LCG Growing In Africa

Hut in Africa

Here is a report from LCG’s latest World Ahead Weekly Update about Africa primarily written by Rees Ellis:

Africa Update

Mr. King and I had the immense privilege of meeting with faithful brethren and prospective members, some of whom had not seen a minister of God in many years, in Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi over the last two weeks.

Our first stop was to meet Dr. Akin in Lagos, Nigeria, who has been patiently serving the congregation, according to instructions from Mr. Apartian, for the past seven years. He has organized services, Tomorrow’s World Special Presentations, and the Feast of Tabernacles in a peaceful setting in the heart of Lagos, with its population of more than 10 million people. We had the pleasure of visiting the hall where Mr. Harold Jackson inaugurated the Lagos congregations in the 1970s. We held services on September 3 in a nearby hotel, followed by a two-part Bible Study including a captivating description by Mr. King of the nations’ migration routes around the globe. Fellowshipping continued in the hotel parking lot before we said our good-byes and everyone made their way home.

Next was a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Agyemang-Duah, who were among the founding members of the London congregation dating back to the mid-60s, now re-established in their home country of Ghana. We also met with members Mr. and Mrs. Djan and Kwame Gokeh from Canada, recently returned to their homeland of Ghana and anxious to see a congregation established and the Gospel preached. One highlight was meeting Mrs. Agyemang-Duah’s 106-year-old mother! Mr. King conducted more visits before flying back to England and then on to Charlotte for the Council of Elder’s teleconference and the filming of two new TW programs.

I flew on to the Democratic Republic of Congo to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Mukendi Kapingamulume. It was with Mr. Mukendi’s help that the Church was first established in the Congo, so we hope that it won’t be long before we can reestablish the Work in Kinshasa. On the Sabbath of September 10, I met with more old-time members, including Mr. Bamongo and his family. I spoke of the importance of government in the Church and our submission to one another. It took more than an hour to reach the distant corner of the huge city of Kinshasa, where we met under a tin-roof “meeting-hall.” It was quite an ordeal since some of the roads we had to take were in total disrepair. It took even longer to come back into the city because the police confiscated a member’s video camera and it took quite some time to have it returned. With upcoming elections, it is normal that there are more controls and such inconveniences.

On the following Monday and Tuesday, I had the pleasure and honor of meeting with one of the patriarchs of the Bujumbura, Burundi congregation, Mr. Wenceslas Kamwenebusa, along with his wife and family. After having shown remarkable patience, his wife, Jacqueline, their daughter, Ada, and son-in-law, Elie Kanigi, having waited 24 years, were baptized. We realized that Satan was doing his best to thwart the baptisms. Mr. and Mrs. Kanigi received news that their house in neighboring Congo had been ransacked, leaving their children traumatized. Courage added to patience, and finally they are now baptized. To add to the joy of the occasion, the Kamwenebusas’ daughter, Prescille, and grandson, Méthode, were also baptized in Lake Tanganyika, the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest. Congratulations were in order at the Bible Study in Bujumbura that evening, where 24 of us gathered. There is growing interest in Burundi because of the Internet and high hopes that more people will be called. There is a solid, well-established core of brethren and there is much excitement as plans are laid for regular services in Burundi.

Please pray for the members in these African countries that they can meet in peace and safety and that the foundation is laid so an effective Work of preaching the Gospel can be done.—Rod King and Rees Ellis

The Living Church of God has congregations in other African countries as well (see http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/lcg/congregations/lcg-cong.cgi) such as Kenyan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Swaziland, Lesotho, and South Africa (which my wife and I have visited).

The Living Church of God is trying to reach as much of the world as possible with the full gospel. The progress being made in Africa, India & Indochina (LCG: Reaching Indochina & Australia, Plus Baptisms in India), and China (see LCG’s Telecast Getting the Gospel to China) this year has been encouraging.

Some links of possibly related interest may include:

Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Will God call all the Africans?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Getting the Gospel Out is More than a Local Job Discusses Biblical rationale for doing an international, and not just a local, work.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.