Under the Surface - Burkina Faso

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Let’s be honest--the process of developing ourselves and others as leaders is hard work. We know that a percentage of those who attend the first Million Leaders Mandate conference will drop out before conference two. But Paul gives us a wonderful example of why it is so important to stay the course in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. He says “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

In some countries, EQUIP has had a slower journey than others. The United Kingdom is one of those countries where it has taken more time for Million Leaders Mandate to flourish. Numbers were not what we had hoped for in the beginning. Some Associate Trainers wondered if the investment of time and funds to train would have a worthwhile return. Most, however, hung in there and soon realized the British leaders they were training really wanted to develop themselves and others—they wanted to become better leaders.

In a recent trip to England to talk about where these leaders are in the process and how EQUIP could help them in the future with Volume Two, some exciting stories emerged. Let us share just two of them with you.

Charlie was like any other Associate Trainer. He started with lesson one with his partner in Volume One. Even though the formal training of Volume One is over, Charlie continues to travel to the UK to coach and encourage Simon whose church grew in 4 years from 160 people to just under 500 in attendance today.

At one of EQUIP’s smallest sites in the UK, Tom Price, one of 20 or so, stuck with the Million Leaders Mandate leadership journey, developed his leadership skills and became a Certified Trainer. He just returned from Burkina Faso where he thought he would be training 200 young leaders with Million Leaders Mandate. They ended up with over 600 leaders in attendance!! Tom Price was thrilled to share with these leaders the principles that had changed his life. Tom Mimms, Associate Trainer at his site in the UK said, “My co-workers who prayed for me and tried to keep me inspired said that it only takes one Charles Spurgeon in the audience to make a difference. Tom Price turned out to be the ONE. But I’m sure there are others.”

Tom Price reported that subsequent to the Saturday seminar, the pastor who hosted the training received calls throughout the week from his young people expressing their gratitude to God for the material, many of them were using the book as a devotional and praying over and reflecting on the teaching.

He said, “I want to say a big thank you personally to you and to all the team at EQUIP for giving me this opportunity to share excellent leadership material with a group of young people who are passionate for God and the gospel in Burkina Faso. I was told by Pastor Joany Bazemo that there are 400 churches in the capital Ouagadougou (where I was based) and many of them are thriving. There is tremendous opportunity in the nation for the Gospel. They are extremely poor as a nation, but God is richly blessing them in spiritual matters. They have asked me to come back next year to teach on the next book in the series. I have promised to do so.”

Tom Price also visited orphanages and schools while in Burkina Faso. His church in the UK has now adopted the church and people in Burkina Faso as a mission outreach in which they will continue to invest. What a beautiful story of how God is doing things beyond what any of us could imagine!


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