Covenant News
ECC Team Training Kenyan Leaders
NAIROBI, KENYA (August 11, 1999) - A 12-member mission team representing the Evangelical Covenant Church is fanning out to various regions within the country as part of a four-week mission project to train Kenyan leadership.Five of the team members arrived in Nairobi the last week of July and were joined by national leaders of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Kenya to complete advance preparations. Those team members include Paul Macharia, Gordon Carlson, Robert Thornbloom, Mark Thornbloom, and Marc Murchison, pastor of Christ Community Church. The other team members arrived August 6. All are scheduled to return to the United States August 27.
The team has divided into three groups and will be working in the areas of Nairobi, Mombasa, and the Lamu district. Members will conduct seminars and will be involved in preaching, evangelism, and training of Kenyan leaders in various areas. Evangelist Wilson Kabu is pictured as he preaches at one of the services.
Lead sponsor for the training mission is Christ Covenant Church in Florissant, Missouri. ECC co-sponsors include: the Department of World Mission, the Department of Christian Education and Discipleship, the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism, the Department of the Ministry, the African-American Pastors Association, and North Park Theological Seminary.
Gordon Carlson was photographed as he shared in "Harambe'"( Swahili for "Pull together") - a show of solidarity with the community at Mpekatoni as they begin construction on a
new hospital addition. "The chief (a Muslim ) was excited we were there, as was
the District Officer, also a Muslim," Muchison explained.
Other team members and assignments include:
- Jerry Reed – discipleship training
- Nancy Reed – Covenant Women Ministries training
- Mel Dillard – training in evangelism and pastoral counseling
- Vergie Dillard – Vacation Bible School training with children
- Debbie Blue – leadership training on behalf of Christian Education and Discipleship
- Adam Edgerly – specialized training in ministry to Muslims and evangelism. Edgerly also will do a number of open-air presentations in villages throughout the Lamu district, showing the "Jesus" film in Swahili. Lamu Island is reportedly 90 percent Muslim.
- Dr. Phil Anderson – training potential pastors and key leaders in Covenant history and polity. He will be centered in St. Paul's Theological Seminary near Nairobi. He also will be evaluating the seminary as a potential training center for Covenant pastors in Kenya.
"We expect to see a great move of God in the coming days," Murchison said. "Keep praying as travel here is not like travel in the United States – and we still have a lot to do." The group has already logged a combined total of more than 91,000 miles without incident.
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