THE PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLIES OF CANADA IS IN AFRICA

  NAIROBI – MARG FOREMAN - Today I want to pass on some great reports that give us much to praise the Lord for!  Sometimes I ask you to pray and then forget to let you know what the Lord has done.

1. Mike & Sheila Middlebrook arrived in Nairobi last night with their twin daughters, Gabriella & Moriah (age 12).  These past 10 months have been a battle as Sheila was diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks from their planned departure date at the end of last December.  It has not been easy – but today they are here and we give  God all the glory for His wonderful intervention for this fine missionary couple.  Pray for them as they assume responsibilities as Academic Dean at Pentecostal Bible College in Kisumu – and for their family – the girls who face all the adjustments that MK’s have to go through with new schools here in Kenya – and the 3 older children who are left behind in Canada - and for increased strength and recovery for Sheila.  Praise be the name of the Lord.

2. Marty & Margit Mittelstaedt, with their 3 daughters landed in Kigali, Rwanda this week to work at CLA with Elmer & Sherry Komant.  In a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise funding for all of us, this is no small thing that God has done.  They will be involved in some of the worship, some video production and Margit with the children’s ministry.  WELCOME to AFRICA!

3. CONGRATULATIONS TO... REV. DR. J. KIRK KAUFFELDT, BA;  M.Ed; D.Ed.

Yes, it's official – Kirk passed his oral defence on Wednesday, Sept 16th, walked up and put his name on the wall at U of T - Dr. J. Kirk Kauffeldt.

Only those who have taken on the challenge of ‘higher education’ have any idea of how much work goes into an accomplishment like this.  Untold hours; dedication, commitment to hang in to the very end and finish... and a wonderful supportive wife and kids who have supported this dream.  Kirk & Shelley, we are so very proud of you!.

So today – rejoice at how God has been working in us, and through us, and with us... and we look with eyes of faith and hope to what is coming in the days ahead.

God bless you today,

Marg Foreman

(Photo/David Kariuki) Last week Nairobi Pentecostal Church celebrated it's 50th anniverary! Birthed in a Bible study in the home of Rev. John and Mr.s Ella McBride, it has grown to a congregation of almost 50,000 which meet in 8 centres of worship! Present for the glorious occasion were former pastors Rev. Mervyn & Shelia Thomas, Rev Roy and Mrs. Upton, Rev. and Mrs. Dennis White. National dignitaries included His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki, and Vice-President Kalonzo. This week the church was honoured to baptize the Speaker of the House. How we thank God for the tremendous influence of His Spirit through this part of His church!

CITAM – Christ is the Answer Ministries (the umbrella group of this ministry) is preaching the Gospel in so many ways to diverse segments of Kenyan society. It’s daily faith-building broadcasts through its FM Radio Hope FM are heard in all kinds of businesses around the capital city and across the nation. Christian Schools teaching Christian values while pursuing excellence in education are a significant investment in their goal of transforming the nation. Meanwhile their missions outreach to the unreached and marginalized testify that they have heard Christ’s CALL TO ALL!

Today I am writing from Blantyre, Malawi, where I am on a missionary journey with Rev. Martin Mbandu, soon to be CITAM’s first foreign missionary, or as we say today “first global worker!”. Martin is the pioneer pastor of Kisumu Pentecostal Church. 10 years ago God called him to this ministry and this Easter the 6,000 seat auditorium was dedicated DEBT FREE to the Lord! The church has a present congregation of 3,500 but has already seen the building filled on more than one occasion! Praise God for the power of Pentecost! This week Martin and I will be in Namibia. Please pray for God’s blessings to accompany us!

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 Leaders, delegates and members from all points in Zimbabwe converged upon Bulawayo – the city of Kings to SIEZE THE MOMENT of PAOZ’s Biennial General Conference. Emerging from a climate of hyperinflation ( ) the conference was nothing less than a venture of faith!

Crowds swelled to over 1,000 and were privileged to receive world-class ministry from a national and international complement of inspired speakers: Bishops Trevor Manhanga,, Cephas Mafuruse, Elijah Rice, Rev. Muparutsu all from Zimbabwe (PAOZ), Bonfies Adoyo, Kenya (CITAM), Simon Peter Emiau, Uganda (PAG) and International Missions Director, Rev. Murray Cornelius, Canada (PAOC),

The conference theme was explored from a number of different angles including:

• Personal Preparation – Queen Esther seized her moment believing that she had “come to the Kingdom for such a time as this!”.
• Prophetic Caution – from the failure of Jerusalem to seize her moment - “How often would I have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks – but you would not” said Jesus
• Pastoral Exhortation – a call to seize the moment for service – the sign of true greatness. Jesus, knowing that all things had been given to Him, and knowing from where He had come and where he was going, took a towel and served the disciples.
• Providential Exaltation – it was just another day in the life of David, the king-in-waiting, when his father sent him to take food to his brothers – but it was the day that God had prepared to exalt him as the leader of His people. Through the defeat of Goliath God showed that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

One of the highlights of the conference was the ordination service. How wonderful to witness the high calibre of men and women that have responded to the call of God on their lives. In a climate of much adversity they have seized their opportune moment to be servants of the most high God. Special words of congratulations and thanks were expressed to Rev. Gary Schell – outgoing Academic Dean of Pan Africa College and his wife Marvelyn. Under Gary’s ministry the college became an affiliate of Pan Africa Christian University (Kenya) and many improvements were made in the Bible College. Several ordinands completed their theological studies through the scholarship funds that the Schells raised in Canada.

Continue to pray for Zimbabwe. There are so many challenges – but the potential is tremendous. May the Lord send revival to the land! May God’s people be willing in the day of His power! May they SIEZE THE MOMENT!

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WARNING – THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE MAY MAKE YOU WANT TO COME TO AFRICA – READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

I almost missed it … After preaching in 2 services (from 9am until 1.30) and photographing the construction site of the 5-storey multipurpose building – I was ready for some lunch and a restful afternoon. I got neither! My text messages excusing myself from a third service never reached their destination and the telephone rang – my ride would be there in 10 minutes.

Len Mittelstaedt pulled into the DPC lot (Dar-es-Salaam Pentecostal Church) and 5 minutes later we were on our way to see church growth – Tanzania style!

14 months ago 300 members from Dar were released from a city church to start a new church. They were finding it difficult to come to the centre of Dar-es-Salaam, so they were glad to start a branch church in their neighbourhood. Len’s church had helped plant it and by all reports it was doing very well. Rev. Phillip Kniessel was going to preach, Len would interpret and I went along for the ride! WHAT A RIDE! The traffic was terrible – but the service was great!

You could feel the music as we drove onto the site – the makeshift church was packed! There was a buzz of excitement in all that they were doing! We went to the pastor’s office and closed the door so that we could hear ourselves think and then discussed what the ministry would look like that afternoon. Phillip and Len would preach for about an hour then there would be an altar-call for salvation, another for divine healing, and then the leadership would be invited to come and receive prayer.

Phillip opened to to the book of Acts and preached missions – “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” and then gave an altar call - dozens responded and prayed the “sinners prayer”. Then the sick were invited to come for prayer and some women started to shriek as demons began to manifest themselves. The Holy Spirit began to fall upon the lives of the sick as they cried out to God! Then dozens of elders came forward for prayer and I was invited to address them.

I told them that leadership begins at home and that it doesn’t begin with their spouses but with themselves - “we must lead ourselves – first and foremost!” Then we need to lead our spouses and our children. We need the whole armour of God to protect ourselves and our families from satanic attack. I reminded them that we must not lead our homes with harshness, but rather with grace – just as Christ has led us. As leaders we must lead in reconciliation – in seeking forgiveness. Our lives must be above reproach – we must be “workers together with God” (2 Cor.6v1). Finally I called upon them to work, to work together, and to work together with God - in unity of spirit and purpose: not like the cat and the mouse that were tied together – there was unity, but not unity of purpose. As we prayed for the leaders the Holy Spirit began to move upon them and renewal began to happen! Praise the Lord!

Have a good look at the photos attached to this report and you will get the feel of what church growth looks like in Africa! In just 14 months this church of 300 people has grown to 1,300. Yes, “that’s 1,000 new believers in 14 months – not bad for a church situated in a predominantly m*slim area! Not bad for a church that doesn't have a lot of money! Not bad for a church that doesn't have an adequate church building! What they lack in the material realm, they do not lack in the spiritual realm! Pray for them! I challenged their pastor to send missionaries to the North of Africa! This is a new day in missions – but the opportunity will not last forever. Can you help find us some sponsors for African missionaries? $100 per month is what we are thinking about! Let us know how you can help!

The Apostle Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Cor.3v6). What would ministry be without God giving the increase? Yesterday was graduation day at PAG Bible College, Mwanza Tanzania – a day of remembering those who sowed – those who watered – those who weeded – but a day to remember that God gave spectacular increase! From its humble beginnings on a mission station to the move by faith to the city of Mwanza – the Lord has been giving the increase. Increased students, increased buildings, increased programmes!

The Valedictorian (come preacher) did a fine exposition of Paul’s words to the Phillipians (3v12-16) – reminding both students and professors that “we have not yet arrived!”. Called to press on – called to break through the barriers to our progress – we concentrate on the future prize of the upward call in Jesus Christ as we focus on what is ahead!

Rev. Phillip Kniessel – Chairman of Mission-Link – the agency responsible for the founding and development of the Bible College, was the special guest of honour and the graduation speaker. He challenged the graduates with the same words which Jesus gave His disciples - “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature!” That is the next and logical step for the African church. Approximately 300 million Africans have no access to the Gospel. Most of them are in the North of Africa and among Muslim peoples.

This week I spent 3 days working with PAG leaders on the concept of a SWOT Analysis – STRENGTHS – WEAKNESSES – OPPORTUNITIES – THREATS. We used the letters of Jesus to the 7 churches as a working model. They found that helpful – Africans love to work from the concrete to the abstract – probably the opposite of Westerners who work from abstract to concrete. Like most of us – it’s easier to dwell on our strengths than our weaknesses – but we need to envisage both. The advantage of this tool is that it leads us to look for our OPPORTUNITIES too! Africans are really creative when they are encouraged. Sadly though, colonization has  robbed Africans of a good self-image. Our next chapter in missions is bringing Africans into full partnership for the glory of God.