This was my first trip to Kebre Mengist. It was a long arduous 10 hour drive over partially paved roads. Two flats and one fuel pump later we arrived 13 hours after we left Debre Zeit at 5:30 am.
These are some photos I took along the road as we traveled.
Teaching in Kebre Mengist was such a joy! There were 13 churches from 8 different denominations among the 98 pastors/teachers/evangelists that attended.
Full Gospel Denomination; Kalehiwote; Masertchristos (Mennonites); Mekanyesus (Finnish Mission); Assembly of God; Baptist (Amen! ...grin); Hiwoteberhane; and Mission for Nations all under one roof learning how to Study the Word of God and Worshiping together!!
There are a couple of observations that came to light in Kebre Mengist. The first was leader after leader said they had never been trained on how to study the Bible. There were pastors/teachers/leaders that were literally weeping at what they were discovering as they studied the Words of God.
Secondly, the gathering of these different denominations to learn and worship together is somewhat unprecedented in Ethiopian Church History! The fall of the Communism Regime in Ethiopia some 36 years ago ushered in a new freedom of Worship and with that freedom evangelical denominations flourished. Each denomination staked out their doctrinal territory and pretty much kept to themselves.
Three or four years ago we began training in Debre Zeit and because of friendships - 2 or 3 different denominations attended. And now over 1000 church leaders from 60 or 70 churches representing 9 different denominations have been trained how to better study and communicate God's Word!
What is most exciting is already on this trip we have been asked to come to 2 new cities we have never been to before! Each invitation will feature gatherings of multiple denominations and about 100 leaders! God is good! All glory to Him!
Immediately when I walked into the compound I hard children's classes being taught. They we're learning to count from 1-20 in English!
Of course I couldn't help but interrupt!
We had a great group come to the gathering. It was a typical place of worship with dirt floors.
This was their prayer time as I arrived for the first morning of Training!
That is the garb I always pictured you in. Nice to see that my instincts weren't wrong!
ReplyDeleteThat is the garb I always pictured you in. Nice to see that my instincts weren't wrong!
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