JINJA

Merle Stoltzfus and I completed 4 days of the conference in Jinja.  The Lord moved in a thrilling way through the week and it was obvious that your prayers brought great blessing to the pastors.  They came from a broad area, one travelled over a two day period to get to us.  The conference is due to the vision of Good Shepherd’s Fold to encourage and train pastors throughout this region of North Lake Victoria. 

The book of Ephesians has opened up their understanding of God’s great work of redemption which brought the gospel to the people here.  I cannot tell you the joy of receiving such an outpouring of thanks for the teaching.  Already they are asking us to return next year.  They danced, sang, testified in public about the truths they learned.  At the end of Thursday we had a ceremony of giving a Certificate of Attendance to the pastors. 

Here was an encouraging email is received just days after the conference:

“Hello Papa, greetings in Jesus name , I appreciate you pastor Joel for the great work that you have done all this week .

Thanks so so much , you have really brought an enlightment in the book of Ephesians that I had never seen for the 6 years I have pastored .

And secondly I thank for the gift you have given me , it's always great to use a free gift well just like salvation , it's really a rich disc , i have already started reading the Apostles creed .

I can't wait to see you again and also finishing the entire new testament .

I want really to tell you this that I have never seen a teacher of God's word like you .
So pastor you mean allot to me .

You are a world changing material Papa and I believe you are really humbled at this , I just want to follow you as you follow Christ , I need more of you , I want to be your Ugandan student you will always call in your teachings throughout East Africa , I will transport my self just to hear you teach Papa , you are really a blessing.

I love you Daddy , allow me call me that
Your son
Mwesigwa Isaac”

This was an encouraging email.  The Lord moved. But it wasn’t me, it was Merle and I simply being available to explain Ephesians.  God has answered your prayers and used the team. Now on to the next conference...

RUKUNGIRI

The conference started on Monday.  As we got through Ephesians 1 on the first day, they fired numerous questions to us and the Lord was clearly changing hearts and minds already.  But of course, the enemy wouldn’t stand still.

Tuesday morning we all went to breakfast.  Martin had gone early.  When he returned to his room, he had been robbed.  The person had a key, entered and took all of Martin’s money and computer. This of course was upsetting especially for Martin but also for all of us.  Police came, people were questioned. 

God encouraged Martin as he went back to his room and prayed.  But something else happened.  Everyone prayed.  Martin spoke to the conference pastors today and he explained his tears were tears of joy.  Not over the loss of his property. No.  That is still upsetting. He found joy over the body of Christ as it functioned just like the lessons we were teaching in Ephesians.   People had been coming up to him saying “I’m praying for you.”  So not only did the great doctrines of Ephesians have impact, the exhortations to love and pray suddenly found an opportunity for application. 

Since yesterday, we have experienced much interaction, frequent counseling over matters like couples living together outside marriage, leadership issues, false teachers, self-proclaimed apostles and prophets.  Ephesians  has been addressing these matters and the pastors are understanding how they are being armed with truth.

Please keep praying for us to effectively communicated this glorious Book.