{"id":4,"date":"2009-01-02T18:16:09","date_gmt":"2009-01-02T18:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=4"},"modified":"2010-12-22T13:12:15","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T18:12:15","slug":"6778","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2009\/01\/02\/6778\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenya Visit \u2013 New Appreciation for Work of Pastors"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (January 2, 2009) \u2013 John Kepler says he returned from a recent teaching trip in Kenya with a new appreciation for the work done by pastors in that country.
\n
\n\"Kenya“These people have next to nothing compared to our churches, but they live as if they have everything in Jesus,” says Kepler, pastor of Kalamazoo Covenant Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan.<\/p>\n

Kepler traveled to the African nation with two other Covenant pastors, Brad Bergfalk of Newport Covenant Church in Bellevue, Washington, and Brian Haight of Mission Covenant Church in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania. The trio taught as part of an annual Kenya Covenant pastor’s gathering in Mombasa that included pastors, spouses and lay leaders.<\/p>\n

The event was held November 25-28 at the YWCA in Mombasa. It originally was scheduled for March, but was postponed due to an increase in violence in the country. The Americans taught on leadership, pastors and their marriages, and Covenant affirmations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was humbled when one of the Council leaders expressed his gratitude for our coming and then said, \u2018All we have to offer you is our prayers,\u2019 \u201d Kepler recalls. \u201cYou have offered much more – your faithfulness, your commitment to serve our Lord, your vision for mission,” Kepler replied.<\/p>\n

\"KenyaKepler says he also was impressed by \u201cthe remarkable desire for these leaders to be a Covenant Church, to be part of our Evangelical Covenant Church community in a responsible, productive way. They understand the importance of coming together, being together, and serving together in mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trip was a return visit for Bergfalk. He taught at Daystar University in Nairobi two years ago while on sabbatical. During that time, he also participated in a special service during which three of the first five Kenya Covenant pastors received their licenses. Click here<\/a> to read an account of that visit.<\/p>\n

The Kenyans asked Bergfalk to return, and he agreed to do so with the understanding that he could bring two other pastors with him.<\/p>\n

\"Kenya\u201cMy interest was two-fold,\u201d Bergfalk says: \u201cTo introduce two additional pastors to the fledgling Kenya Covenant Church and to see this as a potential model for mission in those regions of the world where the Covenant doesn’t have missionaries on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trip also gave Bergfalk and Haight the opportunity for experiences that took them to new heights in their own personal journeys – literally. They climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have wanted to see Mt. Kilimanjaro every time I’ve been to Kenya,\u201d Bergfalk says. \u201cOn each occasion that I was close enough, it was always cloud-covered. So we decided that we would attempt to see it up close.<\/p>\n

\u201cClimbing Mt. Kilimanjaro was the most difficult challenge I’ve ever attempted,\u201d Bergfalk says. \u201cI came back to my church and told them that pastoring a church was easy after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kepler didn\u2019t make the trip up the mountain, simply stating, \u201cI am old enough to know my limitations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: The top photo shows Bergfalk preaching, while Kepler (center photo) meets with two of the Kenyan pastors and Haight chats with yet another in the lower photo.<\/em><\/p>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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