News about more new churches in Benin

Several Nazarene churches have begun fundraising for building campaigns. Fidjrosse church was built with Alabaster funds 18 months ago, except for walls and windows. Two weeks ago Moise the D.S. preached and they took an offering to complete the walls and windows. They needed 130.000f ($260) and they collected 200.000f ($400). That is huge boost and a real change in mindset for this young district. Also, two other churches in Segbeya and a recent church plant in Fifadji (both neighborhoods in Cotonou) have begun building campaigns.)

Yesterday Pasteur Clement of the Fidjrosse church preached about the need for people in his congregation to hear God’s call to go into all the world to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and even raise the dead. He said there may be people here this morning who God will call to other countries in Africa who need to hear about Jesus, such as South America, Europe, Asia, even the United States. He asked, “Are we ready to go? Are you ready to go? You may not go yourself but you need to be ready to support someone else who God might call.” Good stuff or what?

In September at least five new Nazarene churches have been planted in Benin: Calavi, Zogbo, Cocotomey, Gbodje, and Akplanka. Now, there are churches in every neighborhood leading out of Cotonou to the west and to the north. Three of these churches were planted by the Fifadji church that I mentioned above.

One of these churches sent a representative to Cotonou to meet with Moise. The man is a director of a private school for children in the area around Savalou. This man heard a Nazarene preacher in their village, and thought to himself, this preacher knows what he’s talking about and he’s obviously been well prepared. Moise told this layperson that that preacher doesn’t belong to the denomination any more. The man said, well, if he learned what he knows from the Church of the Nazarene, we’ll go with the Nazarenes. If we can, we’ll try to get this preacher back into Church of the Nazarene, too.”

On Saturday Sept 16, the southern part of the district held a Sunday School teacher training workshop. There were over 40 participants from various Nazarene churches. I should note that this conference was planned, organized, and led entirely by Beninese laypeople and pastors. Sure, Moise asked me for some input before the conference, but it was entirely their initiative and effort. That is awesome—less truly is more when it comes to missionary work.