As individuals, we are so small and insignificant, but God put us into a body of believers that together we might achieve His will. One of the goals of our ministry should be to release others into ministry:
‘to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ might be built up.’
When I first saw the Mailbox Explorers Club courses I was immediately excited by the potential to reach children in primary school. In 2001, I received permission from a couple of head-teachers to run these courses in their schools as after-school clubs. The children enjoyed studying the lessons and I enjoyed teaching them. I realised that what I could do was very limited so I wanted to get others using these courses.
I contacted pastors and Christian teachers and showed them the courses. I encouraged them to use them to get the children studying the scriptures. We had about 30 schools studying but I could never seem to get above this number. It was hard to find more people willing to give the time and effort to run a club. The problem was the same as Jesus pointed out:
‘the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few, pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into the harvest field’
One of the mistakes I made early on was to organise individuals to run these courses. Now when I introduce their use in new areas I am keen to emphasise that Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs:
‘two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down his friend can help him up’
I encourage leaders to take along a second person and train them on how to run a course. In this way, if one of them is occupied, the other can run the club. Moreover, at the end of the year, the student leader can then go on to run a club in another school and himself train up a future leader. In this way, the potential is to double the number of schools reached each year. Pray that a vision for this type of multiplication would motivate those running these clubs: not only to be fruitful themselves but to train others up into fruitfulness.
I used to do evangelistic film ministry. I found that it was a great way to draw in crowds, present a gospel message and give the local pastor the opportunity to preach to a large audience. I still look at maps of the area where I used to live and with satisfaction realise that many of the villages have now been exposed to the Gospel. This film ministry continues, but without my presence. I make regular trips to Burkina Faso to oversee the Bible Club ministry and, as a frequent flyer, I have three 23kg bags each time. Every time I am loaded with resources for the ministry but recently I have started taking projectors with me as well. The first projector I went out with in 2004 cost £1000; now they are much cheaper (and the smaller and lighter). Local Burkina churches pay the cost although I often provide them with a protective case. I have taken out about 8 projectors in the last year that are being used in evangelistic film ministry and in other ways. I have a long list of requests that, if I can fulfil, I trust will be a great help in the advance of the Gospel.
I often get requests for laptops as well. If you have an old laptop, with a reasonable battery, sitting around unused, I’d be delighted to take it out with me. With the operating system intact but your personal data wiped, it can then either be taken to the Mission Africa office or left with me. Contact me to find out more on jeremy.nash@missionafrica.org.uk
