Ethiopia Continues To Produce Fruit For The Kingdom Of God
By Richard Goebel, SOC Director. I traveled to Addis Ababa to begin a new School of Christ School and make sure that everything with the work of the SOC in Ethiopia was growing and operating within the guidelines of the School of Christ.
We have worked in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa nations for over seventeen years. However, for the past eight monthes, my heart has been burdened to know and be assured that we are not just graduating students and planting churches but producing eternal fruit. Many can get excited over numbers, miracles, and growth, but I am concerned to see God manifesting Himself in changed lives and with fruit that will last for all eternity, not just religious excitement.
As I taught this School, I had time to speak with our workers and Director, Pastor Samuel, about what was happening in many of the churches we had planted. About seven years ago, we focused and training, graduating, and supporting ministers called to plant churches. We rejoice that more than seventy churches have been planted and are producing true followers of Christ who are standing for Truth in these last days.
As I watched these men of God going through the SOC training, my heart was filled with gratitude. These ministers came from very rural places. As I became acquainted with these men, I was impressed with the Christ in them and their utter commitment to God's calling on their lives, I watched as they went through the daily prayer, the teaching of God's Word, and its impact on their lives. They have planted churches in very difficult villages located in predominantly Muslim areas.
These are simple men, as the world sees them. They are not wealthy or educated in the eyes of the world, but I tell you, they are God's chosen and it has always been the great honor of my life to be with such men! The first prayer meetings began with earnestness and intensity. This environment only continued to intensify each day.
Although I often could not understand the natural words being prayed, I knew in my spirit that they were earnestly seeking God and crying out to him to make the day's lessons real in them. When I asked the pastor about their prayers, he told me what they were praying. It was so powerful that my heart just broke with gratefulness to God!!
I am so grateful ro report that I believe God is truly leading us, that lives have been changed, and that our labor and investment are truly producing ETERNAL FRUIT unto God.