JOYOUS CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

I want to say JOYOUS Christmas because as I have been reflecting on who it was that came on that first Christmas night my heart is filled with JOY. I hope that yours also will be one that overflows with it as you ponder that great event long long ago.

Also I have been reflecting a lot about the joy we have had in the almost thirty years now of serving the Lord in Africa. The joy of sharing Jesus with others and helping those who believe to grow in HIM has been a joyous adventure for us. Next to knowing Christ, helping others to find HIM and grow to maturity is next in line.

But also joy comes from seeing an individual find God's purpose in using him to disciple others. Through this one begins to multiply his ministry and share the joy of seeing others join in serving the Lord.

This past Sunday I attended a meeting in New Karu District Church Council. They were having their end of the year Fellowship Dinner. Count me in when there is food - right? The purpose of my going was to challenge and encourage people. Over one hundred people came.

In 2007 we had a discipleship conference in the Abuja Zone. Pastor Mannaseh Gimba (see below) attended and since catching the vision of disciple making then he has been busy discipling and equipping others.

As I have been encouraging him over the past 3 years it has brought joy to my heart to see someone so committed to fulfilling the Lord's mandate to "go and make disciples of all Nations". In his own area of influence he is doing just that. These people (see below) gave testimony of how their lives had been transformed as they began to grow and realize that God had a purpose for them in His Kingdom. Many of you have a part in this as you pray and give to enable us to be here in Abuja, Nigeria. We will leave for home assignment shortly but the joy of what God has done will go with us for years ahead.

One again Judy & I wish you a

JOYOUS CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Ministry News From Abuja

Christian Teaching Centre Discipleship Conference

What an excellent week it was as David Olatunde and I (see picture below) spent 4 days with the group above. The teaching was received very enthusiastically as we spent 13 hours covering discipleship principles and challenging them to take what they were learning and help others grow to maturity in Christ (Be Christ's Disciple). I spent several months going over these principles with one of the church's elders and the Pastor who is centered in the front row next to his wife in white. These two men will carry on with those who attended.

This is what we are continuing to do here as the Lord gives us opportunity. If we expect to see the Great Commission fulfilled in our lifetime we need to see many disciples makers raised up. Thanks to the many of you who continue to pray along with us in this.

Beware

I am posting this on my blog to warn people about someone that is using my name and info that they probably got from my blog. They are saying that I have apartments in the NYC area or other places for rent. Please if you get one of these take note that it is not from me. Yes, I am in Nigeria but I do not have property for rent in NYC. It is a scam. Put it in file 13 (the trash) as quickly as possible. The real Chuck Brod

Liberia Trip 2011

I began the trip on March 6th to Lagos. I met Sam Akeju there and then on Monday, the 7th we caught a flight to Liberia. We arrived Liberia at 10:15am. It was an uneventful flight. On Tuesday we met with the Evangelical Church Union of Liberia (ECUL) leaders and the Liberia SIM Director. We started our conference on Wednesday at Harbel, about 1 hour out of Monrovia. The 30 who attended were eager to learn.

This man, Albert Lloyd is the one who is working in the Harbel area and will do the follow-up now that we are gone. He also will have the help of two other pastors that got discipleship training when they were studying at the seminary in Jos, Plateau State in Nigeria. With this team of people we are trusting that the vision of discipleship will grow stronger in the ECUL Churches. Liberia is still struggling to get back on its feet but I did see good progress since I was there in 2008. They are having elections in October this year also and they would appreciate all our prayers.

One other highlight for me was spending some time with other men that I had worked with in the 1980s before the war. They are each involved in ministries. The man on my left was one that I spent many hours with in the 80s. He is making disciples and seeing churches established in the interior of Liberia. The man next to him is working in leadership with a large demonination. Several other men I saw, not pictured, are involved in church leadership and doing well.

We returned on Monday, March 14th. We are thankful for your prayers, the ministry in Liberia and for safety in travel. Another note of thanks is seeing how the Lord watched over Judy and the staff while I was away for over a week.