“This Is the Way”: How Obedience Opened the Door to Purpose
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
What do you do when God is calling you into something more, but you cannot see what? As Nigerian E. and his wife sought God’s face, through His leading to study with ICT, “fulfilling purpose became as easy as faithfully carrying out a class assignment.” God brought more fruit and arenas of ministry than they could have imagined.
“My journey with the Institute for Community Transformation began in the wake of COVID-19. I had just resigned my position as a lead pastor,” E. begins. As he and his wife prayed for direction, they found that their vision for missions ministry was something new, different from the normal pastoral ministry, and the advice others gave was unsuitable. They prayed until God brought an opportunity for E. to study with ICT. Though God’s leading did not initially make sense, as time passed, “it has become clear why God gave us that instruction.”
““Maybe for some other co-learners ICT assignments were [merely] learning tasks, but to us it was an opportunity to launch out and start every stage of our ministry work.””
For E. and his wife, ICT was an answer to their prayers. “Maybe for some other co-learners ICT assignments were [merely] learning tasks, but to us it was an opportunity to launch out and start every stage of our ministry work.” Through Foundations of Movement Dynamics and its sister Applied Learning course, they practiced the qualities found in effective movement catalysts, then targeted prayer, “then eventually evangelism and discipleship which evolved into the first church we planted and are still pastoring… Just as we were settling into pastoring, then comes the Foundations of Social Business course” and its Applied Learning follow-up course. Through these class assignments, they established Shepherd’s Staff Academy for Nursery to Primary 4, “a vision God showed to me in 2010, but we did not know how to start until… September 2024.”
E. appreciates ICT’s staff, faculty, and co-directors “Dr. Todd and his dear wife Dr. Junia… for all their efforts in making other persons’ vision a reality. God bless you all for the good works.”
We invite you to join us in praising God for how He is moving and working in and through our students, answering prayers and unfolding His plans for each one through the prayer gatherings and classes.
Please pray!
For E. and his wife as they lead this new church and school, that many may give their lives to Christ and be transformed for life-long fruitfulness.
For wisdom, perseverance, and the Holy Spirit’s power as our students carry out their class project assignments, and for peace and stability in the areas where our students live. May God bring peace, lasting fruit, and blessing.
For healing, wisdom, peace, and deliverance for our multi-national Serve Team (staff), and God’s hand over the way forward as we raise up more African leadership.
For God to lead us to potential students to be equipped through ICT in the coming year.
For God’s presence, peace, provision, protection, wisdom, health, strength, joy, and blessing for all in ICT. May God’s power, glory, and grace be over us all.
Thank you for joining us as God builds the Institute for Community Transformation and through us furthers flourishing communities, marked by His shalom, among all peoples!
