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“Je? Tumefika?” Southern Baptist will hear this question in the 2010 Lottie Moon/ Week of Prayer* emphasis, but it will likely not be asked in Swahili, but in English as, “Are we there yet?” – “THERE” refers to “How far have we come and how much farther must we go to reach our lost world for Christ?” I’ll share more next week in a “Je? Tumefika” Prayer Nudge Photo Album, but our answer is so exciting that I have to begin sharing our answers today: La, Bado and Ndiyo.
LA or NO, the Good News of our Father has not arrived among all people groups in Kenya or in Africa. BADO or NOT YET is also an answer as there are still many people groups in our midst with less than 2 percent claiming a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Now for the GOOD NEWS: In Kenya, we can also answer not just NDIYO or YES– but a double YES! NDIYO, many, many people groups in Kenya and in our part of the world are now included in the peoples who praise our God (Psalm 67:3, NIV). The second NDIYO is an even more exciting answer as many Kenyan Baptist are not only among those praising God, they are also claiming the end of Psalm 67:3, “May all the peoples praise you.” They are actively accepting responsibility for making certain that ALL the peoples of our world, beginning with those in their country and continent, praise our God! Jack received proof of their desire in many ways last week!
~ Text messages from pastor in central Kenya continuing Jack’s CPM training: “I have started CPM project with 7 at Ngaburi … Kirinyaga, Laikipia CPM was successful. 35 saints discipled … 23 attended the CPM in Kinaba … 23 attended CPM Nanyuki … 3 preaching points are projected by Equator Baptist Church.”
~ In a cell phone text message, a Kenya Baptist Theological College (KBTC) student from the Lake Victoria area asked for prayer as he spoke to a Standard 8 class a few days before they began their national exams. Jack texted that our FACEBOOK friends were praying for him. The next day, Christopher sent this text message: “I experienced the greatest movement of the presence. Everybody got challenged. Thanks for being behind the curtains in prayers.” Next week this young man will be teaching what he has learned from Jack about church planting at an Anglican church in Nairobi.
~ “Jack, Harbari njema kutokana CPM ya Busia. (Kiswahili for: Good news from the Church Planting Movement in Busia/ near Uganda border.) I have news of the beginning of two new Bible Schools in our association and one in the nearby Teso Association. Please pray for this is God’s work. YESU ASIFIWE SANA (Praise Jesus) … I was with 15 churches from 4 associations, Teso, Busia, Vininga, and Busia Uganda” – Text messages from a Kenya pastor from near the Uganda border who is trained in Jack’s CPM seminars as he met with area pastors hoping to begin CPM teachings, but the meeting turned into a desire to train pastors and leaders in neighboring areas – including areas with unreached people groups in Kenya and in Uganda!
~ Via cell phone calls, Jack’s prayers for God’s direction for 2011 were answered: Moses, a seminary graduate and a youth leader in Busia area, requested that Jack “come and teach CPM in their (beginning) Bible Schools sometime in 2011” – THESE new Bible Schools are the ones beginning after promotion of CPM training in the area! Robert from Turkana (north Kenya) requested that Jack “come and teach CPM in Turkana for 2011.” Eman of Mt Elgon, a recent KBTC graduate and leader of seven Sabaot churches on the mountain, also requested that Jack begin teaching CPM in his area in January – like Turkana, Mount Elgon on the Uganda border is an area with few Believers whose neighbors are among the least or yet-to-be reached people groups!
~Through personal contact, Jack was also invited this week to teach CPM in Kakamega to a group planting four new churches in their area. Another KBTC student and former teacher at Mombasa Baptist High School requested Jack’s help in planning an area wide CPM training next year in an area north of Nairobi!
We are praising God for allowing us to join His work of “Strengthening and encouraging as we engage lostness together” (Acts 14:22; Rev 14:6) until “all the peoples praise” our God (Psalm 67:3). We also praise God that our “WE” who are engaging lostness includes Kenyan Baptists, a new opportunity I have to strengthen and encourage a prayer team from another continent, and YOU! BERT YATES
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* Are We There Yet? – http://www.imb.org/main/lead/page.asp?StoryID=7698&LanguageID=1709
DAILY PRAYER NUDGES FROM KENYA – “Prayer Nudges from the Yates - to share how we're praying day by day and how you can join in praying for God's work in East Africa” click or go to: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=329334&id=685050129&l=8f7c7f4ef9 (New pictures added several times each week.)
SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON PRAYING FOR KENYAN STUDENTS: “October and November is exam time in Kenya. Kids in Form Four are taking the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KSCE) from October 21 through November 16, 2010. During these 19 days of exams, the students are sitting for national exams in all they have learned during their four years of high school. Kids in Standard 8 take their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KSPE) during the week of November 8-12. Pray for good health, peace in their lives, confidence - you can add more - for these kids during these critical tests which will determine future educational and life opportunities for these kids!” … found at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=327721&id=685050129&l=73a546ec9a
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