MUSTARD SEED POWER

Thank you for your Support

We are so grateful to you all for the amazing support that you have accorded us over the years. And especially for the incredible givings last year, the year 2020, that you were able to make toward the churches in East Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. During this period our churches faced many financial challenges.

We had disciples lose jobs, others had their businesses shut down or decline in business. This is because many jobs closed down while the Covid-19 government restrictions and regulations reduced the human interaction yet many of those small scale business were ones thrived in such a setting.

GOOD NEWS

Through your support many found relief during these difficult times.

East Africa is on the eastern part of the continent of Africa and toward the middle section. There are a total of 16 churches in the 6 countries of Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. These have the approximate total population of 305 million.

We still do not have a church in the 4 Eastern African countries of Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti and Eritrea. These have an approximate population of 20.5 million.

In 2020 God helped us to baptize a total of 102 with 12 restorations, giving us a positive growth for the first time in

Mark 4:26-29

The farmer simply plants the seed. It grows: by itself. HOW? The farmer does not know. DO WE? Today if you ask someone they will say that they know. For GERMINATION to occur: Warmth, Air, Moisture! But how? A pebble won't respond that way. Because there is power in the seed that God put there. 

Within us is power that God has put inside each individual. We are all created in the image of God though it is hard to imagine with all the evil in the world. This image cannot be destroyed. Anyone can bring forth that image when they choose to turn to God. 

Why are we talking about the power of the seed? Because many need the chance to turn/repent. And we who with unveiled faces see the glory of God have the privilege to show them the way. 

1. MUSTARD SEED FAITH

Matthew 17:14-21

When Jesus and the Three came down the mountain the other disciples were stuck, unable to drive out the demon, yet they had been given the power! The mustard seed faith was all that was needed.

Looking at the numbers in our community can be daunting, an unscalable mountain but ... 

RONGAI Brothers and Sisters ... What vision do you have for this "city"?  What do you see God doing in the coming years? 30 is a big mustard seed... The power within is unimaginable. This power has been put there by God himself. And he's the one who determines where we are. 

And for all of us wherever we are ... Nairobi, Pipeline, Kitengela, East Africa... What do you see ahead? 

Whenever there's a big thing ahead of us, doubts also abound. We start conversing with the devil. 

2. MUSTARD SEED GROWTH

Mark 4:30-34

Sometimes we feel our faith is not growing especially when we face challenges of many kinds which also include a lack of "numbers" as per our expectation.

Do not lose your faith! [ILL: I read recently about a group that would meet to encourage one another. On one occasion they met and shared mustard seeds, each person asked to pick one. Before the jar went round, the first person person had lost theirs, because the seed is so small! while someone else had picked several!]. We must nurture the faith for it to grow. Without protection it will easily be lost. We must also trust that the one mustard seed is enough because that is what God is going to use.  

The parables here prove that the Kingdom of God will DEFINITIVELY grow! Even if there is resistance and opposition, it will still grow. God ensures this.

The mustard seed is small, possibly looked down on, yet proves powerful, both in our personal lives and in the world. 

All the earth??? Possibly in reference to seeds planted in Galilee. As small as a mustard seed was a phrase used proverbially by the teachers of that time and place as that is what people understood easily. 

Grows to be the LARGEST tree in the GARDEN ... it was going up to about 10’ tall! ONLY. 

The Power of the Seed is in all of us. As we move on in the year, know that you are the seed. Take care and let it grow. God bless.

LET US PRAY TOGETHER ...