EVANGELISM, DISCIPLESHIP & MISSIONS (EDM)

D a v i d   P a m   M c Q u e l What are they feasting? As December hits, the already warm ambience in Abidjan starting taking a new dimension. Children where so excited as they giggles in the classroom went endless. Even before school starts, there were many endless stories to share. The kids had different categories of families as well different temperaments. Me my father will buy me a bicycle. Me my dad is buying me a piano. My father said we are traveling to South Africa for the Christmas. Others went quiet. Either they are from a polygamous family or their parents are irreligious or they are too poor to afford anything special. Halshe work at 3am just a week to Christmas. His neighbous wife was not having it. Last Christmas he calmed her down, after she got on warpath for giving only 50,000cfa for Christmas shopping. Her friend's husband is better placed financially and gave his wife 300,000cfa. Halshe's wife will not understand any grammatical expl...

B Y   D A V I D   P A M   M C Q U E L Truly exceptional peace I came in exhausted. Welcome daddy” the kids roared full of life. But I was cold. I looked beaten and exhausted I looked at them and tried to force a smile. Then literally dropped the laptop bag on the sofa. The excitement nosedived. “Poor kids” I thought beneath my breathe. They have no idea. There are lots of things I would rather not do. They are complicated, demanding, frustrating and excruciating. Although they turn out to be a big blessing. But hard work is hard. No debate about it. And can I add “tough”? Immediately after the morning worship with family, I rushed into the shower complaining about both the less sleep I had last night and the fact that I’m already late to this morning’s appointment. I kicked the door open, ejected myself out while adjusting the tie. I was outside with I heard the kids shooting their bye bye daddy. I did reply, but I w...

B Y     J E A N I N E     K O N G O I have experienced a glorious past Not everyone is born in the church. While some were big pagans in a Christian body. Others have experienced the unimaginable. I am one of those who have known the world in a particular way and who have proudly shared it spicing it with exaggerations in front of other Christians "old bosses" just to “save face" in the debates about old times. There was this effort to give the impression that I was also an intimidating figure. This image is built upon many lies, or unspoken truths or things that people can easily believe without having to prove it ... (I know this terrain so well lol) Of what use are these "professional experiences" on a CV that is supposed to be dead at the cross? How should I boast of having been a hard time if I have now experienced real life in CHRIST? And I look upon all things as a loss, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ...

B Y  Z E N I T H A    V I C T O R I A    B A D A    W I T H    D A V I D   P A M   M C Q U E L Kathryn Butler in Why Christian Love Matters in Depression wrote: The first day I ventured through the church doors, no one knew I fought the compulsion to throw myself off a bridge. Last week we looked at one of the most dreaded words DEPRESSION, which sounds simple but it has growingly become one of life's must threatening epidemic among young people. We say in definition that depression is feelings of severe despondency (low spirits from loss of hope or courage; dejection) its also a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.  We also saw that sadly people fall victim to depression because they want to do things by their strength rather than by Gods ability. When there is no respect and reverence for God, so fear, worry, anxiety become the master...

D A V I D   P A M    M C Q U E L Gina the hairdresser A customer shared her story. Mrs. Fwanyil is one of her most loyal customers. For three-half years she has been a steadfast customer. But she knew two versions of Mrs Fwanyil. The first nineteen months of her visit to the salon, she was largely quiet and reserved. She was punctual in her visits, generous in her payments but just unsociable and unfriendly. Sometimes she looked troubled and then other times just normal. Even when she met other customers she was unengaging and indifferent. Then the next month she came in, Gina noticed a milder Mrs Fwanyil. She opened up, became more observant and sharing a concern for others once in a while. With time she was glowing more and more, showing a more happy person. Gina loved this new Mrs Fwanyil. In three months she was absolutely fabulous, giggling, laughing and even sometimes to tears. Gina was itchy, she wanted to know what happened. A...

David Pam McQuel The history of the sufferings, death, burial and resurrection of Christ is one of the most documented events in the Bible and other historians. In the gospels, four different writers gave us the flavour of four different angles with different accounts of many people who were eye witnesses.  These records are undisputable. In Josephus and Jesus, By Paul L. Maier, Emeritus Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient History, Western Michigan University, he wrote,  "Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37 – c. 100) was a Jewish historian born in Jerusalem four years after the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth in the same city.  Because of this proximity to Jesus in terms of time and place, his writings have a near-eyewitness quality as they relate to the entire cultural background of the New Testament era. But their scope is much wider than this, encompassing also the world of the Old Testament.  His two greatest works are Jewish Antiquities, unveiling...

By David Pam McQuel And the girl walked forward at the end of the sermon. The young preacher had his eyes shut when he felt someone pulling at his shirt. At first he ignored it, then the pull was a little stronger. Just for a second he lost concentration, then he ended the prayer. And he looked down and saw this beautiful girl. The congregation in that little assembly stood still, and watched. What does she want? Everyone wondered. But with the preachers gifted compassionate smile he bend down and asked. Hello girl, what can I do for you? She lifted her face, and she's been crying. "I want Jesus in my heart today." Sobbing. The you preacher froze, didn't know what to say or how to say it immediately. He has been preaching for five years and two months, he has had hundreds of people sit under his ministry and yet this was such an extraordinary moment he has had just a few times. He could feel the heat of her desire. He could sense the urgency and hunge...

By David Pam McQuel One fundamental difference between God's language, which is scriptural language and human language which is the root of modern day vocabulary is the word, Heart. And this basic word cuts across all nations and cultures. In biological terms, the heart is the organ on the left thoracic cavity with tubes connecting all parts of the body for the circulation of blood. In a layman's explanation, with an extremely accurate  coordination, through the arteries and veins, oxygenated and dioxigenated blood circulates in the body to supply oxygen, food nutrients and medicinal properties as well as evacuate waste products from the body thereby keeping the body working normally. Surprisingly, this biological heart does NOT appear in the bible. However, in Bible language the heart is the most prominent part of a man's existence. It is the centre of everything he is and does. The heart is the SPIRIT of man. Take Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard you...

In my previous post where the foundation for both posts was laid we established the fact that God wants Christians to live healthy spiritual lives which reflect on our been productive in the kingdom of God. I wrote, "There is a big correlation between a healthy spiritual life and productivity just like there is between a grape vine and the grape's she produces. How do you know as a Christian that you are making progress or growing? It is by the fruit you produce. Healthy spiritual growth makes us fruit-bearing Christians. Jesus passionately explained to his disciples in John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." No tree can bear quality fruits without being healthy. There the spiritual well-being of believers determines if they will reproduce at all. We realized that the Word of God is the nourish...

In every profession, its future depends on the effort of its stakeholders to reproduce themselves. A carpenter must have apprentices for the profession to continue. Hairdressers must train younger hairdressers. The future of any art is in its ability to produce younger practitioners. So is the Christian faith. Jesus spent three years and a half to raise a few crop of people that would do exactly what he was doing. Jesus had great meetings. He held large audiences. One time he had 5,000 families in one seating. Another time the crowd was so large that some friends had to remove the roof of His house to let down a paralyzed man on a stretcher! Yet, the focus of His ministry was to produce 12 disciples who could do exactly what He was doing. At His return, 120 followers saw him off, yet His joy was in the 11 who He knew where disciples. And with them, He will change the world. His focus was not on the tens and hundreds of thousands that constantly attended his meetings but th...

In ancient times there was a prophecy, God was fed up with the undulating walk of the Israelites. Today they are up tomorrow they are down. That walk has been particularly burdensome, for Israel but more for God. Working with an unreliable, unpredictable non-steadfast unregenerate people are the worst. No project ever gets done. It's equally burdensome to the unregenerate because he lacks the capability to do what God wants even though he may know. This was the biggest problem of the First Testament. Why is man unregerate in the first place. Death. There are three main kinds of death in the Bible. 1. Physical death is the most know. Every man dies. ★Ecclesiastes 3:2  "a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot." The bible, history and tradition establish the fact about physical death. Besides, everyone knows somebody who once lived but no longer does. 2. Spiritual Death is less known. This is separation from God. This...

It is still staggering how theological and religious leaders are still groppling with the debate whether we should use modern music equipment in church? If it is ethical for women to wear makeup or trousers to worship services? If wealth and financial excellence are good Christian status? And recently, if high tech devices should carry Bible and religious applications? Plain stupid arguments for me. Unlike Islam, the Church is lost in the past. Singing "Give me that Old Time religion" can be emotional and move you to tears when you remember how things used to be in good old days. The Muslim brutal jihadists have done rather excellently in adapting to the changing times. Isn't it amazing that no matter how strict Europe is a free gun zone and with the strick monitoring of the movement of chemicals and acids, Islamic terrorists breakthrough and either attempt or succeed in carrying out daring terrorist missions. A decade and a half ago, it was unimaginable that large...

I don't know for sure if there is anything necessary for life and happiness for all mankind, yet freely obtainable. Now that sounds like some spam news or an internet fraud. Is it really possible to have anything that is a necessity for free? With man, a lot of things are impossible. In fact, the first law of earthly economics is that resources are scarce. If you don't understand this law of scarce resources you will never understand economics. It is the foundation of economics. Within the human realm, there is nothing really available to all for free. Let's take a few things that God's nature gives as examples. First, take oxygen embedded in the air we breathe in our nostrils. Although it is totally given for free by God our maker, yet air has become one of the most expensive commodity. Many people in the hospital pay unimaginable money to be placed on oxygen. Years ago I had to stay with my younger pastor's wife in the Korle By Teaching Hospital, Accra ...