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Go and Make Disciples!
We here at Togo Christian Mission have been on a path of learning more about how we can help the Church in Togo to grow. God has blessed us to learn more through some truly spirit led people and materials. We have been going through the materials from Curtis Sergeant regarding the “Simple Church Method”. The more we learn the more we are both challenged and encouraged about creating disciples of Jesus in Togo.
This simple Church method can be summarized in three main points: “Love God, Love others, Make Disciples”. I guess that’s why they call it simple, huh? It is an approach that focuses on going to people’s house and truly training each person as a disciple of Christ. Then they in turn go out and create disciples, creating more disciples that will eventually form a house Church. The House Church always keep discipleship as the main goal. They meet in their own homes and their focus is not on the place where they meet, but on how to reach those in their community. Since the house Church will continue to disciple this will create mulitplying disciples who will go and create multiplying Churches. By keeping the vision simple they are able to better focus on the most important things. This also allows for faster multiplication as there is not a need for funds to be spent on a building for the Church and even allows for Churches to be more localized in communities where transportation can be a challenge.
So in our eagerness to return to this vision as a Church we have been sharing some with our existing Churches and Church plants. It has been difficult for our existing Churches to catch the vision so we are praying that God will continue to help us all to grow to be the type of Church who has a primary focus on raising up disciples. Will you please join us in prayer for a mighty revival in this? We are also praying to start up new house Churches using the simple Church method in new communities. One area in particular will be the area where we will be starting the pineapple farm initiative. We are praying to be able to meet up with “people of peace”, those who will be willing to listen and receive the gospel, in order to raise up new disciples. Please pray for opportunities for this to occur. Please pray for wisdom.
The harvest is plentiful, please pray with us for the workers, especially that the Togolese will begin to teach the Togolese about the wonderful news of Christ. Also, please pray for unity as Satan always will try to cause division and trouble when something great is going to start in the Kingdom. We are excited and we are holding onto the promise that God also wants to see His people in Togo released from the spiritual bondage to walk with Him.
Open Doors, Closed Doors…
(above: a typical village entrace. Most families live in compounds surrounded by a mud wall with a few family mud brick homes inside the wall.)
In our eagerness to see His name spread in Togo we have begun praying and seeking out new places to go and share the story of Jesus. Last week, Dovene and two other Church members went out to a village about 20 minutes outside of Vogan, where one of the local believers was from. The purpose was to ask local villagers if we could be coming and sharing stories about God with them. Unfortunately we were not able to be received in this village. We are still praying that someday we could continue to build relationships with those there that the door may open again.
Moving on, they went down the road another couple of miles to the next village. No one in the group knew anyone in this village actually. Again, they prayed for God’s direction and leading and that He would show them a “man of peace” that they could begin to share the gospel with in their house there. As soon as they entered the village they were led to go into the compound of a house that they saw. They came to find out that this was the house of the local fetish priest. He provides spiritual rituals and sacrifices for the entire village. The man welcomed them well and so they entered in and started some conversations about their purpose of being in that village, and asked if he would be open to them coming in to talk with him some about God. The man again provided seats for them and said of course they would be welcome.
The priest introduced himself and began describing his work in the village. He said that he too serves God but also Satan. He said that he serves Satan in a good way, and that he does not seek to harm others in his ceremonies he performs. He described Satan in a way that he said Satan can be both good and bad, but acknowledged that at one time he worked with God but because of his rebellion was cast down to Earth.
So we began sharing the story of God. We said that yes, Satan did rebell and was cast down to Earth. We explained how sin entered the world and described how even our evil thoughts in our heart can be sin and shared scripture concerning these. We described Christ and his redeeming work on the cross to bring redemption to mankind. We also explained how to us as Christians we do not believe that Satan and God work together.
The scripture that we had prepared ahead of time to share during this visit was Mark 5:1-20. This was definitely spirit led. This passage talks about Christ casting out the demons from the demon possessed man. After reading the passage we asked him what he liked about this passage. The priest said he liked how all Christ did was say the word and his power made the demons leave the possessed man. Also he said it was interesting the demon said in the name of God not to torture him.
There was a lot of further discussion on the passage as well as the nature of God. After some time we asked if it would be okay for us to come back again so that we could share how we too have been changed by God’s power. We explained that God has brought change in each of us as well, and that some sitting here have even turned from idol worship, burning their idols as well. The priest said of course we would be welcome, please to come back. After inquiring if there might be others in the village who would like to come as well, the priest was eager to say that yes and he would try to invite others too for the next visit. He even acknowledged that there was a time in his past when he was very sick that neither any power that he had or any of his other voo doo friends had that could cure him.
This past week we continued our studies and both we and our message have been received well. The priest is even preparing his home and asking us (not the other way around, it was his idea!) to come show a gospel related film at his home later this week. Praise God for how He is moving! Please keep praying with us for this man, his household, and community’s salvation.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
~Matthew 28: 18-20
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