November 2007 Newsletter: Spoken Gospel Opportunity.

The Church owning Mihabula Primary School has 6 evangelists, 3 elders and 1 minister and an overall membership of over 4,000.

Church Evangelists:

The highest schooling record of evangelists is just primary school education. Their monthly wages falls between 8,000 RFW and 13,000 RFW, that is about £8 to £13 a month.

All 6 evangelists are responsible for a congregation of at least over 500 members; and their tasks involve Bible teaching as well as other administrative duties.

Please find below what the above wages can allow them to buy (data from the ministry of Agriculture's price list for 2002 - 2004). The average cost of beans was 147 FRW/Kg, tatties 46 FRW/Kg, rice 264 FRW/Kg, meat 720 FRW/Kg. A few Kgs would be required because of family size. And this is just food.

Church Elders:

Two of the elders have exactly the same qualifications as Evangelists, and the third has completed 4 years of basic theology. This is a 6 year course which ranks below Rwanda's secondary school standards.

Two elders are each responsible for a chapel of at least 500 members. Their monthly wages vary between 22,000RFW and 24,000RFW, that is about £22 and £24.

The minister has completed the aforementioned course and oversees the entire parish.

How are the spiritual needs like?

The Church owning the Mihabula Primary School, like many Christians in rural area, hunger for an in dept Bible teaching and are the powerless victims of sensationalism and prosperity gospel which are constantly fuelled by the prevailing enfeebling poverty and lack of deeper Bible insight.

So, it is with an overwhelming excitment that I announce the faithful, consistent and clear Book to Book Bible teaching opportunity for this community through Rev Peter Dickson. This will surely be a tremendous encouragement to Church leaders and congregation as a whole.

In such desperate spiritual needs, why don't you just try any random Bible teacher?

Well, imagine you have to undergo a measure operation;

You are in theather, have been briefed about all the proceedure and are about to receive a general anaesthetic;

But before putting you to sleep, here comes the surgion who tells you:
"My name is Mr E and will conduct this operation. I have never done this before but have researched every finest detail of the operation and have the book at hand to guide me throughout."

How do you respond? I guess you just say, "I am glad you told me this before being put to sleep...!" and walk away...!

Likewise, such vulnerable Christians must thus be exposed to tried and tested, sound, consistent and faithful teaching that someone like Rev Peter Dickson is known to provide.

How can I help or get involved?

Thanks for your kind question. For now though, it will be a geat help if you could please take time to to pray for the planning of this idea which is still at the conceptual stage.

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