New ministry in Liberia—you made it happen!
July 27, 2022
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A listener from Nevada, a church leader on the Bible Bus, hears Gregg and Steve talk about Home Groups in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. But their church has a heart for Liberia, Africa. Could home groups go there? He calls THRU the BIBLE with a vision and a plan.
And that’s how it all began. “THRU the BIBLE traditionally has spoken to individuals about what the ministry is doing. But more and more, we minister together as the world grows smaller,” says Ray Alary, THRU the BIBLE’s Canadian director. “Especially our North American listeners … they tell us about opportunities around the world with the hope of partnering together to serve them.”
This was the beginning of a great opportunity in Liberia recently. The leadership of the church didn’t know all of THRU the BIBLE could be put into the palm of their hand. To the minimally educated pastor in Africa, this gift to listen and learn and then be equipped to share that Bible message with their entire congregation—well, it was an idea that was easy enough to test. So, we sent one player to the team in Liberia. Would they even want to listen and learn this way?—we didn’t know. We’ll send more if they want them.
The Liberian team wrote back to us right away, asking for 20 more players for them to give to every church leader in their denomination. Soon after, they asked for 200 more. First one, then 20, now 200.
What this ministry team has done is launch a model for serving African pastors. This opportunity is opening doors in Togo, Benin, Tanzania, and in languages beginning with African English, Fongbe, and African French.
“We are giving the church that was once a mile wide and 1/4 inch deep the depth they need to be grounded in God’s Word. A huge thank you to those who have contacted us. We appreciate your vision and generosity,” says Ray Alary. “We’re no longer impacting just individuals. We’re impacting whole congregations, whole countries. African churches need pastors who have been trained to teach the Bible. That’s what these players help to do.”
God moves providentially in ways we can look back and see how He makes a path through. He sends His Word out through channels we never would have imagined possible. He also does this every day in our personal lives in ways we may never see. Believe that God is working—this is what it means to walk by faith.
NOTE: On the very day this article was written, 200 players shipped from Canada to our visionary church leader in Nevada who financially made this possible and will then hand carry them into Liberia.