their villages to go to town to look for better life. Many plantations are lack of workers because those who were working decided to go to town. There is need to change a mindset of the population. That why to evangelize a place like this, it is necessary to preach the Gospel into practice. 

I believe to evangelize means to put the Gospel into practice, that is, to believe in Jesus Christ, to live in Jesus Christ, to follow Jesus Christ. In order to believe and live what we preach, it is necessary to act, to serve, to go forth to meet the neighbor in his or her needs.

We are in God’s Mission to evangelize poor people and assist them to alleviate their sufferings, to take care of their spiritual needs.

 

Matthew 25:34-35  (NIV) ³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in..

                                                    Children in NIGUI ASOKO village

As missionary, these words are for me to continue to imitate and continue the mission of Jesus Christ who evangelized, announced the Gospel, proclaimed the Good News of salvation. To do this is to evangelize with the Word and with works; it is the most perfect; and it is what our Lord practiced and what all those who represent him on earth are held to practice.

St Vincent also has experienced to preach to the poor. I have learned from him that in evangelizing the poor we have to see, to judge, to be compassionate and we have to act.

SEE

Be a good observer by seeing how society treats the poor and paying attention to the conditions of their lives.

Christ in the poor.

JUDGE

Think how these conditions might change, asking ourselves why and what possible projects are.

Christ for the poor

.

BE COMPASSIONATE.

Have compassion for our brothers and sisters, uniting ourselves with them where they are.

Christ with the poor.

ACT

Put our hands to work, being Good Samaritans and healing the wounds of the people.

Christ loves the poor.

   Madame Kouassi and Francine Masuka are giving food and clothes to Mr. Alasan who was a muslin now he is a Christian.

Why I like to work in the village? 

I like to work as missionary in the village. It is a great experience to work with villagers. In the village everyone knows everyone else, they visit each other, they help each other, and they feel they belong together and they celebrate their faith with vitality, rhythm and contagious joy. They are all one family. In this situation, the parish is the community of communities. The evangelization of the poor happens through the incarnation and adaptation of the missionary to the reality and surroundings of the mission. This is the only way to touch the lives of many and convert some.

I will finish this reflection with John Wesley’s quote:

"You bind your own hands. You, make it impossible for you to do that good which otherwise you might. So that you injure the poor in the same proportion as you poison your own soul. You might have clothed the naked; but what was due to them, was thrown away on your own costly apparel. You might have fed the hungry… but the superfluities of your own table swallowed up that whereby they should have been profited. And so this wasting of thy Lord's goods is an instance of complicated wickedness; since hereby thy poor brother perisheth, for whom Christ died."

(The Works of John Wesley, vol. 8, "A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion")

If you are interested in my ministry, please pray for my family and I to continue sharing the 

Good News of Jesus Christ. E-mail: jmaleka@umcmission.org    THANK YOU FOR READING.