Hi Everyone,
This was a travel day. Up at 6am, out the door at 7am. Short flight at 9:30am. Car to Busia (the border of Kenya/Uganda), arrived at 3 but spent time at ITEM Trainers home. Eric Ngala has quite a ministry. I was told while on the way we’d be there 10-15 minutes. But this is Africa. Do you know how to know? When a 15 minute stopover takes 90 minutes. But I enjoyed the time.
ERIC’S WHOLEISTIC MINISTRY
Eric Ngala, ITEM Trainer from Kenya, is a leader and an entrepreneur. He helps pastors develop as pastors and expositors, and at the same time, he helps them learn to support themselves. Eric has chickens. He breeds them and sells them. He gets eggs from them and sells eggs. And he helps pastors learn how they can do the same thing. He had one pastor thank him and told him that he (the pastor) was able to pay his children’s school fees because of what Eric taught him.
Eric also trains pastor in a number of ways. He studied in Holland for five years. So he’s an educated man. He is partnering with NET (an e-training group). He is also networked with a reformed seminary in Holland. He uses ITEM curriculum where ever he goes and it normally gets “rave reviews” (my description of what he told me) according to Eric.
MORE IN THE PICTURE ALBUM
Take a look at the picture album. I put many pictures up that I took around his place including one of him and his 99-year-old mother. Along with those pictures, I put up several showing some culture, local markets, and a gambling app that has become very popular as poor people become poorer trying to get rich by gambling. Even pastors. When you check out the new pictures (over 30 added today), read the captions. There is some information you might find interesting.
KENYA’S PROPHET
The stories never end and just when you think you’ve heard them all, another surfaces. Tom, ITEM Trainer (Kenya), told me that there is an increasing interest in those who call themselves “prophet.” One in particular refers to himself as the prophet predicted in Revelation who announces the coming of the Lord. There are two in Revelation and if I heard Tom right, he went from being one of the two to both of them at the same time. I didn’t get a name from Tom, but just searching for some Kenyan prophet, this guy popped up and seems to fit the description: Prophet Owuor. Nigeria has their prophet, TB Joshua. Perhaps this is Kenya’s version.
Eric brought up the same topic. He said he needed to come up with a study to demonstrate that there are no prophets today and I reminded him that I had written a paper that explains how we come to that conclusion. He has a copy but has not read it. He requested that a “soft” copy be sent via email.
THEOLOGY LESSON: HOW “REFORMED” ARE YOU?
Eric was showing us the seminary building that is being built. It is called “Reformed Theological Seminary.” Eric is from a denomination that believes baptism is by emersion and is administered after someone becomes a follower of Christ, a Christian. They also believe Jesus died for everyone, even those who will not believe in Him. And they believe Jesus will reign over a literal kingom on earth for 1000 years after a seven year period many call “the tribulation.”
Before I go one, let me say I’ve taught this subject at the seminary in Kenya18-19 years ago. I have great respect for both sides of the discussion and have great friends who are on both sides. I would consider myself to be “Reformed” in some areas of theology, but not all.
That being said, I asked Eric if he knew Reformed denominations sprinkle (not emerse)? And that they believe Christ died for those whom God knows will be saved but not for those He knows will not be saved? And that they identify different covenants from the Bible than Eric’s denomination? And they believe that Christ is ruling in a spiritual kingdom right now (the spiritual kingdom established in the heart of all believers) and that there will be no literal kingdom on earth one day? And in connection with the last one, they are not passionate about Israel’s future (that “all Israel will be save”) like Eric’s denomination?
Eric didn’t know all of that. He said he would invite me to teach those subjects at his seminary. I wonder if he’d be disappointed if I taught both sides and left it there? ????
That is it for today. Tomorrow, Thursday, I’ll have the same meeting with the reps from Kenya and Uganda that I had in Kigali a couple of days ago.
PRAY
For our time Thursday, that there will be a good, strategic discussion about how consolidate what we’ve done so far in these two countries and then move forward effectively.
Thanks.
By His grace,
Steve
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