Go Out into the Highways!

“To all people and nations and kindreds and tongues the truth is to be proclaimed. The time has come for much aggressive work to be done in the cities, and in all neglected, unworked fields.”

-Review and Herald, June 23, 1904.

"Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled," Christ says.

We believe that heeding to this call is the reason why Umoja 2 Seventh-Day Adventist Church has planned for city evangelism training. Accordingly, the invitation was extended to us to conduct it and help them be prepared for the great work ahead. It was a privilege for us to train God’s people how to do public evangelism, personal evangelism, child evangelism and health evangelism.

Sunday morning of the 11^th day of May, before officially beginning the training in the evening, we attended the Bible and SOP study of a group of young people. We were really inspired as we saw their commitment in digging deep through these books and how they have found the treasures in it. “Present truth” believers, as we call these diligent students of the writings coming from One source, are not only after the letter but the spirit as well. We really Praise God for meeting, knowing and working with them.

Public Evangelism

…is like gardening – from planning and preparation to preserving the harvest.

These encompassed the topics which Kenneth covered in this subject. Some of them were: Cycle of Evangelism, Church Preparation and Participation, Personal Preparation, and Evangelistic Preaching. The training was attended by around 30 members, not just from the host church, but also from different churches within the district. For the two-week sessions, they significantly benefited from the lectures. Knowing the primary principles on this subject and the do’s and don’ts, we believe that they have been armed to have an orderly and successful city evangelistic campaign soon, by the grace and help of the Master Public Evangelist. 

Personal Evangelism

Not everyone is called for public evangelism but everyone is called for personal evangelism.

“In large cities there are certain classes that cannot be reached by public meetings.”

–Christian Service, p.113

These statements still stand true up to this era. Thus, to help prepare the church, principles on doing personal work must be taught which Ate Maya and I were assigned. We shared principles on How to Give Bible Studies, Finding Receptive People, Making Friends for Christ, and Successful Visitation Strategies, and others.

There were not merely theoretical knowledge that they've learned here but practical application too, as we did house visitations. We were initially scheduled to do the training and visitations for just a week but because of the need for further lectures and visitations, the church requested for another week of our service. We Praise God for such because we, together with the church’s young people, had gone to two different fields – a slum and a not-so slum one. We were all blessed with rich experiences as we had ministered to people through giving Bible studies, recommending and administering home treatments using natural remedies to the sick, praying in each house, and even meeting challenges along the way. 

The men youth joining us in visitation

With Agnes in my group, the only consistent lady who joined in visitations

Visited Mama Gladys and some of the 14 kids she is taking care of

“By visiting the people, talking, praying, sympathizing with them, you win hearts. This is the highest missionary work that you can do.” -Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 41.

We Praise God for letting us experience this highest missionary work. Truly, the joy of serving souls whom God bought with His precious life and blood was inexpressible. 

A Mama who first called us to pray for her 'cause
she wanted to be saved...Later, handed her that book

Visited this family whose head was the only Adventist, but at work that time

Health Evangelism

I was privilege to share the “right arm” as a way of doubling the effectiveness of the trainees and church members as gospel workers. As Jesus spent more on healing the sick than in preaching during His ministry here on earth; hence, it is a great responsibility to teach them how they can follow the Master Medical Missionary. Facts and counsels on vegetarianism, meat-eating, and using dairy products and eggs were among the focus. Every session did not end questionless – but this scenario had been expected, as it had always been. The good thing is truth will remain as truth ‘til the end, no matter how would God’s people respond to it. Whether the message will be accepted or rejected, it is not our work. We have presented the message as how God wanted it to be and our prayer is that the Holy Spirit’s conviction would always visit His beloved people, that they may practice healthful living first so they could be more effective in instructing healthful living to many souls. Nevertheless, among the group, there were listeners who gladly and committedly took regard of the counsels and were already practicing them – a comfort for our hearts!

How we pray that God’s people would heartily and seriously understand the true object of medical missionary work – pointing sin-sick men and women to the Man of Calvary and not just to make healthy sinners. 

Child Evangelism

Ate Maya lecturing at Umoja 2 SDA Church

During the course of the weeks, we conducted two child evangelism trainings at Umoja 2  and Starehe SDA Churches. Ate Maya and I, as we usually do, trained the parents, teachers, and church children leaders on this. We are so pleased to present principles to them that even some were new to their ears (as praying with the child before inflicting punishment), opposite to what they have accustomed to do in their churches (as doing skits and drama), and different from what they practice in their homes and churches (as disciplining a child). 

During one of my presentations at Starehe SDA Church

In one of the meetings, a confession from a mother stirred our hearts. She said that she had been hearing the prophecy on Daniel 2 being presented but she couldn’t understand it. But it was only then, when we had an actual presentation on it, that she understood it clearly and vividly. Surely, presenting the truth in a simple way is essential as there are adults who are but little children in their understanding.

Praise the Lord for the new child evangelists who dedicated themselves to suffer the children to go to Jesus! 

Presenting the Unpopular Truth

Before we ended the 2-week training, an opportunity has been given me to present on Modesty. As the request called for, jewelries, cosmetics, dress, and modesty in conduct were covered. Question after question had been raised after the presentation. This is not just an issue in my country but here, too. It was really timely when I was reading the book ‘Creeping Compromise’ by Joe Crews, which I borrowed from a friend, and was a great help in answering the questions (apart from quoting from the inspired writings and additional inputs from the team and the brethren). 

Presentation of Standards during our last Sabbath afternoon

After all, here is what I shared to our brethren and what I’m sharing to you too:

“When we reach the standard that the Lord would have us reach, worldlings will regard Seventh-Day Adventists as odd, singular, strait-laced extremists.”
-Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 289

I added, if I will be branded as such, then let it be…as long as I’m upholding the standards of my Lord.

“Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast…"
-Testimonies to the Church, vol. 5, p.216

What a strong statement that God’s people must not overlook. Yes, we are in the world, but we are not to conform to the world! Lest, who wanted to receive the mark of the beast? God forbid, if there’s one among God’s chosen generation!

With the young people of Umoja SDA Church

With the leaders, the kids, and few youths of Umoja SDA Church

We Praise God for another family that we have found in Umoja 2 SDA Church. Another family that has been equipped to usher the coming of the Saviour of Mankind and help prepare a people for His soonest return!

Our reverent prayer is all of them will stand for the right though the heavens fall!