Thank you for this post, Roger. Our group has contributed to the Red Cross and also through our City/State sanctioned efforts. Our governor here in Tennessee has also approved relief workers and supplies to leave for Haiti. I pray that all will make…
If you are wondering how to help with the tragedy taking place in Haiti, Brooks and I have made a donation to the local YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base there. YWAM is one of our key church-planting partners and we have confidence that these donatio…
If you are wondering how to help with the tragedy taking place in Haiti, Brooks and I have made a donation to the local YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base there. YWAM is one of our key church-planting partners and we have confidence that these donations will go directly to helping those who are most in need.
You can read more about it in our report here.
I have a question for u - Do u know how i can get contact with someone who has a network in housechurches? We gonna start a network in Sweden.
God Bless
At 12:22pm on November 1, 2009, Roger Thoman said…
Jim, I so appreciate the updates. Working with clergy in Kenya is thorny at best. But God has prepared you well, as a PK, to bring a message without compromise yet with compassion. Only God can break down those religious walls, but even one "pastor" who breaks out can bring light to many. Keep at it, brother.
Roger,
One glaring difference between ministers in the institutional church in Africa and the West is that in the West the clergy receives formal training in seminaries but here someone simply wakes up one morning and claims whatever title they admire, with most claiming “pastor”. A good number don't have an elaborate formal education, therefore understanding of scripture is sometimes misplaced. To this group belongs the less educated and poorest Africans mainly dwelling in slums of urban areas and rural places.
Last evening, over 30 pastors heeded my invitation at the hotel foyer, and we had a rather heated time together. I chose to use the Corinthian Elders written by Jack Fortenberry because it seeks to address the clergy. We all agreed that there's a problem in the church; that something is not quite right. Indeed this is true because they had attended the National repentance crusade. But things went sour when I read “If we say we're not able to teach one another we deny God's Spirit in us-1John 2:27.” (pg.30). They were not amused when the book, concerning teachers, read, “This favoritism in the assembly may reveal a lack of interest in the brother seated in the pew behind us...”. Our meeting ended with 13 only pastors, who exchanged contacts with me, and I shall be visiting their homes soon. The seed has been planted, glory be to God, for He shall bring the rain to water the fields.
Jimmy
At 12:14am on October 26, 2009, Andy Swatton said…
Hi Roger. I hope your Safari home was good and you and Brooks are not too exhausted by the 48hrs travel back home! We shall keep in touch and will keep you posted with developements here in Western Province. Be blessed. Andy
Are you the Roger who comes to Kenya, I'm so interested to associate with you in promoting the house church in Maseno, Western Kenya. We were trained in a seminar in Nairobi recently and went back home as foxes on fire. We are starting small group and fellowship in our houses here and are set to build the man church other than the building.
Dear Roger,
My husband and I have been thinking about the visit to Kitale and preying for the whole journey and everything that will ba going on. We shall be there and are so pregnant with expectation. God bless as you plan to come and bless us with training and love.
Roseline.