Monday, November 7, 2011

Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers-November 2011

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Bits & Bytes for Bagley Backers
November 2011

MOZAMBIQUE CELEBRATES FOUR YEARS OF GROWTH
GNhathelo

Church leaders from across Mozambique gathered at the
Bible College in Xai Xai October 27 - 30 for their quadrennial national conference. It was both a time of celebrating the unprecedented growth of the past four years as well as a time of gaining new vision as the church turned its attention to Tete Province (the only province in the country without a Wesleyan presence) and to regions beyond its borders.

In his report, National Superintendent, Rev. Graca Nhathelo (in the photo to the right) reported that the church had grown from 4,950 members in 2003, to 10,632 members in 2007, to 15,084 members in 2010. In the past four years 49 new pastors were ordained to help meet the needs of the growing church.


Click here to see a slideshow of the national conference.


ORAI LEHMAN GIVES HIS FINAL REPORT TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Lehmans
Rev. Orai D. Lehman is a third-generation missionary whose grandfather is responsible for the founding of the work in Mozambique. His grandfather and father focused on evangelistic ministry to Mozambican mine workers who were working in South Africa gold mines and made regular visits to Mozambique to visit the churches started by the miners when they returned home. Following missionary service in Swaziland, Orai and Linda were sent to South Africa to continue the work among the Mozambican miners. This ministry gave vital support to the Wesleyan Church in Mozambique during the 19-year civil war which ravaged the country. In 1994 a peace accord was signed, and Orai and Linda responded to an invitation from church leaders to come assist them in theological education for pastors. The Bible College in Xai Xai, which the Lehmans helped establish, has now graduated over 100 workers for the harvest in it's first decade of operation.

Anticipating their retirement from missionary service at the end of 2013, Orai presented his final report to the Mozambique National Conference. Delegates responded with deep appreciation and love for the Lehmans and their years of effective service to the Mozambique church. As an expression of appreciation the Nampula District presented the Lehmans with a map of Africa constructed from sea shells (see photo above).


MOZAMBICAN MISSIONARY VISION EXPANDS

MozamissThe vision of the Mozambique church in the past decade has been to see the Wesleyan Church established in every province of their nation. To that end they have commissioned four recent Bible College graduates to serve as "internal" missionaries who have traveled to new areas, learned a new language, and proceeded to oversee the planting of new churches. (In the photo on the left Rev. Nhathelo introduces their missionaries to the conference - from the left: Pastor Zito Alfoi, serving in Niassa Province; Rev. Alberto Adamuge, serving in Cabo Delgado Province; and Rev. Abel Nove and Rev. Alberto Chicana, serving in Nampula Province.)

With just one province to go in their vision, the church's vision is expanding to reach to places beyond the borders of Mozambique. This year two new congregations have been started just north of the border in Tanzania. Possibilities are opening as well in the neighboring country of Malawi. In order to give direction to this growing vision, the national conference elected Rev. Mohammed Said to serve as its first National Director of Missions.

KANYAMA GOSPEL CRUSADE PRODUCES FRUIT
Kanyama 2
This past month the Pilgrim Wesleyan
Church of Zambia sponsored a Gospel Crusade in the Kanyama township on the edge of the capital city of Lusaka. National Superintendent, Dr. Alfred Kalembo reported as follows:
Over 100 people who made decisions to accept Christ as their Savior during our Crusade effort. I mobilized three Pilgrim Wesleyan Churches for the crusade that are on the western side of the great north road in Lusaka. They are: Kanyama, Kanyama East, and John Laing. As you can see from the photo, we could not have everybody sit in church at Kanyama Church last Sunday. We had more than 30 outside who had no where to sit in church. The other churches (Kanyama East and John Laing) reported an increase in attendance last Sunday. Please join us in thanking God for the new believers and pray that we will faithfully disciple them to spiritual maturity.

PRAISE POINTS

  1. Praise God for the continued growth of the Mozambique church and for their increasing vision for regions beyond.
  2. Praise God for lives transformed in Zambia in the recent Gospel Crusade.
  3. We have received notice from the South African authorities that our residence permit has been approved. Thank God for this answer to prayer.
  4. Thank God for the faithful prayer and financial supporters whose faithfulness enables our missionaries to serve across Africa.

PRAYER REQUESTS

  1. Please pray for God's wisdom and strength for Rev. Graca Nhathelo and the newly elected officers and board members as they assume their responsibilities.
  2. Pray for the Lord's unmistakable presence at the Ghana District Conference to held in Accra, November 25-27. Pray that God will increase their vision to reach the lost throughout their country and beyond.
  3. Please pray for God's help as we teach new pastors in Ghana, November 15-24. Brenda will be teaching New Testament Survey and Bob will be teaching Basic Beliefs.
  4. The Wesleyan Church in Nigeria has planned for an evangelistic outreach November 20-27. Pray for God's protection for them as they seek to proclaim the gospel in an increasingly violent and hostile environment.
  5. Dr. Alfred Kalembo, Rev. Sitali Kakungu, and Rev. Fred Cromer travel to Uganda at the end of this month to conduct pastoral training seminars and to guide this young church in its development. Pray that their visit will be productive and effective.


SUPPORT REPORT
We continue to marvel at the way God provides the support we need to enable us to serve here in Africa. Faith promise commitments are still less than targeted, but the actual support coming in is adequate to meet our needs. Thank you to all of you who continue to be faithful and generous in your support.
Donations or monthly commitments can be made online here.

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Bob & Brenda Bagley
rbagley112@gmail.com
www.gpafrica.org

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