Prayer, seminars, worship in the heart of Africa, celebrating the centenary of WEC International and the WEC church in the Congo.  The trip is from Friday 18th January – 1st February 2013.  Its purpose is to celebrate the centenary of the church in Congo, and to understand and pray for the challenges facing the Congolese church today.

Itinerary:

• Entebbe – Nebobongo by air,
• Overland visit to Ibambi,
• By air Nebobongo to  Isiro,
• Possible overland trips to Nala and Egbita,
• By air Isiro - Entebbe

In the steps of CT Studd

Join an epic journey 1–15 February 2013

Celebrate the centenary of WEC and the WEC church in Congo

The journey's purpose:

1. To celebrate the centenary of the church in Congo
2. To provide motorbikes for church pastors
3. To understand and pray for the challenges facing the church today

In this Congo Report for August 2009:

•    Opening of New Building at Ibambi Bible School
•    WEC Congo field conference held in UK
•    Ndutua death
•    Wycliffe families returning to Congo

The church is calling strongly for help in the area of economic development. Some who have come for a Bible teaching ministry have been so moved by the poverty and need of the people that they have spent part of their time trying to do what they could in practical development projects. 

In Congo you are always confronted by huge numbers. Looking at the CECCA and all its needs and opportunities, the numbers to be reached, helped, taught and discipled are mind boggling. Media can help multiply the message.

CECCA has a large medical work. Hundreds of rural clinics and four hospitals combine medical care and evangelistic opportunity. Thousands of people depend on CECCA when serious sickness strikes.

Congo is a youthful country. Well over half of the country's population is aged 15 and under. In the villages, towns and cities one is continually struck by the numbers of children and teenagers.

Youth, however, have been sadly neglected in the spiritual ministry of CECCA (the WEC related church). Efforts have been made to provide schooling, and today thousands of children are enrolled in the CECCA system of primary schools and many hundreds in the 3 functioning high schools. Yet the spiritual ministry to these children is minimal.

Despite the advances the gospel has made over the years, there remain pockets of unreached groups in the CECCA area. It is uncertain that they will be reached effectively or, in some cases, at all, without the stimulus of someone trained in cross-cultural ministry.

People in Congo give the gospel a hearing. Large numbers come to outdoor evangelistic church services. And not only do people listen; they respond. In a meeting of 1000 people 20, 50 or even 100 or more might come forward at the call to repentance. Each year thousands upon thousands indicate that they want to become Christians. 

Sadly there is another side to this encouraging picture.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Church Community In partnership with the CECCA 16, WEC Congo seeks to promote the development of this church Community both on a spiritual and a material level, so that we might see a spiritually vital church, able to assure its continued development and which reaches out to non-Christian peoples both within and beyond Congo's borders. By "spiritually vital" we mean a church which is operating on biblical principles, led by the Holy Spirit, both evangelising non-Christians and teaching Christians to progress in their walk with the Lord. By "able to assure its continued development" we refer to:

1) the need of a good level of training of leaders in every department of the church and especially on a pastoral level.

2) the need of the church to find ways of auto-financing while belonging to a part of the world which is at a low level of economic development.

NB: In this document the word "Community" relates to CECCA 16 (the WEC related church), the 16th Community of the Church of Christ in Congo.

PS: This document is an evolving one. It was first drafted in 1993/94 as a 10 year plan to complete our missionary task in the now Democratic Republic of Congo. It depended on adequate missionary personnel and an improvement in the economic state of Zaire, as DR Congo was then called.

Instead wars have intervened and missionary numbers have fallen. The document stands as an expression of our desire to be used by the Lord in his work of bringing his church, in particular CECCA 16, to maturity. Actual goals in any one year or other period will depend on personnel and their particular calling. While a war situation exists very few of these goals can be worked on. Our vision remains and these targets are also commended for prayer.Goals and Objectives are revised at each annual field conference.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In order to accomplish this purpose we have established goals in the following areas (hyperlinks provided):

1 Evangelism
2 Pastoral Training
3 The Local Church
4 Medical Services and Training
5 Media
6 Education
7 Economic Development
8 World Mission

Evangelism

Evangelism is a primary task of the church. In order to promote effective outreach by the Community we consider our goals to be:

a) the encouragement of the evangelisation of populations in Kisangani, Epulu region, Aketi etc who follow another major world religion. Effective, ongoing evangelisation of people of this religion: • recognised and trained teams, regular program and adequate counselling and follow-up. • converts either formed into worshipping groups or integrated into existing churches (in Isiro, Kisangani, Epulu region, Aketi).

b) the promotion of increased evangelisation of urban centres: nicedoturban teams which have been trained in preaching, counselling, follow-up and on-going care based in each local church in Isiro and Kisangani, including Chopo.

c) the encouragement of evangelisation of Pygmies and their follow-up: • a viable Pygmy church with many trained Pygmy leaders in Ibambi, Wamba, Egbita, Buambi and Nia Nia districts.

d) to help the church obtain necessary loud speaker systems and megaphones for the large numbers wanting to hear the gospel: nicedotevery parish which normally brings together 1000 or more people in its meetings (ie makutanos) will have a loud speaker system.

e) the production of follow-up material for counselling new converts: • "follow-up" will be an integral part of church life with materials available church wide.

f) the provision of training for the counselling of new converts: • only trained counsellors will counsel people coming forward (to repent) in meetings.

g) to facilitate and promote, through seminars and printed materials, the teaching of children and youth: • inexpensive standard printed Sunday School course available (simple and short). • a program for young people operating with trained leaders: Bible studies, prayer, retreats, day conferences.

Pastoral Training

Institutional Training:

a) The Gamba Bible Institute, Isiro. (IBGI - French language): • to provide teaching input and counsel • to see the completion of classrooms and accommodation block • buildings completed for all students and staff. Able to function without missionary input.

b) Ibambi, Poko, Mulita Bible Schools (Trade languages: Swahili and Bangala): • To provide missionary input into the teaching program at all three schools, where this is necessary or strategic. • To have helped provide course materials to ensure that the teaching program is biblical and practical. • Ibambi: to see the repair of foundations of students' houses, permanent building for first year classes, repair of water reservoir. • Poko and Mulita: permanent buildings. • Teach Bible school leaders to exercise an awareness of the need for maintenance of buildings.

c) Inter-mission theological seminary at Bunia: • to be prepared to provide a theology professor when needed • to participate in the projects of the seminary.

In-service Training:

a) to support a program of seminars for church leaders: pastors, evangelists, catechists, Sunday Schools teachers, youth leaders, heads of departments, women, counsellors for salvation, MCC.

b) to establish a program of Theological Education by Extension or similar program in order to raise biblical knowledge and promote discipleship throughout the Community.

The Local Church

We speak of a 'spiritually vital' church, yet this will be made up of thousands of small and larger village and town chapels. We therefore seek to see in each place where there is a chapel:

a) an adequately trained leader • catechists will have actually studied for the full two years using all prescribed course materials and will have passed their course.

b) regular, sound Bible teaching • aided by the availability of a program of Bible passages and sermon outlines.

c) regular prayer meetings for local and Community needs and for missions, • weekly prayer meetings

d) pastoral care for choral groups • given by a member of the leadership team of the local church.

e) programs for young people • weekly Sunday School lessons using prescribed material, given by trained teachers, • weekly youth meetings and activities as organised by the Youth Department.

f) programs for women • weekly women's meetings in conjunction with the Federation des Femmes and Femme et Famille.

g) literacy training • provision of a literacy program for those who need it. Many of these points are covered in other categories but we see the need for them to be measured in terms of a vision for the local church.

Medical Services and Training

Recognising the need to express God's love for the whole person, we see the necessity of supporting health care and training within CECCA. We also recognise the role of health centres in providing evangelistic opportunities for the church. We therefore seek to provide:

a) personnel to help train doctors and nurses for CECCA 16 hospitals and clinics. • Objective: at least 5 fully qualified Congolese doctors working in CECCA 16. • Objective: an additional 10 nurses qualified at A1 level working in the CECCA 16 medical system.

b) missionary medical personnel to work alongside Africans sharing skills and experience. • to have seen missionary doctors and nurses involved in the medical and training programs until the doctors and nurses in (a) and (b) were qualified.

Media

In order to promote evangelism, Bible teaching and discipleship, we see the usefulness of the media in multiplying effectiveness. Literature, cassettes and amplification equipment appear to be most useful media to be used in our region. Our media goals are, therefore:

a) Literature: • to be a channel for the supply of Bibles and Christian literature available in French, Congo Swahili, Bangala, and tribal languages produced by other communities and organisations. * to see the Bible rolling fund rise and stay at a level to support a stock of 5000 Bibles. * to maintain the supply of Christian literature produced by outside sources. • publish, under the direction of the CECCA literature committee, relevant evangelistic, follow-up and teaching material, magazines and books. * we will have published many books and booklets, or have encouraged, and/or participated with others so doing, in areas of need, especially in the Bangala language. * to the extent permitted by the economy of Congo to see a system of Christian bookshops established throughout CECCA 16.

b) Cassettes: • pilot and, if successful, facilitate a program of follow-up by cassette for non-literate converts developed by AIM International. • pilot and, if successful, facilitate a program of Bible teaching produced by the Anglican Diocese of Bukavu. • have the Language Recordings Int. "Look, Listen and Live" series produced in Bari, pilot its use and, if successful, proceed with other tribal languages in our area.

c) Loud speaker systems and megaphones: • every parish which normally brings together 1000 or more people in its meetings (ie. makutanos) will have a loud speaker system.

d) as opportunities arise, use drama, video and film.

Education

CECCA's school system provides an opportunity to reach the educated minority and provides a source of leaders for all departments of the church community. The future of CECCA will be linked to the quality of graduates from its schools. Given the Congolese education system, secondary teachers in the Pedagogy section in fact train primary school teachers. We therefore aim to encourage the CECCA's system of primary and secondary schools, particularly by the provision of missionary secondary school teachers.

Economic Development

For the church to effectively have the means to accomplish its mission and assure its continued development, the economic resources available to it need to be increased. We therefore have the goal of encouraging projects which will lift the church's capacity to support its pastors, build church buildings, send missionaries and meet many other ministry needs. This means that particular encouragement will be given to self-financing ventures. Our further aim is to help improve the quality of life of the Community and society as a whole. We therefore encourage projects such as water supply, fish farms, use of improved seed etc. Specific projects will depend upon the expertise of missionaries recruited. World Mission. CECCA has a department which promotes mission awareness, prayer and the sending of missionaries. In order to encourage the Community's outreach beyond national borders, we seek to facilitate the work of the "Mission CECCA Congo" department by:

a) seminars

b) a regular newssheet

c) involving overseas Christians, who could support this venture financially and by prayer.

Contact WEC Congo team

CECCA is the name of the WEC-related church in Democratic Republic of Congo. They are the initials, in French, of the Evangelical Community of Christ in the Heart of Africa.

CECCA is located in an area of 100,000 square kilometres (equivalent to the size of South Korea, or South Carolina and nearly as large as England). It is a boomerang shaped area, in the north east corner of the Congo. Its main urban centre is Isiro, although is has churches in the larger centres of Kisangani and Bunia.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the largest, most populous countries of sub-saharan Africa. Covered for the most part by dense equatorial and tropical forest it is home to some 52 million people. Rich in natural resources, it has been systematically exploited first by colonial rule then by its own African leaders.