Written by: CfaN
Article source: JOY! Magazine
Ethiopia is the next nation we’re heading to in this 50th year of ministry. We will be holding nine Gospel campaigns in the four cities of Hawassa, Dilla, Sodo, and Hosanna this October, and preparations are in full swing.
Why Ethiopia?
Although Ethiopia is known to be one of the oldest Christian countries, most Christians belong to Orthodox or Catholic denominations, and the number of missionaries sent by other religions has drastically increased over the years. Unfortunately, many ministries have started coming to Ethiopia to preach a doctrine that benefits the preacher financially, such as selling anointing oil or holy water. As many pastors have said, this current generation in Ethiopia has not been able to hear the crystal-clear Gospel message. That is why pastors quickly changed their church programmes to join the campaign preparations with CfaN, as they still remember the impact the late evangelist Reinhard Bonnke had in Hawassa 29 years ago. This country needs a reawakening of the true Gospel, the simple Gospel with no additions.
Markus Tschopp (CfaN campaign organisation team member) meets with the board of advisors.
Favour at every level
God has granted us incredible access, from the highest levels of government down to the local churches. We have had several important meetings with national leaders and federal leaders in Addis Ababa, representing 35 million church members and 3000 denominations throughout Ethiopia. Appointed by the president of Ethiopia, this association is dedicated to unifying evangelical churches throughout the nation. Thanks to their support, we have secured work permits and national ID cards, allowing us to stay in Ethiopia beyond the usual 30-day limit.
Government association support
From persecution to asking for prayer
Christians faced persecution under the old government. Now, during the All Pastors’ meeting in Hawassa, the mayor’s representative knelt and asked the church leaders to pray for the city. One of the leaders shared, “I never imagined a day that I could be in a room like this with so many churches in unity. God is doing something wonderful.”
Praying for the mayor’s representative in Hawassa
Pressing forward for the prize
The campaign preparations are moving at a significant speed as the excitement and dedication from locals are unique. We have a structure of over 740 committee members throughout the four cities. They make themselves available each day for the campaign preparations, working with the CfaN team members on the ground. In just two of the four city-wide pastors’ meetings, we anticipated around 800 pastors would attend. However, an overwhelming 1792 pastors came together. We are seeing the same response in the other cities.
At the end of April, our diverse team from 11 different nations gathered in Addis Ababa for an intensive training session with campaign director Denis Artyushevskiy. This training focused on the CfaN structure for organising large campaigns in Africa. This was a time of learning, building team relationships, and spending time with the Lord.
Testimonies of fruit that remains
Even though it has been 29 years since Reinhard Bonnke came to one of the cities, people still speak of that campaign as if it was yesterday. Testimonies from the distant past have been pouring in!
At the All Pastors’ meeting in Hawassa, one pastor shared a remarkable testament to the lasting impact of CfaN in the city. He brought a “Now that you are saved” booklet, which he received 29 years ago at the Gospel campaign led by Reinhard Bonnke. This pastor’s journey began at that campaign where he found salvation, and today, he stands as a pastor, joining forces with us to bring the upcoming campaign to fruition in Hawassa.
The current security chairman for the Hawassa campaign, who also serves as a police inspector in the city, has a profound testimony. As a 12-year-old, he attended the CfaN campaign, desperately believing for a miracle to cure his lifelong inability to speak (he says his tongue did not work). Although nothing happened immediately, he miraculously woke up the next morning speaking fluent Amharic. 29 years later, it is an honour to have him serve as the security chairman for our upcoming campaign.
An inspiring testimony came from one of our appointed leaders managing prayer and intercession in one of the campaign cities. She shared old newspaper clippings from 29 years ago, reliving the healing miracle of her mother-in-law, who was healed of blindness during the Hawassa Gospel Campaign.
Challenging journey
While the cities in Ethiopia are relatively easy to get around, travelling between those cities is a challenge. The vehicles take a beating on roads that are usually full of potholes and crowded with livestock. Several times, team members have been stuck due to severe thunderstorms, flooded bridges, and large hailstorms. Please continue to pray for their safety and protection during the final preparations for Ethiopia.
The work is never done until Jesus returns! You can be a part of this great harvest by praying for us and supporting this ministry financially. Thank you for standing with us.
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Date published: 23/10/2024
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