Why ECLEA is so valuable

Happy New Year everyone!

I just received an email from Frederic Harerimana, ECLEA's national coordinator in Burundi. In his email, Frederic attached a report of Pastor Nkengurutse Emmanuel of the Burundi Anglican Church. Pastor Nkengurutse has attended three ECLEA training sessions taught by ECLEA's Burundi partner, Rema Ministries. He outlines the eye-opening nature of what he has learned.

You can read pastor Nkengurutse's report on the "News" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/news.html).

A nice commendation

I just received an email from a missionary teacher who works in West Africa. Here is what he said:

"I am reading through your MINTS course on Expository Preaching.  I have read through the first two lessons. You are to be commended on a job well done so far.  I look forward to reading the rest of the course. I am planning to use your course in Ghana the end of Jan and beginning of Feb. Keep up the good work."

The Expository Preaching course book is on the "ECLEA Courses" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/courses.html). It may be downloaded and used for free.

Additionally, I preach on a fairly regular basis at Community Church, Appleton, WI. I post both the audio and written sermons on the "Sermons" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/sermons.html) in order to bot illustrate thee principles I discuss in Expository Preaching and to expound a variety of biblical passages. Those sermons also may be downloaded for free. Enjoy! (And have a joyous New Year.)

The situation in Burundi

Yesterday I received the following email from Felibien Ndintore, director of Rema Ministries in Bujumbura, Burundi. (Rema Ministries is ECLEA's partner and "feet on the ground" in Burundi):

Following the degradation of the security situation since very early this morning, I would like to let you know that our office, like many other work places in the capital Bujumbura, has remained closed this Friday and this has a negative incidence on meeting deadlines for the ongoing projects. Should this be the case with you, please do bear with us. I would however, like to assure you that RM will try its level best to minimize the side effects this might have on the joint projects.

What happened? While it is clear to everybody present at Bujumbura at this time that the situation is bad enough, very few are able to precisely give reliable accounts of what happened and is still happening. Actually many people have been coerced to remain in their respective homes following heavy fighting that started very early in the morning. We were woken up by heavy shootings, spread across the capital city and without interruption for most of the time. This was probably the heaviest fighting since the attacks started early this year following the contestation, by one group, and support, by another group, of the third term by President Pierre Nkurunziza.

As I write this email at 4:30, there are still sporadic shootings in some areas including Nyakabiga, 2.5 miles away from RM’s office. The spokesman of the army confirmed the attack and stated that 12 persons died and 20 arrested. Unverified sources reveal heavier human loss.

With hope that the situation will soon return to normal, I sincerely thank you for your support. Felibienm, Rema Ministries’ Director

Please pray for the good people of Burundi.

ECLEA 2015 Year-End Report

I have just posted my 2015 year-end report for ECLEA on the "News" page of the ECLEA website: http://www.eclea.net/news.html.

Please check it out to see a summary of the exciting things that have been happening in East Africa as ECLEA works to build Christ's kingdom through equipping the East African church leaders.

1 Cor 11:2-16-"Men, Women, the Culture, adn the Gospel"

Yesterday I preached on 1 Cor 11:2-16, which is a very debated passage. Nevertheless, when considered in light of the historical/cultural context of first century Corinth and the literary context of the rest of 1 Corinthians, this passage gives us an excellent example of using the culture to advance the gospel; as such, it is highly relevant for us today. 

You can download the audio and the written sermon from the "sermons" page of the ECLEA website, here: http://www.eclea.net/sermons.html

Life in the mission field

I recently received this email from Obed Magoko, one of ECLEA-Kenya's regional coordinators:

"I visited a lady from my side who lives and works in Garrisa [a town in northeastern Kenya and the site of a massacre of approximately 150 college students by Islamic terrorists a year or so ago].

Pastor Francis Mutemi and I were given some food. We needed to wash our hands.

The water on my left was brought:

It was very blown to the point one would fear using it. They use this water for all household chores. The water is from the tap and is metered. They pay for it.

I had bought my water seen here on my right hand. If it runs out I will be left with no alternative but to close my eyes and use their water. Mission field at times is a challenge." Obed

New sermon on ECLEA website

I have recently been in East Africa so was not able to post anything. Last Sunday I preached at Community Church in Appleton. Here is a brief synopsis:

Sermon title: 1 Cor 10:7-14-"Overcoming the Idols of Our Heart"  
Description: Life is, at it's essence, theological: everyone worships something. That something can either be Jesus Christ or some form of idol. The choices we make reveal who or what we really worship. How to avoid the ever-present danger of idolatry is difficult but doable.

This (both audio and written), along with other sermons, may be downloaded from the "sermons" page of the ECLEA website: http://www.eclea.net/sermons.html.