I have the privilege (if a lot of meetings is a "privilege") of serving on the national committee of the Federation of Evangelical Churches and Missions of Burkina Faso. This would be the equivalent of the NAE of the U.S. I am the lone mission representative, with 5 various denominational representatives.
Last week we had three days of our national assembly. I was struck with the growing unity of the evangelical church here in Burkina Faso. Things like the following are bringing us closer together:
1. Everyone is feeling led of God to create Christian schools and ACSI has become an avenue for that. These schools are highly respected in the country and even top leaders from other religions choose to put their children in a Christian school, where they will get a serious education. ACSI is now officially represented in this country and the government has granted them favored status.
2. The need for pastoral training and continuing education is creating an environment for unity in this country, due to the fact that churches are realizing that they don't have to provide all of the training possibilities within their denomination, but these tools and programs can be shared.
3. The desire to be "missionary" is growing in every denomination in Burkina. These national churches that were started by missionary efforts, are now sensing in increasing measure, the role that they have to play in taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. As a result, they are even discussing how they might be able to create a missionary training program that can be used by all denominations. Go figure. This is a unifying factor for the evangelical church.
And I get to sit on the board for this organization. So, as I complain about all of the meetings I have to attend, God reminds me that I am getting a close-up view of what He is doing in this country to bring the church together. That fellowship is sweet.
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