After around three weeks and ministering in around a dozen churches I have seen 25 people give their lives to the Lord and 20 testify of healing {There may be many others healed that I don't yet know about.} God has done much in my life and certain things that were on my mind for a long time have been clarified. We we've seen God do many good things during our time here and I am determined to return {God willing}. Not only have people in many churches told me they have been greatly encouraged but I myself have been encouraged and emboldened by what I've seen.
I want to thank all of you who have been faithful to stand with me in prayer. Your efforts have made a great difference to peoples lives here. Only eternity will tell just how much.
God bless you...Steve
Monday 21 July 2008
Final two days.
We had two seminars on Saturday with many of the leaders staying for the weekend. Everything is going so well and the word of God seems to be hitting the target every time. Two or three more people came forward for prayer for healing and said that all pain had gone.
Please remember one particular man in prayer. He came forward saying his whole family was sick.
On Sunday we went to Bungoma prison but because of a delay in sending the relevant paperwork we could not get in to minister to the prisoners. We went instead to the prison staff church where I spoke on how to overcome discouragement and condemnation. It was designed with the prisoners in mind but was very well received by the church and the chaplain. We had a final service in the Bungoma church which went very well. It has only been three days but it has been three days I have seen much. I prayed for a man in the prison serving who has been in two vehicle accidents in the past in which he survived but others died. He struggles under a sense of fear and of condemnation. Please remember him in your prayers.
God bless you...Steve
Please remember one particular man in prayer. He came forward saying his whole family was sick.
On Sunday we went to Bungoma prison but because of a delay in sending the relevant paperwork we could not get in to minister to the prisoners. We went instead to the prison staff church where I spoke on how to overcome discouragement and condemnation. It was designed with the prisoners in mind but was very well received by the church and the chaplain. We had a final service in the Bungoma church which went very well. It has only been three days but it has been three days I have seen much. I prayed for a man in the prison serving who has been in two vehicle accidents in the past in which he survived but others died. He struggles under a sense of fear and of condemnation. Please remember him in your prayers.
God bless you...Steve
Leaders meeting in Bungoma.
The leaders meeting in Bungoma went very well indeed. We arrived as the previous minister was summing up. It turned out that the message I had followed on from the passage he was preaching on {1st Samuel ch16}. I spoke about David being a man after God's own heart and the kind of man God looks for when choosing a leader. The response was very positive indeed and many came forward for prayer afterwards for miscellaneous needs. I led most of them in a mass prayer and prayed specifically for individuals who needed healing. I think their were about 6 or 8. Every one who said they came with physical pain testified that the pain had gone after prayer. I'm told that this is very common in this particular church. The church has developed with much prayer and fasting and they are seeing great favour and power of God here.
Please pray for one woman who told me that everyone of her children were sick and she did not know what was wrong with them. Pray that God would completely heal all of them and keep them well {If he hasn't already done so}
It is hard to know in these stuations just how many people have recieved healing as I can only count those who can testify of immediate healing there and then but I believe there are many more cases than I have counted.
I felt such a liberty in praying for people there. There is such a sense of God's presence and it seemed harder not to believe that God was going to do something when we prayed.
regards...Steve
Please pray for one woman who told me that everyone of her children were sick and she did not know what was wrong with them. Pray that God would completely heal all of them and keep them well {If he hasn't already done so}
It is hard to know in these stuations just how many people have recieved healing as I can only count those who can testify of immediate healing there and then but I believe there are many more cases than I have counted.
I felt such a liberty in praying for people there. There is such a sense of God's presence and it seemed harder not to believe that God was going to do something when we prayed.
regards...Steve
Thursday 17 July 2008
Storms,Sickness and souls saved
Tuesday evening in Kisumu threatened to be a washout. We got near the end of the open air song service and the heavens opened. The rains continued unabated until we decided to carry on anyway, sheltering under someones porch. The Wednesday morning event was put off until evening as something I ate had a bad effect on me {I won't go into any more details on that one!}.
By the evening however I was feeling fine, the sun was out and we had one last meeting. It went superbly. A good crowd gathered to hear the singing and by the end of the sermon when I asked for people to come forward for prayer a group of people came forward including many small children that had gathered when they heard the music. The group of children must have been aged around 4 to 8 and I didn't want to disregard them so at the end we prayed for them first. We asked them how many of them believed in Jesus and most of them put their hand up. {I'm hoping there has been a good seed sown for the future in their lives. One young boy couldn't have been more than five and was unwell and in pain so we prayed for him in the presence of all the other children who gathered round closely to see what would happen. All the pain went straight away and my interpreter questioned the boy to make sure he was healed. He was completely serious. He felt no pain at all and he had been unwell for some time.
We saw four more people come to the Lord making a total of eight in Kisumu and 24 during the mission in total so far. Please pray for everyone that has made a decision for Christ that they would follow through with that commitment. We also visited the neighbour of the Kisumu church pastor to pray for her after the event. She wants to see her husband come to the Lord. She is also without work and needs employment and her mother and sister are unwell. {Her mother is still in hospital}
Today is a free day as we travel back to Eldoret. Then on Friday I am involved in a leaders seminar in Bungoma {You really need to pray for that one because I have never done anything like this!} followed by an evening revival service. Saturday will be an all day seminar followed by an evening revival service and Sunday will be the prisons ministry in Bungoma.
God bless you....Steve
By the evening however I was feeling fine, the sun was out and we had one last meeting. It went superbly. A good crowd gathered to hear the singing and by the end of the sermon when I asked for people to come forward for prayer a group of people came forward including many small children that had gathered when they heard the music. The group of children must have been aged around 4 to 8 and I didn't want to disregard them so at the end we prayed for them first. We asked them how many of them believed in Jesus and most of them put their hand up. {I'm hoping there has been a good seed sown for the future in their lives. One young boy couldn't have been more than five and was unwell and in pain so we prayed for him in the presence of all the other children who gathered round closely to see what would happen. All the pain went straight away and my interpreter questioned the boy to make sure he was healed. He was completely serious. He felt no pain at all and he had been unwell for some time.
We saw four more people come to the Lord making a total of eight in Kisumu and 24 during the mission in total so far. Please pray for everyone that has made a decision for Christ that they would follow through with that commitment. We also visited the neighbour of the Kisumu church pastor to pray for her after the event. She wants to see her husband come to the Lord. She is also without work and needs employment and her mother and sister are unwell. {Her mother is still in hospital}
Today is a free day as we travel back to Eldoret. Then on Friday I am involved in a leaders seminar in Bungoma {You really need to pray for that one because I have never done anything like this!} followed by an evening revival service. Saturday will be an all day seminar followed by an evening revival service and Sunday will be the prisons ministry in Bungoma.
God bless you....Steve
Tuesday 15 July 2008
God's favour in Kisumu.
Last night we saw two decisions for Christ and two healings after prayer. This morning we visited some people in the church. One of the main problems here for christians is condemnation and discouragement. It's seems that the oppressive spirit caused by the high level of witchcraft and cult activity here works against the churches {I've seen and heard of the same kind of thing before}. I have a message which I haven't finished yet on overcoming condemnation and discouragement. Pray for the final day where I hope it will help many people.
We saw unusual favour this morning. Sometimes when the church does door to door people are very resistant and are even angry at the very mention of Jesus. Today couldn't be more different. We kept being invited into the homes of non christian neighbours and in two separate homes a person gave their life to Jesus {That's four so far and we haven't even been here 24 hours! There are some other prayer needs I want to share with you.
One woman has a sick child and her husband is showing signs of unfaithfulness. Another woman has been suffering from a stomach illness for the last two weeks. We also prayed with a woman who has been struggling under a sense of discouragement and a couple who are going though the same thing. As I type this it is 3:30 in the afternoon and we were going to start our open air event in a hour and a half but another thunderstorm has started. This morning in prayer however I sensed that God wanted me to understand that he is in control and I was to trust him. Having seen what he has done in this short time I'm very much encouraged to believe so.
God bless you...Steve
We saw unusual favour this morning. Sometimes when the church does door to door people are very resistant and are even angry at the very mention of Jesus. Today couldn't be more different. We kept being invited into the homes of non christian neighbours and in two separate homes a person gave their life to Jesus {That's four so far and we haven't even been here 24 hours! There are some other prayer needs I want to share with you.
One woman has a sick child and her husband is showing signs of unfaithfulness. Another woman has been suffering from a stomach illness for the last two weeks. We also prayed with a woman who has been struggling under a sense of discouragement and a couple who are going though the same thing. As I type this it is 3:30 in the afternoon and we were going to start our open air event in a hour and a half but another thunderstorm has started. This morning in prayer however I sensed that God wanted me to understand that he is in control and I was to trust him. Having seen what he has done in this short time I'm very much encouraged to believe so.
God bless you...Steve
Rough ride to Kisumu
On monday {yesterday} we travelled to the city of Kisumu in a 'motutu' which is a small minibus. We went over very rough roads and potholes for the best part of four hours along with intermittant thunderstorms and flooded roads. When we finally got there I was taken to a piece of land in the middle of a village where a stage was erected and a song service was already underway. The sermon I had prepared was not really appropriate for an open air meeting so I preached an old sermon I've never written down but was formed in the back of my mind. I call it 'the wedding garment' and it's based on the story told by Jesus of the wedding feast where a man was found without a wedding garment and the main point being that it is only by the blood of Jesus that we have access to heaven and our own righteousness {our own garments} won't be accepted.
We concluded in the dark {We did have one lightbulb lighting up the stage} and I gave a call for any who had needs to come forward for prayer. About eight came forward and two gave their lives to Jesus. Two more people were healed. Another man came forward saying he wanted to be a preacher but he wasn't even saved!
Kisumu is a city where much of the so called christian testimony is compromised by cults and the occult. It is a city traditionally known for it's rioting, looting and violence though it has been very calm while we have been here. We managed to find a half decent hotel at the last minute without being ripped off by the price {It even has hot water!} so God has helped us and answered our prayers yet again. The children either keep shouting out 'musungo' {white man} or 'Rooney' {I'm told I look like the England footballer though I insist that because I was born before him he looks like me! LOL}
The next two days we will go door to door visiting members of the church and praying for needs and each evening we will have another open air event with a main seminar on the final afternoon. I very much appreciate your prayer support. This area has some resistance to the gospel so prayer is even more important here.
God bless you...Steve
We concluded in the dark {We did have one lightbulb lighting up the stage} and I gave a call for any who had needs to come forward for prayer. About eight came forward and two gave their lives to Jesus. Two more people were healed. Another man came forward saying he wanted to be a preacher but he wasn't even saved!
Kisumu is a city where much of the so called christian testimony is compromised by cults and the occult. It is a city traditionally known for it's rioting, looting and violence though it has been very calm while we have been here. We managed to find a half decent hotel at the last minute without being ripped off by the price {It even has hot water!} so God has helped us and answered our prayers yet again. The children either keep shouting out 'musungo' {white man} or 'Rooney' {I'm told I look like the England footballer though I insist that because I was born before him he looks like me! LOL}
The next two days we will go door to door visiting members of the church and praying for needs and each evening we will have another open air event with a main seminar on the final afternoon. I very much appreciate your prayer support. This area has some resistance to the gospel so prayer is even more important here.
God bless you...Steve
Saturday 12 July 2008
1st day in Eldoret
Today we visited several members of the Gospel Fire church in Eldoret to pray for them including a woman who is having marital problems. Her husband is not a christian and he has a drink problem. Pray for a turnaround in her situation.
The service today stared very badly. We had no power and the heavy rains kept most of the people away and we had to cancel our afternoon street crusade. We started the evening service with a total of five of us in the building! Soon things picked up though and others came making a total of thirteen.The sermon was well received and most of the people came forward for prayer. Some with regard to what was preached {'overcoming fear'}. I didn't realise this until shortly before the service but the dirt street where this church is situated {it's actually a main road} was a focal point of the violence a few months ago. Dozens of bodies lay strewn along the road as gangs attacked anyone they could. Again it seems like this was a word in season.
The church was greatly affected as the congregation were almost all from the Kikuyu tribe. Many of them fled the area leaving very few members of the congregation left. Despite this however the church has grown significantly in the last few months with between 50 and100 coming to a sunday service. On one occasion 20 new people came into the church in one morning!
Last night we prayed with people with issues related to fear and one woman was healed of a stomach complaint which kept her in pain. {the pain disappeared immediately}. Another woman came forward for prayer because she was worried about doing things in the church and whether God would accept her. I had hardly started talking to her and tears came down her face. By the end her face had changed into a look of joy. This is the kind of thing that encourages me as well. Despite a slow start it would seem that the same God who met with us in Nairobi is here with us in Eldoret too.
Please pray for the saturday and sunday meetings, for good dry weather and for God to touch the hearts of the congregation and for myself also that God would give me the right words to say.
regards...Steve
The service today stared very badly. We had no power and the heavy rains kept most of the people away and we had to cancel our afternoon street crusade. We started the evening service with a total of five of us in the building! Soon things picked up though and others came making a total of thirteen.The sermon was well received and most of the people came forward for prayer. Some with regard to what was preached {'overcoming fear'}. I didn't realise this until shortly before the service but the dirt street where this church is situated {it's actually a main road} was a focal point of the violence a few months ago. Dozens of bodies lay strewn along the road as gangs attacked anyone they could. Again it seems like this was a word in season.
The church was greatly affected as the congregation were almost all from the Kikuyu tribe. Many of them fled the area leaving very few members of the congregation left. Despite this however the church has grown significantly in the last few months with between 50 and100 coming to a sunday service. On one occasion 20 new people came into the church in one morning!
Last night we prayed with people with issues related to fear and one woman was healed of a stomach complaint which kept her in pain. {the pain disappeared immediately}. Another woman came forward for prayer because she was worried about doing things in the church and whether God would accept her. I had hardly started talking to her and tears came down her face. By the end her face had changed into a look of joy. This is the kind of thing that encourages me as well. Despite a slow start it would seem that the same God who met with us in Nairobi is here with us in Eldoret too.
Please pray for the saturday and sunday meetings, for good dry weather and for God to touch the hearts of the congregation and for myself also that God would give me the right words to say.
regards...Steve
Friday 11 July 2008
Last day in Nairobi - Gospel fire church
What a wonderful day we had. Four of those who gave their lives to Christ in the meetings so far came to the afternoon seminar and one of them came into the pastors office and put numerous drugs she had been taking on the table and told him she wasn't taking them any more. She had been addicted to pain killers but had not taken them since she was saved in the sreet crusade the previous evening. She has felt no pain since.
A scripture came to mind which says "A bruised reed he shall not break and a smoking flax he shall not quench" In the afternoon I ministered on the bruised reed which I take to mean those christians who have been hurt or damaged and was entitled 'But David encouraged himself in the Lord" In the midst of pain and discouragement when others spoke of killing him David had learned to find encouragement in God and this turned things round for him.
In the evening street crusade I preached on the smoking flax, those believers whose fire for God had almost gone out but there was still something there. Eight people came to the Lord that night and one man was healed of a kidney complaint and testified over the microphone to the crowd. Another man gave his life to Christ and is infected with typhoid and malaria. He is no longer working and hadn't eaten for two days so we took him to the church afterwards and he ate with us.
Four of the converts from the previous meetings came to the afternoon seminar which was really encouraging. Another woman came for prayer in the evening and told us that she had been oppressed by frightening demonic dreams. She believed it had something to do with relatives who were in to the occult and were trying to get her into it too. She is a christian but very scared. Another woman came forward to give her life to Christ after telling me she felt the message was specifically for her. She followed Jesus many years ago but had put her life into her business and had drifted from God. She could hear the crusade from her shop and left it to recommit her life to the Lord. She was in tears as we prayed with her.
I wish we could continue here a few more days. There seems to be a momentum building up. One man in the last light was healed of kidney pain and we had him testify to the crowd of what God had just done. Please pray for this church that the momentum will continue and that the converts will become productive members of the church and grow in Christ.
Bwana Asifiwe {Praise the Lord}...........Steve
A scripture came to mind which says "A bruised reed he shall not break and a smoking flax he shall not quench" In the afternoon I ministered on the bruised reed which I take to mean those christians who have been hurt or damaged and was entitled 'But David encouraged himself in the Lord" In the midst of pain and discouragement when others spoke of killing him David had learned to find encouragement in God and this turned things round for him.
In the evening street crusade I preached on the smoking flax, those believers whose fire for God had almost gone out but there was still something there. Eight people came to the Lord that night and one man was healed of a kidney complaint and testified over the microphone to the crowd. Another man gave his life to Christ and is infected with typhoid and malaria. He is no longer working and hadn't eaten for two days so we took him to the church afterwards and he ate with us.
Four of the converts from the previous meetings came to the afternoon seminar which was really encouraging. Another woman came for prayer in the evening and told us that she had been oppressed by frightening demonic dreams. She believed it had something to do with relatives who were in to the occult and were trying to get her into it too. She is a christian but very scared. Another woman came forward to give her life to Christ after telling me she felt the message was specifically for her. She followed Jesus many years ago but had put her life into her business and had drifted from God. She could hear the crusade from her shop and left it to recommit her life to the Lord. She was in tears as we prayed with her.
I wish we could continue here a few more days. There seems to be a momentum building up. One man in the last light was healed of kidney pain and we had him testify to the crowd of what God had just done. Please pray for this church that the momentum will continue and that the converts will become productive members of the church and grow in Christ.
Bwana Asifiwe {Praise the Lord}...........Steve
Eldoret and Kisumu
I have a three day mission in the eastern city of Eldoret covering friday, saturday and sunday with host pastor Joseph Karanja and then moday through to Wednesday will be in the city of Kisumu for three more days of meetings. We've already seen God do some wonderful things, people healed, delivered and saved. I would love to see this continue so keep praying.
Looking forward to giving another good report soon....Steve
Looking forward to giving another good report soon....Steve
Wednesday 9 July 2008
'Gospel Fire- Nairobi'
On Monday Erwin and Timothy set off for ministry in the church of the Lord Mombasa. I am now working with gospel fire ministries and am with their church in Nairobi. Hopefully Timothy will update you on events in Mombasa in the next few days.
Things have accelerated here. The response by the people in the church is excellent and I am finding that God is continuing to give the right words at the right time. The Swahili praise and worship is passionate and you can get so easily enveloped in it all.
On Tuesday the pastor added a street crusade to the end of our afternoon revival service. {I looked through all my sermon noted but found no peace about any of it.} The music equipment we had set up on the main street kept going wrong and as I took the stage with my notes I had chosen something said to me 'Just preach the gospel'. At the end of it many people came forward for prayer and 4 people committed their lives to Jesus. This is the first time this church has done a street event and the pastor told me it is very hard to win souls here but we are now seeing breakthroughs. As a result I have a number of prayer requests.
A Tanzanian lady is raising her children on her own with not enough money to support her family. She asks for a financial breakthrough.
Another lady is in a similar situation after her marriage ended and has no job at all. She came forward saying she wanted to give her life to Jesus. Pray for her to continue in the decision she has made and for a job to support her family.
A young lady from a Catholic background came to recommit her life to the Lord. She has become born again in the past but told us she keeps falling away. We found out that it was the influence of non christian friends that was drawing her away. Pray that she would be given divine strength to stand for Jesus, for the courage to break off ungodly ties and for the establishment of godly relationships in the church which would support her.
In the fist night of the revival services a man came into the church and answered the altar call to give his life to Jesus. Pray that he would continue in that decision for Christ.
A man came forward on crutches with one leg amputated at the knee and told us he wanted to come back to the Lord. He was once a keen christian and student of the bible but got into an adulterous relationship and went his own way. He was wealthy with two cars. Now his life has hit rock bottom. He has nothing. A car accident took one of his legs and he has no job, no wife and no home. He has been put up with his child in a shack and has an alcohol problem. He is overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. I hope to see him again this afternoon at the service.
God bless you...Steve
Things have accelerated here. The response by the people in the church is excellent and I am finding that God is continuing to give the right words at the right time. The Swahili praise and worship is passionate and you can get so easily enveloped in it all.
On Tuesday the pastor added a street crusade to the end of our afternoon revival service. {I looked through all my sermon noted but found no peace about any of it.} The music equipment we had set up on the main street kept going wrong and as I took the stage with my notes I had chosen something said to me 'Just preach the gospel'. At the end of it many people came forward for prayer and 4 people committed their lives to Jesus. This is the first time this church has done a street event and the pastor told me it is very hard to win souls here but we are now seeing breakthroughs. As a result I have a number of prayer requests.
A Tanzanian lady is raising her children on her own with not enough money to support her family. She asks for a financial breakthrough.
Another lady is in a similar situation after her marriage ended and has no job at all. She came forward saying she wanted to give her life to Jesus. Pray for her to continue in the decision she has made and for a job to support her family.
A young lady from a Catholic background came to recommit her life to the Lord. She has become born again in the past but told us she keeps falling away. We found out that it was the influence of non christian friends that was drawing her away. Pray that she would be given divine strength to stand for Jesus, for the courage to break off ungodly ties and for the establishment of godly relationships in the church which would support her.
In the fist night of the revival services a man came into the church and answered the altar call to give his life to Jesus. Pray that he would continue in that decision for Christ.
A man came forward on crutches with one leg amputated at the knee and told us he wanted to come back to the Lord. He was once a keen christian and student of the bible but got into an adulterous relationship and went his own way. He was wealthy with two cars. Now his life has hit rock bottom. He has nothing. A car accident took one of his legs and he has no job, no wife and no home. He has been put up with his child in a shack and has an alcohol problem. He is overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. I hope to see him again this afternoon at the service.
God bless you...Steve
Kenya Calvary Chapel.
Sunday was the 21st anniversary of the main church we have been with in Dandora, Nairobi. People came from Mombasa and even Tanzania to be at the event. I was sent to another church that day and it proved to be the right thing at the right time.
The church is run by bishop Moses who also does mission work in South Africa. He has been driving us round the city all week and I looked forward to visiting the church. Moses is an exuberant pentecostal preacher/evangelist and the church song service was lively.
I didn't even start writing the notes for this sermon until late the previous evening but felt very inspired. I preached on the power of unity, how we are to look after others in the church and a number of other things. It must have gone well because I carried on a long time and the people were still very attentive. I looked at bishop Moses and asked if he wanted me to wrap things up. He was intent on me continuing as long as it took. {The sermon lasted nearly two hours!}
The response afterwards was great. I offered to pray with those who wanted to see prodigals come back to the church and many were touched by the message and requested prayer for loved ones and so the post service prayer ministry went on for a long time as well. Moses told me that the people usually start leaving of their own accord if the service goes beyond One O clock but they all staying. He told me that the message related to the main issue of the church and many were deeply moved. This certainly wasn't down to any talent on my part but was down to the message God gave me.
This seems to be the norm here. I've come with prepared messages but am preparing sermons at the last minute which turns out to deal with the main issue of the church I preach at next. We eventually got to Dandora at around 5:00pm. The event was in it's last hour. It didn't matter as we had such a good service at Calvary Chapel.
There are too many prayer requests to mention but generally I would like you to pray for all who requested prayer at that church and that they would see loved ones come back to the Lord.
God bless you...Steve
The church is run by bishop Moses who also does mission work in South Africa. He has been driving us round the city all week and I looked forward to visiting the church. Moses is an exuberant pentecostal preacher/evangelist and the church song service was lively.
I didn't even start writing the notes for this sermon until late the previous evening but felt very inspired. I preached on the power of unity, how we are to look after others in the church and a number of other things. It must have gone well because I carried on a long time and the people were still very attentive. I looked at bishop Moses and asked if he wanted me to wrap things up. He was intent on me continuing as long as it took. {The sermon lasted nearly two hours!}
The response afterwards was great. I offered to pray with those who wanted to see prodigals come back to the church and many were touched by the message and requested prayer for loved ones and so the post service prayer ministry went on for a long time as well. Moses told me that the people usually start leaving of their own accord if the service goes beyond One O clock but they all staying. He told me that the message related to the main issue of the church and many were deeply moved. This certainly wasn't down to any talent on my part but was down to the message God gave me.
This seems to be the norm here. I've come with prepared messages but am preparing sermons at the last minute which turns out to deal with the main issue of the church I preach at next. We eventually got to Dandora at around 5:00pm. The event was in it's last hour. It didn't matter as we had such a good service at Calvary Chapel.
There are too many prayer requests to mention but generally I would like you to pray for all who requested prayer at that church and that they would see loved ones come back to the Lord.
God bless you...Steve
Friday 4 July 2008
Recent services and God's favour.
Erwin and myself are now preaching in different places. The church have sent me to one of their daughter churches in the poorest area of Nairobi which is called 'Soweto' named after the poverty stricken area of South Africa.
The night before last I preached on how God can help us overcome fear. The response was overwhelmingly positive. It turns out that fear is one of the main challenges in the area and this word helped people a lot.
Yesterday we all went to another church in Jopka, Nairobi where there is a small but very vibrant church which has faced stiff opposition from some local people. {especially christians}. Some are angry that the pastor is a woman and have told her that God does not anoint women. Despite this she has a wonderful worship service going and the church loves to sing and praise. I knew nothing of these things when I started preaching but I ministered on Davicd overcoming Goliath and the things he overcame beforehand. His elder brother Eliab made nasty accuisations about him that were unfounded yet Davids response to it is very important. I told the church that God is always looking for a man or woman like David and that if we would have his attitude God will fight for us and help us to defeat the Goliaths in our lives. Several things I said related to things that were happening in the church and the word was very well recieved.
Tonight we will be back at Soweto. Pray that God would give us the right words to speak and for a miraculous healing for a young girl by the name of 'Peris' who after a stick went into her eye is now blind in that eye, suffered headackes and blackouts. Her family simply cannot afford to get hospital treatment but we are believing God for a miracle.
God bless you...steve
The night before last I preached on how God can help us overcome fear. The response was overwhelmingly positive. It turns out that fear is one of the main challenges in the area and this word helped people a lot.
Yesterday we all went to another church in Jopka, Nairobi where there is a small but very vibrant church which has faced stiff opposition from some local people. {especially christians}. Some are angry that the pastor is a woman and have told her that God does not anoint women. Despite this she has a wonderful worship service going and the church loves to sing and praise. I knew nothing of these things when I started preaching but I ministered on Davicd overcoming Goliath and the things he overcame beforehand. His elder brother Eliab made nasty accuisations about him that were unfounded yet Davids response to it is very important. I told the church that God is always looking for a man or woman like David and that if we would have his attitude God will fight for us and help us to defeat the Goliaths in our lives. Several things I said related to things that were happening in the church and the word was very well recieved.
Tonight we will be back at Soweto. Pray that God would give us the right words to speak and for a miraculous healing for a young girl by the name of 'Peris' who after a stick went into her eye is now blind in that eye, suffered headackes and blackouts. Her family simply cannot afford to get hospital treatment but we are believing God for a miracle.
God bless you...steve
Prayer requests
On tuesday evening after a service I was asked to pray for a young girl by the name of 'Peris' {Not Paris in case you were wondering}. She had a stick hither in her left eye and the stick actualy went into her eye. It has now gone white and she cannot see through it. She is suffering from headaches and occassionaly faints.
She lives in the porest part of Nairobi called 'Soweto' named after the poverty stricken area of South Africa. There is no way her mother can afford hospital treatment and so we are praying for a miraculous recovery. Please pray for ht efainting to stop and for the headaches to go and for her eye to be healed.
Alos one of the pastors in the fellowship I am ministering for is called Steve. He has been married for 13 years but his wife cannot have children because a tube is blocked. They cannot afford the money it would take for an operation to correct this so please pray for his wife also.
God bless you...Steve
Thankyou....Steve
She lives in the porest part of Nairobi called 'Soweto' named after the poverty stricken area of South Africa. There is no way her mother can afford hospital treatment and so we are praying for a miraculous recovery. Please pray for ht efainting to stop and for the headaches to go and for her eye to be healed.
Alos one of the pastors in the fellowship I am ministering for is called Steve. He has been married for 13 years but his wife cannot have children because a tube is blocked. They cannot afford the money it would take for an operation to correct this so please pray for his wife also.
God bless you...Steve
Thankyou....Steve
Wednesday 2 July 2008
First services in Nairobi.
We've started our mission in Nairobi at 'The church of the Lord - Faith healing ministries' hosted by Bishop Abednego. Our first service was monday night. Tonight will be the first night of the churches schedued revival services. So far we have held seminars and we have taken turns in preaching.
What has been a real encouragement is when we have seen that one persons message is directly related to the others on the same night. I sat there on monday night and listened as Erwin was summing up and found that the start of my message followed on and relate to what he finished on. Last night I got to hear Timothy preach and he spoke on 'Integrity in Worship' using Job as an example. It was a really good message. I had a sermon prepared but after hearing him preach decided to put it aside and preach the one that I had felt so stirred to write that day. I ministered on loving God or loving the world. The context of the sermon tied in very well with what Timothy was preaching.
The situation here is very different to England. In English churches we have many teachers but not many evangelists. In Kenya there is an abundance of evangelists but few teachers. What I have found is if you preach very directly and with an evangelistic emphasis the people respond very well to that. Also they responded well when I shared one important verse and spoke it in their own language. {Even though I didn't pronounce it very clearly!}. I think the people are beginning to warm to us.
The praise and worship is very vibrant which is another thing I like. Please continue to pray for us as we are only just beginning. The numbers tend to increase night by night as the event spreads by word of mouth so pray that those who are sick will come and be healed and that those who don't know the Lord would come also.
During the day we will be split up and go to various churches that Bishop Abednego has planted out. Despite having written out a umber of sermons I find myself busy making more noted day by day {On the plane, in the departure lounge, even in Dubai airport overlooking a mosque}. God is giving us the words to speak. Continue to pray that God's word would be spoken and that it would bear much fruit in peoples lives.
shalom...Steve
What has been a real encouragement is when we have seen that one persons message is directly related to the others on the same night. I sat there on monday night and listened as Erwin was summing up and found that the start of my message followed on and relate to what he finished on. Last night I got to hear Timothy preach and he spoke on 'Integrity in Worship' using Job as an example. It was a really good message. I had a sermon prepared but after hearing him preach decided to put it aside and preach the one that I had felt so stirred to write that day. I ministered on loving God or loving the world. The context of the sermon tied in very well with what Timothy was preaching.
The situation here is very different to England. In English churches we have many teachers but not many evangelists. In Kenya there is an abundance of evangelists but few teachers. What I have found is if you preach very directly and with an evangelistic emphasis the people respond very well to that. Also they responded well when I shared one important verse and spoke it in their own language. {Even though I didn't pronounce it very clearly!}. I think the people are beginning to warm to us.
The praise and worship is very vibrant which is another thing I like. Please continue to pray for us as we are only just beginning. The numbers tend to increase night by night as the event spreads by word of mouth so pray that those who are sick will come and be healed and that those who don't know the Lord would come also.
During the day we will be split up and go to various churches that Bishop Abednego has planted out. Despite having written out a umber of sermons I find myself busy making more noted day by day {On the plane, in the departure lounge, even in Dubai airport overlooking a mosque}. God is giving us the words to speak. Continue to pray that God's word would be spoken and that it would bear much fruit in peoples lives.
shalom...Steve
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