[Sonlifeafrica-newsletter] October Ministry Report

["Mark Tittley" <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear friend

One Country (Nigeria in West Africa);
...Two Weeks (1st-15th October 2002);
......Five Cities (Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Jos, Abuja);
.........One Hundred and Twenty Leaders (Youth and Senior Pastors);
............Over Fifty Different Denominations;
...............SONLIFE LAUNCHED IN NIGERIA!!!

What an amazing two weeks of ministry the Lord provided for me in Nigeria.
Thanks to the solid preparation and planning completed by our key
representative in Nigeria (Rev. Philip King) we were able to present the
Strategy Seminar in five different cities in the two weeks that I spent in
Nigeria.

During the first three days Philip had me present a Strategy Seminar in
three cities (Lagos, Ibadan and Port Harcourt) ... on three consecutive
days. I have no doubt in my mind that this would not have been possible were
it not for the grace and enabling of God! We had to drive many hours by
road (not exactly the best roads in the world) and take plane flights to
make the training happen in each of the cities. Talk about a missionary
journey like those of Paul's in the book of Acts. I am not sure that Paul
had such a tight schedule!!!

The reponse of the leaders in Nigeria to our training was to put it mildly -
OVERWHELMING! The manner in which they embraced the principles we were
communicating from the life of Christ was something that took me by
surprise. I have no doubt in my mind that God is doing a significant work in
the life of each person who attended our training and that when we follow up
the training with the next level of development in July next year (with the
Foundations Seminar and a repeat of the Strategy Seminars) we are going to
hear many testimonies of how God has been at work in the ministries that
have been impacted by our training, coaching and mentoring!

I was able to present the seminar in Jos over two days and thoroughly
enjoyed having the extra day to work through the principles with the
delegates. We also had a faulty generator fry a data projector which meant
that in Abuja I had to present the seminar with no multimedia assistance -
and to be honest the seminar was just as good if not better than the ones
with the use of the media.

Pray for Philip King (who had a son born while I was staying in his home -
and I am proud and delighted to say that this is the first time I have had a
child named after me) who will be following up with the key leaders during
the coming months. It makes a huge difference to ministry when you work
through a key national who knows people and the context so intimately).

Pray too for the key leaders we have appointed in each of the main cities:
Lagos: Pastor Billie Shehu and Pastor Martins Oguese
Ibadan: Pastor Daniel Yohanna
Port Harcourt: Pastor Frama Dillimon
Abuja: Pastor Nicholas Garpia and Nath Adebisi
Jos: Pastor Dunka Gomwalk and Pastor Steve

Pray that God will protect and use them as they follow up with the leaders
who attended the training and begin to make preparations for the next level
of training around the middle of 2003.

I have included some comments from delegated below my signature.

My first impressions of Nigeria led me to wonder whether there is a place
for youth ministry training and development in such a Christianised country.
There are literally churches everywhere in Nigeria. But it soon became
apparent that even though the gospel is spreading throughout Nigeria, the
youth and church leaders are crying out for help in knowing how to develop
new converts in the faith and how to create a movement that will result in
young disciples going on to reach and make disciples among their peers. Even
our teaching on evangelism as a process (cultivating, planting and reaping)
and the skills we imparted were well received and many delegates commented
that the Winning phase of our training had impacted them the most.

I praise God that he answered our prayers for safety while in Nigeria. God
is good!!!

Please start praying as God prepares the way for me to travel to Ghana from
the 4th to the 18th of November. Amos Annan, our key country representative
in Ghana is already hard at working preparing for the three levels of
training that will take place in Ghana in November - the Strategy,
Foundations and Vision seminars which will be taking place in Komasi, Tema
and Accra.

Regards

Mark Tittley

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Nigerian Delegates Comments

I'm really challenged with every phase of this seminar, because it is
elementary but so down to earth, full of laid out strategies that is so
thorough and simple. Particularly I am really challenged with the Winning
phase which has provided me with strategies by which I could use to win
spiritually lost friends who usually cross my life path especially in
schools.

I really appreciated the way Jesus' life was translated to me and the
thrilling and exciting way his life is an example that every believer and
minister should follow.

Because of this training, I will be able to function more effectively in my
youth ministry, applying the principles of winning, building, equipping and
multiplying.

The training has not only taught the seminar but his simplicity, humility
and love for God for others, honesty and integrity have been preached with
his life during the seminar. He is seen to live what he preaches. This is
another gain.

I am really challenged by the training and I want to encourage other
Christians in my community to know about this Christian organisation
(Sonlife)

I thank God for allowing me to participate in this seminar. I have been
really encouraged and equipped for youth ministry.

I want Sonlife to come more often to Nigeria, because I want to experience a
situation whereby Sonlife will be well known in Africa and in the whole
world.

The programme is a blessed one and I pray that God should uphold Sonlife.

The training is so unique that it has really challenged and encouraged me.

Because of this training, I will be able to function more effectively in my
youth ministry, applying the principles of winning, building, equipping and
multiplying.

I pray that the Lord will grant you the grace to continue in this work as
you equip us (the body of Christ) for the harvest.

I have been mightily blessed by the seminar and look forward to seeing
others benefit from future seminars.

I have really enjoyed the training and I believe I have been impacted
tremendously and there are practical ways of influencing others.

This seminar should go through all the states of Nigeria!

I am really impressed with the training I have received. I wish this seminar
will reach out to the entire African countries.

The Winning part of the seminar really challenged me and what challenged me
about this is how we win people to God but don't follow them up. I am really
challenged.

I really want to commend Sonlife for the wonderful work they are doing in
growing a healthy youth ministry.