What can I do about planting a church for every people?

22 December 2011

When I first read Alan Johnson’s book, Apostolic Function, I was challenged. What could I do to help those I contact participate in planting churches where there do not exist? If it is true that few people go to places and people they have never heard of, I wanted to expose the students of our Bible school with unreached people groups. We hung posters in our chapel, we distributed prayer brochures of unreached peoples, and we named the buildings on campus after the unreached people groups of Kenya. We had prayer emphasis in chapel, took mission trip to unreached people groups, and annual mission conventions in which we educated students on the needs of those that are unengaged by missionaries and the gospel.

Nehemiah received his “call” through Hanani, one of his brothers, who shared a report of the people of Jerusalem. In a similar way, the call comes to many through information as well as inspiration. Since we began sharing the information on unreached peoples, Steve and Mary Njihia are in missions today because they prayed daily from the prayer guide and God called them. Arnold Ngari has started a practical ministry team at EAST to reach out to Muslims in Nairobi because he saw the South Asian banner in the chapel and began to develop a burden for the Muslims. Susan Kimani is beginning her mission career with an unreached people group next year because she caught the vision on EAST mission trips. Alfred Sangala asked to do his EAST internship with the Gabbra people because he saw their name on our administration building and felt God calling him to work among them. An American student spent eight weeks in Loglogo among the Rendille because she wanted to do a mission internship in Kenya and we suggested doing it among the Rendille. I believe that unreached people will one day join us around God’s thrown because we get the information out. Apostolic function is every member of every church doing everything they can to see that every person everywhere has a chance to attend a church in their culture and language. We can do our part through every poster, brochure, and conversation we have.

Johnson, Alan. Apostolic Function: The Paradigm of Missionary Identity: J. Philip Hogan World Missions Series Monograph Vol 1. Springfield, MO: Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, n.d.

Remove your Charms

As we were walking from hut to hut in the village of Oloiborototo a Maasai mother, Nalari Molo Wiy came up to our group. She said through an interpreter, “I hear you are people of God. Would you please come and pray for my son, Rengoine Molo. He is sick with many diseases. He has been fainting daily. Last night was the worst incident we have had. We have taken him to the doctors and they have taken many tests. They say that there is nothing wrong with him, yet when we take him home he is still sick.” We went to pray for him at her boma (homestead). As we were praying for his healing, I sensed the Spirit of Jesus say, “The boy is wearing charms. I want to heal him, but these must be removed.” I stopped praying and opened my eyes. I asked the mother, “What are these items around Rengoine’s neck?” She explained that they were given to him by the Maasai traditional healers to ward off diseases. I stated that we were praying to God. If God were to heal, we might not know if it was God or these charms that brought the healing. I asked if it would be alright if we took them off. She said it would be ok. We cut off the necklaces and prayed again. She and her son come to our services everyday. I asked her on Friday, “How is your son?” She said, “He hasn’t been sick at all since you prayed on Monday.” She gave her testimony on Sunday before more then 300 community members at the first service in the new tabernacle. She said, “The preacher asked us to take off the charms if we believed God alone had the power to heal. We took them off. God has healed my son and he has not been sick once since we prayed.” 6js

Update on Jonathan December 2011

Jonathan has been working as a volunteer at I-Tec in Florida for about a year. His goal was to see the Maverick, a flying car, go into production. He engineered many of the components and assisted in getting the flying car approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). You can see the car on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiF9X8NRh-A Jonathan went back to LeTourneau for the Fall Semester 2011 to finish two classes for graduation. He has just been hired as an engineer at McCauley Propeller Systems, a division of Cessna. He will be moving to Wichita, Kansas after the first of the year to begin his new job.

6J’s

Update on Joelle and Daniel December 2011

Joelle and Daniel Van Otterloo have been married for about a year and a half now. They are both working at Cox South in Springfield, MO. Joelle is on the Oncology Ward, 4th floor, and Daniel is on the Cardio Unit, 5^th floor.

Update on Jenni December 2011

Jenni is now a junior at LeTourneau University, Longview, TX, and where she is studying nursing. She went on a missions trip this summer to Honduras. The team was involved in medical missions.

Update on Josh December 2011

Josh, age 17, is a junior in High School at Rosslyn Academy, Nairobi. He injured his knee in May and had ACL reconstruction surgery in June. He is doing regular physical therapy to strengthen and rebuild the knee. He should be ready for sports again by March. During this time he has been spending a lot of time developing his guitar and bass guitar skills. He plays regularly on our church worship team, at the Rosslyn chapel, and other venues. You can see him playing “Route 66” on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONKxTWdGTI

Update on our Family 2011

Janelle has been involved in family, Rosslyn and EAST this year. She is an active member of the Rosslyn Academy Moms In Touch group and hosts a new MIT group for moms of university students. She is the matron for the EAST ladies group, Koinonia. This summer, we were able to spend a month in the US on vacation: Washington DC, to Pennsylvania (Jeff’s sister’s family, Kathy and Jim West), to Florida (Jonathan) to Texas (Jenni), to Missouri (Joelle and Daniel and Jeff’s mom’s 75th birthday celebration), back to Texas to fly to Washington State and Oregon (Janelle’s parents, brothers’ families, and sisters and aunts and uncles), back to Texas and Missouri and then Jeff flew back to Kenya. Janelle stayed an extra month with Josh for his knee surgery recovery.

Acting Superintendent at Rosslyn Academy

I have also been serving as the Acting Superintendent of Rosslyn Academy this year. The school is at record enrollment this year with 546 students. We are experiencing a positive spiritual atmosphere at the school this year. Our chaplain has reported that a number of the students have received Christ. We are busy building this year. Two faculty homes are completed and four more are under construction. A new kindergarten classroom was opened in August and additional classrooms are planned for the elementary and middle school soon. Rosslyn will open a preschool in August 2012. Check out the website at www.rosslynacademy.com. During the year while I am assisting Rosslyn Academy I have put my PhD studies on hold. I look forward to getting back at it summer of 2012. 6J’s

Ground Breaking at EAST Kitengela Campus

East Africa School of Theology (EAST) has seen some significant milestones in 2011. We have experienced a continue sense of the presence of God in the chapels and classes. After 26 years, the Commission for Higher Education of the Ministry of Education in Kenya has approved EAST programs (Biblical Studies, Intercultural Studies, and Church Educational Ministries). The first PhD classes opened on the EAST campus in conjunction with Pan Africa Theological Seminary in September 2011. We also broke ground for the new KAG EAST University campus in Kitengela, about 40 kilometers south of our present campus. The construction is underway for a beautiful campus, which will ease the Nairobi campus overcrowding. We are presently serving more than 700 students (includes diploma, degree, masters and doctoral levels) on the campus built for 200. This year we had four more EAST full-time faculty members enroll in PhD programs bringing the total to 11 studying at this level. Check out all that is happening at EAST at www.east.ac.ke. 6J’s

Every believer's part in the Great Commission

One of the great challenges for the mission of the church throughout history has been reaching those who have never heard. This was the desire of Paul. The churches that supported him through prayer and giving facilitated his apostolic calling. These supporting Christians operated in apostolic function.

In the world today there are 6919 unreached people groups (Joshua Project, accessed 3 February 2011, http://www.joshuaproject.net/download.php) in the world with an unreached population of 2.7 billion people.

While not every Christian may be called to go as an apostle to the unreached, every Christian can operate in apostolic function. The Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG) through its Department of Missions (KAGDOM) has a goal of equipping each of 1.3 million members to function in the apostolic. Every Christian and every church can help to reach the unreached through supporting, sending, informing, training, and interceding. Supporting: A giving program called tano-tano (meaning five-five, representing a small coin) was instituted in the 2009 General Council. This program encouraged every member of every KAG to give a minimum of five Kenya shillings per month to missions. Sending: KAGDOM missionaries are being sent to the unreached tribes of Kenya through the giving of KAG members. Informing: KAGDOM has produced brochures inviting those interested in trips to unreached peoples and becoming a missionary to get involved. Training: KAGDOM/EAST School of Missions began in early 2010 with a goal of developing church planting teams to be placed in each of the 25 least reached people groups of Kenya in the next decade. Interceding: KAGDOM has launched Bring Back King Jesus Prayer Institutes in twelve key locations across Kenya designed to inspire believers to pray for the unreached. The KAG recognizes the importance, as Paul did, to engage every believer in the task of reaching the unreached.

Every national church is unique. But all churches can take up the challenge of apostolic function. If every church and truly every believer did something to reach the unreached and support the efforts of those on the frontier, Christ’s desire for every tribe and language and people and nation would be accomplished.

KAGDOM School of Mission:

· Our passion:

o Launch viable indigenous church planting movements in the twenty-five least reached people groups of Kenya.

· Our Challenge:

o Finding God’s Strategies,

o Preparing God’s Laborers, and

o Harnessing God’s Finances

o To Accomplish God’s Desire

· Our Dream:

o By the year 2020 there will be viable indigenous church planting movements in each of the twenty-five least reached people groups of Kenya.

o By the year 2040 the twenty-five people groups will be permeated with Christians and have a burden to reach out to other people groups across North Africa and beyond.

Esther and Muslim Convert Self Disclosure

One of the great questions for missiologists and practitioners among Muslim converts is the question of self-disclosure. How or when should a Muslim follower of Isa make her faith public? At what point should a man reveal that he is a Christ follower? Many times those working among Muslims struggle to know how to advise converts because of the tension between biblical commands for confession and cultural realities of persecution or martyrdom.

The story of Esther from the Hebrew Scriptures has parallels to the questions of self-disclosure of Muslim converts as well as their mentors. The parallels include a people group that was threatened due to their identity with God, laws that supported the persecution and death of the people of God, encouragement by a mentor to conceal identity for a while and later to reveal identity even at the potential sacrifice of a life, and the hand of God in giving grace to Esther in her moment of disclosure.

The beautiful missionary narrative begins with King Xerxes who is driven by his pride, power, and people pleasing priorities to banish one queen and seek for another. Esther, raised by a relative Mordecai, is selected. Mordecai, a godly prophet, advises Esther not to reveal her identity to anyone (Esther 2:10, 20).

Mordecai lived as a dead man. He chose to obey God rather than bow to Haman as he passed (Esther 3:2). His godly behavior however not only put his life in danger, but all those who followed his God (Esther 3:5-6). Haman devised an evil plan not only to take Mordecai’s life, but all those who followed his God. Some might have argued, “Mordecai, you should have bowed. Now see what trouble you have brought on us.” (Not unlike the Israelites who complained about Moses speaking to Pharoah, then getting more work. Exodus 5:21) Others, nobler might have advised, “Mordecai, we are glad you feel convicted not to bow, but why not just avoid any place where Haman might be passing?” But perhaps God wanted to use Mordecai’s character and boldness to bring many people into relationship with Himself.

Haman took his demonic plan to King Xerxes. “In your kingdom there is a group that is a threat to your kingdom, your power, and your rule. I have a plan to remove them and their threat to you and I will even pay you to annihilate them” (Esther 3:8-9). The King, true to his nature, approved a sharia (law) to destroy all of these people (Esther 3:10).

Mordecai heard of the law and even obtained a copy (Esther 4:8). He appealed to the only source he knew who could intervene: the God he boldly served (Esther 4:1). In sackcloth and ashes he interceded for his people. Esther heard of his heartache and prayer, but did not know the cause. She sent him food and clothing and encouraged him to return to joy (Esther 4:4-5). Was it Esther’s concern that sparked an idea? Was it God’s vision becoming apparent in his mind? Did he suddenly understand God’s purpose in bringing Esther to the palace, which up to this moment had been a mystery?

Mordecai sent word to Esther urging her to plead with the king for her people (Esther 4:8). Esther replied that death awaited anyone who went to the king uninvited (Esther 4:11). Mordecai, her mentor, sent a second word, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish” (Esther 4:14). The same one who had advised Esther to conceal her identity (Esther 2:10, 20) was now advocating exposure. He was also encouraging a very difficult move. Her self-disclosure as a follower of God and a member of this people would likely result in her death.

How could Mordecai make such a horrible recommendation? Wasn’t it bad enough that he had “caused” this decree against God’s people, now he was suggesting that his innocent relative sacrifice herself to save his people as a result of his actions?

They both understood the law. Going to the king uninvited meant almost certain death. Identifying with these people who were condemned to die would bring death as well. A logical plan would be to continue to remain silent concerning her identity especially during this time.

Esther might even be led to think, “God loves me so much. He allowed me to be chosen by the king. I live in this palace with servants waiting on me. Even Mordecai’s advice to keep secret my identity is now a wonderful blessing. When all of my people are being killed, I alone will be saved. God must love me more than the rest of my people.”

But Esther sought the mind and will of God. She heard the words of her trusted confidant, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)? She came to the conclusion that after she and others had prayed, I will go to the king even though it is against the law. “And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). Esther had also chosen to live dead.

Esther’s self-disclosure was carefully orchestrated. God (who was not named in the narrative) continued to give Esther his gift of favor before the king. He extended his scepter to her uninvited approach (Esther 5:2). Banquets for the king and Haman were called (Esther 5:4, 8). They attended and the king asked, “what is your petition” (Esther 5:6, 7:2)? At the appropriate moment Esther disclosed her identity. She identified herself with the illegal, condemned, and unlawful people of God (Esther 7:3-4).

The moment of truth had come for Esther. She did the unthinkable, the unlawful, and the illogical: she gave up her right to life in order to be identified with the God she loved and to save the people he loved. She made the commitment to live dead three days prior. Now she acted on that commitment. There was no turning back. She was out of the closet. She had confessed her faith in God under a legal system and in a culture that condemned those of that faith to death. She stood ready to die for her faith, her confession, and her God.

Her confession resulted in the ability to live dead from that moment forward. Esther no longer lived as a secret believer. Her name was proclaimed throughout the land. Her fame gave hope to the fearful and faith to the doubting. Her declaration set a people free, changed an empire, and brought revival. Yes, brought revival. “And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them” (Esther 8:17).

The question of when it is right to boldly identify with Jesus Christ is a delicate one for Muslim converts. The mentor also prayerfully considers how to advise his spiritual children in this matter. Like Mordecai there may be a time to advise secrecy and there may be another time to advise openness. When the right time comes may mentors boldly and prophetically encourage their disciples to “Confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’” (Romans 10:9).

Jeff Nelson

23 January 2011