May 30, 2017 By World Watch Monitor

Jihad in Africa

In the Sahara-Sahel region, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, along with other groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda, continues to carry out violent attacks, including the kidnapping of missionaries: Dr. Ken Elliott in Burkina Faso, Jeff Woodke in Niger, and more recently a Colombian nun, Gloria Argoti, in south-eastern Mali.

In East Africa, the Somalia-based Islamist group, Al-Shabaab, has caused havoc in both Somalia and neighbouring Kenya. Two years ago, it was responsible for the massacre of 147 students at Garissa University, when Christians were singled out and killed.

In the West-Central region of the continent, Boko Haram’s insurgency, which has claimed more than 20,000 lives since 2009, and displaced more than 2.5 million others, has become a regional threat, affecting the four countries that form the Lake Chad Basin (Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon).

Christians have paid a particularly heavy price during Boko Haram’s insurgency. Open Doors, a global charity supporting Christians under pressure for their faith, estimates that, between 2006 and 2015, at least 15,500 Christians died in religion-based violence in Nigeria’s north. It also says 13,000 churches were destroyed, abandoned or closed between 2006 and 2014, and that 1.3 million Christians fled to safer regions during the same period.

In 2014, Boko Haram was named the world’s deadliest terror group, ahead of the Islamic State, according to the Global Terrorism Index.

Attacks attributed to radical Islamic groups are happening on a weekly, or even daily, basis in Africa, posing security concerns across a vast swathe of the continent.

The phenomenon has dramatically affected Church activities in various regions.

But Rev. Reuben E. Ezemadu, Coordinator of the Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI), a grassroots African initiative aimed at mobilizing African churches to send Africans as missionaries around the world, told World Watch Monitor the violence has at least had one unexpected positive effect: boosting mission work in Africa.

“The violence constitutes a real challenge for churches and mission work. But on the other hand, people displaced by that insurgency can come to places where they can easily be reached by the Gospel,” he says.

“Just an example: the widow of a missionary killed by Boko Haram in north-east Nigeria, who lives now in Ibadan, in the south, got engaged to a new convert from a Muslim background, who came to our school for training in mission. They got married in September last year. Later, they discovered that in a district of Lagos, there are Kanuris [an ethnic group originally from Borno State] living there and doing business. So now they are engaged in missionary work, reaching the Kanuris in Lagos.”

Rev. Ezemadu says there are now many missionaries among groups of internally displaced persons [IDPs], and that many Muslims have converted to Christianity.

“The upsurge in attacks have made some Muslims detest their religion,” he says, “and to ask the question: ‘Is this really a religion of peace? Is it really what we should follow?’ And as they come into contact with Christians, who show them the love of God, most of them are turning to Christ. We have heard stories of how God visited some of them, through wonders and miracles.”

He points towards the stories of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and the apostle Paul, who started out as a persecutor of Christians.

“God could have prevented Stephen from being killed, but He let him be killed so that the Gospel could go beyond Jerusalem,” he says. “And then He let someone like Paul come on board, in order to do more things than Stephen could have done. We regard Paul as the first Boko Haram militant. His message was: ‘You are following Christianity. Because of that, you will die’. That’s what Boko Haram are doing now. But God used Paul to take the Gospel to different places.

“Out of our crisis, something great will come. For years churches were focused on converting people and claiming territories, without making disciples. The crisis will now force them to turn to Christ and be dependent on him.”

A turning point

African church leaders met together in April in Ivory Coast to discuss mission in Francophone Africa.

Rev. Ezemadu adds that the nature of mission in Africa has changed, with Westerners no longer at the forefront.

“The crisis has also sent us a clear message regarding the future of mission in Africa,” he says. “Even before this upsurge of violence, anybody that is sensitive to the Holy Spirit would have known that the era of Western mission, in the way it used to happen in Africa, had passed.

“Even if Westerners can come, they can no longer go as deep as they used to go, for security reasons. Whereas African missionaries can integrate and mix with people.

“Moreover [some of] the people Westerners want reach in Africa are already in the West. God has brought them next to their doors, all over, whether in the US or Europe. Why don’t they stay there and reach them, as they can’t go to Somalia to reach Somalians?

“[Westerners] can also assist and encourage those who are doing it here in Africa. It’s like what America does [in conflict]: instead of sending troops to Iraq, they train Iraqis and equip them. Why can’t we do that in mission?

“We are not saying that Western missionaries should not come to Africa. But the time has come for missionary agencies to re-think their paradigm of missions, and even their strategies, and work in partnership with locals.

“That’s why a platform like this, MANI, exists – in order to engage African churches in mission, and also promote partnerships.

“So, the question is not whether Africans are ready to take over the mission work. It’s only for us to discover our part and play it. Because for years we were sitting down and the white people were playing it for us.

“But now, many Africans are having breakthrough in leading international mission organizations (SIM, IFES, SIL, etc.). Some started as students, others as footballers. But they are now planting churches and doing mission.

“That’s the message that MANI carries. We are God’s people, and we have a part to play in extending God’s kingdom. And what we have is sufficient to do what we can. But we are open to partnership.” (Source: World Watch Monitor).

Welcome Greetings

I stand here this morning, as the coordinator of the Transformational Discipleship Network of the Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI), to welcome once again, every participant in this landmark congress.

Organizing this congress has been an act of faith. It originated from the MANI congress of last year (March 2016) in Addis Ababa. There, the suggestion was made and approved for the subject of discipleship to be given a special continental consideration in our bid to fulfill the great commission.

Today, and by the grace of the Almighty God, we are witnesses of the realization of this goal. This is why, as a first step, we should give all the glory to God for inspiring and providing for all of us, who are here now. There are many more enthusiasts, who for one reason or the other, are not able to be with us in this meeting. But God has made it possible for us to be here. We praise Him for His mercy and provisions.

Some of your communications to me by email indicated that there is a high level of excitement, and expectation, that this congress is going to be a huge success. I consider this as an indication that God is already with us and will do great things this week. We shall witness a great milestone as we discuss this critical issue of how to improve the practice of discipleship in the churches of Africa.

History is about to be made

To the best of my knowledge (which I must confess, is highly limited), the ACD 2017 is the first of its kind as a continental effort to bring together, espousers of some discipleship models, to discuss their understanding and operation of life-transforming discipleship. I was aware of the effort made in 1999 to host a discipleship conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. Though I was not able to attend at that time, two of those who were at that conference told me they did not feel satisfied with the focus.

Since then, however, a heightened activity can be observed globally on the development and propagation of discipleship ideas and programs. Today, there are many websites on discipleship.

In this congress, we have listed five primary discipleship models for presentation and discussion. There are four others (and maybe more). We hope the various presentations will bring us closer to identifying what would be contextually relevant to churches in different parts of Africa.

I believe that the Holy Spirit will help and guide us to achieve this primary goal.

Discipleship and the Church in Africa

I was at the Global Congress on World Evangelization (GCOWE) which held in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1997. It was one of the greatest meetings of the global church to hold on African soil. It considered how to reach the rest of the unreached people groups globally, and particularly in Africa. I was highly motivated.

But I was also concerned that in discussing the great commission, focus was limited to missions and the best strategies for carrying it out; evangelism and the tools for it; church growth and church planting; research, and more.

I spoke to the then General Secretary of the AEA about my amazement that nothing was mentioned about discipleship as a vital component of the great commission. His answer was, “Who doesn’t know what discipleship is?” I was embarrassed. But I left Pretoria wondering about what African church leaders really know regarding discipleship.

In 2009, at the pre-Lausanne 2010 meeting in Cape Town, I again raised the issue in a break out session of African church leaders. Once again, it was obvious that discipleship did not seem to have a significant place in global and African church discussion on world evangelization.

But then, the impact of a lack of focus and emphases on discipleship in Africa has become obvious. The continent’s response to earlier world evangelization efforts yielded much harvest. Many souls were won to Christ and to the churches. Much church planting was done. To a fair-minded person, Africa excelled in the much that the global church emphasized in its pursuit of the great commission.

But soon, some people began to describe Christianity in Africa as being “one mile wide and one inch deep.” A number of times I heard some ministers use this statement in a derogatory manner. They spoke as if spiritual decline is native to Africa, or just to spite what God has been doing in Africa’s pursuit in the mentioned dimensions of the great commission

Yet we cannot argue against the ‘one mile wide-one inch deep’ phenomenon because the political, economic, and other indices of development and growth in Africa betray a lack of church impact on the continent. And, the ineffectiveness of the church to impact the continent with righteousness derives from her inability to raise genuine disciples of Christ who will make transformational impact in the world around them.

We must acknowledge that a few leaders have been making some isolated efforts on improving the situation. Unfortunately, it seems that majority of church leaders in Africa, particularly those heading the big denominations and fast growing ministries, are immune to this challenge, and have remained so for a long while now.

But let us accept that the “one mile wide-one inch deep” phenomenon is true, that is, that spiritual growth of the church in Africa is well below expectation, and does not match the rapid physical growth. What then should we do?

We owe the ACD 2017 to God’s grace. But we also thank God for the leadership of MANI, which, from the 2006 congress here in Nairobi, has consistently demonstrated a willingness to accommodate discussion on discipleship in recognition of its importance in any holistic fulfilment of the great commission.

This congress is an attempt to do something concrete and beneficial about discipleship in Africa. With the gathering of such choice leaders like you, God will give the church in our continent a breakthrough.

Africa’s Prophetic Destiny

If global church leaders have limited the way they choose to understand and pursue their fulfilment of the great commission, African church leaders should now break away from that limitation. If the world does not accept that spiritual decline is a global church phenomenon and dilemma, the church in Africa should courageously embrace the tag of the “one mile wide and one inch deep” disorder. And, it is as we adopt this attitude that we can be spurred to do something reasonable to change the testimony to ‘one mile wide-one mile deep.’

There is a prophetic destiny that Africa carries in this 21^st century, and to which we must wake up. In a certain meeting of some global church leaders, Professor Andrew Walls, formerly of Aberdeen University Scotland, a Christian historian of note, had this to say.

“Christian advance in the world is serial and in the providence of God, it is the Christians of Africa, and Asia and Latin America and the Pacific that are next in the series… It means that the Christians of the southern continent are now the representative Christians, the people by whom the quality of the 21^st and 22^nd century Christianity will be judged, the people who will set the norms, the standard. And the quality of the 21^st century Christianity will depend on them.”

It is high time the church in Africa and her leaders embraced this challenge of raising the ‘representative Christians’ for the 21^st century global church. We should produce believers by whom the quality of Christianity will be judged; normative believers who are genuine disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is our lot to lead Christianity in today’s world, not by jostling for global recognition or positions, but by growing in our believers, the practical capacity for Christ-like lifestyles. And, the best means for attaining this goal is by rediscovering and pursuing the practice of life-transforming discipleship.

Pursuit of a Holistic Fulfilment of the Great Commission

The primary command of the great commission is to “make disciples of all the nations” (Mt 28:19). The three action steps or mandates for realizing this great goal are “go,” “baptizing them,” and “teaching them.” We have correctly interpreted “go” as a call to missions and evangelism. The command “baptizing them,” judging from Acts 2:41-42, relates to our church growth and church planting efforts. But “teaching them” has been overlooked to the point of making it an insignificant part of the great commission.

The question I have always asked is this.

“If we evangelize the whole world and win every soul to the church and to Christ; and, if we plant churches in every hamlet of the world; can it be said that we have fulfilled the Lord’s great commission? Will it be true that we have made “disciples of all the nations?”

Whatever anybody’s answer may be, the fact remains that until we give the command “teaching them” the right and best practicable interpretation, we would not have completed the great commission cycle. Until we appreciate the fact that Jesus’ command to ‘teach them’ is the spiritual depth-imbuing component of the great commission, we will be failing in raising true disciples for Him. We will not be able to raise Christians who will turn their immediate world around for Christ. Also, we will likely lack a reliable and sustainable workforce for tomorrow’s church.

It is obvious that our Lord Jesus did not mean ‘homiletics’ when He commanded the church to teach the converts. He meant teaching the way Himself and His early apostles did it. They taught to spiritually transform the lives of people. Teaching, for them, was a process of making disciples of Christ and for Christ.

The church has so far shied away from regarding “teaching them” as a mandate to engage in life-transforming discipleship. Most of the challenges facing the church in the 21st century have resulted from the prevailing condition of spiritual decline. These challenges will remain, until church leaders recognize the importance of teaching believers to grow spiritually and to become true witnesses of Christ in this world, as they are engaged in life-transforming discipleship.

Harmonizing the Concept of Discipleship

Discipleship has not been popular with some church leaders because its outcome is not easily quantifiable. Soul winning and church growth can be expressed in numbers, by which the efforts of men and organizations may be evaluated and rewarded. But it is not so with making disciples.

Also, leaders will not show deep interest in what they have not been well exposed to and prepared for. Many bible training institutions do not have discipleship as a character forming program. Where it is included on the curriculum, it is more for gaining credits. Some well-trained Christian leaders can speak intelligently on discipleship. But because they lack the practicable insight and skill for doing it, they may not emphasize or pursue it.

In addition to these is the challenge of the way people understand and do discipleship.  Discipleship means different things to different people. A Christian leader’s concept of discipleship will inform what he will do in that name. This will in turn determine the outcome or product of his practice. Whatever the product of the discipleship program is, that is what will validate the concept.

The outcome of a discipleship effort may be mere improvement in bible knowledge. But it may also be an observable and acknowledgeable evidence of life-transformation in those who go through it. The value of a discipleship program, therefore, should not only be judged by the nature and quantity of the teaching materials and its related activities. It should particularly be by its life-transforming potential and impact.

The teaching style or discipleship of our Lord Jesus was transformational in its content and intent. This is where our discussions in this congress should draw its common focus.

It is our godly expectation, therefore, that as the various models are being presented, the Lord will open the eyes of our understanding to see a harmonized view of discipleship as He would want us to see it. He will guide us to perceive which model(s) will be best suited for improving the quality of believers’ lifestyle in our churches and denominations.

We prayerfully expect that the presentations in this congress will result in a synergy which will produce the impetus for a sustainable discipleship revolution in the churches of Africa and the world.

Initiating a Worthy Revolution

Let me announce to us, that something great is beginning to happen. With this congress, the Holy Spirit is initiating a transformational discipleship revolution in the churches of Africa and the world. There is going to be CHANGE in the way the church in Africa understands and does discipleship. Paradigms must shift, and practicable truth will start to grow and prevail.  The church in other continents will eventually respond to the challenge of ACD 2017.

There is need, therefore, that this week, we should all assume a learning disposition. We should exhibit the highest possible levels of humility and love. There should be no room for conflicting with one another.

We should acknowledge that each model to be presented must have taken some years to develop. There could be those that may still be in the process of development. But, God is behind all of them. They are the responses of the espousers to a common burden regarding the spiritual state of the end time church, which actually is God’s heart burden for now.

We will be honoring God, therefore, and helping to advance life-transforming discipleship in Africa and globally, if we assess each presentation dispassionately. I encourage us to give our honest assessment on how scripturally reliable and relevant each model is, and how easy we think it will be to implement in our respective contexts.

We should join our hands and hearts together in facing this common challenge of life-transforming discipleship, and hope that by the end of this congress, God would have given us a breakthrough for our continent and the world.

Challenges Ahead

There are inevitable challenges ahead.

It is our expectation that the outcome of this congress should be embraced by African heads of churches. It is their responsibility to initiate changes in the way their denominations run, and to determine what should be considered as being of primary importance.

Since March 2003, a group has been praying in my local church for a global revival of discipleship (GRD), every first Wednesday of each month. Since then we have maintained the hope that the Holy Spirit will eventually touch the hearts of these leaders to commit themselves and their denominations to the practice of life-transforming discipleship. We believe He will answer this prayer.

There is also the challenge of appreciating and sustaining the transformational discipleship revolution which is being initiated from this congress. Every participant should begin to consider this matter seriously. There will be an opportunity to contribute our views later this week.

A long time ago (1991), the Lord said to me: “Whenever the will of God is about to fulfill, Satanic opposition will invariably rise against it.” We should therefore not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Through faith and righteousness, and by the power which our heavenly Father has bestowed in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, we should always be very ready to crush all the enemy’s resistances. Life-transforming discipleship is a kingdom matter. Our adversary will want to fight it to a standstill. But God is committed to making it succeed. So should we also.

There may be other unseen challenges. But with our faith rested in the Almighty God, who is the author of this revolution, and with whom all things are possible, we are assured of success all the way.

In concluding, I think that we should count our individual selves as blessed for being part of this first African Congress on Discipleship. Despite the difficulties we may have encountered along the way, God still made it possible that we should be here. This is because He has a purpose for our lives which relates to the practice and propagation of life-transforming discipleship. We will surely receive special grace which will enable us to do much more than we had ever done before in this dimension of the great commission.

Please accept that you are a catalyst in this great revolution that is about to overtake the global church.

God willing, by the next time we meet, we shall have success stories to share.

Thank you, and enjoy this first and great African Congress on Discipleship.

1.0 PREAMBLE

The African Heads of Churches Summit, convened in Gomoa-Fetteh, Ghana, with the theme, “African Churches’ Response to the Critical Issues Facing Christian Witness in Africa and the World Today.” 1 Chronicles 12:32. There were about 105 participants from over 20 Church denominations in Africa.

       The Goal of the Summit was to facilitate a platform/forum where strategic awareness was generated and action provoking QUESTIONS were raised, discussed and agreed upon by a catalytic group of African Church leaders on critical issues that present threats and opportunities for the African Church in fulfilling the Priestly, Prophetic and Apostolic (missionary) mandate of the Body of Christ in the continent and from the continent of Africa to the rest of the world in the 21^st Century and beyond, if Christ tarries.

     The Rationale for the Summit

1. Missionary engagements by the Church in Africa are very minimal because the current players/main drivers are para-church ministries which operate mainly from the fringes of the major denominations. Hence, the missionary endeavors of the Church in Africa are slow. This will be accelerated if the key leaders of the Church in Africa can own, champion, and drive the African missions’ efforts within and outside the continent.
2. From the Scriptures and several prophetic voices in contemporary times, a lot is expected from the Church in the Global South, and particularly the Church in Africa, in terms of setting the theological and missional standard of Christianity in the 21^st century and beyond, as well as leading in the restoration of the centrality of the WORD and Christ in Church life and best practice and in the advancement of the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout the world in these last days.
3. However, there are many EXTERNAL and INTERNAL factors and forces which militate against the priestly, prophetic and apostolic roles the Church in Africa is destined to play in these end times. This calls for sober reflection before the Lord of the Harvest and under the leading of the Holy Spirit, to receive instructions, directions, and strategies to tackle such forces as we proceed to fulfilling our divine mandate.
4. The mega-challenges facing the Church and the people of Africa can be better addressed by the combined forces of the Church in Africa if the leaders can put their heads, hearts, and hands together to confront such – UNITEDLY.

The Critical Issues/Factors of Focus:

1.  External Factors/Common Threats/Challenges to the witness and existence of the Church in Africa
2.  Internal Factors which undermine, inhibit, and minimize the relevance and effectiveness of the Church in the discharge of her Priestly, Prophetic and Apostolic (missionary) mandate in the continent and beyond

    Outcomes of the Summit

1. Participating Church leaders agree that there is serious danger facing the witness and existence of the Church in our continent
2. Participating Church leaders agree on the need to seek for answers and a collective response to the serious dangers and threats
3. Participating Church leaders agree on the need to take responsibility to champion the efforts of getting other Church leaders to such round-table summits at various levels where they can put their heads, hearts, and hands together to address the common threats/challenges and exploit the Kingdom-enhancing opportunities that are available to them in times like these in a united way.

2.0 OUR REFLECTIONS ON CRITICAL ISSUES

2. 1 External Factors
3. Islamic insurgency, terrorism, and violence in parts of Africa (external and internal). Much of this is deliberately targeted at Christians and has resulted in massive losses, including deaths, destruction of their properties, burning of churches and Christian homes, and displacements/forceful uprooting of huge Christian populations, some from their ancestral homes. This has led to many churches in Africa having large number of widows, orphans, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Many require not just spiritual support but also practical and spiritual care such as food, shelter, emotional and psychological support, etc. The Church has a critical role to play in nurturing the parts of the Body who are hurting and also reaching out in love to those who do not yet know Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour. The present situation of persecution of Christians provides an opportunity for the demonstration of true Christian witness even to those who may have been among the perpetrators of our sufferings as a Church.
4. African governments are often pressured by the West through aid to make policies and legislation that are favourable to issues such as same-sex marriage, homosexuality and the entire LGBT – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender agenda and other issues which are not helpful to Africa’s causes. Some of these policies and legislation run counter to Christian beliefs.
5. Prevalence of corruption in the Church and countries in Africa.

2.2 Internal Factors

1. Irresponsible shepherds who do not care for their flocks, the malnourished, the poor, the sick, etc., but rather anchor their interest on self, with a desire for position and titles and lack intimate relationships and transforming fellowship with God.
2. The Church today has many false teachers and teachings and these have misled many in the Christian faith.
3. Dependence on denominational, institutional systems and structures rather than discerning and hearing biblically, the voice of God and obeying His will.
4. Materialism and undue emphasis on the “Prosperity Gospel” that only enriches those who propagate it and exploit their members helplessly.
5. Christians are influenced by the world: its systems, culture, and prevailing secular trends.
6. Abandonment or neglect of our “first love”—JESUS—has resulted in the spiritual state of our churches being similar to those of five out of the seven Churches in the book of Revelation, chapters two and three (Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea).
7. A contrast of excessive wealth and immense poverty in the Church in Africa
8. Racial cleavages, Ethnicity and Tribal discriminations are still being practiced in the Church in Africa.
9. Demographics (Gender discrimination and physical abuse against women as well as Generational Inequalities which are still prevalent in the Church in Africa)
10. Lack of “true worshippers of God as the Father and Sovereign Lord.”
11. Lack of understanding the biblical concept of discipleship and intentional focus on disciple-making and spiritual formation of the character of Christ.

3.0 OUR RESPONSE

3.1 External Factors

1. We should sensitize our numbers to challenge and seek to change negative government policies and laws that are contrary to the Christian faith, beliefs and practices. Our eyes are often focused on our local Church congregations and denominations. We must see ourselves as one body – The Church!!! We must work across denominational boundaries and embrace unity because we recognize that no single church or denomination can transform the society by itself.
2. The Church should engage in every aspect of national life and be the salt and light in those spheres.
3. The Church in Africa is the hope of the African Continent. We agree with William Bennett as quoted by Rick Warren that “the most serious problems affecting our society today are manifestly moral, behavourial and spiritual, and are therefore remarkably resistant to government cures. Spiritual revival is our only solution, and pastors are the most strategic change agents.”[1]
4. The Church should consistently speak out against the corruption and inequalities across the continent but must cleanse itself as well.

3.2 Internal Factors

1. Resist current trends in pastoral training that emphasize human philosophies without Christ and place theological knowledge above Christ. We need to be biblical and Christocentric.
2. Be serious about spiritual formation which emphasizes character and monitor the curriculums of our training programmes, from Sunday School to Seminary.
3. Re-focus on intentional teaching that leads to life-transforming discipleship, lack of which has resulted in the alleged “one-mile wide/one-inch deep” phenomenon in the Church in Africa. (The Church in Africa does not however accept this unhelpful characterization. The millions of Christians who have stood firmly against persecution through the years and even now in the face of terrorism do not justify such claims).
4. Help older Christians to continue growing and challenge them to mentor the younger ones.
5. Take seriously ministry to children and teens because they are the next generation of Disciples. We recognize that strong families play a critical role in the success of God’s mission.
6. Seek to transform each church member into a living witness for Christ.
7. Teach and practice biblical spiritual warfare which is very needful in the believer’s daily walk with God.
8. Teach correct doctrine, knowing that wrong doctrine always finds expression in wrong behavior while the right doctrine results in the right behavior.
9. Emphasize and challenge believers to practice a life of prayer, which is critical and essential to transformation and God’s intervention in human affairs and power encounters in missions.

4.0 OUR RESOLVE

      We resolve that we will actively and lovingly:

1. Extend Christian love and witness Christ to our Muslim neighbours
2. GO and MAKE disciples in OBEDIENCE to the Lord’s command. This entails: reaching, baptizing those who convert to Christ and teaching them the tenets of Christian discipleship.
3. Not overlook the necessity of teaching, which leads to life-transforming discipleship
4. Stand with our brethren who are victims of persecution including practicing the ministry of presence – physical visitation to bring encouragement and support.
5. Resist outside pressures to compromise the sanctity of the Gospel and the authority of Holy Scripture.
6. Lead as Christ led and not lording over church members and thus be “Be” living models of Christ-likeness
7. Disciple our church members, which includes:
   1. Preparing and training them to be salt and light in all the spheres of life and being able to resist worldly temptations in all of its forms
   2. Taking seriously ministry to children and teens because young people are the next generation of disciples, families and leaders. They have a critical role to play in God’s mission.
   3. Recognizing that strong families produce strong disciples and positively affect the success of God’s mission
8. Honour and allow others to serve with their gifts and not restrict them because of their

age, tribe, sex/gender.

9. Target the remaining unreached people groups and plant indigenous churches among

them.

10. Mobilize other Church leaders in our countries so as to build a critical mass of people

who will bring about transformation in our churches and nations including hosting national Heads of Churches Summit to follow up on the implementation of our resolutions.

5.0 CONCLUSION

As lofty as our resolutions are, we recognize that only in Christ will we succeed. The Great Commission is not only a command but a mandate and a promise. In His strength and by His grace, people from all nations and peoples will be reached with the goodnews of Jesus Christ. We strongly believe that the Great Commission carried out in the power of the HOLY SPIRIT through obedience to the Great Commandment, which is love, will lead to the Great Celebration, when people from every tribe, tongue and nation will enjoy the presence of the Lamb who is seated on the throne (Rev. 5:9).

Motion moved by Bishop Geofrey Chukwuneye (Nigeria)

Seconded by Bishop Mark Mariuki (Kenya)

[1] Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Church, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995, pg 20

INTRODUCING MANI

The Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI) is a network of networks (Movement) focused on catalyzing African National Initiatives and mobilizing the resources of the Body of Christ in Africa for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
History
The Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI) emerges from a 40-year history of African national movements and given full expression during the AD 2000 AND BEYOND MOVEMENT era.

The history of National Initiatives in Africa dates to the 1960’s when many African nations gained independence.  These indigenous initiatives started from the launching of saturation evangelism movements in Zaire and the central plateau of Nigeria in the mid 1960’s. Over the past fifty years, at least 37 African countries have launched National Initiatives to mobilize churches and ministries for national and global evangelization.

The Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI) was birthed when 320 delegates from 36 African nations met in Jerusalem for the African Millennial Consultation in March 2001.  Building upon the legacy of the AD 2000 & Beyond Movement, these African leaders affirmed God’s powerful work across the continent and committed to accelerate the advance of the Gospel through networking and collaboration.  This gathering shared the divine conviction that: Africa’s hour had come to take primary responsibility for the final gospel thrust in Africa and beyond; and the African Church was uniquely positioned to play a major role in world evangelization in the 21st century. The delegates determined to establish a continuing African movement recognizing that the AD 2000 and Beyond Movement which encouraged many nations in Africa to develop National Initiatives to mobilize national churches to respond to the Great Commission mandate was in the process of disbanding. Therefore, the Participants unanimously adopted the ‘Jerusalem Declaration,’ affirming their commitment to pick up the torch for national and global evangelization, as laid down by the AD 2000 and Beyond Movement.

PURPOSE

MANI’s purpose is to affirm, motivate, mobilize and network Christian leaders (Churches) by inspiring them with the vision of reaching the unreached and least evangelized in Africa, and the wider world, through advocacy and support for National Initiatives, the communication of up to date research, reports and models; consultations and prayer efforts focusing on the unfinished task.

MANI encourages the mobilization of national churches and ministries in partnership with the wider body of Christ to:

1. 1. Identify and reach out to the least evangelized people groups, geographical areas and classes of society in their country through integrated, transformational church planting initiatives employing PCP, SCP, and CPM strategies.
2. Play a significant role in reaching the least evangelized peoples and nations worldwide (world mission).
3. Develop a cooperative national strategy designed to saturate their country with accessible groups of believers (saturation church planting) and facilitate a process of transformation (radical discipleship)

THREE STREAMS OF CONVICTION FROM WHICH MANI FLOWS

MANI flows out of the conviction that: 1) The Church in Africa has a crucial role to play in the fulfillment of the Great Commission in the 21^st century; 2)  The Church in Africa has the ministry gifts, manpower, and material resources to complete this task in Africa and to make a significant contribution towards global evangelization; and 3)  Through the focused deployment of the resources of the African Church, we can partner with the global church to achieve the target of “a church for every people and the gospel for every person” in the countries of Africa and the world.

As an indigenous movement, it is helping churches and ministries work together and linking strategic networks for the mobilization of the African Church.   MANI has a working partnership with the Association of Evangelicals in Africa and serves to bridge the African Church with global networks and African Christians in the Diaspora.  Members of the MANI Leadership Team relate closely with the WEA Missions Commission, the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, the Great Commission Roundtable, the Third World Missions Association and with global initiatives such as Joshua Project and Operation World.

The Two Main Planks for the Realization of the MANI Vision

1. Facilitating the Country Assessment Process from whatever stage it is in each country and making the result available for the mobilization of the Church towards engaging the identified UGPs/LRPs or undertaking whatever intervention that is necessary to ensure that every one hears the gospel in their contexts and that every people group has a transforming church present in their midst.
2. Catalyzing the emergence of functional National Initiatives in each country where none is in existence; and strengthening and encouraging existing national initiatives from the stage where they are now to the next stages.

Regional Coordinators, National Contact Persons/Advocates and the Ministry Network Coordinators are to work hand in hand to see that these two main planks of the MANI vision are pursued in every country and region with renewed zeal and commitment.

Avenues through which MANI carries out its facilitating and catalyzing functions

1. Through the five yearly continental consultations as well as other issue-focused, interest based consultations organized at regional, national or ministry network levels.
2. Through the activities and programmes of the following Ministry Networks:

• Networks which are STRATEGIC for the MOBILIZATION Aspect of the realization of the overall MANI vision, such as Younger Leaders, Children, Women, Denominational Leaders, Church Planting Movement and Strategic Prayer Networks. The networks in this category are just evolving and therefore would need to be integrated into and nurtured by the MANI Leadership Team
• The Functional Networks which are STRATEGIC for the IMPLEMENTATION Aspect of the MANI vision include Transformational Discipleship, Media, Member Care, Orality, M2M, Chinese in Africa, Resource Mobilization & Ministry Sustainability in Africa, etc. The networks in this category are already functioning with their own established leadership and structure.

It is emphasized that every Ministry Network that is (or seeks to be) affiliated with MANI must have as its purpose of affiliation the realization of the MANI objectives as stated above (and consistent with the Expected Outcomes of the various consultations) which must be incorporated in their statement of purpose and articulated in their plans of action.

Strategic Consultations as avenues through which MANI carries out its Facilitating and Catalyzing Functions

Strategic Consultation is one of the primary engagements of MANI. Renewed vision, strategic plan and focused zeal for the fulfillment of the Great Commission is usually the result when Church leaders gather together, at an opportune time, sharing the right information without sentiments. Every five years MANI holds her Continental Consultation while other regional, ministry network, national or interest based consultations hold as and when necessary. The objective of every consultation is to celebrate what God is doing in, with and through the African Church in furthering His redemption plan among the peoples of the continent and the world, review past objectives, listen to God for fresh insights, leading and direction, to focus our energy on such directives during the intervening period before the next consultation comes up.

HISTORY OF THE MANI STRATEGIC CONSULTATIONS

GCOWE ’97

In July 1997, 1,200 African leaders from 46 nations came together in a consultation on African National Initiatives at the GCOWE ’97 in South Africa. This consultation accelerated the birthing and development of structured African National Initiatives. This catalytic event led to the proliferation of new national movements, such as Finish the Task Kenya. 

JERUSALEM 2001

In March 2001, 320 delegates from 36 African nations met in Jerusalem for the African Millennial Consultation to celebrate and share the blessings of God in the evangelization of Africa over the years, and to consult together on the unfinished task in Africa and the world. This consultation gave birth to MANI, a strong continental awakening of Africa’s Kairos Moment.

MANI CAIM 2003 – Ibadan, Nigeria

In 2003, MANI convened a consultation on AFRICAN INDIGENOUS MISSIONS at which the various issues, models, structures and strategies of African indigenous efforts were articulated, shared and documented in a compendium with similar title.

MANI 2006 – Nairobi, Kenya

Two years later in 2006, the world watched as 520 leaders from 49 African nations gathered at MANI 2006 in Nairobi to pray, share best practices and assess the unfinished task in Africa.  They celebrated the dynamic growth of the African Church and faced up to critical challenges. Commitments were made to advance national initiatives and to cooperate regionally to advance the Great Commission.

Nearly every African nation was represented by a delegation of high level leaders representing the major sections of the Body of Christ. The consultation created the platform to celebrate the vibrant growth of the African Church and to voice profound hope in the Lord’s intentions for the continent. The following years witnessed a continental harvest on the critical issues raised at the consultation: necessities of transformational discipleship, transformational leadership, united prayer, and empowerment of women for ministry, initiatives to tackle the social and economic challenges the Church and people of Africa are facing through holistic community transformation ministry interventions, taking more seriously the challenge of Islam, etc. Out from Nairobi 2006 was the challenge to clarify the task and refocus attention on reaching the remaining unreached peoples of Africa, hence the launching of the Country Assessment Process (CAP).

MANI 2011 – Abuja, Nigeria

In September 2011, a total of 614 participants from 60 countries gathered in Abuja Nigeria for the consultation of the Movement for African National Initiatives. This Consultation gave birth to Strategic Networks: Denominational Leaders, Emerging Leaders, African Women in Ministry, Strategic Prayer Network, etc, and many untold testimonies of post consultation engagements at local, regional and network levels. Through the CAP carried out in the past five years, it was discovered that an estimated 970 least–reached people groups in Africa do not yet have a viable indigenous Christian fellowship in their midst. The majority of these are in a belt stretching from Senegal in the West to Somalia in the East of the continent. Here, where Christianity of the South engages Islam of the North, the missionary task of the church is usually the hardest, and the greatest sacrifices are required. The African church is uniquely positioned to spread the sweet fragrance of Christ (2 Cor. 2:15) in these areas and to ensure the expansion of the Body of Christ to North Africa, where it once was so strong, and from there to the Middle East, Europe and beyond. We have heard God’s command to the African church to “Go North” and we commit ourselves to obey. We appreciate the hard work already done to gather data about unreached people and the most effective response of the church. More work is needed in this task and we are willing to assist in this important task of scouting the land (Num. 13) and exploring what needs to be done (Nehemiah 2). It was also decided by the Denominational Leaders Network to convene a Summit at which the African Church leaders will be encouraged to own and drive the last push of the African Church towards reaching the identified remaining least reached/unreached people groups in Africa.

MANI AHC SUMMIT 2016 – Accra, Ghana

The African Heads of Churches Summit, convened in Gomoa-Fetteh, Accra, Ghana, with the theme, “African Churches’ Response to the Critical Issues Facing Christian Witness in Africa and the World Today.” 1 Chronicles 12:32. There were about 105 from over 20 Church denominations in Africa. The Goal of the Summit was to facilitate a platform/forum where strategic awareness was generated and action provoking QUESTIONS were raised, discussed and agreed upon by a catalytic group of African Church leaders on critical issues that present threats and opportunities for the African Church in fulfilling the Priestly, Prophetic and Apostolic (missionary) mandate of the Body of Christ in the continent and from the continent of Africa to the rest of the world in the 21^st Century and beyond, if Christ tarries.

MANI 2016 – ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

MANI 2016 Continental Consultation is the 3rd of the post-Africa Millennial Consultation (AMC 2001) is aimed at ensuring that every effort in carrying out what we understand as the mission mandate of the African Church in the present context and realities of events in our continent and in the world, is being done according to the dictate and leading of the Holy Spirit, God’s Director of Missions, hence the theme chosen for this period. Five hundred and sixty (560) delegates from more than fifty (50) countries gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 7 to 11 March 2016 for the third consultation of the Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI). The consultation took place in the African Union Centre where heads of African states and their representatives meet to deal with issues affecting the African continent. Significantly, Ethiopia also represents Africa’s early and unbroken connection with the Gospel of Jesus Christ (e.g. Acts 8:27-39). As stated in the consultation theme, “Hearing and obeying God in times like these“, we placed ourselves alongside the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to his church in Africa regarding our mission in this world. The Addis Ababa Consultation was significant in several ways. Firstly, it was hosted by the oldest Church in the continent. Secondly, it was held on the premises of the African Union, the political seat of the Africa. Thirdly, we had participants from all the four continental geographical regions (North, South, East and West Africa), the Indian Ocean Islands and Africans in the Diaspora. Fourthly, there were fraternal delegates from Chinese, Asian, North & South American, and European Church who brought greetings and shared of the great doings of the Lord in their parts of the world and extended hand of fellowship and partnership to the African Church in these days of God’s power among the nations!

“We were reminded of the great need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe, once the heart of Christendom. At the 2011 MANI consultation, we clearly heard God’s call to “Go North”. We rejoice over advances already made and hear again God’s mandate and invitation to increase our efforts and focus. As Ethiopia reminds us of Africa’s earliest response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the faithful preservation of our faith throughout the centuries, we want to erect a spiritual memorial to declare that the Church in Africa will not rest until the whole world is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14}.

From Addis to everywhere … until Jesus comes”.

CATALYZING AND STRENGTHENING AFRICAN NATIONAL INITIATIVES

An African National Initiative is a strategic, national process designed to mobilize the whole Body of Christ to complete the Great Commission within its borders and to send Africans in mission to the least-evangelized of the world.   The goal is to see healthy churches transforming every community throughout a nation and beyond.  United by common vision and solid information, national initiatives take a unique form in every country and assume a local name, such as Ghana Evangelism Committee (GEC), Nigeria Finish-The-Task Network (FINTASK); the World Evangelization Network of South Africa (WENSA), Finish the Task (Kenya-FTT), the Zimbabwe National Evangelism Task(ZIMNET), Swaziland Evangelism Task, the Disciple Namibia Movement, and continental/global networks such Transformation Africa/Global Day of Prayer, to mention but a few.

Nearly half of the countries in Southern Africa are engaged in some expression of a National Initiative.  The first National Initiative in the region was launched in Zimbabwe in the early 1990s.  Called “Target 2000”, this strategic partnership involved 60 denominations in an effort to plant 10,000 congregations in un-churched areas by the end of the decade.   Intrigued by what was happening across their borders, Swaziland sent a group of leaders from 13 denominations to attend the Target 2000 national congress in 1992.  Profoundly challenged, they returned home and helped the three major church associations to launch a partnership called the “Swaziland Evangelism Task.”

The AD2000 & Beyond Movement, and in particular the GCOWE 97, was used by God to light the fire of additional national movements across the region.  The Namibia delegation was inspired to launch the Transformation Namibia movement, with significant strides made in networking church, business and government leaders.  Building upon the foundation of the Love Southern Africa initiative, The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa helped to initiate the World Evangelization Network of South Africa (WENSA) which serves as a network of ministry streams within the country.

The Malawi National Initiative for Missions and Evangelism took initial steps following GCOWE 97 and the Copperbelt Survey began as a pilot project in Zambia in the years to follow.  Lesotho has explored the initiation of a National Initiative and strong interest has been expressed in Botswana.  The Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa converged at MANI 06 and voiced their commitment to encourage one another in the formation of national movements.

Each initiative is at a different stage of development.  Several are vital and growing.  Some are in the exploratory stage.  Others may need revitalization.  Yet all are expressive of the desire among many African leaders to mobilize the whole Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission within their nation and beyond.  

NETWORKING FUNCTIONS OF MANI AND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1. Networking functions.
   1. We have made our database available to some groups.
   2. We have facilitated networking among certain groups.

• We have networked with some of these groups on certain projects.

1. We have provided resource persons/materials for some of these groups and have received vice versa.
2. We have served as a clearinghouse for certain groups, providing endorsement of their ministry.
3. We have represented Africa at the global level and have assisted in the African registration process for major global events.

• We have helped the Church to focus her resources where they make the most difference.
• We have identified gaps and have sought to bridge resources to meet these priority needs.

1. In which ways has this networking accomplished the purposes of MANI? (benefits)
   1. We have helped to connect outside networks/organizations with credible, functional African leaders. This has served to strengthen the ANI process in Africa.
   2. We have been able to guide outside organizations to prioritize needs within Africa.
2. Guiding principles.
   1. Partnerships at the country level do not necessarily translate into partnership with MANI.
   2. MANI prioritizes the local African church, helping her to take the responsibility for what needs to be done in Africa.
      1. Anything from the outside must encourage this.

• MANI emphasizes the mobilization of the whole Body of Christ.
  1. Outside input must enhance ANIs and serve to mobilize the whole Body of Christ.

1. MANI is (and will) not become event-oriented. We are a movement of people.
2. We don’t want to engage in any project that will perpetuate dependency and outside control.
3. We are open to outside resources but to be implemented at our discretion. The African Church has matured and must relate with outside organizations as equals. The message of MANI 2006 is that the African Church has come to maturity.

• We are committed to encourage what will strengthen local initiatives and empower the African Church. Any group/network that we work with must share this understanding.
• MANI should play the role of advocacy within the African Church and a prophetic role to those coming in to help from the outside; the latter need to be coached in how to partner effectively to advance the goals of the African Church.

1. We don’t want to control anything; but when organizations/networks seek our help we must make decisions regarding the degree to which we help them.
2. Any network that is willing to come to MANI asking for guidance is demonstrating sincerity. We should interface frankly with them, spelling out the criteria that guide MANI.
3. It’s all about genuinely empowering national initiatives and encouraging unity in the Body of Christ.

WHO COORDINATES MANI?

MANI is coordinated by a team consisting of a Continental Coordinator and Regional Coordinators. The Team seeks to facilitate the MANI vision at a continental level and works with National Coordinators, Regional and National Church and Missions leaders, Network Coordinators and Task Force leaders whose responsibilities are related to the following areas:

1. Helping African Church Leaders and God’s people to understand the ‘kairos’ moment that has come upon the Church in Africa and the mandate from God for the Church to play significant role in the end-time harvest
2. Building bridges of understanding between older missions and emerging missions in Africa, on one hand, and between the former harvest forces that are becoming harvest fields and the former harvest fields that are becoming strong harvest forces.
3. Helping Missions and Ministries from outside and within Africa to explore new and strategic ways of doing ministry in Africa

What Are the Roles of Continental and Regional Coordinators?

The role of the Continental and Regional Coordinators is to function together as a team:

1. Catalyzing and keeping the MANI vision – keeping a primary focus on the unfinished task in Africa and the development of an African missions’ movement with global impact;
2. Planning for and facilitating the MANI process;
3. Developing policies and the observance of codes of practice;
4. Providing accountability and requiring it at appropriate levels;
5. Providing encouragement and appropriate levels of assistance to National Coordinators;
6. Encouraging and facilitating Regional Consultations at appropriate times;
7. Editing and approving special reports to be released on MANI E group;
8. Provide liaison with global and continental networks.

What are the Selection Criteria for Regional and National Coordinators?

1. Credibility: An active member of a local church, recognized by national leaders and respected by the different segments of the church as in good standing in his or her immediate Christian community.  In the case of a National Coordinator a letter of recommendation from the leadership of his/her ministry or denomination will be required.
2. Experience: A responsible Christian leader who is recognized in a particular interest area or resource network. Regional Coordinators must have a proven track record in facilitating a functioning National Initiative and National Coordinators in facilitating inter church activities.
3. Bridge builder: Prepared to build bridges between God’s people within his/her country, region and internationally.
4. Spiritual maturity: Above reproach in his or her testimony; approved by church leadership in the country and with his or her own accountability support structure.
5. Vision: Burden for the church in his or her region/country and for the evangelization of the region/country. A person who desires to see a church for every people and the gospel for every person in his/her region, country and the world.
6. Team player: Works well with others. Can comfortably interact with others who might disagree with him or her while maintaining mutual respect.
7. Leadership qualities with organizational support: Has the financial support base and organizational structure to facilitate National Initiatives within his or her region or country.
8. A person of faith: Prepared to trust God for finances and other resources necessary to carry out his or her job description and related activities in his or her region/country.
9. Ability to communicate: Must be able to communicate in the regional/national language of his or her region/country. Must also have a capability for email communication and be will to acknowledge receipt of all MANI related messages and provide at least an initial response, within 72 hours, to messages requesting feedback.
10. Action: Must be pro-active. Must see that the appropriate action steps are being taken to bring about the realization of the goals and purposes of MANI in his or her region/country.

 What are the Job Descriptions for Regional Coordinators?

1. Casting and stimulating the vision of MANI in the countries within his or her region.
2. Facilitating on-going National Initiatives and seeing that initiatives are launched in countries where none exist.
3. Encouraging National Coordinators in the execution of their responsibilities.
4. Coordinating regional activities, programmes and projects.
5. Being accountable to MANI Continental Coordinating Team (i.e. Continental and all Regional Coordinators), National Coordinators in his or her Region and his or her own accountability structure.
6. Mentoring National Coordinators and Regional Resource Network Coordinators in his or her Region.
7. Communicating information related to MANI’s objectives to Continental, Regional and National levels of the movement.
8. Providing liaison between National Initiatives within his or her Region and the continent.
9. Generating resources to carry out Regional programmes and keeping adequate accounting records of all financial transactions related to MANI projects.
10. Identifying and recommending credible leaders for National Initiatives and Resource Networks.
11. Providing encouraging reports and models related to the MANI vision for circulation on MANI E groups and for publication.

What is the Job Description for National Coordinators?

1. Casting and stimulating the vision of MANI in his or her country.
2. Facilitating on-going National and State/Provincial Initiatives and seeing that initiatives are launched where none exist.
3. Encouraging Network and State/Provincial Coordinators in the execution of their responsibilities.
4. Coordinating national activities, programmes and projects.
5. Being accountable to MANI Regional Coordinator for his or her Region and his or her own accountability structure.
6. Mentoring Network and State/Provincial Coordinators in his or her country.
7. Communicating information related to MANI’s objectives to Continental and Regional levels of the movement.
8. Providing liaison with National Initiatives with in his or her Region and the continent.
9. Generating resources to carry out National programmes and keeping adequate accounting records of all financial transactions related to MANI projects.
10. Identifying and recommending credible leaders for National Networks and State/Provincial Initiatives.
11. Providing encouraging reports and models related to the MANI vision for circulation on MANI E groups and for publication.

HOW IS THE MOVEMENT TO BE FINANCED?

MANI is primarily a catalytic movement networking and operating through existing organizational structures.  As such it is not a funding agency. It is not anticipated that MANI will establish itself with its own office and paid staff. Rather it is expected that those who serve as coordinators at continental, regional, national and ministry network levels will do so from and with the support of their existing ministry base.

1. Consultations at continental, regional, national and ministry network levels should be planned as self-funding projects.
2. An annual plan and budget is to be prepared by the Continental, Regional, National, Ministry Network Coordinators as operational costs for publications, newsletters, email groups, office expenses, seed money for consultations, travel of Continental, Regional, National or Ministry Network coordinators as the case might be.
3. All support gifts designated for MANI are to be receipted and if possible held in a dollar banking account to be operated by the Continental Coordinator in conjunction with the MANI Continental Treasurer at the continental level, and as convenient and appropriate at the Regional, National and Ministry Networks levels.
4. Income and expense accounts are to be prepared by the MANI Continental Treasurer and presented to the Continental Leadership Team during the annual leadership team meetings. Same practice should be applicable at the Regional, National and Ministry Network levels.

HOW DOES THE MOVEMENT RELATE TO EXISTING STRUCTURES IN AFRICA?

MANI does not see itself as having a monopoly on the task of evangelization in Africa. Nor does it have the manpower, ministry-giftings and material resources for the completion of the task. These resources are to be found in the denominations, churches, ministries and mission agencies that make up the Body of Christ.

MANI is a movement committed to affirming and serving existing structures and ministries as a catalyst and network of networks for the mobilization of the Body of Christ in cooperative efforts to reach the least evangelized nationally, regionally and globally.

MANI’s commitment is to servant hood and cooperation with continental, regional and national structures, networks and ministries called to the Great Commission mandate.

TO WHICH GLOBAL STRUCTURES DOES MANI RELATE?

The members of the MANI Continental team have established relationships with (and involved in some of the following) the WEA Missions Commission, Third World Missions Association, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, Joshua Project and the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. MANI also maintains fraternal relationship with other continental bodies such as COMIBAM, Asia Mission Association (AMA), while maintaining some form of working relationship with some global strategic ministry focus-networks (such as Ethne, Vision 5-9, IPC, NAP, Global MemberCare, etc,) through specific representations

It is anticipated that MANI will adopt the following documents related to the above bodies:

–  Lausanne Covenant as MANI’s doctrinal statement.

–  Joshua Project definitions and security standards

Note the above is extracted from MANI documents tabled and adopted at ‘MANI 2006’

MANI LEADERSHIP TEAM CONTACT ADDRESSES

ADMINISTRATIVE, ADVOCACY AND ADVISORY TEAM MEMBERS

1. Reuben Ezemadu ezemadu@gmail.com Continental Coordinator
2. Dean Carlson deancarlson@oci.org MANI International Liaison, Advocate and Ambassador
3. Ross Campbell [Intl. Liaison/MEMBER, ADVISORY TEAM] campbell.mani@gmail.com ,
4. Gomba F. Oyor” gfoyor@yahoo.com CONTINENTAL TREASURER
5. Younoussa Djao ydjao@pobox.com CPM/ADVISORY TEAM
6. Peter Tarantal tarantal@om.org MEMBER, ADVISORY TEAM
7. Joao Barbosa Oliveira Jr [MANI Adviser & Liaison Person for IBERO-LATIN America] africa@gmail.com
8. Jon Lewis [ADVISORY TEAM]” jonlewis23@gmail.com ,
9. Mario Li Hing [MEMBER, ADVISORY TEAM] mariolihing@gmail.com ,
10. Gord Sawatzky [MEMBER, ADVISORY TEAM] sawatzky@aimint.org ,
11. Barbara Bills [CPM/MEMBER, ADVISORY TEAM] barb@linkmail.org ,
12. Jane Waithaka ftt@gmail.com MANI ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

THE DIASPORA REGIONS

13. Daniel Mpondo maevasev@gmail.com Regional Coordinator; MANI DIASPORA AUSTRALASIA REGION
14. Peter Oyugi” poyugi5@yahoo.co.uk MANI DIASPORA EUROPE Regional Coordinator
15. Dominique DICK [MANI DIASPORA CARRIBEAN/CENTRAL AMERICA]” domisya@gmail.com ,
16. Lloyd Chinn [Prospective Regional Coordinator; MANI DIASPORA NORTH AMERCIA]” l.chinn@worldventures.com ,

THE HORN AND EAST AFRICA REGIONS

17. Dr Samuel Kebreab samuelkebreab@yahoo.com THE HORN OF AFRICA REGION
18. Dr. Geoffrey Njuguna [EAST AFRICA REGION] revgeoffreyn@yahoo.com ,

SOUTHERN AFRICA, PORTUGUESE SPEAKING AND THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS REGIONS

19. Peter Vumisa” [SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION] vumisapeter@gmail.com
20. Antonio Mussaqui antoniomussaqui@gmail.com [Regional Coordinator; MANI PORTUGUESE SPEAKING AFRICA REGION
21. Dinah Ratsimbajaona dinah@hotmail.com [INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS REGION]

ANGLOPHONE WEST AFRICA I & II REGIONS

22. Sampson Dorkunor [MANI ANGLOPHONE WEST AFRICA REGION 1] sdorkunor@yahoo.com
23. EmmaJoe Nwachukwu (MANI ANGLPHONE WEST AFRICA REGION 2) crmissions@yahoo.com ,

FRANCOPHONE CENTRAL, WEST AFRICA & THE CONGOS REGIONS

24. Anatole BANGA a_banga@yahoo.fr , Regional Coordinator; Francophone Central Africa
25. Francis Avoyi [FRANCOPHONE WEST AFRICA REGION]” francisavoyi@gmail.com ,
26. Bertin Mwanya bmwanya@gmail.com ,[ MANI CONTACT PERSON-DRC–EASTERN REGION]
27. Charles Koumba charles@gmail.com MANI Contact-Congo Brazzaville

STRATEGIC MINISTRY NETWORKS

28. Austen Ukachi ” acukachi@hotmail.com , Coordinator, Strategic Prayer Network
29. Esme Bowers” [CHAIRPERSON, MANI AFRICA WOMEN IN MISSIONS NETWORK]esme@calvarysanctuary.org.za
30. Nosayaba I. Tukura” [MANI AFRICAN WOMEN IN MISSIONS NETWORK – EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR] nosa_vik@yahoo.com , AFRICAN CHILDREN IN MINISTRY NETWORK
31. Prosper Isichei” [MANI EMERGING LEADERS NETWORK COORDINATOR]prosfrank@yahoo.co.uk
32. Willie Botha” [COUNTRY ASSESSMENT PROCESS COORDINATOR] willieelize@gmail.com ,
33. Dr. Yaw Frimpong Manso yawfrimpongmanso@yahoo.com , [CHAIRMAN, MANI DENOMINATIONAL LEADERS NETWROK]
34. Gideon Para-Mallam gorapmboy@yahoo.com [EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR, MANI DENOMINATIONAL LEADERS NETWORK]
35. Marina Prins [MANI AFRICA MEMBERCARE COORDINATOR] membercaremc@gmail.com
36. OBED UZODINMA & DR. MRS. CHINYERE OBED obed.aposdiscipleship@gmail.com MANI Transformational Discipleship Network
37. RESOURCE MOBILIZATION & MINISTRY SUSTAINABILITY (BIBLICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP) NETWORK – c/o Peter Tarantal [Evolving]
38. Chinese in Africa c/o Mario Li Hing [Evolving]
39. ORALITY??
40. M2M??

 
CORPORATE CONTACT DETAILS
info@maniafrica.com,
www.maniafrica.com
maniconticord@gmail.com

Communiqué

Out of the great need for transformational discipleship on the continent, and as adopted in the MANI congress of March 2016 in Addis Ababa, African Senior Church and Para-Church leaders gathered from 1^st – 5^thMay 2017 at the Dimesse Sisters Retreat Center Karen, Nairobi.The aim of this important gathering was to deliberate on various discipleship models that could lead to a contagious transformational Christianity on the continent of Africa and beyond. The theme of the Congress was “Initiating a Transformational Discipleship Revolution in the Churches of Africa and the World”. The congress attracted 95 delegates of various denominations from 11 countries respectively:15 people from Ghana, 6 people from DR Congo, 8 people from Rwanda, 27 people from Kenya, 1 person from Zambia, 2 people from Tanzania, 2 people from Ethiopia, 28 people from Nigeria, 1 person from Malawi, 2 people from the United States of America, 3 people from the United Kingdom.

We want to deeply appreciate the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to the delegates of the Congress by the Dimesse Sisters. We commend the organizers under the coordination of Dr. Reuben Ezemadu and all the logistical support by our sister Jane. We also want to give special recognition and thanks to the leadership of the MANI Transformational Discipleship Track, Dr. U.& Dr. Mrs. Obed.

The Congress was marked by early morning Devotions, the Keynote address by Dr. Obed and paper presentations on discipleship models. With focus on pursuit of a holistic fulfillment of the great commission and harmonization of the concept of discipleship in his Keynote address, Dr. Obed set the tone of the congress. He emphasized that the Congress is to initiate a worthy revolution. The following discipleship models were subsequently presented:

• Purpose Driven Movement
• Alpha Course
• Disciple Making Movement
• Scripture Union
• Believers Spiritual Growth
• A case for Home-Based Spiritual Nurture
• African Strategic Discipleship Movement
• Your Kingdom Come
• Acts 2:42 Initiative; and a few others.

The feeling at the congress was a desperate need to see God create a discipleship revolution through the African Church that would sweep the entire continent and send missionaries overseas. Engaging discussions in small table groups followed each presentation. The following 5 questions were used to guide the discussion in these break-up sessions.

• How comprehensible was the presentation?
• What do you consider to be the significant merits of the discipleship model?
• Do you think it can work in your local church or denomination? Why do you think so?
• Do you think the churches in Africa should try it out?
• Do you have any other observation or suggestion?

It is our hope that when the final proceedings of the congress are released it will unleash an unstoppable discipleship revolutionthat our continent badly needs. There is a general call by the participants that all Church leaders will see the importance and urgency of Transformational Discipleship. They are urged to see how to adopt, adapt, and apply some of the Discipleship models irrespective of denominations

Also, to help raise Christ like disciples who will be agents of change, and provide the needed leadership to impact their society, communities and nations for Africa to realize its maximum potential.

Finally, we thank God who made this Congress possible and helped it to succeed tremendously. May His Kingdom come and His will be done.

(Signed)                                                                     (Signed)

Dr Reuben Ezemadu                                                 Dr U. Obed

African MANI Coordinator                                       MANI ACD Coordinator

1. Affirmation of THE UNIQUENESS OF MANI AS A MOVEMENT, nothing more, nothing less.
2. Affirmation of THE UNIQUENESS OF THE MANI VISION as focused primarily on “The Completion of the Great Commission mandate in the continent of Africa and in the rest of the world”.
3. Affirmation of our MISSION as “To catalyze, (affirm, mobilize, inspire, engage) the Body of Christ in Africa for greater involvement in completing the Great Commission mandate by reaching the unreached first in their own country and in the rest of the world”
4. Affirmation of MANI’s ROLE and PURPOSE as CATALYZING, FACILITATING, and COMMUNICATING the Great Commission Vision so that every member of the Body of Christ will find and be playing their roles in the fulfillment of the Great Commission particularly among the UPGs, everywhere and with appropriate tools under the guidance, leading, and direction of the Holy Spirit
5. Affirmation of our INDIVIDUAL COMMITMENT to understand, carry out, model, communicate and facilitate other believers in pursuing the same Great Commission Vision starting from our homes, primary ministries, networks, regions, national platforms, global forums and wherever we find ourselves
6. Affirmation of the KAIROS MOMENT that has dawned on us and all mankind, precipitating and creating conditions which bring about the ripening of the harvest and throwing up challenges which need to be confronted and assailed in order to gather the ripe harvest
7. Affirmation of our CORPORATE COMMITMENT to continue to work towards ensuring that the whole body of Christ is engaged together and in partnership with each other, towards the accomplishment of the Great Commission task, making use of all the resources that the Lord has endowed us with in our respective communities and contexts.
8. Affirmation of OUR NEED FOR UTTER DEPENDENCE upon the Father – the Lord of the Harvest, the Son – the Author and Finisher of our Faith and the Holy Spirit – the Comforter, our Energizer for the work, through commitment to the study of the Word and Prayer.

MANI 2016 Press Release
The Movement for African National Initiatives ( By Reuben Ezemadu – 31st March, 2016 )

The Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI) recently drew together leaders from across Africa and around the world at two major events focused on the mobilization of the African Church for fulfillment of the Great Commission. MANI was launched in 2001 as a network of networks catalyzing African National Initiatives and mobilizing the resources of the Body of Christ in Africa for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Its purpose is to affirm, motivate, mobilize and network Christian leaders by inspiring them with the vision of reaching the unreached and least-evangelized in Africa, and the wider world…Read more here

WHAT IS A ‘NATIONAL INITIATIVE’?

It is an evangelistic partnership within the Body of Chris in a given country or nation, drawing major denominations, local Churches and Christian ministries in such a country or nation together in a multi-pronged national strategy of renewal, church growth, discipleship and missions (church planting).

Such partnership harnesses the potentials of the Church in a given country and focuses such on bringing about transformation of lives and structures within the community

The Objective of A National Initiative

It encourages the determination of the potentials, opportunities and challenges the Church has in her context of witness and promotes self-determined approaches and strategies that will make the Church to bear an effective and authentic witness to Christ in that country or nation as such cooperative, indigenous efforts model unity of the Body of Christ and demonstrate ownership of the task of evangelization of the country.

The Benefits of A National Initiative

A National Initiative also helps to determine the frame work within which the Church in a given Country decides what kind of assistance or help it will receive from the wider Body of Christ to meet her genuine needs within her own context or what potentials she has to offer to other sections of the Body where her assistance might be needed. In other words, a National Initiative helps the Church to determine what she brings to or takes from the “Global Missions Basket”.

The Expected Outcome of A National Initiative

A National Initiative can focus on a specific issue, need, challenge or threat facing the Church or the nation within which the Church exists or a specific evangelization task of the Church. In other words, a cooperative response (i.e. a national initiative) can be organized around specific evangelization task or issues, needs, challenges as identified in a given context and the potentials of the church could be mobilized and targeted on such task, issues, needs, challenges and threats in such a way that meeting such needs in the concerted way establishes a strong witness of the grace and mercies of God in the affected community bringing into existence a body of transformed people worshipping God through our Lord, Jesus Christ and impacting their communities through their continued witness of the transforming power of the gospel.

The Scope of A National Initiative

The ultimate scope of a National Initiative is the whole country. As such, it is a “whole country strategy” of ‘The Whole Church taking the Whole Gospel to the Whole Man in the Whole Country’. However, it follows the concentric cycle of the Acts 1:8 commission: Jerusalem; All Judea, Samaria and Uttermost parts of the Earth. In other words, such cooperative evangelistic strategy can be organized by the Church of Christ in a given City, Region, State, Province and Nation where there is need for pioneer church-planting as well saturation church-planting efforts, extending beyond the local, cultural and national boundaries to the uttermost parts of the earth.

PRINCIPLES, PROCESSES AND PATTERNS OF THE EVOLUTION OF NATIONAL INITIATIVES

The Moses-Nehemiah Model

Some principles, processes and patterns of what we may call “National Initiatives” in our own context today can be seen from how God dealt with the issues and matters that confronted the nation and people of Israel throughout Bible records. We see these more in the example of Moses in the Deliverance and Leading of Children of Israel out of Egypt, as well as that of Nehemiah in Envisioning and Mobilizing of the People of Israel to Rebuild The Walls of Jerusalem. It is clear therefore that whenever God wants to do something very specific about His plans for a people, a nation or His Church, He starts with an individual or a group of individuals with whom He shares His plan, envisions such and infuses His passion and burden into such ones thereby enlisting them into His team for meeting such needs.

The history of the evolution of the African National Initiatives indicates similar principles, processes and patterns. The story also started usually with an individual or a team of visionary leaders, hearing from God or discerning the ‘kairos’ moments, or perceiving needs or threats facing the Church in a given country, researching more on such revelations, envisioning and creating awareness of such critical needs of the time and highlighting potentials of the Church to take advantage of such challenges and opportunities for growth and improvement.

From Moses and Nehemiah, we deduce the following principles, process and patterns of the evolution of National Initiatives which result in accomplishing the goal of National Initiatives (Nehemiah 6:15) ‘with the help of our God’ (Nehemiah 6:16).

1: Catching the Vision (Nehemiah 1)

1. An individual or a few visionary leaders listening to God, reflecting and meditating on what the Lord is saying or revealing about their country especially in relation to the spiritual condition of the people as evidenced in “the broken walls” socio-political and economic conditions of the people, the breakdown of moral and spiritual values and the lack of will to change. (Nehemiah 1:3; see also Psalms 80:7-13 especially 12 & 13; Exodus 3: 1-12)
2. Praying over such ministrations and imbibing the burden the Lord is sharing about the situation (Nehemiah 1: -11; see also Daniel 9:2-27).
3. Desiring that the need be met, the situation should change and that one could be an instrument in meeting that need or changing the situation
4. Being convinced yourself that change is possible, and believing that the task is ‘doable’ or ‘achievable’.

2: Clarifying the Vision (Habakkuk 2:2) Nehemiah 2:11-17

1. Assessing the task on the spot to ascertain the extent of the task (Neh. 2:11-15)
2. Stating the vision and making it clear (Nehemiah 2:17)
3. Defining the task and setting a clear, definite, specific goal (Nehemiah 2:17; See also Exodus 25:1-8, especially 8 & 9)

3: Casting (Sharing) the Vision (Nehemiah 2)

1. The burden inside radiating outwardly through body language communication (Nehemiah 2:1-3)
2. Assessing and identifying the resource-persons and materials needed and from where to mobilize them (The King, the Governors of the King’s provinces, and the Keepers of the King’s Forest Resources -1:11; 2:4-9, The Religious Leaders, the Jewish Officials, the Nobles, the Entire People – 2:16)
3. Sharing with those who can help in meeting the needs (2:3-9; 17-18; Chapter 3)
4. Sharing convictions and positive dispositions to inspire hope and confidence in stakeholders and key players (2:5.8)

4: Mobilizing, recruiting and strategically deploying resource-people and materials (Nehemiah 3)

1. Breaking the task into achievable bits and bites in accordance with the needed inputs, skills and specific ministries the people can offer (Nehemiah 3; see also Exodus 35:5-29)
2. Specifying what is needed to be done and indicating what materials and skills are needed for the specific bits of the task (Exodus 35:5,10)
3. Helping everyone to find and accept his/her own responsibility in accomplishing the task through a vertical integration of the various available and needed ministries, skills and abilities of the stake-holders (Exodus 30-35; 36:1-7)

5: Managing the process to maintain unity, common focus and minimize distractions and discouragement (Nehemiah 4) –WATCH, PRAY AND WORK

1. Continuous assessment and evaluation of the task, the strategies and challenges with a view to re-strategize and creatively redeploy resources and men to focus on the goal (4;4-5; 13-23)
2. Monitoring the process and critically analyzing feedbacks in order to pick-up early symptoms, indicators, warnings and signals of disaffection, discouragement, and disillusionment that will undermine the unity of purpose and common vision
3. Being aware/conscious of possible opposition from vested interests and beneficiaries of the status-quo (2:10; 19; 4:1-3; 5:1-5; 6:17-19)
4. Being aware that people naturally resist change at the initial stage of the process and that having been engrossed in the quagmire for a long time, fatalism and pessimism set in and the people accept the situation as normal and permanent condition (4:10,12).
5. The need not to be distracted or grounded by the initial unwillingness or reluctance on the part of LEADERS to come on board (Neh. 2:12,16; 3:5b) working patiently to convince them while carrying on with the work until they are convinced or convicted to take up their role (Neh. 3:1)
6. Decisive handling of neo-colonialism; modeling integrity and servant-leadership, empowering the people to become economically free (Nehemiah 5)

6. Under-girding every stage of the evolution with prayer, wisdom, rare faith and conviction

1. Burden caught in prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11)
2. Favour from the King and guidance in making request (1:11; 2:4)
3. Positive confession to counter negative insinuations (2:20)
4. Against ridicule and conspiracies (4:1-3, 7-8; see 4-5; 9; 6:9; 14)
5. Wise and diplomatic responses and handling of booby-traps (6:6-13)

DEVELOPING A NATIONAL INITIATIVE

Stage 1: VISION CASTING AND COMMENCEMENT OF A NATIONAL INITIATIVE

1. Vision Caught and shared by a few visionary leaders
2. Facilitating/Steering Task force/team formed by such visionary leaders
3. Pilot Research done and shared locally to stimulate wider interest
4. Commitment to Region/State/Province/Nation-wide “assessment of the harvest field-harvest force” secured from wider group of stake holders, spreading the sphere of ownership of the vision and enlarging the initial Taskforce Team
5. Region/State/Province/Nation-wide assessment task commenced and facilitated by the wider “Enlarged” Task Force Team; set target time for completion, analysis and compilation of data
6. Convene a meeting of Stake-holders/Key Leaders to share preliminary results of the region/state/province/nation-wide assessment
7. Plan and convene a major consultation of a wider representation of the church in that Region/State/Province/Nation at which the full report is shared
8. Region/State/Province/Nation-wide goal with time frame is set and individual ministries, local churches, denominations adopt aspects of the goal they are to accomplish.

Stage 2: MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF ON-GOING INITIATIVES

1. Achievement parameters are determined
2. A feedback/reporting mechanism is put in place
3. A clearing house system is in place to integrate new adoptions and interventions into the ongoing process in order to avoid over concentration of resources and efforts in certain areas to the disadvantage of other needy areas
4. Interests and offers/interventions from outside are sifted, guided and channeled in the light of how such offers and inputs will meet pertinent needs, and be relevant to the situation on ground such that they will strengthen ongoing process and reinforce local initiatives instead of undermining such.
5. Conducting specialized seminars, workshops, mini-consultations to address challenges, highlight insights and share effective approaches that will aid the local churches, denominations, ministries and other stake-holders in carrying on with their programmes and projects related to their adopted targets.
6. Convening a Mid-Term Region/State/Province/Nation-wide consultation to assess the progress or otherwise of the process and re-enforce the process to ensure it is on course.

Stage 3: COMPLETION AND CELEBRATION OF THE PROCESS

1. The Facilitating Task force team begins to compile, analyze and publish the reports and feedbacks a year to the end of the target time
2. Convene a Stake-holders/Key Leaders Forum six months before the end of the target time (i.e. the National Initiative Term) to review the report and plan for the end of NI Term Consultation
3. Convene the End of NI Term Consultation and share what the Lord has accomplished through His Church during the NI Term.
4. Re-launch the NI if necessary and agreed upon by the Stake-holders

Reuben Ezemadu

Continental Coordinator; Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI)

Reuben.ezemadu@gmail.com; CC@mani.com ; +234 803 322 4844

We have, at the moment, the challenge before us in MANI of finding successors for the current corps of leadership and developing the next generation of leaders in MANI. The current and past leaders have taken MANI to whole new level of operation and influence and now we face the challenge of finding leaders who can pick up from where they are leaving (or have left) off and build to a new level.

We sense that Great Commission leaders are not so common these days; leaders ready to think outside the box and pioneer innovative developments. But this is in itself a good reason why we must believe for such successors. A dynamic movement can become a monument for want of visionary leadership. That is the more reason to deliberately search for or develop such leaders for MANI to remain a cutting edge movement.
MANI for its own survival and justifiable existence requires leaders who have been prepared by God for the task; people who understand the Great Commission mandate and hold a strong conviction and dare to believe that it ‘can be done and will be done’ in their life time through the mobilization of the nation’s churches and ministries

In MANI we need leaders able to visualize the day when nations will be saturated with healthy community transforming churches committed to global evangelization. Only leaders with clear vision and a strong faith in God’s purposes can give direction and develop strategies that will see all churches and ministries renewed spiritually, reformed structurally and engaging in revolutionary evangelism and mission that will reach the least- reached.

In addition to being forward looking visionaries with a strong faith and sense of call, we need leaders who have a servant-heart and the ability to listen to and work with leaders of all churches and ministries – even those who might disagree with them.

MANI leaders must be ready and able to give a total commitment to serving the process of national initiative development; that they should not be expected to lead the process while holding another demanding position or be responsible for multiple activities. Such people can never give the focus, time and creative energy required to develop a pioneering movement for a whole nation. Of course this has a lot of implication for the support and funding of leaders in such full time capacity. We should therefore pray and seek for such leaders who have an understanding of a divine calling and mandate to serve in such capacities and/or a base that will release and support them to solely pursue such assignments in such capacities.