What a crazy time we are living in. The Word tells us we are in the “last days” where everything pretty much falls apart and we are seeing it in living color. One word describes what has been going on: Surreal. We never cease to be amazed at what is happening across the pond in our birth country with the division that is just exploding. We see that satan is alive and well and is probably sitting back in his Lazy-Boy recliner munching on circus peanuts cranking back cold ones and enjoying the movie being laid out. But we always remember who is in charge and He is greater than he who is in the world. 

Being that I haven’t posted in a quite a while I think it is important to look back over the past year. At this time last year we had just been locked down due to COVID. If you in America think you were restricted, try being here. We could not drive for 2 months, we couldn’t travel to get supplies, we had no church and that went on for about 5 months. The stores here ran out of many things. 2020 was a year of shock and forced change. Forced means that when you are restricted you have to adapt to new ways.

I spent much of 2020 building furniture. It went to others (side ministry) and a few pieces for the house. I trued my hand at building pulpits. The first one was for Rock Hill Church (Kyampisi) where our dear friends Peter and Joeline minister. Their building project was completed and yet when I would deliver the message there, they still had the old pulpit which was falling apart. I had threatened to build them one and with plenty of time it happened.

 On the bright side, this past year has been a great time to reflect, grow and find things to do to help where we can.

This COVID time hasn’t been all bad though; for me it has been very good. It has been a time where I have been able to accomplish many things I wasn’t able to before. I used the time to dive deep into the Bible for myself instead of for study for teaching and preaching. I feel closer to Jesus than I have ever in many ways! the Spirit has been at work in me purging me of so much that was hindering me. I have truly been living in Psalm 139:23-24.

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 

Through this time, I have shed a lot of weight through a lot of walking and working outside. I was not able to walk very far easily for a while but today I am doing fantastic. This has given me a broader mission field. even today I walk to and from town at least 5 times a week to do errands and teach courses. I have loved walking and praying and feeling the Spirit lead me into conversations with people. Evangelism is not doing door to door sales trying to market Jesus to people. 

It is building relationships and a 15 minute conversation is rarely going to result in serious saving change.

We must do what Jesus commanded and that is allow God to drive us into Spirit led conversations so that we are living out that Great Commission. I may talk to someone one day and not even mention Christ. My goal isn’t to see people instantly say YES! to Jesus. It is to start a conversation and make sure by the time His name is mentioned I am in a position to make sure they understand what they are committing to.

Debra and I learned a great deal during our lockdown that is helping us be more effective in the ministry field. As things loosened up and we started back towards our ministries I had a massive revelation in that the church as a whole is really failing to do church the way Christ intended.

I knew that but COVID highlighted it.

So after fervent prayer and working with the church leaders, I developed a plan to push our church out of this pattern of self-centered church living in to a Christ-centered model. One of my passions is Biblical course development and the Spirit certainly hit me with one that focuses on Christ-centered leadership.

From that came a conference where I trained the western region overseers. 

They are responsible for the 150+ churches in the region. The response was amazing and the Lord truly blessed it and now I have expanded the material and am ready to lead other conferences not just for church leaders. I wrote a separate manual for potential and new leaders in business as well as in churches. The trouble is finding committed people who will see the training through. 

So oddly enough many good things came from this COVID and my prayer is that the Church rises up and stops being a center of comfort and starts carrying out the true mission she was given; to evangelize and disciple others through Spirit led relationships. We are running short on time. I really believe we could be seeing the end and we are all responsible as believers to assist as many as possible into a loving relationship with Christ!

As always, if you feel led to partner with us in prayer and financially, please visit our Giving Page on Mission Quest. Thanks and God Bless!