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Ministry

Approach to Ministry

I believe that God's plan has always been to do good to humanity, and that the message and mission of Christ is good news for all people. As Jesus Christ did during his life, so he sends us to take to the world his gift of forgiveness, of salvation, of freedom from destructive habits, of restored relationships, of a new life and a new community in the kingdom of God. He sends us also to feed the hungry, heal the sick, release the oppressed, challenge injustice, and lift up the outcast. God's love, desiring to bless all people, is the motivation behind our ministry.

Some key elements I have sought to adopt in my approach have been:

  • Cultural adaptation, not bringing a foreign religion, but enabling the Fulani to experience God's blessing while remaining within their Fulani culture and identity.
  • Accessibility, living simply among the people with an open home, that people may always feel welcomed into the presence of God.
  • Dependency on God, through prayer, faith and the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit
  • Working with local churches, not trying to start another denomination.
  • Evangelism, proclaiming the good news of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ.
  • Discipleship, helping those who decide to follow Christ to find the way forward as his disciples within their own community.
  • Social ministry, seeking to respond to the physical need around in appropriate and sensitive ways.

at the cattle market Because of this, I learned the Fulani language, and lived among them, sharing their lives, and adopting their way of life, their food, their clothing, their housing, and even their cows.

Together with my co-worker, Steve Davies, I have been sharing this good news with the Fulani, sitting on mats in homes, at the market, under trees, and even, when invited, in the mosques.

We also seek to respond to the huge physical need, providing emergency food aid in times of drought, supporting orphans and needy families, and praying for the sick.

As Fulani have begun to follow Christ, we have been exploring holistic approaches to discipling, and begun to see them unite into culturally appropriate and community-orientated church.