Another excerpt…
“We went to Glasoue about 15 km away. It was a smaller city than Dassa, but with much bigger need among the Idatcha. We met with Pastor Philippe who is the only Idatcha pastor working with only Idatcha people. He pastors a church of over 200 and they have planted two others that he travels to preach in. Among the 40+ villages in the Glasoue region, there are only 2 congregations; one with the Assemblies of God denomination and one with SIM. So, here we were sitting under a grass roof structure listening to the pastor of the only all-Idatcha church. He told us what he does to get a group together: He takes his cart through the village and plays his djimbe drums. When a crowd gathers, he preaches to them. He was trained by Campus Crusade for Christ in Cotonou, so he uses the four spiritual laws types of sermons to invite people. At other times he uses the Jesus Film in French, (they are working on an Idatcha version right now). So, as we were talking with him about the lack of committed leaders and the churches he is trying to pastor himself, and the young leaders he is trying to train and how he deals with the resistance and persecution from people, my heart began to think of the great need here. There is a great need for discipleship. I don’t know if this will classify as priority work for NTM, because of the work already accomplished here. Plus by the time we finish language study they may not need us. I guess we will have to see what the next two years brings….”
Jacob got to worship in the church mention above today. He then got to hear a testimony time in the evening of seminary students who went out to preach this morning among the Idatcha and what happened. I can’t wait to hear how that time went from him.