Praise & Prayer–May 2014

Praise and Prayer—May 2014

Reflections—the church!
The church is not a doormat; it is Christ’s beautiful, thinking bride. —Churchleaders.com
The local church is the hope of the world—Hybels

“..Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” Ephesians 5:23b
“..Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present her to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5: 25b-27
“..the churches, the glory of Christ. 2 Corinthians 9:23b

The church, Christ’s bride, is God’s chosen means through which his splendor and glory is declared and displayed to all creation—both seen and unseen! As God’s image bearers we are glory bearers. Through the church, made up of every member blessed and equipped in Christ with every spiritual blessing, the universal rule and reign of King Jesus is magnificently displayed and declared. Unfortunately much of what is declared as ‘ hurch’ today is an impostor/counterfeit of the real thing. We live in a time when there is increasing disenchantment with the church and her ‘religious’ practices. A few days ago during a God-arranged encounter with our former landlady in Entebbe she made the statement, ‘I love my God, but I don’t know what church is a good church, so I no longer attend anywhere’. This was in response to her brother losing everything—his business, his home, his car, etc., to the twisted continuous appeal to ‘sow’ generously, all to the pastor’s benefit. The apostle Paul warned against such me, who are deceivers, filling their own bellies.

People are increasingly anxious and uncertain about the world around them. The resulting disenchantment, often in particular with the church (religion), ‘leaves us operating in a universe that is dull, routine, flat, driven by rules rather than thoughts, a process that culminates in bureaucracy run by specialists without spirit, hedonists without heart’. This is the world the church, including mission agencies operates in. In A Secular Age, Charles Taylor questions what occurred between 1500 and 2000—the modern age of Western society—when in 2000 it was possible not to believe in God, while in 1500 it was impossible to do so. His answer: disenchantment, which led to secularism.—Michael Frost, Incarnate

For further reflection see below: Glory-bearing church vs Impostor church

Praise
-that Abbie’s gall-bladder surgery went went well and that Debbie was able to be with her and Timothy.

-for the opportunity Debbie had to travel with her Mom to Santa Fe, New Mexico and Glorieta Camp to spend a couple of weeks and celebrate Easter with her sister Valerie and her family. Aaron and Bethany drove from Denver to join them for Easter. Debbie’s Aunts Marti and Ellen connected with her Mom and the sisters kept things hopping and had a great time together!

-for the great 10 day trip that the AIM team together with Pastor Gabriel Kpako (leader of the CEEC church—our partner in CAR) were able to make to the Central Africa Republic (CAR) in order to visit, encourage and strengthen the believers. They visited Zemio, Obo (participated in Rene Zanigba’s ordination service), Rafai, and Bangui. Here are some excerpts from one of the reports; “Touching down at the airport In Bangui “our plane raced past the refugee camp, where thousands have sought refuge from the brutality which has plagued their areas of Bangui. The feeling of conflict was immediately noticeable. Our drive to the FATEB guest house (FATEB is Francophone Africa’s main theological institution) was striking, with the many armored military vehicles representing various military presences in Bangui (French, Africa Union, United Nations). Though people were walking about the streets seemingly normally, the reports we were told by our escorts were troubling….We witnessed lots of rubble along the way, which were all that’s left of churches the Seleka destroyed. Now, with the Anti Balaka presence, young angry men are tearing down mosques—apparently 72 out of 80 mosques have been destroyed in the city. All of this was going on while heavily-armed soldiers stood by…. policing these matters was not part of their mandate…the international media has grossly misrepresented the conflict which has plagued CAR. The conflict is first and foremost of a political and retaliatory nature. The Anti-Balaka are NOT representing Christianity as the news stories report, but rather are bands of largely youth, many of whose villages and families have been entirely wiped out. They are on a quest for personal revenge as well as the for the overall good of the country—in their efforts to purge CAR of the abusive Seleka forces. The church wanted to be clear on this point: Anti-Balaka are not representing Christianity in any way…We were able hold a combined church service within the safe compound of FATEB, where I preached about Elijah. God never gave up on him, despite his complaining, self-pity, and depression. I hoped to link the Bangui church’s own struggles and persecutions to show that God still very much love them and has a purpose for them as well.” Much to give praise for and continue in prayer about!
-that the truck loaded with the Kubota RTV and trailer, as well as the building supplies and Bibles is on its way from Ariwara to Banda. The supplies are for the rehabilitation of three houses at Banda for the AIM team that will be moving there later in the year. I was able to get the Kubota RTV running, sort out the hitch and wiring for the trailer, gather together necessary tools and supplies, load the Kubota on to the trailer–hitching it to the loaded LandCruiser, and head out on the 12 hour drive for Ariwara, DRCongo. I spent three days in Ariwara completing the purchasing of supplies and loading the truck.

-for the opportunity Debbie has to be involved with the Institute for Biblical Community Development (IBCD) that Dr. Kim and his wife started and oversee through their growing base across the state line from Siloam Springs in Oklahoma. In May she will be facilitating a Healing the Wounds of Trauma training at IBCD.

Prayer
-for Debbie as she continues to look for a place to stay and call home between now and when she comes to Africa in June with the Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) team. She will be involved with a Healing the Wounds of Trauma training with the Institute for Biblical Community Development (IBCD) this month, as well as another training in West Virginia in early June. Then she will be joining me here in Africa in early June. Pray for clear leading and direction as we consider establishing an appropriate base in the States from which to launch ministry opportunities, as well as the establishment of an appropriate base in Africa.

-for the travel arrangements to get the work team and supplies to Banda in a timely and cost-effective way. The current plan is for Mark Knoner and me to drive from Entebbe to Dungu, leaving early Friday morning (Mark was to have arrived tonight (30th April) but his flight is delayed and he will be arriving late tomorrow evening). Pray that Mark and I will be able to get to Dungu Saturday so we can fly Sunday with ASF (Avions Sans Frontiers) to Bangadi to participate in the closing ceremonies of the portable Bible school. This started immediately following the Discipleship training with the military chaplains at Bangadi (a couple of the chaplains have been students). Pray too for smooth travel arrangements for the indigenous missionaries (2 masons, a carpenter and Pastor Ngadu) to Dungu. Two of them will be traveling from Oicha and one from Durba. Pastor Ngadu is at Bangadi. They will be using public transport to get to Dungu where we will meet up early next week and hopefully continue by plane to Banda. They will be helping with the rehabilitation of the houses at Banda, as well as following up on the discipleship initiatives that were launched by previous teams of indigenous missionaries who have served at Banda for several months at a time over the past several years. Pray specifically for the arrangements (still be worked on) to get by plane from Dungu to Banda. The ideal would be to be able to charter either the MAF or AIMAIR caravan early next week from Dungu to Banda. Pray with us that either MAF or AIMAIR would have a request for a caravan flight to Dungu early next week, and be available for us to charter Dungu—Banda.

CAR Report: see below

For the Glory of God, the good of others, and the fame of King Jesus!

Because He Lives!

Steve & Debbie

Stephen & Deborah Wolcott

Email: sdwolcott@aimint.net
wolcottsd@gmail.com
Steve’s mobile: 479-233-0823 (USA)
256-772-415201 (Uganda)
243-824-494864 (DRCongo)
Deb’s mobile: 479-427-2598

Africa Inland Mission, P.O. Box 3611, Peachtree City, GA 30269
Alert everyone everywhere in every possible way to the universal rule, reign, and Kingdom of King Jesus! Our God Reigns!

Consider carefully the following comparison of Healthy Religion vs Unhealthy Religion (the glory bearing church vs the imposture church) taken from Incarnate, by Michael Frost.

Healthy Religion (Glory Bearing Church) Unhealthy Religion (Impostor Church)
Is concerned with the pursuit of God Is concerned with the things to avoid
Measures godly qualities Measures quantities (of giving/service, etc.,.)
Finds our identity in grace Finds our identity in behavior
Expands life Constricts life
Results in transformation Simulates holiness
Seeks wisdom Seeks argument
Keeps learning Maintains blind spots
Promotes praise/rejoicing Promotes suspicion
Releases Suppresses
Welcomes Isolates

Current Report of Situation in CAR
Saturday 26.4.14 The situation in the north shows precious little sign of improvement, with new Seleka forces in charge. In Bouca, three days ago, while the people were being massacred, African MISCA peacekeeping forces just looked on, saying that they had not come to fight the Seleka. The leading townsman there was beside himself at such conduct, going as far as to declare that the Seleka were indeed on friendly terms with MISCA. Humanitarian and religious workers in Bouca have been transferred to Bossangoa. Yesterday we learned that the Seleka had apparently left, leaving tens of victims behind them.
In Bangui the entire family of a CAR army man has been decimated by Mu slims, and tensions are still running very high. Mu slim and French Sangaris fighters have been locked in deadly combat in the Pk5 sector of the city. Please continue to pray for us.

Saturday 26.4.14
The Chadian leader of an anti-violence organization got on his bicycle and set off on a trip taking him from Goré in Chad to Paoua in CAR, where he could see with his own eyes all the villages that had been burned down. The commune of Bedam, which numbered 5000 souls, lies waste, with not a single inhabitant remaining and all the houses burned down. More than 20 villages have been destroyed. He then observed the massive Hausa presence from Nigeria on the two borders. Why is Presdent Déby of Chad allowing the Boko Haram to pass through his country to destroy the CAR? Doesn’t he reckon that once they have done with the CAR, these terrorists will turn on Chad itself?
Please pray for us. The terrorists are not only to be found in the north of the country; they are also here in the Km5 district of Bangui, killing three or four people each day without the world media saying a word about it.
Our government is powerless, and the international community indecisive.
Monday 28.4.14 On Saturday 26 April 2014, Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, former companion in arms to Osama Bin Laden, called on all Mu slims to provide military support to their brothers in the Central African Republic. This may indicate the start of yet further renewed hard times for Chris tians here. There have been at least 22 deaths, also of aid workers, in the village of NanaBoguila. The infiltration was carried out by rebels coming from Batangafo. This new rebellion is said to be underwritten by the son of the late President Kolingba. Désiré Zangba KolingbaBilal, to give him his full name – he is also a convert to Is lam – was the other main candidate defeated in the vote held by the National Transition Council in January for the post of new interim President. (The winner and current President, Cathérine Samba Panza, comes from a Chris tian background). Such a state of affairs is incomprehensible to the Central African man in the street, but Désiré is henchman to President Déby of Chad, and is supported by Qatar. Please pray that those who aspire to political leadership of the country come to their senses and give up trying to do it by force of arms.

Humanitarian workers are encouraging the displacement of Mu slims from Bangui to the north of the country without consulting with the government, which further undermines cohesion and the opportunity for dialogue. Pray that our international partners, both humanitarian and military, do not further deepen divisions already existing between people in CAR, regardless of their religion.

Pray for a certain Tihara – his real name is Abdel Hissen, and he is well known to us – who is now the leader of those carrying out attacks on Chris tians and their families in Bangui. The Km5 sector is a complete war zone, with sustained firing of guns of all kinds over the weekend and all night by the Seleka, entrenched again in this part of the capital, and by armed Mu slims. How long will it be, until international forces turn up to disarm them?

The usual Sunday afternoon gathering of past ors at the FAT EB Bib le school took place yesterday. The new chaplain to the French Sangaris forces was there, to introduce himself and greet those present. It was another occasion for God’s people to raise their prayers and intercessions to Him.