“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin …” (Zechariah 4:10a)
In 2004, a small door of opportunity opened up to my former teammates, Fredrick and Bosco, to minister to two Sudanese refugee communities, situated in the poorer regions of Cairo (at Arba-We-Nus and Hay El Ashre). In the home of a believer at Arba-We-Nus, Fredrick and Bosco shared our vision for a small groups based church. Our vision was enthusiastically embraced by the host and his family … and “one” small group was formed on that day.
After meeting together for just one month the members of this “one” small cell group conducted an ambitious Good News outreach program, contacting fifty families in each of the two Sudanese communities. As a result, seventy families from each community responded to an invitation to gather at the venue of this “one” small group to hear God’s Good News of salvation and hope for their lives. Upon their arrival, each family was presented with a food gift pack, containing; rice, tea, sugar, soap and oil (the cost of the food packs was met by the members of this “one” small group). Every visitor was touched by the love, compassion, and open-heart generosity of the members of this “one” small group.
Two years later, together with Fredrick and sixteen other small group pastors from Maadi Community Church, I travelled to Arba-We-Nus where I was given the privilege of dedicating to the Lord our third daughter church (The Sudanese Interdenominational Church). This new church represented just one half of what resulted from the small beginnings of “one” small group. Two months later, I returned to Arba-We-Nus to dedicate the birth of one more daughter church (the second half of this amazing outcome).
In just two years, through the exercise of faith in God, and through the dedication, commitment and sacrifice of the members of “one” small group, 91 small groups resulted (with 947 members)! The needs of many desperate people were met, and hundreds of souls were saved and brought into God’s Kingdom! Wow! Wow! Wow! The power of “One” defied our imaginations. Immediately after returning to Maadi I forwarded this message to the pastoral staff of MCC:
I am reporting to you on the dedication service of the Sudanese Interdenominational Church that took place at 5 pm today. This event will go down in my history book as one the most memorable experiences of my life. 250+ men, women and children gathered together in a simple worship facility, and with sincere hearts, praised the Lord, and thank Him for His grace and mercy in their lives. Fredrick preached his heart out and 12 more souls came to Christ! Immediately, these young spiritual “babes” were followed-up. When I called for those who were serious about committing their lives to the work of nurturing and maturing their infant church, everyone present sprang to their feet and joined with me in a prayer of commitment to nurture and grow their church. The Lord was glorified through this amazing event!
None of this would have happened without Fredrick and Bosco believing in the power of “One” – the power of God.
The Bible says in Job 8:7, “And though you started with little, you will end with much”. Friends, do you believe in the power of “One”?
