New and Old Brooms

The difference between new and old brooms is summarized in a proverb. “The new broom sweeps clean, but the old broom knows the corners.” The meaning is that while youth brings energy to a situation, people with experience bring more knowledge.

A fresh set of eyes helps you see things you’ve overlooked or grown accustomed to. The Africa Regional CELC gathering in Lusaka, Zambia this month brought together both new and old WELS mission partners. The former brought fresh perspective and energy. The latter brought experience and encouragement. The exchange was invaluable for all.

A Practical Conference

The agenda set real-life ministry issues before the delegates. The first presentation addressed the pros and cons of church-run businesses. One of the “new brooms” represented at the conference was the LCMC-Kenya. Its president, Rev. Mark Anariko Onunda, delivered a paper on this topic. He wrote, “Our churches are poor and the poverty of the church workers leads to a crisis of the spirit.” Generally speaking, African pastors are poorly compensated by their members, due to various factors. Many African pastors operate small business ventures to help support their families. Some are more skilled at managing their time and money than others.

The first community of believers chose seven deacons to manage the financial affairs of the church. They left the apostles free to give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word (Ac 6:4). Rev. Onunda noted that skilled laypeople can run church businesses well,. Pastors should concentrate on the spiritual needs of their flocks.

Training Shepherds

One Africa Team Leader Rev. Howard Mohlke led a Bible study on Christian service, both private and public. The number of organized African congregations is much higher than the number of ordained clergymen available to serve them. Many view the term “pastor” as a title of respect rather than as a calling to serve. Rev. Mohlke noted that the word “pastor” is a verb that means “to shepherd”. The shepherd’s job is to care for the needs of the sheep. All Christians have the gifts and responsibility to personally serve one another as members of Christ’s body. Some Christians have been called to serve in public ministry on behalf of the congregation. The essence of their work as public ministers is the same as that of all Christians. It is a humble, Spirit-filled service that focuses people’s attention on the Gospel of Christ.

*traveling to lunch at a local restaurant*

The LCCA Zambia is one of the “old brooms”. One of the WELS’ oldest Gospel partners in Africa, Rev. Davison Mutentami is its President. His presentation touched on the kind of training needed for a healthy church. In his words, “Africa has been invaded by prophets and preachers from all walks of life. Africans have been invaded by teachings that are likely to deny them a chance to receive the true message of salvation by grace.” Many churches are led by people with no formal or informal Biblical training. Several African governments are considering legislation to require that pastors obtain a degree from an accredited institution.

But training should not be limited to members of the clergy. One size does not fit all. There are many local church leaders who would benefit from training tailored to their needs and abilities. The curriculum of many Lutheran seminaries is a treasured heritage to be sure. However, there are other practical skills to learn that will benefit both pastors and their congregations. One of the delegates, a layperson, made the following insightful comment. “Theological education’s purpose isn’t to turn a man into a gospel minister, but to help him do gospel ministry.” That kind of training will certainly result in a healthy church.

A Layperson’s Perspective

An accountant by trade and a former Treasurer of the LCCA Zambia, Mr. Zororai Shoko delivered the fourth presentation. He very effectively demonstrated the need for financial accountability and transparency in the church. Mr. Shoko made his case by citing examples from both the Bible and recent case studies. He wrote, “whenever a person in power – especially the power of handling finances – tries to avoid transparency and accountability, the Church is in danger.”

When Mr. Shoko served as the treasurer of a local congregation, members asked to borrow funds from the general offerings. He refused, even though this had been standard practice in the past. Some congregations did not have bank accounts, but offerings were handled single-handedly either by the treasurer or the pastor. This lack of checks and balances has damaging consequences for the pastor and the church. According to one study, in 2019 Christian organizations were estimated to have lost $68 billion due to fraud. In the same timeframe, donors were expected to give $60 billion for worldwide mission work.

Part of the reason for low offerings is a spiritual problem, but another is the lack of accountability. Fiscal malfeasance is endemic in the government. Nevertheless, Mr. Shoko remarked that “people expect more from the church than from the government.” The solution to these problems is simple. The church must establish clear procedures for counting, depositing, and accounting for funds entrusted to them. In the absence of such procedures, sinful human beings will take advantage of the opportunity. Mr. Shoko shared this final anecdote: A thief was asked if he would give up stealing. His reply? “Not if they remain so careless.”

(L-R) Africa CELC officers: Rev. Mathias Abumbi (Vice-Chairman), Rev. Davison Mutentami (Chairman). Mr. Effraim Adiuko (Treasurer), Rev. Mark Onunda (Secretary)

Prayer Requests

Delegates from each of the seven synods attending the CELC Africa Regional meeting presented a brief history of their church bodies. They also mentioned requests for prayers. May I ask you to join me in praying for our African brothers?

The Lutheran Church of Cameroon: pray that God end the current war that has led members from seven congregations to flee the region
The LCMC-Kenya: pray that God will relieve the current famine and grant peaceful relations between various ethnic groups in the country
The LCCA-Malawi Synod: pray that God will empower the leaders of the congregations and the synod as a whole to use offerings in a transparent and accountable way
Obadiah Lutheran Synod (Uganda): pray that God will help them train church leaders and build up their church body’s infrastructure
The LCCA-Zambia Synod: pray that God will grant pastors the courage to serve under extremely difficult circumstances and give the church body spiritual growth
All Saints Lutheran Church of Nigeria: pray that God grant church members spiritual maturity
The Lutheran Church of Ethiopia; pray that God grant more faithful leaders and financial stability for the church
Christ the King Lutheran Church of Nigeria pray that God bless the church body’s leadership to serve both God and the members faithfully

May God bless the efforts of both new and old brooms to sweep souls into His Kingdom everywhere!

Missionary John Roebke lives in Malawi

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts at https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa

How did you Become a Christian?

How did you become a Christian? When did it happen? Were there other people who helped you to know Christ?

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to visit Ethiopia. The main reason for my visit was to teach a course on St. Paul’s Letters to Timothy and Titus. The course was intended primarily for young men who are preparing to be pastors in the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia (LCE). There were seven students in the class.

When I arrived, I asked each student to share his story. How did you become a Christian? When did it happen? Were there other people who helped you to know Christ? All of them had interesting stories. One student is the son of the LCE’s one and only pastor. He didn’t ask to be born into that family, but he was. And that is how he became a Christian. Another student was a Sudanese man who came to Ethiopia as a refugee. His mother and father were not Christian, but he learned about Jesus from his uncle, a man who is now a pastor in the WELS. That’s how he became a Christian.

I shared my story, too. A father who was my seminary professor, who taught me so many ‘big religious words’ and deep truths about the scriptures that I can’t possibly remember all of them. A mother who led me in my bedtime prayers, prayers that were so foundational to my spiritual development that I can’t possibly forget even one of them. And that’s how I became a Christian.

All of us told very different stories, but one thing was the same in every one of them. We were all so grateful to God for the people who helped us to know Christ.

St. Timothy had a story, too. His father was a Greek who almost certainly did not believe in Jesus. But Timothy’s mother was a dedicated Christian, and his grandmother was, too. That’s how Timothy became a Christian. Paul wrote in his Second Letter to Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:5,6).

How can we thank God for those who shared the word of God with us? And how can we honor those who have led us to faith in Christ? St. Paul tells us how. ”Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of because you know those from whom you learned it” (2 Timothy 3:14).

For about two weeks, the students and I studied the word of God in the Letters to Timothy and Titus. We grew in our understanding of the gospel. We honed our abilities to share God’s word with others and lead people to Christ. That’s the best way to thank God for his blessings.

When people tell their stories and thank God for those who helped them to know Christ, how many people will thank God for you?

Mark Panning lives in Malawi and is the One Africa Team Field Liaison to the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia

Three Busy Weeks in Cameroon

One Africa Team missionaries Daniel Kroll and Daniel Witte recently visited the country of Cameroon for three busy weeks. They met with several national leaders from both Cameroon and Nigeria at the Baptist Mission Guest House in Douala, Cameroon.

Week One

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is a new outreach contact. One Africa Team has been working with them for some time. Missionary Kroll led Bible studies with Pastor Julius Nkwetta, Mr. Rigobert, Mr. Benjamin, Mr. Eloden, and Mr. Jefferson.

In conjunction with Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, One Africa Team offers a Bachelor of Divinity Program to qualifying national pastors. The program enhances the perspective and capabilities of men that have already been through our worker training programs. Missionary Witte coordinates this program through One Africa Team’s Confessional Lutheran Institute.

Week Two

Pastors Edward Obi and Michael Egar from All Saints Lutheran (Nigeria), Pastors A.P. Udo and Idorenyin Udo from Christ the King, and Pastors Mesue Israel and Ngalame Gervase from the Lutheran Church of Cameroon are the teachers of their respective church bodies’ worker training schools. Together with Missionaries Witte and Kroll, they evaluated a new curriculum before the beginning of the new school year. Some of these teachers are stepping in front of the classroom for the very first time. One Africa Team missionaries make themselves available to assist with teaching programs and lesson plans.

One Africa Team missionaries are careful not to plan for their brothers. As Pastor Israel says, “Our students are Africans. Who knows them better than their fellow Africans? It’s up to us as teachers to prepare appropriate questions and discussions.” It’s pretty hard to argue with that. That kind of ownership will lead to excellent learning at WELS’s West African partners’ worker training schools.

In the midst of this busy week, Missionaries Witte and Kroll had the honor to meet Chief Ndongue, Quillaume. Chief Ndongue was hoping to sell a piece of land to the Lutheran Church of Cameroon.

Week Three

The Seminary instructors from WELS’s Mission partners in Nigeria spent an extra week in Cameroon. They gained firsthand experience with new teaching methods. Missionaries Kroll and Witte introduced Dialogue Education (DE) to these men. They also taught this method to the seven new pastors in the Lutheran Church of Cameroon. DE is a relatively new method of teaching adults. When participants participate in their own learning, they will assimilate the new ideas more deeply. Pastor Obi expressed his confidence in this new method saying, “It looks like this can really work to teach well.”

Three very busy weeks in Cameroon – what an opportunity and a blessing to serve the Lord in this way. One Africa Team missionaries continue to support WELS’s Mission partners in West Africa through the internet. However, nothing builds relationships better than a few weeks of face-to-face busyness!

Missionary Dan Kroll lives in Malawi and serves as the One Africa Team liaison to West Africa.