Vision for a different future

On Sunday, Pastor Tadi and the "FBI" (Faith Baptist International) Antioch Church welcomed us and led us in such sweet worship. Worship in the midst of different cultures and languages, but still worshiping the same one and only God!

We had the privilege to hear the vision of Pastor Tadi as he dared to share the dream he and his church has for their community. In Making Vision Stick, a book written by Andy Stanley, he says "Living out the vision establishes credibility and makes you a leader worth following." Pastor Tadi is doing that on a daily basis and casting God's vision for what their church can do for, with, and in their community to grown God's Kingdom. Sitting in his humble office with dirt floors and cardboard walls, he dares to dream of a government-approved school that will sit behind his meek office, one day brimming with rooms-full of children. Children who are getting an education. An education to give them a hope for their future! A future where they can do whatever they dream. A future that allows them to provide for their families and create a different life than what they currently know.

Pastor Tadi has led the church through the CHE (Community Health Evangelism) model in partnership with Life In Abundance which has phased out - The FBI Antioch Church has graduated and now has the tools and foundational knowledge to continue to grow and reach their community. They have added offices and a temporary school; a wash station to provide showers and latrines for the community at a nominal fee; they are in conversation with the government to gain approval for building a "government school" on the piece of land behind their church property. They have also added a small children's playground to invite the children of the community to come and play. Every outreach tool the FBI Church is doing is geared solely for the purpose of building relationships to point to Jesus.

While Pastor Tadi had desired to have a coffee ceremony for us, time did not permit, but we were able to get our first introduction to a delightful snack called "kolo"which is a roasted barley and nut mixture.  Pastor Tadi asked prayer for:

Pastor Tadi, wife and two of their sweet children.

• Government approval for a formal school
• Ability and funds to lease the land behind the church for the school
• Financial support to finish to build the school
• Continued outreach to unbelievers in the community
• The building of an orphanage near by
• A church plant about 4 KM away

Sarah, one of our Team Leaders, brought words of encouragement from Colossians 1:27 that Christ is the Hope of Glory - THEIR Hope and from Jeremiah 29:11 reminding them that God knows the plans for each and every person there that day and those plans are ones to prosper them and not to harm them, but more importantly, they are plans for a hope in the future. TODAY is the day to walk in the Hope of Christ and the promises that He gives us.

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."  ~ Jeremiah 33:3