Believe it or not, here in 2007, there are still entire nations in Africa that await a powerful apostolic witness. And for the last several years the leadership team of UPCI in the Africa Region has been targeting these countries. Through prayer and fasting, and by sending teams to explore new contacts and to follow up on existing contacts, we have started to see results. In one of these nations, the Republic of Congo (also known as Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from the Democratic Republic of Congo), the UPCI is now in the process of registering the church.
Several trips have been made by the Regional Director, Jerry Richardson, and I into this nation of more than two million souls. But recently, through the tireless efforts of a UPC pastor in the Democratic Republic of Congo, significant progress has been made. Pastor Israel Mulumba, our presbyter in the city of Kinshasa, DRC, has traversed the wide Congo River that separates Kinshasa from Brazzaville, and has held seminars with several pastors there that have expressed interest in the Oneness doctrine that we love. The seminars included subjects on our doctrinal position, leadership development, holiness, and the church administration of the UPCI.
Then, at the end of July, 2007, I made another trip to Brazzaville with my friend and UPC Pastor David Huston of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The goal was to follow up on Brother Israel’s contacts and explain the process of affiliation with the UPCI as it officially enters the Republic of Congo. The response was an awesome experience. The teaching by Brother Huston was fabulous and the pastors soaked it up like sponges. The services saw 31 people receiving the Holy Ghost. One of those was a sister that opened her heart to the Spirit of God during the worship, and with just a little bit of help, freely received the Holy Ghost while the congregation continued to praise the Lord. At the river, 20 people were baptized in the name of Jesus, including one of the pastors who will be one of the provisional leaders of the new church after registration. They were so very happy and needless to say, so were we! A tremendous spirit of response predominated and we can expect greater and greater things as this new work develops.
So, targeting nations for revival really works. Focusing faith together is just another way that we can all contribute to the overall goal of reaching this lost world with the one and only saving gospel.
