Gospel For Africa

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Gospel For Africa Missions Update March-April 2009!

Planting a Church requires the provision of a sure foundation for the new Christians. The Lord has shown us that we need to begin teaching the elementary principles of the faith to the whole Church on Sunday mornings. We have been offering a foundation class during the week, but many can’t come due to work and transportation issues.

We find that a very large majority of the people either have no foundation or a very faulty foundation. Some of them have been Christians for many years. A large percentage of the churches here in Abidjan do not teach the scriptures in context. Many use the scriptures to prove fleshly ideas, demonic doctrines, personal opinions and some even twist the scriptures for their own profit.

Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

 

Jesus loves His Church, His Flock, His Sheep. He will always make sure they have the best food and water. He protects them from danger, harm and death. He watches over them at all times, comforts them in times of trouble and gives them sweet rest.

John 10:7-15 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

We are blessed to be able to minister for the Lord to His Church here in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The Lord has been adding to our number and we are full of joy, very thankful and a bit nervous. Our new brothers and sisters are so wonderful and gracious. They come faithfully each Sunday morning and sometimes on Wednesday nights. It is difficult for many to come two times per week because they are working so hard to support their families. Many of them leave before sunrise and come home after sunset, having worked hard all day and then walking long distances from the public transportation routes to get home.

We have prayed for many years to see the Lord bless in this way. Now He is causing things to happen and we find ourselves clinging to Him, depending on Him to guide us and provide the ability, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, resources and strength to accomplish His work. Jesus is completely faithful and has shown us many times that He is everything to us and more.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Worship
Our time of Worship is blessing everyone. We believe the Lord is pleased. We are still praying for additional music equipment (see prayer requests) and more gifted musicians and singers. The brothers and sisters want to start a small choir. We are praying about that.

Teaching
Pastor Chris and Noelle are teaching the Word together. Chris teaches in English and Noelle translates into French. Chris is improving in French, but not yet ready to teach in French. On Sundays they have been teaching through the Gospel of Luke, but this week they began teaching the basic foundations of Christianity. The people were very responsive to the foundation teaching. After the main message Pastor Chris takes questions from the congregation. Sometimes the questions can go on for 30 to 45 minutes. Everyone loves the question answer time.

Childrens Ministry
The childrens ministry is now taking shape. Olivier is the leader and Blanche is his assistant. We had 15 children this week and we can see that it will grow quickly. Half of the children come without their parents. We visit the homes of the children during the week to encourage the parents to come. The children are currently studying the Gospel of John.

Noelle and some of the women of Calvary Chapel Abidjan-Cocody!

Women’s Ministry
Noelle is leading the Women’s ministry. The women will be studying about the woman’s role in the family and in the church. Noelle meets with everyone on Sunday’s after the church service. She also has the women come to her home for study and prayer.

Men’s Ministry
Pastor Chris leads the Men’s ministry.  He meets with the men after the church service on Sundays with other meetings scheduled during the week at his home and other men’s homes as needed. The men are studying about their role in the family and in the church.

Evangelism and Outreach
The church just completed an outreach to the village of CHU Bas-Fonds. It is a small village of several hundred families close to where the church is meeting. A team of people from our church went door-to-door for two weeks inviting the residents to come and leading them to Jesus Christ as the opportunity arose. Many were saved during the visitations. The event took place of Friday evening, March 20, 2009. The movie, “Facing The Giants” was shown in French. The response was fantastic. Many gave their lives to Jesus Christ. Afterward we offered to pray for anyone who had needs and we were overwhelmed.

Noelle and Bridgette also offered a short time of encouragement to the ladies after the movie. Our visitation team will be calling all who responded to the Gospel. We will make appointments to visit every person who allows us to come. The last time we did an outreach like this many more people got saved through the visitations. When you visit an African family they take it very seriously. They will invite their whole family to meet you and ask you to pray with all of them.

University of Cocody Bible Study
The Bible Study has been postponed for Easter, but we will begin again after April 15th. We have a good core group of students and we are planning to do some evangelism on Campus after Easter break. We are teaching through the Gospel of John.

The students have asked us to ask all of our friends to pray for them. The University is struggling to provide a consistent course of study. There has been continual strikes by the teachers and in some cases the students are two to three years behind in completion of their studies.

The Student Resource Center
We continue to pray and wait on the Lord to provide funding, equipment and needed resources to complete the project. Plans are scheduled to meet with University administration to discuss where the center is be located. The Student Resource Center would be a place for students to come during the week to use computers and library books. It would function much like a library does in the USA. The University has agreed to provide a building, utilities and security. We will manage and staff the center by inviting missionaries to come and serve with us for short or long term assignments. During school hours students use the center for research and after school hours we use the center for Bible teaching, fellowship, and Christian entertainment. We will also have a permanent office there for Gospel For Africa (our mission name).

Translation of Bible Teachings Into French
We have set up a small work area in our home with access to three computers. We are praying that the Lord will provide more people to work with us until the translation work is completed. All translation work is done using Microsoft Word via internet download and upload. Anyone interested in helping to translate Bible teachings into French can volunteer by contacting us through email.

The Jones Family
Click Here To Download A Video Message For Our Friends!
We know you all want to keep up with the Jones. Do people still use that expression these days?. Click on the link above or the photo on the right for a short video clip greeting from us to you.

Louis, our son is doing well. He has recovered from the insect bites we asked you to pray about. Thank you. They did leave some small scars, but we believe they will disappear in time. He was selected to move ahead a grade in school in two subjects. He is presently in third grade and will be in 4th grade math and English. He also competed in a talent show at school. He performed in a Techtonic dance with several of his friends. See the video clip here. He loves playing soccer and wants to be a pastor and a professional soccer player.

Our situation is good. We are all healthy, although we do become tired often. The ministry can really keep you going no matter where you live. But combine the normal situations you might have in a developed country with all the complications you find in a third world country and it can sometimes be overwhelming.

We love the Lord and love the people we are serving. It is a joy to help our brothers and sisters in any way we can. Most of the congregation look to us to help them when needs arise. Here is a small glimpse of some of the issues our entire congregation faces daily: Inconsistent electrical power, inconsistent water service, crime and home security issues, transportation issues, the lack of or absence of the following: clean drinking water; food; clothing; shelter; employment; education; and medical care. Many are afflicted with malaria, typhoid fever, yellow fever, diarrhea, many types of infections and respiratory sicknesses due to air pollution.

Please pray that Jesus will save the lost, heal the sick, deliver those bound by the devil and take care of all the cares and concerns listed above.

Thank you and may God bless you continually with His glorious presence,
Chris, Noelle and Louis Jones

Filed under: Notes to myself