The Mission Foundation
P.O. Box 46358
Baton Rouge, LA 70895
March 16, 2009
Dear friends,
The past month or so has been full and fruitful. Having sent an email from Tanzania regarding our work there, I would like to share just a bit about our seminar in Ghana. (By the way, if we don’t have your email address, please write us at rodwoodmission@yahoo.com.)
I was very happy that Bec was able to be with me this year in Ghana. She had opportunity to use her teaching gift among the women, and she was steadily engaged in much blessed interaction with our Ghanian national committee members as well as our delegates. Bec and I also very much enjoyed being with our Langham colleague Femi Adeleye and his wife Affy of Nigeria. Femi and I first met in England at the initial Langham consultation in 2003 and have served together in Ghana since 2005.
As in the past, a number of denominations/church networks were represented: Presbyterians, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and Independents. There were about 30 delegates who came for this level three seminar.
I was moved by the humility of certain delegates, who are widely-known, national leaders, as I watched them not only enthusiastically sharing their thoughts but also listening very intently as fellow learners with those in their workshops. This humility was unwittingly highlighted by a prominent Ghanian theologian who came as a guest speaker. As he stood before the crowd, he expressed his great surprise that “some of you are out there” in the audience rather than “up here.” What that theologian saw was, I believe, the foundation of a truly grass-roots, nation-wide expository preaching movement! Those whom God has positioned for extensive influence are working and learning alongside those who serve faithfully in less visible places!
I think it may be helpful if I mention some of the leadership positions held by delegates and committee members who have participated in the seminar over the past five years: The General Secretary of the Ghana Pentecostal Council (230 denominational churches and ministries of which one denomination has 1.5 million members), the homiletics (preaching) professor of Trinity Theological Seminary (whose students are Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian), the National Director of Scripture Union, the General Secretary of GHAFES (Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students, an affiliate of International Fellowship of Evangelical Students known in the U.S. as InterVarsity), the former Regional Secretary of IFES for all of Portuguese-and-English-speaking Africa and former pastor of Accra Chapel, the National Director of The Navigators, and others. It has been a joy to watch the servant-leadership displayed by these men!
The Ghanians have a national vision! Five years ago, they chose the name NEPS – National Expository Preaching Seminar. Today they seem to be on the verge of seeing the word “National” becoming descriptive of not just an annual seminar but of a nation-impacting movement! Would you please take a moment right now to pray for the preachers of Ghana?
Thank you again for all of your prayers and for your financial support of our ministry. As we often say, each and every gift, regardless of the size, is very deeply appreciated.
In His service with you until He comes or until we go,
Rod and Bec
