They did it!  Two weeks of an intense leadership course ended with celebration over a meal.

Our Congolese Covenant Church (CEUM) leaders provided Lingala worship music.

We got a taste of the leadership seminar through presentations —  such as:

Imagine a big loaf of bread.  Now imagine a big lamp.  The lamp is next to a big door.  Through the door steps a shepherd.  The shepherd rolls a rock down a pathway, and the path is covered in vines.  You just learned the 7 “I am”s of Christ.  Jesus said I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world.  I am the door.  I am the good shepherd.  I am the rock, I am the way the truth and the life.  I am the true vine.  I’m told they learned those types of memory devices daily!

The evening culminated with award of certificates.  And then those who did the training prayed over each participant.

And then there was much singing and dancing and celebrating.  But this joyful evening did not mark the END, but the BEGINNING.  All the participants were grouped together into teams who are to do more follow up, brainstorming and implementation of what was learned at the conference.  It will be exciting to see how the CEUM leaders put into practice all that they learned.

The Congolese leaders were not the only participants we know.  Lima Sylvain from Central African Republic also attended the training.  He looks forward to serving as director of a new NGO (Non Government Organization) in collaboration with several missions and the Baptist Church (EEB) in Central Africa.

“The training was so practical!” said Sylvain, who has attended more theoretical leadership training in the past.  He asks prayer for the huge responsibility of directing a new organization and setting a tone of godliness among directors who will serve under him.

Pray that the Lord’s purpose will be fulfilled in the lives and service of these leaders of the Church in several African countries.