Burundi 2007 Field Reports

North Kinama Outreach 11-Jul-2007 The main focus of the outreach teams has been to encourage the local body of believers to become more effective witnesses for Christ. We do this by meeting with a group of Christians from several denominations in a central location breaking up into several smaller outreach teams that include the local believers and then we all go out together to preach the good news. Today’s ministry was fantastic. As the outreach teams walked the highways and byways of North Kinama over 160 people made first-time decisions for Christ. One team walked into a bar, started preaching the gospel and was amazed as sinners poured their drinks on the ground as they received the Lord. Another team had an encounter with a group of Muslim women and led three of them in a prayer of repentance. The result was the same everywhere that we went, the Lord drew a remnant out of the crowd for Himself. But the best part of the ministry today was the example that the TSC outreach team was able to set for the local body here. Many of the churches in Burundi are more interested in growing their denomination rather than reaching the lost. They tried to force people to believe in Jesus quickly for the sake of their local church rather than spending time talking and loving people into God’s kingdom. Other churches don’t do any type of outreaches at all. We were able to show them that love for the people receiving their word provides a more excellent way. For example, many local believers were shocked that we would talk to lost sheep for more than an hour at a time, and that we would spend time talking with them and praying for them even after they were converted. They were also edified to learn that we taught the new converts to make hearing from God and walking with Him a greater priority in their lives than going to the local church that we were coming from. They were also surprised to see that we were willing to meet with the people and talk to them in a manner that brings the gospel to their level. In the end, we were greatly encouraged to know that God has stretched forth His hand to strengthen and teach his body in Burundi. We know and are blessed by the fact that our outreaches will have lasting impact on the body. Praise God. Discipleship Training 11-Jul-2007 Event: Discipleship Many of the pastors and ministers we met with in Burundi requested that we do discipleship training. Nearly four thousand people attended the Discipleship Training held in Bujumbura, seated on wooden benches and chairs and listening attentively as the Word of God was preached. The Discipleship Training consisted of three sessions. Discipleship Training—Session 1: Communion with the Holy Spirit 11-Jul-2007 Event: Discipleship Pastor Claude Houde spoke during the first session. Citing Romans 8, he declared a new day for Burundi. He told the crowd that if they wanted to be disciples of Jesus Christ then they have to have communion with the Holy Spirit. “It is the Holy Spirit that breaks the chains in our lives. The Spirit of God sets people free.” He read from the first chapter of Jeremiah where the prophet sees things to come but it’s the boiling pot. When the Lord tells him to look again he is able to see with the eyes of the Spirit. Pastor Claude exclaimed that they would be able to see what God has in store for Burundi if they were in communion with the Holy Spirit. Discipleship Training—Session 2: We need the Holy Spirit to Lift Up Christ 11-Jul-2007 Event: Discipleship During the second session, Elder Ignatius Chiadika spoke from Matthew 28:16-20 saying that we need the Holy Spirit to be able to lift up Jesus. He explained that discipleship is the heart of God and that God draws His heart back to himself. We need the river of living water, which is the Holy Spirit, in order to minister to others. Elder Ignatius challenged those who said they wanted to be disciples by asking them if they had the heart and mind of God, because all God needs is a vessel that honors and desires Him. Discipleship Training—Session 3: The importance of Intimacy 11-Jul-2007 Event: Discipleship At the third session, Elder David O’Neill spoke another message centered on the Holy Spirit. He said that we are all called to minister but that we cannot respond to that call unless we have intimacy with Christ. “When we get alone with God,” he added, “we receive strength, power, direction. We fall in love with Him…We don’t have what it takes to minister to the needs, we need to look to Him. God calls us to the end of ourselves and calls us to surrender it all to him.” He closed by saying that it is not just about being blessed. Our cups need to overflow so that others are blessed. Release Them to God 11-Jul-2007 Event: Discipleship Pastor Claude closed the Discipleship training session by leading the congregants into worship, and then asked them to cup their hands and place in them all the things they have been holding onto: their children, past wounds, failures, hates, concerns, problems, the future, and then release them to God. The presence of the Holy Spirit filled the room and they all worshipped and gave thanks to God.

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