Why Invest in West African Indigenous Leaders Today?

Because God is doing a new thing! Henry Blackaby explains in his book "Experiencing God" that, "God's desire is to get us from where we are to where He is working. When God reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him. When God reveals his work to you, that is his timing to begin to respond to Him."

We believe that there is tremendous evidence of God working among West African and other developing countries today. Many scholars are describing a "global shift" that is taking place where God appears to be pouring out His blessing on specific, nonwestern countries across the globe.

For instance, many believe that the centers of the Church have shifted to the South and the East as Philip Jenkins argues in his book, "The Next Christendom". He writes, "While Christianity declines in Europe and struggles in the USA, the growth of church planting is taking place across the global south and is impacting the role of western missions significantly."

Dr. Rev. Mawuko Afolabi, director of West African Bible Institute in Togo, makes the following observation: "I agree with Philip Jenkins that social and religious trends in the Global South are more encouraging than many Christians in the west have thought. But he warns against any sense of inevitability about the next Christendom. There is a battle being fought out here in Africa and we need your prayers and support to accomplish our calling, which is forming well-educated Christian leaders."

NHMI believes that the model for missions has shifted from traditional western thinking. In the past, missions meant foreign missionaries taking the gospel to the un-reached peoples of the world. This often took years of assimilating into new cultures, thousands of dollars in long term support, and prolonged language and cultural barriers for the non-native missionaries. We believe those days are no longer effective and that God is working across the globe in a new and much more effective way. We believe that the success of missions is found in coming along side the indigenous pastors and leaders who are native to their own countries, and then provide training for them so that together, the gospel can be taken to the un-reached peoples of their lands. This way, the barriers that past missionaries faced are almost eliminated and the Gospel goes forth like never before.

This shift is so monumental in terms of impacting all missionary efforts across the globe which is why we believe it is one of the best investments you can make in missions today.

An Effective Way to Keep the Harvest

Not only is this method of indigenous leadership development a good strategy for the success of planting new churches, it is also a critical strategy for enabling the existing churches to keep the results of the harvest.

There is evidence that the evangelistic efforts by many indigenous missionaries, evangelists, and pastors are reaping wonderful results. However, in the midst of this evangelistic success, there is concern that without adequate training in pastoral leadership skills, these new Christians and infant Churches will not have the depth to translate an initial harvest into an established church. Our goal is to see lasting churches with adequately trained leaders, who can impact their cultures and communities for the long term.

The often quoted concern about the church in Africa as being, “a mile wide but only an inch deep,” is a serious indictment against all those who’ve been involved in planting churches in Africa but forgetting to develop and adequately train the leaders for those churches. Our ministry will not only plant churches but will ensure that the pastors and leaders of those churches have a deep theological training as well as the pastoral skills to lead their congregations.

A Biblical Model for Leadership Development

Because we believe so strongly that leadership development is necessary to insure that the harvest taking place across the world will continue, be retained and grow, we think these efforts deserve serious attention and funding today. That’s why we feel our ministry provides one of the best missionary investments you can make. Whether you’re primarily interested in evangelism, church planting or community development, our ministry incorporates each of these areas of interest into one strategic missionary opportunity.

Reaching Our Goal 2004

We have seen a number of God’s blessings on our ministry throughout 2004 both in Western Africa and here in the United States. Over the past months, I have completed my Seminary Education at Reformed Theological Seminary. By God’s grace, New Harvest Missions International has registered as a non-profit organization and currently has a sitting board of directors.

In April, New Harvest welcomed the partnership of several pastors living in Togo and Ghana. Rev. S.Y. Kwami is the Director of Africa, Rev. Solomom Kpotufe as National Director for Togo and administrative assistant. We are currently raising $10,000 of support for the administration expenses of these three vital and strategic positions.

The 2004 Harvest Pastor’s Conference brought together 215 pastors and leaders from Togo and Ghana. The conference emphasized God’s vision for West Africa and how we could best evangelize and reach the Islamic regions in both countries.

In terms of Church planting, New Harvest Missions assisted Global Evangelical Church of Ghana and New Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Togo to plant ten new churches, three in Togo and seven in Ghana. Many new partnerships with independent

churches and denominations have been initiated and established and all have the vision to reach their regions and countries with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our Plans and Hopes for 2005

With God’s blessing, we would like to reach 5 Northern Islamic Regions in Togo and Ghana.

New Harvest is taking the initiative to recruit four evangelists and six new pastors for new church planting ventures. With five new regions under consideration, namely: Kpalime, Atakpamesokode, Badou, Agou-Gare, and Hiheartro. Our goal is to evangelize 70 villages and plant 12 new churches in these areas.

Please pray for us as we seek to reach these areas. There is heavy opposition to evangelism in these regions due to the prevalent Islamic presence. We are praying that the Lord will bless our efforts to see the power of the Gospel prevail.

Because of the extreme poverty of these regions it will be difficult, if not impossible, to have the local people of this regions to fund this effort themselves. That is why we are asking our partners to help us in this effort. Support for one, full-time evangelists in that region requires $160 per month. We need to raise a total of $1,600 per month to fund this effort.

Harvest 2005 Pastors Conference

We are planning to bring 300 pastors and leaders to this year’s conference. The theme this year will be centered on initiating church planting networks. These networks will eventually grow into full fledged church planting movements in our target regions. It will take an organized network, providing ongoing training for hundreds of pastors, to see this movement come to fruition. We hope this year’s conference will plant the seed of this vision for a future harvest around the world. Our financial goal for putting on the conference is $3000.

Plans and Objectives in the USA

We are still tying up all the loose ends for the ministry here in the USA. This includes locating office space, administrative expenses, staffing, and housing for my family.

I will be traveling to various churches through out the year to share our vision for West Africa and to raise the necessary support for the ministry.

We seem to be making progress thus far, having raised about 10% of our budget but we still have several hurdles to leap in the coming months.

We are praying for God to give us 113 people who will pledge $100 per month to meet our budget of $135,000 this year, or $11,250 per month.

New Harvest Missions International is relying upon the financial contributions of its partners and friends to meet all our budget needs for 2005. Please help us meet the $20,000 for our 2005 budget to support the West African projects I’ve described above as well as the $100,000 needed for our other expenses both in the US and West Africa.

Ministry Financial Summary

In the Grip of Death

When I think of missions and the task of world evangelization around the world today, this idea resonate with me that, the church is the living

among the

dead. Re

cently, I have

been thinking

about what the

Lord is doing

around the

world and how

the gospel is

reaching and

changing many

lives in many

countries previ-ously known as enemies to the gospel. This remind me of a young African pastor’s words found among his papers after he was martyred. I decided to share that with you. This might be the first time you are reading this words, I hope you find encouragement through it. For those who have red it many times let it be a great reminder for you to pray for the persecuted churches around the world. In his words, the young pastor said:

“ I’m a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His and I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power. My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of medi

I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I’m a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My color will be clear! While you are thinking about this please stand in prayers with those who are sharing Christ in suffering around the world.

Please Pray for

1-Pastors, Church Planters, Evangelists and all leaders in Togo and Ghana for boldness, courage, wisdom, and God’s protection in all their outreach activities.

2-Harvest 2005 pastors and leaders conference, that the Lord of harvest will bless His leaders by communicating His heart and will for His people 3-The Lord blessing and protection upon NHMI evangelistic goal to reach 70 villages and cities and plant 12 new churches in this new year 2005

4-We are asking God to provide 113 new people to partner with our ministry in order to meet our financial needs both in West Africa and U.S.

Donations

Please make donation checks payable to River Ridge Presbyterian Church. Your gift is tax deductible.

9230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, Florida 34654