"The Room was Well-Preached."

I have finished my third week of this trip, having had a delightful and productive time in Tanzania. We often say that it takes about three years for the message to begin to take hold in denominations and gather some momentum.  For Tanzania, other than one smaller denomination, it has been five years.  The leaders were frustrated many times, wondering if it was possible for people in Tanzania to "get it."  And then suddenly, beginning in the fall of 2022, doors started opening.  And the momentum is continuing at great speed!  We thank God for what He is doing in reminding His people and His church to do work as worship!

On Sunday, I was able to bring a message in an Assemblies of God church about all of us being in full-time ministry but our placements being very different by comparing Jeremiah and Daniel.  I was then blessed to meet with some businesspeople who are implementing DML in their business.

On Monday, we had an awareness creation event for about thirty influential leaders in Dar es Salaam from different denominations, NGOs, and businesses.  The message was received very well.

On Tuesday, we spent the day with the DML Tanzania team doing a training of trainers.  As the demand for DML grows across denominations and cities, so does our need for additional trainers!  So we spent time with this team looking at cost analysis, pricing, boundaries, and strategic planning.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we joined the Life Ministries ministry (Campus Crusade for Christ) in their young pastors conference.  We were privileged to host workshops to share about the potential in reaching people through the marketplace, but also reminding about the life affirming call to do good work in the marketplace.  It was a privilege to join them and to listen to some good messages from various bishops and church leaders in Tanzania!  My favorite quote from one bishop was this, "The Holy Spirit does not substitute thinking."  The Holy Spirit prompts and guides, but we still need to think and plan based on that!

My hosts for this week were Pastor Anthony and Leticia (amazing leaders whom I have written about before), pictured here, who celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary this week!  They have been living and breathing DML for a number of years now and you can see how it has settled into their heart, mind, and language.  On Wednesday morning, I sent Pastor Anthony a message on WhatsApp, asking him how their night was.  His response was that it was very good, and that the room was "well-preached."  I was confused.  I thought maybe there was a church with a loudspeaker nearby that kept them up during the night (as is often the case!).  So when I saw them in later, I asked them what they meant by "well-preached."  They laughed and said, "In DML we teach that we are to preach to creation in all of our work!  This hotel has preached well to that room in giving us a place for good sleep!"  They said that they often comment on things that are "well-preached" now, as a reminder of how our work fulfills the call to "preach to all creation."

I had to laugh as they have owned this message even deeper than myself!  Well-preached indeed.

Their work among the Masai has also continued to grow and expand, and they now have three groups of believers, mostly men!  (They say, if a man converts, you have the family.  If a woman converts, you have the woman and the children.  If a child converts, you just have the child.  So they are very excited to have so many men!)  I've included a picture below of DML leader, James Kamau, and Pastor Anthony doing what is called "swallowship" with the Masai men.  

Please continue to pray for this team as it grows and adapts to the many demands.  I believe every day of June is filled with speaking engagements for them, in multiple cities!  Pray for their strength and joy, and for the message to be received as from the Lord.

On Saturday, I left Tanzania for Ethiopia where we will be doing a Training of Trainers all week for the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church!