Into-Africa Year End Summary 2011

The director of the Into-Africa Project, issued the following email summary of the work.  I have a link to this project on the left of our blog.  Mozambique is one of the Into-Africa countries using the Village Church Planting strategy.

I thought you might enjoy his celebratory note of what great things He has done!

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings in the Blessed Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

A year ago, when we sent out the VCP Annual Statistics for 2010, we quoted from Psalm 66 and prayed that the Lord would bring us all to “a place of abundance”.  Indeed, in terms of Village Church Planting, 2011 has seen unprecedented rapidity spring forth in several wildernesses.  The Lord our Redeemer manifests His power, breaks the power of oppressors, and transforms wastelands into harvest fields!

Preliminary reports for the year ending 15^th December 2011 show our VCP Church Registry reporting 1,005,330 members in 16,718 churches across 29 African nations.  The year on year growth in members was 397,503 (65%) while new churches initiated was 7,281 (77%).  Hallelujah!  Our Lord reigns!  It is not by might or power that this disciple making movement occurs, it is the unstinting faithfulness of our God who brings new deliverance attended by an awesome display of His loving kindness. 

   

Yet we must pay tribute to the army of harvesters across Africa who work diligently in these fields; their faith, focus, and faithfulness has made them effective harvesters in the hands of our Heavenly Father.  These labourers have been tested: they know what it is to go hungry, be displaced by war, opposed by fanatics,  have burdens laid on their backs, and men ride over their heads.  Yet they can now claim ‘God is bringing them to a place of abundance’.  (Ps 66:10-12)

We also pay tribute to our many partner denominations who embrace the VCP ministry philosophy; it is primarily the pastoral training component that is central to the church planting and disciple making movements that attracts them to join the VCP movement.  They too help us keep record of the church plants and provide letters verifying our registry statistics.  This verification process has enabled us to weed out errors, and now forms a vital part of our reporting.

To our donors and intercessors, you are vital cogs in these movements, heaven records your faithfulness. God has surely listened and heard your prayers!  Please continue the race with us, you lift our arms up as the battle rages!

Pray with us that 2012 will continue to see an outpouring of God’s Spirit across Africa and indeed to the ends of the earth.  May one million members become as one grain of sand beside God’s ocean of love. 

We look forward in anticipation to what God will do in the year that lies ahead.

In the only cause that counts,

Bruce Bennett,

Executive Director,

OMS South Africa.  " 

Wow and wow!

Dave and Ann