Orchard Group – February 2017 – News from City Church in Lagos Nigeria and more
Lagos, Nigeria is a city unique in the world for its explosive growth. It grows by 85 people per hour, faster than London and New York City combined! Not only is Lagos growing rapidly, it is a religiously binary city; the Muslim and Christian population are split nearly equally. Femi Osunnuyi, lead planter of City Church, shares that much of the Nigerian Christian population is marked by enthusiasm, but lacks a solid biblical grounding. The prosperity gospel is the only Christianity many people know.
Femi shares, “This environment has created a generation of disillusioned Christians, believers who turn away from faith, and made skeptics of Christianity more bold.”
In the fall of 2015, photos of Aylan Kurdi made the front pages of papers around the world. The lifeless body of the 3 year old boy, washed up on the beach in Turkey, became a focal point of grief and frustration over the plight of immigrants fleeing conflict in Syria.
Half a world away, in Silver Spring, MD, members of Restore Church had been asking themselves how they, as the body of Christ, could extend love to places around the world. Restore launched in the fall of 2012 in Silver Spring, MD under the leadership of Aaron and Karrie Thomas. Now a few years old, Restore was ready to begin serving in global missions. When Aylan Kurdi made the news, several people came to Aaron with the question, “What can we do about this need?”
Church planting partners at Southeast Christian Church have made a video showing the work of the Foundry Church in Baltimore, MD. It’s a great behind-the-scenes view of a new church! Check it out by clicking on the image below.
