9 May 2009 - Pastoral Training

JEM PASTORAL TRAINING
SECOND PHASE
MAY 9, 2009



On May 8, 2009, Friday, at about 3:00PM, we took off from Monrovia in a four-door Hilux pickup for the city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. The 88-mile road, before the civil war was a one hour thirty minutes drive. Now the road is very bad and takes about three to four hours. By 6:30PM, we safely arrived in Buchanan.

Saturday, May 9, 2009, the day of our training, was cloudy. Before we took off, we discovered that the vehicle had a flat tire. After fixing it, we took off and arrived at Wayzon city where the training was to be held.



Our guest speaker was Pastor Tom T. Logan. He is a 1988 graduate of the African Bible College now called African Bible College University. Pastor Tom Logan is presently the Head Pastor of the Open Bible Standard Church in Buchanan.

Pastor Logan taught the course PASTORAL MINISTRY. His topic was, QUALIFICATIONS OF PASTORS. His texts came from ITim. 3:1-7’ Titus 1:6-9; IPet. 5:1-4.



One of the pastors testified that he has started to teach his leaders what he is learning from the seminar. We were greatly encouraged at his testimony and pray that others follow his footsteps.

One other pastor brought out a concern. “We the pastors do counsel and visit our members as well as encourage them. But we do not have anyone to counsel and encourage us. Our members look up to us that we have all,” the pastor stated. Being a pastor to the pastors is one of those things JEM wishes to see done.



The training ended at 2:30PM with about 25 students attending.

On our way back, the rain was very heavy. We could hardly see the road. Our vehicle has to drive slowly. Praise God we made it safely to Buchanan.

Pray with us that this training will greatly change the lives of these church leaders when it comes to leadership and ministry. Pray with us that God will continue to grant us traveling mercy as we travel on these bad roads.

Reported by Pas. Benjamin T. Munford

May 02 Pastoral Training

We started our second phase of pastoral training this gone Saturday, May 2, 2009. We had 21 church leaders in attendance (the same people who started in the first phase).

The Rev. Tom T. Logan to taught on "PASTORAL MINISTRY". He dealt with the life of the pastor as well as the responsibilities of the pastor. No photos are available for this training.

We will continue our training Saturday, May 9, 2009.

BENJAMIN T. MUNFORD, Director - Jesus Evangelism Ministries

Puppet Show & Pastoral Training

PASTORAL TRAINING AND PUPPET SHOW REPORT
APRIL 4, 2009

Saturday, April 4, 2009 was a very good sunny day. Buchanan is the second largest city in Liberia. This township is called Wayzon. It is not far from the LIBERIA AGRICULTURE COMPANY (LAC). This company is the second largest rubber company in Liberia. Most of the people in this township work with the rubber company.




This Saturday marked the last day of the first phase of our pastoral training. There were about 22 church leaders from 13 local churches. I taught the course “PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES”. I have been teaching them the seven steps to preaching biblical messages.



At the close of our class, students were allowed to share their testimonies how the course has helped them. One pastor said the he was very grateful to be part of the training. For the course had helped him to be able to prepare sound and better messages. We were very encouraged from their testimonies and from the improvement seen from class discussion and work.

PUPPET SHOW

At about 4:15PM, we started our puppet show in a near by community, not very far from where we usually conduct our training. As we were setting up our stage, few kids started to come. But lot of kids and adults pulled in when the puppets were doing their first song. Quickly the news spread around in the community and the place was crowded. There were about 100 persons. There were more kids than adults.



After two songs by the puppets, one of our team, Pastor Malachi, preached the word of God. After his message, he gave the altar call and lots of kids as well as adults said aloud the sinner’s prayer. After the gospel message, the puppets did two more songs and we ended the show with a prayer.



We praise God for the opportunity we have to share the gospel with people through the use of puppet show.

Kindly remember us in your prayers.

Rev. Benjamin T. Munford

March 21 Ministry Training and Puppet Show

Dear Friends,

We have been carrying out training for pastors and church leaders in the morning and conducting puppet shows in the afternoon in the rural part of Grand Bassa County (about 45 miles to Buchanan). March 21 was our third day of training and puppet show. Our team consisted of seven persons on the team: David, Doris, Eugine, Thomas, Mongar, Matthew and Ben.

After the devotion by Pastor Matthew Malachi (Matthew 5:13-16), I distributed 23 Reformation Study Bibles among the pastors and church leaders. These study Bibles were donated by students at Covenant College and the members of Highlands Presbyterian Church (where Rev. Travis D. Hutchinson is the pastor). Ligonier Ministries allowed Travis Hutchinson to purchase these Bibles at cost.



These church leaders did not have study Bibles or other study materials. They were very excited and thankful to God for such a gift. These study Bibles will greatly help them to do well in the course which I am teaching (PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES).



In the afternoon we took our puppet equipment on the football field where we usually have our show. Before we got on the field, some of the kids were already there waiting. Some of the kids knew we were around because they saw us coming and they were all around where we were having our training.

Again, our puppet show went very successfully. About 200 kids and adults were at the show. After two songs by the puppets, the gospel was given and again we saw kids and adults raising their hands to make a decision for Christ. I preached about the story of Zacchaeus. Many prayed out loud to receive Jesus.



After the message, the Puppets did two more songs. While they were doing their last song, some government officials and community leaders came to have a brief meeting. While they were waiting for the others, we were able to watch our show.

Many thanks to all for your prayers.

Ben Munford (Director)

March 14 Ministry Training and Puppets

On Saturday, March 14, 2009, we left with the puppet team for Wayzon, District #3 where we are carrying on the training and the puppet show. The training started in the morning at about 10:00AM and ended 2:00PM. For the two days, I have been teaching on the topic: "PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES". We have 20 pastors/church leaders in attendance.



There was a very heavy rain that fell that Afternoon. But by the time we ended our training, the rain has stopped.

Before we went out for the puppet show, we have a time of prayer and practice for an hour. By about 3:00PM, we went on the football field which is not far from the training site. When the kids saw the vehicle, they knew we were there again for puppet show. They started to come. By the time we were finished with setting up our stage, the place was crowded. The kids were so many that were pressing in on us. We have rope to keep the kids at a distance, but they kept pressing in. It reminds me of the time when people crowded around Jesus by the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). He has to get in a boat. We have to adjust our stage three times. These people and kids were hungry and thirsty for the things of God. There were about 400 person (kids and adults).



After some songs by the puppets, I shared the word of God. Lots of kids as well as adults said the prayer aloud confessing their sins and and asking Jesus into their hearts.

THE REV. BENJAMIN T. MUNFORD
Director - JEM
Director - Agape Puppets, Liberia

March 09 Pastoral Training

(more webmaster tardiness!)

JEM PASTORAL TRAINING
WAYZON #3 COMPOUND, GRAND BASSA COUNTY
MARCH 8, 2009
REPORTED BY REV. BENJAMIN T. MUNFORD



On March 8, 2009, we started our first phase of our Pastoral Training. This training has four phases: The First Phase (March 7, 14, 21, and 28); Second Phase (May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30); Third Phase (July 4, 11, 18, 25) and the Fourth Phase (September 5, 12, 19, 26).

The key courses to be taught during this training are:

CHURCH MINISTRY, ADMINISTRATION AND EDUCATION
PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES AND PASTORAL MINISTRY
BIBLE STUDY METHODS/INTERPRETATION
PREACHING PRINCIPLES AND METHODS
PERSONAL SPIRITUAL LIFE



Those who attended the first day training were about 13 persons from seven local churches. Of the 13, eight do not have any biblical knowledge. The seven local churches were given Sunday School materials. These Sunday School Materials were given to Pastor Munford by Linda Summer (Executive Director of Agape Puppets - International) when she came to Liberia. We also distributed about 60 cassettes of various sermons preached by Rev. Travis D. Hutchinson of Highlands Presbyterian Church (Georgia, USA).



After the distribution of the Sunday school materials and the cassettes, Rev. Benjamin T. Munford taught the course “PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES” to the pastors and church leaders. This course is designed to help the pastors or church leaders prepare sound messages and how to interpret the scripture.

THE REV. BENJAMIN T. MUNFORD
Director - Jesus Evangelism Ministries

Sharing the Gospel with Puppets

(note: as before, Pastor Ben sent me a timely report, but I'm posting it tardy!)

We left the city of Buchanan that Saturday morning for the Wayzon, District #3 Compound, Brand Bassa County, Liberia. It is about 45 miles from Buchanan, the second largest city of Liberia. I have six persons on the puppet team: David James, Thomas Johnson, Eugene, Doris Nagbe, Pas. Malachi and Mongar.



It was at about 3:00PM and the sun was very hot on March 7, 2009. We headed for the football field where we were to carry out our puppet show for the day. As our vehicle passed through the community, we had two of our puppets singing out the windows as the music played in the car. I looked through the view mirrors and one could see crowd of kids and adults following the vehicle.

We reached the site, the community football field, where we were to do our puppet show. By the time we got through setting up our equipment and stage, the place was crowded with kids and adults. More people came as the puppets did their first three songs. About 300 persons were in attendance, both adults and kids.



After the first three songs, Rev. Benjamin Munford gave a message from God’s word on the theme: GOD’S JUDGMENT. His text was Hebrews 9:27. When the altar call was made, about 100 persons made decisions, saying the sinners’ prayer aloud.

After the message, the puppets sang two more songs and we brought the show to an end. The kids and adults were very excited about the puppet show. They have never seen such thing before. We bless God that we can use such mean to reach people with the gospel.



We bought some packs of candy for the kids. We decided to distribute them among the kids. It was pretty difficult organizing these kids to divide the packs of candy.

I saw kids with no footwear and no good wearing (poor clothes). But this did not stop them from coming out to watch the show and listen to God’s word. I talked with some kids after the show and one could see the love for God in their eyes. Lots of these kids are not in school.

We will be having puppet shows during these times: The First Phase (March 7, 14, 21, and 28); Second Phase (May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30); Third Phase (July 4, 11, 18, 25) and the Fourth Phase (September 5, 12, 19, 26).

Kindly keep us in your prayers that God will open the eyes of these people to fully follow Him. Pray that God will grant us traveling mercy and make transportation available during these dates.

THE REV. BENJAMIN MUNFORD
Director - Jesus Evangelism Ministries
Director - Agape Puppets - Liberia