For every two steps we advance forward, we often take one step back. Nobody takes a wrong turn on purpose. But when we understand where we have made a mistake, we back up and take another run at getting it right.
Steps Forward
In 2016 the Confessional Lutheran Church of Liberia appealed to the One Africa Team for ministerial training. The One Africa Team rapidly took several steps forward in our relationship with the Liberians. Our first recommendation was to study Luther’s Small Catechism together, and we began making regular visits.
Then COVID disrupted our plans. We realized that we had seen only a small portion of our students in action. So, we asked to attend an entire worship service. In doing so, we remembered that there is more to Lutheranism and conservative Christianity than the classroom and academics.
Teachers know that their students know by what their students do. So, what are the congregations in Liberia doing? We have not seen infant baptism. We have not seen the Lord’s Supper distributed. We have not seen a liturgical order of worship. We have not seen solid law and gospel teaching.
A Step Back
We are taking one step back and reassessing our approach while our brothers continue to do the hands-on, feet-on-the-ground work of Gospel ministry. Maybe our job is not as big as we anticipate.
The One Africa Team learned a lot in Liberia in November of 2022. Now we are challenging our Liberian friends to put our new-found knowledge to use. We are challenging the leaders of the Confessional Lutheran Church of Liberia to be an active part of an online group platform. We are challenging them to participate in Multi-Language Productions’ online TELL Bible Study. We challenge them to show their ministry in writing via keeping track of statistics like church attendance and confirmations. These are all new ideas that may be a bit of a challenge for them to accept. But God challenges all of his disciples to carry out Gospel ministry regardless of the circumstances.
We also met a man and several of his team members in ministry at the “City of Refuge Kingdom Ministry.” Clarence Pillepor has had a bit of experience studying the Bible. He recognizes that in the past he was not teaching the truth of Scripture. After some months of online discussions, we took the opportunity to meet him in person. He was very excited to receive a copy of Luther’s Small Catechism, which he had never seen before. We are making plans to visit him in 2023.
Whether forward or back, we trust God to direct our next steps. Nothing can stop His kingdom from coming.
Missionary Dan Kroll lives in Malawi and is One Africa Team’s Liaison to West Africa
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
