Lausanne World Pulse – LAUSANNE REPORTS – Partnerships in Evangelism: An Overview of Mission Africa
By Scott Lenning
January / February 2011
After two years of work and communication between emerging partner ministry teams, the first mission took place 1-7 March 2010 in Via Town, Liberia. Over the next six months, twenty-one Mission Africa events took place. Each event was a culmination of the partnerships between ministries from around the world working together.
Teams worked together from Ethiopia and New Zealand, Kenya and the USA, Rwanda and Kenya, Australia and South Africa, Germany and Tanzania, the USA and Zimbabwe.
The Lord blessed these partnerships and the other fifteen teams with a total estimated attendance of 488,394, and 58,243 individuals making commitments to Christ!
Ecclesiastes 4:12 states, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Early in the Mission Africa preparation process, we adopted a saying: “Attempt something so big for God, that it is doomed to failure unless God be in it.” The three-strand cord that made Mission Africa have such a strong impact for Christ was between two ministries and the Lord. That is truly a partnership which cannot be broken.
Reporting the Mission Africa story at Cape Town 2010 created a buzz of excitement…not simply about the missions that had just concluded, but of the model of partnership that inspired individuals to want to join and be part of it in the months and years ahead.
The power of partnerships is a must for the days ahead. No longer can we operate as “Lone Rangers”; we must work together to reach this world for Christ. Pray for Mission Africa Stage 2 that is in the early phase of development. Pray that the Lord would direct these future ministry partnerships into effective ministry models for years to come.
In this issue of Lausanne World Pulse, you will read about several of the partnerships that resulted in thousands of people coming to Christ.
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Scott Lenning is executive director for the U.S.-based Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association. Formerly, he was a crusade director for Billy Graham. Lenning served as co-director of Mission Africa in fellowship with the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism in Cape Town. |