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People Reached & A City Changed
haring Jesus with the lost is the heartbeat of everything The team did as they were told and went into the markets that African Enterprise does. Our recent mission to collect the Kayayee women. They gave them a big lunch, in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana was a shared the gospel with them and invited them back the next massive success with nearly 19,000 hearing the gospel and day. A local pastor who had converted from Islam and spoke 2,865 accepting Christ! the dialect of the women well came the next day to speak to One of AE’s deepest desires is to awaken African them again and many of the women committed their lives to Christians to fully grasp the call of the Great Commission Christ! and apply it to their lives and communities. For that reason, The mission had a big impact of local leaders as well. Tony, AE missions are carried out by local volunteers who’ve a local volunteer and church leader told us, “I know that this been trained in effective evangelism and theology. mission has caused the local church to change their The Kumasi mission strategy. As I speak THANK YOU FOR COMING. OUR CITY AND OUR saw 415 local church to pastors I can see members bringing the that a light has been CHURCHES ARE BETTER BECAUSE YOU CAME. gospel to every corner switched on in their of the city. The vast majority of them had take part in our mind. They received the training before the mission but now evangelism training and theology courses prior to the mission. they have seen the training in action and it has given them The AE team engaged with political, traditional and many ideas. We can’t continue to do things how we used to or religious leaders, at all levels and encouraged them to unite wait for AE to come again. We’ve been given the best example in peace. Due to the election year in 2016, Ghana was and it’s up to us now. Thank you for coming. Our city and our simmering and many people feared violent outbreaks after churches are better because you came.” the results were announced. Many lives were changed during the week-long mission. Kumasi serves as a gateway to northern Ghana which is predominately Muslim. Many Muslims come to Kumasi to find work but many also find new life in Christ! This was the case for several of the ‘Kayayee’ women. They often can be found in the markets, carrying large loads on their heads for money. They’re mostly Muslim and speak a dialect that’s uncommon in Kumasi which makes them vulnerable and often impoverished. One afternoon, the mission staff found that we had a surplus of food from an event. Ben, the AE Ghana team leader told the volunteers to go into the streets and find as many needy people as they could. “Bring them here and feed them”, Ben said. “Then share the tell them about Jesus.”
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KUMASI CITY WIDE MOVEMENT
415 local volunteer evangelists 285 participating churches
19,000 people heard the Gospel 2,865 people accepted Christ
Church under a Mango Tree Reaching people where they are...
frican Enterprise’s stratified evangelism model could see that something was about to happen and they wanted means that we don’t just hold one massive meeting to know what it was. on a certain day in a particular part of town. It means “Look! The church is expanding already!” Guide, the main that a during mission week we hold hundreds or thousands preacher, said. “Bring more benches! We’ve been a church for of small meetings across the city. We aim to meet people less than five minutes and we’ve already outgrown our venue!” where they are with the Gospel just like Christ meets each of The event began with a song and a dance which got everyone us where we are. in high spirits. Master Ben’s smile was a mile wide as his hopes Master Ben, as he is known, is Master over several small for his workers began to come into focus. auto shops within a neighbourhood of Kumasi which is Guide spoke to the men about the story of the Prodigal Son dominated by mechanics. He attends a local church and tries and told them that God is a God of second chances. “He’s to be a good example of his faith to the mechanics that work waiting for you with open arms.” Guide said. “No matter what for him. “A few months back,” Master Ben told us, “a woman you’ve done or the condition of your heart. Come to Jesus and from a church nearby dropped off He will welcome you. You can have a a flier for the Kumasi Mission BRING MORE BENCHES! WE’VE BEEN A CHURCH new life in Him, you just have to take and told me that someone FOR LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES AND WE’VE hold of it.” could come to preach here. I was Guide asked the men to bow their ALREADY OUTGROWN OUR VENUE! very excited and called the number heads for prayer and as he asked for right away to organise someone to come. I want the men people to accept Christ into their hearts, hands began popping here to know Jesus, I just don’t always know the best thing up. Guide gathered them close to pray with them and had them to say.” repeat a prayer of surrender to Christ. On Friday morning a team of three evangelists, along with As the men filled in decision cards so that local churches their interpreter arrived at Master Ben’s group of shops ready could contact them, Guide charged Master Ben with the task to preach. He had worked hard that morning to gather as of continuing the work. “They are your sheep now, Master Ben! many mechanics from around the area as he could and in all Gather them here every morning before work and pray together. 25 people came. Have a morning devotion time with them and watch them grow.”. Master Ben ushered the mission team to a few benches Which he happily agreed to do, the smile still broad on his face. under a mango tree where the mechanics had gathered to African Enterprise is passionate about reaching people where hear the message. “The men gamble here on their breaks.” they are in the same way that Christ reaches out to us where we He told the team. As the group of men began to settle in are. In all, 18 young mechanics decided to follow Christ on Friday to hear the message, more people began appearing. They morning. Christ found them where they were; at the church under the mango tree.
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Peace for the Peacemaker
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Chief Opoku finds Christ right outside his palace...
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“I felt the message so strongly in my heart. I was compelled to pen-air meetings are a vital part of AE’s stratified evangelism model. During the day, we reach out to come outside so hid at the back of the stage to stay out of sight. people one on one in marketplaces, and businesses. If I were to go take a seat with the crowd, they would have left out In the evenings, we set up stages and preach loudly in of respect for me. I didn’t want to interrupt, I just wanted to hear neighbourhoods. These meetings gather crowds, peak the about Jesus.” Unaware, Leonard continued to preach saying, “It’s impossible attention of passers-by and have proven very effective in to hide from God. Jesus has come to you today and is offering bringing people to Jesus. One evening, during the Kumasi Mission in Ghana, AE salvation! Take hold of it!” He led those who responded in prayer evangelist, and DRC Team Leader, Leonard Kiswangi went into and as they began to collect the decision cards Pastor Joseph suburb to preach with a local pastor named Joseph. They had saw Opoku at the back of the stage. “The Lord has come to my been granted permission by the Local Chief to use a lot which house today,” Opoku said. “and I’ve surrendered to him!” Thrilled, Pastor Joseph prayed with Opoku who then asked was adjacent to the Chief’s palace. that the pastor come to the In some parts of Ghana, WHEN I HEARD THE PREACHER FROM MY PALACE palace the next day to tell him local chiefs are more powerful I THOUGHT, ‘I WANT WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT.’ I more about Jesus. than any politician. They have “I’ve been to church a few oversight of the community and REALLY FEEL THE PEACE OF GOD IN MY HEART NOW. times,” Opoku shared, “but I the population looks to them for guidance. If anyone needs land or has a dispute, the local chief always felt that the people there didn’t live out what they were saying. It discouraged me. When I heard the preacher from my is the first place they go. Pastor Joseph is passionate about reaching his community. palace I thought, ‘I want what he is talking about.’ I really feel the “I’ve been to the palace several times to invite them to church,” peace of God in my heart now. I used to think alcohol would make he told us. “They gave me some land so I could build my me feel better, and it did for a time… but then it just made things church and I’ve spoken to them about Jesus, but despite my worse. I’m going to tell everyone to come to church and I hope invitations, they’ve never come. And sadly, haven’t really shown they listen to me.” Pastor Joseph was buzzing. “Before the mission,” he said, any interest in the Gospel.” As people started gathering, Leonard began speaking about “I took part in all of the evangelism training but I didn’t really how Jesus will fill the empty places of your heart. “Maybe even understand how to implement it. Now, having experienced it some of you are leaders but I want to ask you, who leads you?” all during the mission, I can see how powerful it is. Thank you Leonard said. “Jesus can be your king and lead you to freedom for coming to Kumasi! You’ve answered my prayers for my community and my church! We will be continuing this work long in Christ if you open your heart to Him.” Chief Opoku was in the palace and heard Leonard preaching after you’ve gone.” outside. The second in command, Opoku is well respected in Pastor Joseph is now discipling Chief Opoku and he’s become his community. Opoku means peacemaker.” He told us later. “I a regular member at church! We are praising God for seeking out Opoku in his palace and showing him the true meaning of Peace. oversee things and make sure they are as they should be.”
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TONY’S STORY Tony has lived in Kumasi all his life. He’s loves his city and he’s passionate about reaching the lost here. He’s volunteered his time and resources to help organise the mission with the aim of seeing as many people saved as possible. We in AE rely on volunteers like Tony to make a mission a success. AE’s desires to awaken African Christians to fully grasp the call of the Great Commission and apply it to their lives and communities. That value is expressed in our mission statement, “To evangelise the cities of African, through word and deed, in partnership with the church.” When the mission planning begins, we start with the local churches. Without their support, the mission will not become a reality. We work to mobilise volunteers across the city and train them in evangelism and theology. We help churches work together to reach their own communities and we rely on local volunteers to make the mission a success. Tony has caught our vision. “We have been doing missions for a long time.” Tony told us. “People come from Europe or America or all over and we partner with them for crusades. Honestly speaking though, I can say this event is different all together. In the past we have formed a team and we leave the city to go to this village or that village. Sometimes we even form a mass crusade. However, this idea of ‘Stratified Evangelism’ is such that it allows me to reach a whole different category of people. We’ve ministered to professionals, politicians, market women, lorry drivers and prostitutes. We are winning souls from right here in our city! We’ve always gone far away when there are so many souls around us being neglected. This mission has made me realise that there is a harvest right here.”
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THIS MISSION HAS MADE ME REALISE THAT THERE IS A HARVEST RIGHT HERE.”
“I know that this mission has caused the local church to change their strategy. As I speak to pastors I can see that a light has been switched on in their mind. They received the training before the mission but now they have seen the training in action and it has given them many ideas. We have all learned a lot. For instance, it never occurred to me to put horns on my car to tell people about Jesus and to advertise for Gospel events. Before, I used to just tell people about church events in passing but now I’ve realised that what they really need is Jesus before they’ll come to any programme.” “Churches in Kumasi often come together to do things, but this event has been different. The churches who have failed to attend have really missed out on a lot. I’m excited for the Kumasi churches to keep up this work. We need to pull together our knowledge and the things we have learned from this mission so we can use our collective knowledge to train those who didn’t attend. We can teach those who are coming up in the Lord and our own churches too.” “We can’t continue to do things how we used to or wait for AE to come again. We’ve been given the best example and it’s up to us now. Thank you for coming. Our city and our churches are better because you came.”