The impact of 9/11, and how various governments dealt with the issue of violent Islamic extremists
Various efforts concerning Christian-Muslim dialog and the InterFaith movement
The Insider Movement in missions and areas of concern
The article is nuanced and is written by a Christian intellectual who is a former Muslim. I recommend it highly. Below the article is “An Assessment of the Insiders’ Principle Paradigms”, by Jay Smith—also a valuable perspective.
Mission ONE President Bob Schindler with one of graduates of the Kijabe Town sewing class. “She gave a stirring testimony of how she got saved and learned the vocational skill of tailoring through the class.”
Mission ONE president Bob Schindler just returned Monday from Kenya. One of the major reasons for going was to visit with Mission ONE’s long-time ministry partner, National Evangelical Outreach (NEO Kenya), led by Pastor Wilfred Githongo Kabiru and his wife Rahab. (Also, a major strategic mission partnership with NEO Kenya is in the works, and Bob was there to navigate the process.)
One of NEO’s newest and most successful projects has been a tailoring school for women, located in Kijabe Town. While Bob was there, the tailoring school celebrated it’s second graduating class. (See other pictures below.)
This tailoring school ministry has been rescuing women from the sex trade. These women are receiving hopefor eternity through faith in Jesus Christ—as well as hope for today—through learning the trade of tailoring. The tailoring trade enables the women to earn a living honorably in order to avoid the sin, shame, and life-threatening hazards of living “on the street.”
Funding for this tailoring school came from a Baptist church in North Carolina. We praise the Lord that this three-way strategic mission partnership—between NEO Kenya, a generous local church, and Mission ONE—is resulting in a beautiful collaboration through Jesus Christ to bring hope to the hopeless. Praise the Lord!
The second graduating class of the Kijabe Town sewing class, National Evangelical Outreach, Kenya
Rev. George Odaa is the Director of Grace Evangelical Mission in Kisumu, Kenya. George and his wife Lightness have led the GEM Home and served as “parents” for about 20 orphans for several years. George has a passion for teaching the Word of God and has faithfully taught these children the glorious truths of God revealed in Scripture.
Rev. George and Lightness Odaa
Below is a passage from the recent quarterly report from Rev. George Odaa:
In the book of Hebrews we have this verse:
“Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said; ‘I will never leave you; I will never forget you’(Hebrews 13:5).
Again, quoting from David, the word of God tells us that, “I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).
These and many other verses in the Scriptures give children of God comfort and courage to endure affliction and difficult times. We the family of Grace have seen the Lord fulfill these words in [our] life time however short. The family of Grace started with much assurance that it is God who wanted me to take a step of faith to plant this new ministry of caring for orphaned and destitute children. Just at the age of 34, God called me to take this challenge to do His work amidst lots of opposition from friends and some good Christian brothers. I took the challenges head on and started the GEM (Grace Evangelical Mission).
The GEM Home now is a light on top of a Hill bringing new life to orphans and needy children in our society. … God has used the ministry to bring honor and glory to His name.
GEM children having fun playing games at home
Praise God for all that He has done in GEM Kenya. What he has done to his people. Thank you Lord for using dear brethren all over the world, to bring a rich fulfillment to our deep soul longings, to your own glory. Amen.
Below is an excerpt from a recent quarterly report from Pastor Wilfred Githongo Kabiru serving with AIC Kenya:
Having noticed for years how brutal and irresponsible our young people are, two years ago we offered to launch the above program to make sure that we will reach children to Christ as early as five years if possible. Church elders did not believe that Mission ONE team would be able to carry on this work, but now we have proved to them that it is possible and that this age is the best and easiest to bring people to Jesus.
We meet them in schools, preach to them and conduct fun activities for them. We also make teachers responsible to follow up born again ones. This is for Christian teachers whom we have brought to the Lord.
Secondly, we gather them, and more seriously we invite them together with their parents so that they can continue with them from where we have left. During this second quarter, Jeff Kabero Gathu was responsible. He met with them at schools, villages and lastly jointly with their parents.
So far we have 2,004 born again children in our outreach program.
For more information about the ministry of AIC Kenya, contact Werner Mischke at werner@mission1.org.
Below is an excerpt from a recent quarterly report from Bishwa Karmacharya, serving with Transformation Nepal.
The presence of God was felt so much in this quarter. We were able to see that the seeds that had been planted in people’s heart started to grow. The follow up visits to churches helped us realize that God is at work, He has worked through us. The people whom we had shared gospel with had been a growing Christian. The number of believers in churches was also increasing where we did a follow up visit. Ed and team came to Nepal this quarter; we had a very good time of ministering to people. We thank Ed and Mission One for bringing this team.
Bishwa sharing the gospel in Ranitar
We were able to make a 2010 plan for Transformation Nepal in this quarter. With much prayer, we have identified what activities we want to do in 2010. So, this quarter has been a very fruitful quarter for us.
The Transformation Nepal Team labors among many unreached communities of Nepal and focuses on church planting, discipleship and leadership training.
For more information about the ministry of Transformation Nepal, contact Werner Mischke at werner@mission1.org.
Mission ONE partners Severino & Rose Janus are key leaders serving with Evangelical Free Church of Sudan. They live in Torit, Southern Sudan, and oversee the work of the EFCS Sudan Team.
Below is an excerpt from a recent quarterly report from Pastor Severino Maira Janus, serving with Evangelical Free Church of Sudan.
Around July when the drought hit the entire Southern Sudan, Chukudum County was much affected. William and some missionaries were serving in Nakishot, but during the absence of rain in the area the crops were failing. The local population who were mostly traditional Africans blamed the missionaries in that they have stolen their rain and they asked them to leave the area. That was an opportunity for Rev. William to share Christ with those people who are ignorant about God. He told them that man couldn’t possess rain, only God who owns everything including rain. If we need rain, let us pray God will open the windows of heaven and let the rain come to us. After listening to him, God answered their prayers and the rain came. Many people from that area accepted the Lord and the church was planted among these primitive people.
Pastor Severino and Evangelical Free Church of Sudan have been ministry partners with Mission ONE since the early 1990s. Under Severino’s leadership, dozens of churches have been planted. Severino is currently developing a bi-vocational training center in Torit called Bright Hope School of Theology. Their vision is to develop Christian leaders in theological training while also equipping them with vocational skills to aid in the long term sustainability of the local church—along with development of the economy of Southern Sudan.
For more information about the ministry of Evangelical Free Church of Sudan, contact Werner Mischke at werner@mission1.org.
What is a powerful relationship building activity
between cross-cultural partners from the east and west? Studying the Bible together using the lens of ‘honor and shame.’
When you explore the value of honor and shame in the Bible, you will see a prevalent cultural and theological theme. Words like … honor … glory … name … ashamed … exalted … rivalry … boasting … these words and the stories which relate to them—all relate to the ‘honor and shame’ worldview of the cultures of the Bible.
When I was in the Middle East in May 2009, I shared in a Bible study with a group of mostly first-generation believers from a Muslim background who were part of church deeply involved with Mission ONE’s cross-cultural ministry partner there. Our study was in the book of Philippians. It was a nourishing time in the Word of God together.
Arab men in a small group studying the book of Philippians through the lens of ‘honor and shame.’ There is something very special about learning together that builds a cross-cultural partnership.
Here’s how we did this:
We read and meditated beforehand. In the three-month period before going to the Middle East, I read through Philippians several times. In addition, I read through several other letters of Paul, and I underlined in my Bible the words and verses that relate to honor and shame. This practice was extremely helpful in helping me see the commonness of the theme in Paul’s writings.
We agreed to a one-day study. Our ministry partner in the Middle East had asked me to lead a Bible-teaching event or seminar during my upcoming visit. I suggested that we do a study in the book of Philippians through the lens of honor and shame. He agreed. I also suggested to him that he share this with the church family and that they begin reading through Philippians on their own. Many did so.
I asked the pastor to provide background teaching on the book of Philippians. The pastor accomplished this by asking one of the church members to do this. It was empowering to the church member (who was relatively young in the faith)—and provided the background teaching that helped everyone have a proper context for the book. To make sure this was done appropriately, I suggested a list of questions that should be answered dealing with history, geography and significance of the city of Philippi.
I taught Philippians chapter 1 through the honor and shame lens. I began by teaching through Philippians 1 verse by verse. This showed to everyone the surprising but clear—sometimes implicit and sometimes explicit—honor and shame theme in Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. You will observe that a major issue in chapter one is Paul’s imprisonment and the degree to which the shame of being in prison affected both his sense of identity as an apostle of Jesus Christ—and his relationship with his friends at Philippi.
We broke into small groups for chapters 2, 3, and 4. We had each small group take about 30 to 45 minutes to consider the way that honor and shame is woven into Paul’s writings. Each group wrote their results on a big sheet of paper using markers. Then, a member of each group presented their results to the whole group, along with further discussion.
The results of this time of learning and studying together was profound for some of the individuals present.
One woman was able to face the shame she had experienced as a follower of Christ who had left the Muslim sect roots in which she was raised. She told me that she was set free to live with a new boldness.
A man in his mid-20s told me that this study was particularly significant to him because he himself had been imprisoned for his faith for more than two months some nine years prior. It was freeing to him to see that Paul also struggled with the shame of being in prison (Phil. 1:20).
We observed that the passage in Philippians 2:5–11 addresses the intense Muslim objection to Christ’s public humiliation/crucifixion; Muslims would say, “God would NEVER allow his son to be so totally humiliated and shamed—this is inconceivable!” Paul answers this objection by countering with great drama and revelation from God …
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9–11)
This experience for me was an outstanding time of learning together—building a deeper bond—for a healthy cross-cultural partnership. I am so grateful for the oneness we have in Christ with friends around the world. To God be the glory.
Kenya’s Pokot tribe is turning from darkness to light
through the life-transforming gospel of Christ
Part of the AIC Kenya Team supported in part by Mission ONE, Pastor Job Kisang ministers among the Pokot tribe in northwest Kenya, where two new churches have recently been planted
The story below is from a recent quarterly report from Mission ONE’s partner, Africa Inland Church, concerning Rev. Job Kitum Kisang, a pastor and church planter who is part of the AIC Kenya Team …
In the northwest of Kenya, where Kenya borders with the country of Uganda, lives a primitive tribe known as the Pokot. This tribe is pastoralist who has a rich cultural diversity which includes cattle rustling, dancing and they live in huts, they are half naked, and above all they are war-like tribe. Rev. Job Kitum Kisang is one of AIC pastors stationed there, with the help of Mission ONE support.
For years now he has provided these hostile tribes the Gospel of Jesus Christ and as for today many, many families have joined the new churches opened in the area—they have started schools, they have adopted the culture of wearing clothes. Those who have been converted to Christianity are praising Christ in their cultural dancing style and jumping 4 feet high in their praise and worship times. In the first quarter pastor Kisang started a church and in this second quarter he has also planted another. In this story we focus him posing a picture with his new church members and the baptism candidates.
Very quickly the Holy Spirit of God through His people is changing darkness to light to the Pokot community. Warring other tribes and cattle rustling has changed to praises for God in the churches.
We at Mission ONE praise the Lord for our partnership with the AIC Kenya Team, and for the ministry of Job Kitum Kisang and his co-laborers among the Pokot people in Kenya.
The following story is from a recent quarterly report from Mission ONE ministry partner, African Evangelical Christian Mission (AECM). AECM has a focus on evangelism and church planting in remote villages in the West African nations of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. One of their favorite ministry tools is the JESUS film.
The story below refers to Pastor One Day (yes, that is his real name). Pastor One Day is from a village that worshiped the python snake. This story speaks of an entire village being delivered from satanic oppression by the power of the gospel of Christ.
Top: Pastor One Day preaching the gospel. Middle: The crowd listening. Bottom: Dancing to the glory of the Lord.
The village of Vogan Kpedakondji is located at 60 km in the southeast of Lome (the capital city of Togo). It has about 400 inhabitants. It is a fetish village. They worship python that has a sign of “2 times 5” on his face. It’s easy to recognize the people of that village by this same sign on their face.
This last week of April, all the people of that area who have accepted Jesus, have given an appointment to celebrate and testify about the power and the greatness of our Lord. This evangelism celebration has lasted four days with messages, testimonies and film projections.
Pastor One Day, our regional representative of Notse is from that village. During his message, he declared: “I have lived in this area since my childhood, and I was lucky to know my grandfather who was a great fetish man. Many people from the village and from other places were involved in this practice. I was very closer to him and I was following all the practices. I used to see ministers, directors, generals, kings … who were coming for power. And which power? The one of Satan.
It’s so miserable to see those great men to come and park their beautiful cars and follow all the ceremony my grandfather was prescribing them. They were ready for any price. That’s why they brought goats, chickens, corns … My grandfather told us that the python is our grandfather so we should not kill them but take care of them. Every morning, we must take a python on the neck, sometimes, take in the pocket before we go to school. Our house was full of pythons. We were all obliged to have the sign of “2 times 5” on the face to show that we totally belong to that fetish so that it can protect us. What a pity, the ignorance kills.
Today we have received Jesus and we are children of the Most High. We have tasted His love, His power, His authority and His protection in our life. We preached Him and give testimony about Him everywhere we have the opportunity. We are very sorry to have been in those things and have their sign on our face. That’s why we are claiming loudly by calling all the population not to follow any more those practices and put those demonic signs on the faces of the children of the village. We are no more children of the snake but children of the King of Kings. We must emergency and immediately got out of the ancestral inheritance.”
We at Mission ONE praise God for our partnership in West Africa with AECM. Mission ONE President Bob Schindler was there in September; he accompanied AECM leaders as they visited several villages that had been impacted or transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Bob also met Pastor One Day and heard his testimony.
It is good to be reminded of the words of Apostle Paul …
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16 ESV).
Would you like to know how you or your church can partner with AECM to share the life-transforming gospel of Jesus in remote villages of West Africa? Or perhaps you would consider serving as a Mission ONE Ambassador for AECM? To find out more, send me an email. Or check our Contact page. Thanks,
Werner Mischke
There is great reward and joy through collaborating in the body of Christ. The people of Partners International have helped make this real to us. Indeed, we at Mission ONE respect and much appreciate the ministry of Partners International. Here are some reasons why:
The former president of Partners International gave great advice to help Mission ONE get started. Before Bob Schindler founded Mission ONE in 1991, he began a friendship with Allen Finley, who had been the long-time president of Partners International. Allen was recommended as a wise person with whom to talk concerning cross-cultural partnership; Allen became a mentor to Bob and freely shared his experience and wisdom on some important areas of the ministry. Although Allen Finley has since gone home to be with the Lord, his legacy remains.
Concerning how to partner: Allen Finley told Bob that friendship with the nationals is vital. Many indigenous Christian leaders found that the most valuable aspect of being connected to the ministry of Partners International was friendship. Knowing there is someone who will listen and understand is so important to them. It seems that for Allen, being a friend to a key leader was one of the great joys of his life, and he stressed this to Bob.
Concerning with whom to partner:Allen advised Bob, in essence, Don’t fund a novice in the ministry with a dream, rather, partner with leaders who are currently doing the ministry with, our without funding. The idea is to come alongside leaders called of God who are already proven effective. This was sage advice to someone starting a cross-cultural partnership ministry—from one of the pioneers.
Concerning fundraising:Allen told Bob that 85 to 90 percent of fundraising is relationships. Mission ONE has benefited from this principle and shared it with many others—over and over again.
Thank you, Lord, for connecting Bob Schindler with Allen Finley. Thank you, Partners International, for befriending so many Christian missionleaders—both in the west and in the majority world; you are an example to so many of how to do things well in cross-cultural partnership.
When COSIM was started in the early-1990s, who was there to envision, facilitate and lead? It was largely the leaders from Partners International. Individuals such as Chuck Bennett and Dan Rickett were there in the beginning years and invested significantly to get the ball rolling. Bob Savage has been to every single COSIM conference and has been a steady steering committee member—keeping COSIM’s vision on track.
PI has provided financial administration for COSIM since the beginning.
My own involvement in COSIM has been a huge blessing to Mission ONE, and a most valuable learning journey for me personally. What an enormous privilege to learn with other leaders how to practice healthy cross-cultural partnerships, how to navigate partnership challenges and grow our respective ministries. Thank you, Lord, for the investment of people from Partners International in COSIM over the last 15 years.
There are others at Partners International whom we know and appreciate … Alex Araujo, a gift to the body of Christ as a partnership consultant, practitioner and biblicist … Kim Kerr and her partnership ministry with indigenous Christian women in the majority world … P.I. President Jon Lewis who has a passion for what he calls “servant partnerships” … and worth mentioning again, Bob Savage, who has served the COSIM vision so persistently … I simply want to say, on behalf of the ministry of Mission ONE, we are grateful to the Lord for you all.
If you would like to learn more about Partners International, visit their web site: partnersintl.org.
