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Prayer requests and praises
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We praise God for:Women and men called to ministry who are effective ministers of the Word Changed lives and God's healing touch Alabaster giving that allows new areas to build multipurpose structures and inspire even greater growth We request prayer for:The Africa Women Clergy Conference coming up early next year. Many details need to be finalized. The ability to see God's hand at work in our lives - everyday. The Seréer people and the upcoming district assembly in October. May God pour out his blessings on them. Meetings of regional leaders happening in South Africa this week. May the leaders return to their ministries refreshed, inspired and better equipped. May the God's Spirit lead them throughout their time together.
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Explore the Africa Region
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Extraordinary Prayer Request: Every Nazarene Pastor
an effective minister of the Word - by Greg Crofford
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The Apostle Paul encouraged young Timothy: "Preach the Word!" (2 Tim. 4:2). Each of the nine Nazarene institutions of higher education in Africa includes programs that equip pastors, and in that equipping, preaching figures prominently. Women and men called to pastor follow in the footsteps of John Wesley, who
 | John Wesley
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himself was a tireless preacher, traveling more than 250,000 miles on horseback mostly in England during his lifetime. In 21st century Africa, our pastors rarely ride horses, but they take buses, cars, bicycles, motorcycles and boats as they spread God's Word to cities, towns, and villages across the region.
What do we preach? The basics of the Gospel are unchanged. God calls each of us out of the darkness of sin into God's glorious light. As we follow Christ, we are transformed into God's image. Then, as salt and light, we live in ways that God can use to transform the culture around us. It is never a choice between personal and community holiness. They are two sides of one coin as we strive to be the people of God, the Church, building the Kingdom of God, awaiting Christ's return.
Please pray that God will make every Nazarene pastor an effective communicator of this positive message!
To review the 10 Extraordinary Prayer Requests, see the website. |
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Africa Nazarene Women Clergy - by Rev. Samantha Chambo
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 | Rev Collin Elliot (l) and Dr. Filimao Chambo (r) join the women clergy of the Africa South Field
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It is with great joy that we report the first Africa Nazarene Women Clergy meeting. This historic event took place at the Good News Convention Centre, in Muldersdrift, Johannesburg, on August 10, 2013.
Close to 80 women pastors, dressed in their Sunday best, filled the white tent Saturday afternoon. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and camaraderie as they shared tea and discussed the importance of this ministry. The tent was filled with praise as the melodious voices of ladies from South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana resounded in the air. This was followed by a time of passionate prayer and adoration. Rev. Daphne Mathebula shared a touching devotion on how important it is for women in ministry to love and support each other. She also stressed the importance of working with men in the ministry in a spirit of love and fellowship.
I shared the purpose of the meeting. The rest of the time was spent in small groups as the pastors expressed needs in their personal lives and ministry. There was such a spirit of openness and acceptance as ladies shared their struggles and a few tears were shed.
Ladies present expressed a desire to improve as ministers and are eager for any opportunities to learn and grow as leaders. They also mentioned their desire for fellowship and connection with like-minded ladies to create mentoring relationships. The need for emotional support became very evident as ladies shared about the pain of losing a spouse, being single in ministry and children who reject the way of the cross. The challenges of being female in ministry were also mentioned and it became obvious that there is a definite need for advocacy of women in ministry. There is also a strong desire amongst the pastors to have a greater impact on society and possible avenues to make this possible were discussed.
We were honored to have our regional director, Dr. Filimao Chambo, and our field strategy coordinator, Rev. Collin Elliott present at this meeting. Dr. Chambo shared that this ministry is the realization of much prayer and preparation and assured the ladies of his full support. Rev. Elliott affirmed the influence of women on the Church of the Nazarene on the South Field and encouraged them to persevere in the good work of making Christlike disciples in the nations.
Plans were discussed for the next conference that will take place on March 16-19, 2014 at the Good News Convention Centre in Johannesburg, this conference will be inclusive of all women clergy on the region. We are excited to see what God will accomplish through this ministry.
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Healed through Christ - as told to Rev. Kouakou Prao
| My name is Didier N'guéssan. I'm 33, married with two children. I am pastor at the Church of the Nazarene in Sahounty (Béoumi), on the Côte d'Ivoire Central District.
At the age of 10, I had to drop out of school due to a sore on my leg. This wound was apparently incurable. My parents consulted doctors without success. At school, all fled away from me because of the bad smell of the wound. So, I decided not to go. I grew up infected with this incurable leg wound. I had to leave my home town to search for a possible cure.
 | Pastor Didier N'guéssan
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One day, on television, I heard the testimony of a woman who was healed of infertility. She was barren and had no children for two marriages. Indeed, this lady was forsaken whenever her husband discovered she was barren. So she decided to give her life to Christ. At the church, she met a pastor who proposed marriage. At first, she refused. She told him she was sterile. The pastor insisted and they married. A few months later, the miracle happened. This lady became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl.
This testimony edified me to the point where I decided to give my life to Christ with the hope that He alone could free me from this stinking wound. Yes, a few weeks after I met Christ, I was completely healed. Glory to God!
I knew also that the source of my problem was inherently evil. My parents were animists. They used fetishes and worshiped water, hills, and more. These practices gave rise to a pact between the spirits and my parents; therefore, these spirits had total control over the members of my family.
Now I am free by Christ.
Rev. Kouakou Prao is the district superintendent of the Central District and also in charge of francophone radio ministry for the Africa West Field.
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Evangelizing village to village - by Tim Eby
| Editor's note: This story is a follow-up from one in the JESUS Film Prayer and Praise Newsletter. To get that newsletter, sign up here.
Our work in the Seréer villages is now over five years old. The village of Baad first responded to the gospel in an amazing way as a large number gave their life to Christ. Forty-five adults and 23 youth (12-16 yrs.) were baptized and the church is growing. From this one location, we began to build a zonal center church that would become the hub of training and development.
 | | Pastor Jean Benoit Diedhiou with Eduard and Michel who are in training |
Pastor Jean Benoit Diedhiou was the pastor who had done most of the work and leads the effort in reaching other villages. The land in village of Baad was donated by the man of peace, Bouga Nyang. We then used alabaster funds and specials to build a church and training center. This project has been developing over three years as we do a little more as God gives us the money. The youth from the city church of Baobab Eglise du Nazaréen, helped me to roof the church.
The local people have been involved all the way, while we have also had partners who have come along side us and encouraged
 | | Solar charging system for cell phones - Barnabas Project. |
us with some materials. This center is now teaching the local people how to read and write in their own language. Pastor Jean Benoit's wife, Cecille, is running a women's sewing project and teaching them how to embroider and sew clothes for their families.
Michel Nyang leads the church. At the age of 19, he is acommitted leader, mentored by Pastor Diedhiou. He and five other leaders are starting their ITN courses this year in their local language of Seréer. We already have fellowships developing in eight villages through their efforts in showing the JESUS film and drilling fresh water wells for the communities. God has been opening new doors through these avenues to share the love of Christ, show compassion for the needs of the people, and to bring them the Good News.
The Barnabas projects that are supporting this network of development are key to the success of the stable growth of the church. With small self-supporting projects, these leaders are finding ways to support
 | Friday night prayers where
both young and old pray for the
neighboring villages to come to Christ
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themselves as they serve the Lord. Michel raises pigs to pay for the needs of his family. The solar charging stations bring in monthly income by charging cell phones with solar panels and providing the church with operating funds. The local people tithe their food and feed Pastor Diedhiou who visits, works and teaches among them two weeks out of every month.
God is opening new doors among this people group. This October the district assembly will be held at the Fissel Zonal center where we have a new baptismal. All those giving their lives to Christ this past year from the eight villages will gather on October 26-27 to celebrate and be baptized. It will be a great event and we praise the Lord for the growth of the church in this area of Senegal.
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Amy Crofford,Out of Africa editor
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