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his past December we celebrated with fervor! Amidst hundreds of Pastors, Ministry Leaders, family members and friends, we celebrated our annual Diploma Graduation. And from the multitude who graduated, there are literally countless testimonies of God’s divine intervention in their life, God’s preserving Grace and God’s deep work in their soul and spirit. But one stands out amongst the multitude: the oldest, the least educated, the quietest of the bunch…Pastor Akhura.
Akhura and I met back in the very first year of DSM (2003), before the Bible Schools were even imagined. For two and a half years I taught Bible Seminars throughout Nairobi’s slums. It was at one of these that I met Akhura. He was a Senior Pastor and Board Member of a major cult with over 85 churches. These are not necessarily the kind of institutions you might want to visit on a Sunday. Animal sacrifice, ancestral worship, demonic manifestations, witchcraft and praying down curses are par for the course. And yet our Bible Seminars were attracting all sorts of ministry leaders…and none were turned away. After all, if we only commune with saints, we will never bring any sinners to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our seminars then, as the Bible Schools now, were a shock to many first-timers. The emphasis on diligent study of God’s Word, sober and serious effort, reallife application, personal holiness and self-discipline run counter-culture to the church at large in East Africa. And that is what made all the difference. Our refusal to be relevant, seek-friendly, culturally comfortable or compromising quickly bore its own fruit. Tremendous spiritual fruit. Pastors like Akhura saw, heard and learned things in one day about Jesus and His Gospel they had never known before. Things that most Christians would consider Fundamentals of the Faith were received as firsttime revelations. Akhura testified on Graduation Day…
This is a common testimony amongst our Pastors and Ministry Leaders. Most come to the Bible Schools with a version of Jesus that you would not recognize. Cultural acceptable compromises, traditional practices, carnal pursuits and selfish ambitions abound with each incoming class of Pastors and Ministry Leaders. By the time they leave DSM, after a minimum of 2 years of discipleship through the Word, you can be assured such practices have not just been cut down, but indeed rooted out entirely. Those who are not willing to repent simply do not continue with us. And yet the drop-out rate averages less than 8%. It’s all miraculous and glorious. I have the privilege to literally “see” the spiritual transformation of hundreds of “Akhuras” year in and year out. Seeing a demon possessed “pastor” become a true man of God never ceases to amaze me. It is the living testimony of God’s power and promise… “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isa 55:10
“We were lost. We were not saved. We were going to hell and using Jesus’ name to do it. I was in complete darkness, in bondage for 50 years and didn’t even know it!” His words cut deep, especially in the hearts and minds of visitors, family and friends attending the Graduation… because they knew exactly what he meant. Many attending the graduation as invited guests attend such cults. “I tell you this Gospel taught in this School is the REAL Gospel! It is unlike anything I had ever heard or known. For 50 years I had been speaking of a Jesus that did not exist. A Jesus of legalism, blood sacrifices, praying curses on our enemies, pleading with dead ancestors, worshipping trees, animals, statues and sacred objects, participating in dark (sexual) rituals. That was ‘another Jesus’ that I served and taught for 50 years. I was worshiping the devil and didn’t even know it. But I tell you today, I’ve been set FREE!”
I was worshiping the devil and didn I’ve been s
Seeing a demon possessed “pastor” become a true man of God never ceases to amaze me. It is the living testimony of God’s power and promise It is the power of God through His revealed Word that transforms lives. Whether read, or spoken, or heard, His Word reaches into the very heart and soul of mankind in a miraculous way. His grace, His calling, His counsel, His wooing of the sinner comes through the Ministry of His Word. This is no secret formula. It’s so “old”, however, that it is often jettisoned for “more current” methods of ministry. Bottom shelf toys that appeal to the flesh, but suffocate the spirit. As much as I marvel at the transformation in Akhura’s life, I equally marvel at the continuing depravity still found in the church at large. We have stepped over the Bible in our pursuit of digital, visual and audio trinkets. Enticing videos, trendy musical beats, light shows, endless “ministry opportunities” and announcements abound. An ever-updated assortment of casual clothing costumes, hairstyles and bracelets from the pulpit captivate our senses…as we pretend we are worshipping God, but instead are merely consuming external stimulations. We are occupied and preoccupied with religious fluff. And “preoccupied” is the operative word. We do not assemble to humble ourselves before a mighty and holy God. We gather for the show, the “fellowship”, the fun and the food. More time is spent at the church playground and food court then is ever expended on our hands and knees in prayer. More effort goes into the color coordination
n’t even know it. But I tell you today, set FREE!”
of the church walls and carpets than into translating the Bible for unreached peoples. We are captivated, obsessed and addicted to constant sensual stimulation. All the while, our spiritual senses withering away from lack of sustenance. The sustenance that comes only from the Word of God…rightly divided, graciously but uncompromisingly delivered..and fearfully embraced. We would do well to remember the testimony of Nehemiah, when the repentant remnant of Israel came back from the Babylonian captivity…
“Now on the 24th of this month the children of Israel were assembled with Fasting, in Sackcloth, and with Dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and Confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and Read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they Confessed and Worshiped the LORD their God.” Neh 9:1
Such behavior would be mocked, if not forbidden, in most churches today. It would be characterized as extreme, unwelcoming, old-fashioned, puritanical and perhaps even unbiblical. It is so much easier to continue with our light shows, lattes and modern orchestrations “where you and your children will feel comfortable.” We have engineered the Holy Spirit right out of the church with our time-managed shows. We have made a mockery of our own “Statements of Faith”! Are these not Akhura’s same ancient cultish idols in new shiny clothing? Have we not been enticed away from the centrality of the unadorned Word of God in our churches? Have we not gone back into carnal captivity? We somehow think we’re more spiritually sophisticated than Pastor Akhura when I first met him. But have we humbly and soberly examined ourselves? Some will consider, a few will pray…and most will simply put this aside and continue on the broad road to enticing religious community centers. And the remnant of “Akhuras” will continue being be transformed by God’s Word. And be busy about our Savior’s business…without electricity, digital toys, live-streaming, full color brochures, color coordinated “fellowship” lounges or leather bound commentary bibles…finding lost sheep and bidding them to come, hear and “do” the Word of God. Bidding them to be set free from the seductive sirens of the New Babylon in our midst.
Contact Paul & Marcia Cowley Email:paul@disciplesupport.org marcia@disciplesupport.org Phone from USA 011-254-733-609-066 Skype: marcia.cowley Africa Mail Disciple Support Ministries P.O. Box 2318-00621, Nairobi, Kenya (please do not send packages) Contact DSM in America Disciple Support Ministries Phone: 561-901-3590 Send Contributions To Disciple Support Ministries PO Box 35204 Panama City, FL 32412 Designed by www.ChoiceDesignStudio.com
• Repentance & Revival in the slums • Employment for the Pastors • The many Petitions of our Supporters • Encouragement & Assistance
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