In Course 2, Our Powerful Gospel, we focus on the essential truths of the gospel by studying Romans chapters 1-5:
- God’s rights and wrath
- Our rebellion and hypocrisy
- Jesus’ sacrifice for us
- Our response – saving faith
In a final, key assignment, each pastor writes their personal testimony – how they came to understand their need for Christ and turned to Him in repentance and faith. This assignment tests church leaders’ understanding of gospel truth and gives them, as God’s redeemed, the opportunity to say so (Psalm 107:2). Church leaders share their faith stories with one another in small groups, and we invite a few church leaders to share their testimony with everyone. The stories are as unique as each person.
Pierre Fedelquin, a young pastor, shared that he grew up in a Christian home but rejected Christ. After secondary (high) school, he moved to Port au Prince to pursue a career in acting and singing. He began drinking and taking drugs, a habit that quickly took over his life. One day, Pierre took drugs in the morning, went to work. After work, he drank so much that he had trouble breathing. He thought he as going to die. Half conscious, Pierre saw himself standing before God. The Lord questioned him about his rebellious choices, and he could say only, “I don’t know why I’m doing this. I’m guilty.” In his vision, Pierre heard Jesus say to him, “I’m going to make you an example to others for Me.”
He woke up in a hospital bed. His wife was there, moistening his mouth with water. He began to weep and told her, “Keep giving me water! I have to tell you what happened to me!” Pierre told his wife about his vision. The following Sunday they went to church, and Pierre confessed Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
LeFran Silvio, a seasoned church leader, told the group that his life started badly. His father worked for a Vodou witch doctor, and LeFran and his siblings beat the drums for the mystical Vodou ceremonies. When he was 12, he knew he had a choice to make. Either he would turn to God or he would follow in his father’s footsteps. Soon after this realization, during a mystical ceremony, devotees of the witch doctor came for LeFran but he ran from them and escaped.
Pastor François (the host pastor for our training) and his wife had ridden their bikes to LeFran’s village of Sabonet to tell people about Christ. LeFran went to François on the street and told him, “I want to be converted to Christ!” François prayed with him and immediately put him in a young man’s singing group at his church to help him grow spiritually. LeFran smiled as he said, “God has changed my life!” When the witch doctor in LeFran’s hometown was dying, he asked that LeFran and a few other Christians visit him and tell him about Jesus. LeFran was overjoyed to do that!
Sharing our testimonies with one another leads to joy and worship! Following this time of worship, I lead a session in our course called “Gospel Truth in All of Ministry.” I remind pastors that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church. We must not add to it or take away from it. God has tasked us with proclaiming the good news of Jesus clearly, compassionately and persuasively. The Holy Spirit will do the rest because “the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes . . .” (Romans 1:16) We then talk about specific ways to strengthen gospel truth in our churches through personal testimonies and in our preaching and teaching.
What’s your story? When did you first understand that you needed a Savior and that Jesus alone is that Savior? What and who did the Lord use to lead you to turn from your sinful, selfish ways and confess your faith in Jesus Christ, who paid for all your offenses through His death and resurrection? I encourage you to write your personal testimony, worship the One who rescued you, and share your story with your family and friends. I once was blind but now I see! I once was lost but now I’m found! I once was religious, but now I have a personal relationship with God! The Lord uses a Christlike life and a compassionate, courageous witness to spread His good news far and wide!
have a creative solution to this problem. They organize weddings for several couples at a time and help them with the cost of wedding clothes and food. Brilliant!
2. Donate your drum kick to a Haitian church.
Evangelical Theological Institute of Haiti (ITEPHA) is the only college of its kind in northeastern Haiti, and it’s doing well!
We tell pastors that making disciples is Job One for the church and that church leaders must exemplify disciple-making as well as teach it. Modie’s pastor did that. He opened his heart and his home to a boy from the streets. He loved him, won him to Christ and discipled him over many years. That boy was Modie. God changed his life and now he loves Jesus and serves faithfully in His mission – a perfect picture of what we teach church leaders in Course 3. May God use this course to inspire and equip church leaders to devote themselves to making disciples in Haiti!
How uncomfortable am I willing to get to be part of Jesus’ mission?
How uncomfortable am I willing to get to be part of Jesus’ mission? The question returned. I thought of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” What Paul calls light-weight problems would level most of us. A few verses earlier, he says he is “hard-pressed . . . perplexed . . . persecuted and struck down.” Later in this letter, he tells us:
How could Paul call these high pressure even life-threatening situations “light and momentary troubles”? He doesn’t believe for a moment that he’s paying for his sins through hardships, nor is he bragging about his latest episode of suffering for Jesus. He only shares these hardships to combat the super-spirituality of false teachers unwilling to get uncomfortable for the mission of Christ. 