On the Prayer Journey

An excerpt from On the Prayer Journey

By David Engbrecht, WGM Board Member

October-December 2012

I love partnerships! I love partnerships that have lots of letters; letters like WGM, AGC, NMC, and LFF. While World Gospel Mission, Africa Gospel Church, and Nappanee Missionary Church have a strong partnership history with the AGC Baby Center in Ngata, Kenya, something new and fresh is happening. It’s uncharted territory! It’s Mombasa, Kenya.

When Dr. Robert Langat was installed as the new bishop of Africa Gospel Church, he shared a stirring visionary message calling the church to expand its borders. He called the church to press forward into Mombasa, a dark, difficult coastal city of nearly a million people with a large Muslim population. His passionate call resonated in my heart, and I, along with others at Nappanee Missionary Church, began to pray for Mombasa. We answered the Macedonian call and committed to partnering in the area.

While all of this was happening, God laid Mombasa on the hearts of Dennis and Gladys Mutai who were pastoring with AGC. After visiting with the bishop, the Mutais accepted the challenge and moved to Mombasa. As a result, a new church plant has emerged there.

First things first! The starting point of any effective partnership is prayer. A day of prayer was declared that included a prayer walk in Mombasa.

On that day, prayer partners were literally praying around the world. In Indiana, a host of people, many who had connected via Facebook and the Internet, were crying out to God for Mombasa. By phone, we connected with Little Flock Fellowship in northeast India where many of their leaders had gathered in prayer for Mombasa. Escuela El Sembrador in Honduras had a special prayer time for Mombasa. Pray Mombasa has become far more than a day in Africa. It has become a movement of partners committing to claim new territory.

The morning after Pray Mombasa, the team gathered to debrief and process, and it was apparent that this was far more than a Pray Mombasa event, but the birth of a partnership whose mission it is to impact the entire east coast of Kenya.

ACT: Form your own partnership. Scripture makes it clear that when two or more partner together in His name, great power is there because He is with us. We are called to fellowship in ministry just as WGM, Nappanee Missionary Church, and Africa Gospel Church have. Organize a community-wide, faith-based outreach project that includes more than your local church. Here are some ideas to keep the Pray Mombasa idea going: volunteer in a homeless shelter or hospice; provide meals, babysitting, and transportation for military families in your area; or build or sponsor a youth center in your community.