Back in Thailand, our team was given a list of seven
different contacts in Ghana, and asked to pray about where we wanted to go
next. At some point I would like to
share the story of how it happened, but by a move of God, we decided on a
ministry called Jesus Shalom House Ministries.
Rev. Martha, our contact for the month, runs a ministry
mainly to women, and holds a nightly worship service. This month we have had the opportunity to
visit these worship gatherings every night, share a song or two, someone from
either our team or Team Increase gives a sermon, and then we pray for various
people in the congregation.
mainly to women, and holds a nightly worship service. This month we have had the opportunity to
visit these worship gatherings every night, share a song or two, someone from
either our team or Team Increase gives a sermon, and then we pray for various
people in the congregation.
Matthew and Rev. Martha at the fishing port
At the end of our first worship meeting, a man came up to me
to ask for prayer. What was he going to
ask me to pray for? A job? His finances? No, he wanted wisdom and knowledge. The next man had a similar prayer request, “I want to do the will of God.”
One night we were asked to attend an all night prayer
meeting that lasted from 10pm-4:30am. It
was a wild night of dancing, praying, singing, worshiping, shouting, shooting
guns, etc. Tim, the leader of Team
Increase, spoke on foot washing and then our teams washed the feet of all 40 or
so of the people in attendance.
meeting that lasted from 10pm-4:30am. It
was a wild night of dancing, praying, singing, worshiping, shouting, shooting
guns, etc. Tim, the leader of Team
Increase, spoke on foot washing and then our teams washed the feet of all 40 or
so of the people in attendance.
Yes that’s right, 10:000pm to 4:00am ALLNIGHT
I was asked to
prepare a sermon for the night and at around 2:30am, I was finally asked to
come up and speak. As I made my way to the front I was given a musical
introduction that lasted a good 2 minutes. The main texts for my sermon were Romans 1:16-17 and Psalm 63:3, but I
also quoted a few others as the Spirit led (including Matt. 8:20, Mark 6:4,
Luke 4:24, John 15:18-20, Matt. 24:9-10, Matt. 6:19-20, Mark 8:34-37, Luke
14:33, Phil. 4:11, Romans 5:6-11, etc.).
I might have talked about money a little bit, as the “come to Jesus and
He will make you rich, healthy, and popular” message seems to be pretty
prevalent around here. That would be a
great message if it weren’t for those things that Jesus said and did. He said things like, “if anyone would be my
disciple, he must renounce all that he has,” or, “you will be hated by all for
my name’s sake.” Jesus was homeless,
hated, and well, I don’t know if He was ever sick, the Scriptures never say; He
was just crucified.
prepare a sermon for the night and at around 2:30am, I was finally asked to
come up and speak. As I made my way to the front I was given a musical
introduction that lasted a good 2 minutes. The main texts for my sermon were Romans 1:16-17 and Psalm 63:3, but I
also quoted a few others as the Spirit led (including Matt. 8:20, Mark 6:4,
Luke 4:24, John 15:18-20, Matt. 24:9-10, Matt. 6:19-20, Mark 8:34-37, Luke
14:33, Phil. 4:11, Romans 5:6-11, etc.).
I might have talked about money a little bit, as the “come to Jesus and
He will make you rich, healthy, and popular” message seems to be pretty
prevalent around here. That would be a
great message if it weren’t for those things that Jesus said and did. He said things like, “if anyone would be my
disciple, he must renounce all that he has,” or, “you will be hated by all for
my name’s sake.” Jesus was homeless,
hated, and well, I don’t know if He was ever sick, the Scriptures never say; He
was just crucified.
I learned that I use my hands a lot when I preach.
Other things we have done with Rev. Martha include visiting
orphanages, praying for people at local hospitals, going to the port to
evangelize and pray for people, and one day we went to a national prayer
meeting (the President of Ghana even made an appearance). There was something foreign about seeing the
leadership of Ghana stand up and affirm the teachings of Jesus Christ without
fear.
orphanages, praying for people at local hospitals, going to the port to
evangelize and pray for people, and one day we went to a national prayer
meeting (the President of Ghana even made an appearance). There was something foreign about seeing the
leadership of Ghana stand up and affirm the teachings of Jesus Christ without
fear.
Kelsey Sage, praying for a woman we met at the port.
In Texas we have the Christian Chicken, Chic-fil-a.
The National Prayer Gathering, Accra square. Can you spot the president? Neither could I.
