Most folks dream of going to Africa. I often dream from Africa.
Having lost count of how many safaris (journeys) I have made to the African continent, the excitement is still there but for different reasons. My first trip was to Kenya in 1976. I went there to preach in the bush with a few missionary friends of mine. In those days it took three weeks for a snail mail letter to reach Kenya, and another three to get a reply. Trying to plan a mission safari in those days was really slow and difficult.
Not so today. In fact technology has greatly advanced the spread of the Gospel. For example, in the next two weeks while I am in Uganda and Kenya training church leaders, every evening I will be able to post a blog like this directly from my iPad in a hotel with Wi-Fi. In years gone by, I could use a pay-phone to call back home at about $4.00 a minute-if I could get a clear phone line. Now, I use Facetime while in Africa to talk with friends in the USA.
My, my, how the world has changed- and become much smaller in the process. So, the next two weeks, I urge you to return often to this blog site to see what the Lord our God is up to in Uganda and Kenya. I will be reporting back to you daily. There will be pictures and news of our equipping leaders.
Folks often ask me what BWM does in Africa that makes our mission there so culture-changing and eternally effective. I use an Acrostic to best illustrate our vision: Using the word, “SEEDS” here is what we do:
S=Sow abundantly. This means we do serious evangelism using films and the Evangecube to reach the multitudes. Last year our men in the field showed our films to 1,867,000 people!
E=Enlist men of peace. From among the thousands we meet in the villages, we seek out young leaders who can be trained to equip and lead others.
E=Equip them to reproduce themselves in others. This is why I am going to Uganda next week. An effort will be made to identify these men of peace whom we can then equip to become reproducers.
D=Develop churches. Seeking to conserve the fruits of our mass evangelism, we will gather converts into cell groups where they are mentored and a church is often born. Last year 136 churches were born with our Leaders as Shepherds.
S=Strengthen those we are invested in. We follow up time and time again, always encouraging, enabling, and equipping those we mentor.
That’s what Barry Wood Ministries does-week after week year after year, in country after country. Come back soon for daily news of the ongoing adventure to bring Africa to Christ.
