Month: October 2013

First ever GO Equipped! course in Sweden

/ Steinar Opheim

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For the first time ever the GO Equipped Tentmaking course will be run in Sweden later this month. Swedish leaders believe this can be the starting point of a Swedish tentmaking movement.

“Several churches and organizations are speaking about tentmaking, and some of the leaders will attend the course to learn more. Afterwards we will sit down and discuss how we can work together to promote tentmaking in Sweden,” says Stefan Rizell. He is the mission leader at Smyrnakyrkan, in downtown Göteborg, and the primus motor behind the tentmaking course that will run from October 30th through November 3rd.

“I attended the GO Equipped course in Bergen in May this year and the teaching went beyond my expectations. Now I am looking forward to seeing many people from Sweden experience the same teaching,” Rizell says.

He is sure that the course can benefit all Christians, whether they are thinking of going to another culture or planning to stay at home.

“The central part of the course deals with how we can, in a natural and loving way, make Jesus known to the people around us in our everyday lives. It is very important that we help everyone in our congregations see themselves as God’s representatives where they are.  At the same time, the course focuses on cross-cultural ministry. In our globalized world, tentmakers can bring the gospel to places where traditional missionaries usually do not have access,” says Rizell.

2 Hour FREE Info Seminar
before the course

If you are undecided on whether you should attend the full course, there is a free 2 hour information seminar on Wednesday 30 October at 18:30 at Smyrna Church in Göteborg. at Tentmaking Sweden

30 people signed their own ”death sentence”

/ Steinar Opheim

http://globalopps.org/tmbriefs/Nema1.jpg

30 Nigerian Christians answered yes when they were asked to go as tentmakers into an area where their lives will be constantly at risk.

Nigeria Evangelical Mission Association (NEMA) aims to recruit, train and send out 15,000 tentmakers by 2020. Most of them will go to what can spiritually be regarded as the toughest places on the planet.

In August, tentmaking was the main subject when NEMA arranged its annual conference in Lagos. For everyone attending it became perfectly clear that many of the Nigerian Christians will hold nothing back as they live and work to expand God’s kingdom. One incident at the conference showed to the full extent the total commitment many of the believers have to Jesus.

Difficulties

It all started when one of the speakers invited people from the audience to join him in his work. He had come from a highly sensitive, far away nation and from the podium he shared openly about the suffering and persecution he and his co-workers were facing.

“Many people have died around me – expatriate workers as well as local believers. In many ways I feel like the last man standing,” he said. He shared that the kingdom results are scarce, but things are happening on a small scale. ”Even if this is a dangerous ministry, I believe that God may call one or two of you here today to come and join us. Are you willing to come?” the tentmaker asked.

When the person leading the meeting took over, he repeated the invitation. “Will those of you who feel that this can be a calling for you please come forward,” he said.

Death sentence

It was quiet for a little while. Then one person stood up and walked forward. Then another one. And another one. In the end, around thirty people were on the move towards the podium.

“I hope you are aware that you are in many ways signing your own death sentence by accepting this invitation. Are you really willing to do this?” the leader asked.

Some of the people in front of the podium were crying. Others were kneeling on the floor in praise and prayer.  After a while, they were all led to the side of the conference room where they received the first instructions for what was ahead of them.

“It is amazing to meet this kind of commitment for the Lord,” commented one Western leader who was present at the conference.

Several Nigerian mission leaders have said that they sense that Christians from their own nation have a special call to take the Gospel to the toughest places in the world. “We experience persecution here in our own nation. Through this, God has prepared us for the tough treatment and persecution we may meet elsewhere,” one of the leaders said.