Rev. Neil Steven Lawrence, M.Div.

Shamia Maitha* was hearing voices telling her to kill herself. As a single mother without a job she faced the daunting task of providing for her child in Likoni, a slum area just across the water by ferry from the old town of Mombasa on the Kenyan coast. She could hear music from our Crusade as we celebrated Jesus in an area surrounded by ten mosques. She walked 2 Kms to the meeting and came forward during the altar call. While I prayed for the crowd of people in the Name of Jesus, Shamia hit the ground and started rolling around. As I pressed in to pray for her, the evil spirit inside her was shouting (in English), “I’m not going! “I’m not gonna go!” This was strange since most people in Likoni speak Swahili. Shamia was delivered, saved, and is still a church member at the Likoni Church of God today.

This true story illustrates several elements of why bringing the Gospel outside the walls of the church “into the highways and hedgerows and compelling people” to enter the Kingdom of God, works so well in Africa (Luke 14:23).

First, Africa is an “in-door/out-door society”—meaning many people spend much of their day outside: fellowshipping with friends and neighbors, moving around town doing their job, or if they are jobless, idling in town. People tend to return inside their home only at night. Therefore, with our powerful sound system people report hearing the Gospel even 20 miles away in many venues where we preach. I call it “4-Wheel Drive Preaching” because we set up in market places, slums, school grounds, open fields, along the roadway—wherever the people gather. Instead of concerning ourselves with “what color the carpet will be in church,” we deal with roaming chickens, goats, cows, donkeys, street people, drunkards, school children, idle youth, women selling in the market, dust, mud, and blowing trash! 

Second, there is an “entertainment factor” to what we do. Most good preaching is entertaining. In Africa many people are not “over-stimulated” like those in the developed world. Our Crusades are very entertaining because we focus much of the time on powerful, energetic praise and worship. We also strive for a level of excellence many here do not attain; thus our meetings are unique. 

The third element of success is found in one of our ministry theme scriptures—a key principle drawn out of the Parable of the Talents: “Faithful with little, ruler over much” (Mathew 25:23). In Africa we can do a lot with the few resources we have. Team leadership through Eagles’ Wings Gospel Team  is key to our evangelism success. Often when we are doing the 7-hour equipment set up, people milling around ask, “So, when are the musicians and preachers coming?” We answer, “You’re looking at ‘em!”

When we arrived in Kenya in 1993 I never imagined we would do evangelism. God often expands our potential. Now, after completing 184 Gospel meetings since 1996, we have seen thousands saved and enter the Kingdom.  

{Connect with Neil & Jennifer on: www.YouTube/c/ahigherplacetv   and  www.facebook.com/neilstevenlawrence}

*Not her real name.