Loko (April 2013)
“I want to thank you for coming,” said Pastor Alfred Kargbo of Victory Christians in Action Church to the JESUS Film Church Planting Strategy (JFCPS) team. “This strategy will bring about a major change to what we have been doing as a church. Most of the workers in this church lack the basic skills and resources to plant new churches. I am very happy that this strategy, with its training and materials, will address that problem. Our goal as a church is to expand God’s kingdom throughout this district. Thank you for offering to work with us,” he said.
Eight people from his church were trained to become part of an Action Group to do evangelism and follow-up. One of them was Kadiatu Kanu who commented that the spiritual knowledge he gained from the training was tremendous. “It has equipped me to overcome many challenges in my Christian life. I can now help others to learn about Jesus,” he said. The Action Group had an outreach at Kamal Lane, Makeni City and showed the JESUS film to almost 400 people. A total of 35 new believers who professed faith in Christ at that time became the core a church plant in the area.
Pastor Edward A. Kanu of the Assembly of God Church in another part of Makeni City had been desiring to partner with a Christian organization to do church planting. “To have you here is a real blessing not only for me but also for other evangelism-minded pastors and mission heads,” he told the JFCPS team. An Action Group from his church underwent training for four days, culminating in an outreach to the Rogboroh Village. “My prayer is that God will give me more boldness to use the materials wisely especially the Road to Life booklet,” said Yusif Kargbo. “This is going to be useful for people who cannot read or write in this community.” The team showed the JESUS film for two nights during which 171 prayed to receive Christ. Twenty-five people committed themselves to go through follow-up, and a church plant was birthed in Rogboroh.
Unlike Pastor Kanu, Pastor Alie Samura was not new to the JFCPS. An Action Group had been previously trained at his Wesleyan Church and they had planted a church. “The training of AG members in several of our churches has already yielded much fruit. I am very happy today to receive you so that we can make the final arrangements to begin another church plant. I have already informed our church members about our plans and many of them are ready to get involved,” said Pastor Alie. After the training, the Action Group ministered in Makondeh Village and started a church plant there.
In the last seven months, 11 churchplants were initiated in Kabaka, Koroma, Malontho, Makondeh, Ronkohun, Makongor, Rolurk, Paitful, Magboya, Dumbuya Lane, Ropolon, Kamal Lane, and Rogboroh villages.
