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Liberia 2011 Training Report

Richard Greene is the founder and president of the Keystone Project.
 

Report Summary and Highlights:

The purpose of this mission was to determine whether or not the Keystone Project has an interest in working in Liberia to reach the extended area of West Africa. The determining factors in this decision include the identification of a group of apostolically gifted leaders who will commit themselves to launching movements of disciples among unreached and unengaged people groups in the region, and the actual existence of unreached and unengaged people groups in Liberia. The plan was to conduct three introductory vision-casting trainings to a general audience, and then establish an assessment procedure to determine if a return mission involving a five day equipping training is warranted or feasible. The assessment procedure included three assignments: (1) the completion of the Foundations self-study training course, (2) making at least two generations of disciples, and (3) identifying an unreached or unengaged people group as a target for a Disciple-Making Movement.

I began with a brief overview of why we were there and what we hoped to accomplish. Then I presented the first session on “Kairos”. The response was, as it usually is, very good. This short teaching has been an extremely effective way to begin the training because it prepares the students for the impending paradigm shift they are about to encounter. We closed the session with prayer. After a short break I did the introductory session called “What is Keystone”. This session went very well and brought about many questions as to how those attending can be a part of what we are doing. The response was very positive. Because lunch was severely delayed (we ate at 3:00) I did the first half of the third session called “Multiplying Disciples”. Again this produced a prolonged and prayerful response, with a unanimous commitment to surrender our lives to fulfill the Great Commission. I issued the call with extreme seriousness and severity, making sure they knew what they were doing. Everyone stood to give their lives for the mission. May God have mercy on them and grant each one the privilege of taking part in the kairos of our generation!

I sensed a different spirit among the leaders as they were even more keenly attentive and aware of the things I was saying. They sat on the edge of their seats the entire day, and responded with much emotion and seriousness to the teaching. One of the leading pastors, who seemed quite educated and well-spoken, confessed that some of them had doubts about the conference being taught “two full days by one man” and were convinced even before it began that it would be “boring”. They were no longer of that opinion!

The church was overflowing with about 135 registered attendees and some who did not register. Most were pastors with their key leaders. The first day of training ended with the call: “Who will give their lives to fulfill the Great Commission?” and about 130 people stood to their feet and shouted “I will!” I said, “No, no, no. You don’t understand what I am calling you to do. I mean who is willing to die, to give up everything, to fulfill the Great Commission?” They shouted back, “I am willing to die!” Now, I know that in the emotion of the moment it is easy to stand with everyone else and make a commitment to do something that like. But in my conversations with individuals after we finished, I am convinced this was not an emotional commitment, but a genuine kairos moment for many of them. They came to me and confirmed their desire to refocus their lives and churches to multiply disciples. Many told me this message affirmed a previous missionary call on their lives. It is a truly amazing thing I am witnessing. No where is there even a hint of dispute in the groups we are training. They not only embrace the vision, but they are begging for more.

Full Length Report: 

The purpose of this mission was to determine whether or not the Keystone Project has an interest in working in Liberia to reach the extended area of West Africa. The determining factors in this decision include the identification of a group of apostolically gifted leaders who will commit themselves to launching movements of disciples among unreached and unengaged people groups in the region, and the actual existence of unreached and unengaged people groups in Liberia. The plan was to conduct three introductory vision-casting trainings to a general audience, and then establish an assessment procedure to determine if a return mission involving a five day equipping training is warranted or feasible. The assessment procedure included three assignments: (1) the completion of the Foundations self-study training course, (2) making at least two generations of disciples, and (3) identifying an unreached or unengaged people group as a target for a Disciple-Making Movement.

I arrived in Monrovia at 2:30 PM local time (4 hours difference from EST) on Wednesday, August 10, 2011. I was met at the airport by two of my hosts, Alfred Varney and Alex Toe Satiah. The climate was hot and humid (app. high 80’s, low 90’s), moderate by Liberian standards as this is the rainy season. We drove by car from the airport to the SIM base on the coast, where SIM has it’s headquarters. I stayed at the SIM guesthouse ($45 per night). Upon arriving at my lodging, I was able to clean up and then met with a team of 5 local leaders who have worked to coordinate these meetings. I have had e-mail contact with each of them: Alfred, Wellington, Alex, Augustine, and Jeremiah. Under Alfred’s leadership, they have arranged trainings in three cities: Monrovia (the capital), Gbanga, and Kle (Klay). The meeting was led by Jeremiah, the secretary of the coordinating committee. Each leader welcomed me to the country and introduced themselves. It was encouraging to see that my e-mail exchanges with these men resulted in my coming to Liberia. Alfred took a few minutes to describe how the committee formed and then presented the schedule for the week. I was not surprised to discover that they are taking full advantage of my time with them. I was asked to share any thoughts I had, and did so by encouraging them that I was expecting God to do a great work in our training sessions. They seemed genuinely affected by that encouragement and we engaged in a time of prayer.

At 6:45 we drove to the radio station located on the SIM campus – ELWA (Eternal Love Winning Africa) – and did a 15 minute interview to promote the training on August 15-16 in Monrovia.

Alfred and I also spent some time testing the projector we will be using to make sure it works with the computer (and it does). The software in the newer computers makes connecting to a projector so much more automatic and easier. Then we enjoyed a Liberian joloff rice dish and chicken prepared by Alfred’s wife. Spicy and delicious!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

This was an early morning, rising at 4:00. Alfred picked me up at 5:15 for our trip to Gbanga, where our first introductory training took place. We picked up Pastor Jeremiah on the way. The roads were generally terrible with many large potholes caused by the war. Bridges had been destroyed and were replaced by one lane raised metal bridges. This made driving treacherous and slow. We arrived at Gbanga shortly after 9:00 and began the training at 9:30. About 45 were present. I began with a brief overview of why we were there and what we hoped to accomplish. Then I presented the first session on “Kairos”. The response was, as it usually is, very good. This short teaching has been an extremely effective way to begin the training because it prepares the students for the impending paradigm shift they are about to encounter. We closed the session with prayer. After a short break I did the introductory session called “What is Keystone”. This session went very well and brought about many questions as to how those attending can be a part of what we are doing. The response was very positive. Because lunch was severely delayed (we ate at 3:00) I did the first half of the third session called “Multiplying Disciples”. Again this produced a prolonged and prayerful response, with a unanimous commitment to surrender our lives to fulfill the Great Commission. I issued the call with extreme seriousness and severity, making sure they knew what they were doing. Everyone stood to give their lives for the mission. May God have mercy on them and grant each one the privilege of taking part in the kairos of our generation!

Friday, August 12, 2011

We stayed at a secure hotel in the city (actually more of a small town than a city). There was no hot water and the electricity is on only at night. Still, it was clean and comfortable and guarded. This is the rainy season so the sky is often overcast and there are periods of rain in between periods of hot, hot sun with very high humidity. The secondary roads are terrible, almost impassable in some places. We arrived at the training at 9:00 and began with the message from Isaiah 6 (an abbreviated form highlighting King Uzziah and Isaiah’s new call based on God’s greater glory and purposes as revealed in the vision). I sensed a different spirit among the leaders as they were even more keenly attentive and aware of the things I was saying. They sat on the edge of their seats the entire day, and responded with much emotion and seriousness to the teaching. One of the leading pastors, who seemed quite educated and well-spoken, confessed that some of them had doubts about the conference being taught “two full days by one man” and were convinced even before it began that it would be “boring”. They were no longer of that opinion!

In the morning I taught on “Multiplying Disciples” and illustrated the concept of working to the fourth generation. They asked many insightful questions about leading the movement, about the nuances of skilled, Spirit-led disciple-making, and about the emergence of churches from the lives of the disciples. They also repeatedly asked how they could gain access to the content and material of the teaching, and how they could become a part of the Keystone Project. Later, after lunch, I taught “Launching Movements”. By the end of the training all of them wanted the information on how to attend the five day training we are hoping to do in 2012. We finished by lunchtime.

The drive back was long and tedious, very slow moving due to the heavy rain and potholes produced during the war by the shelling. We arrived in Monrovia around 6:45. The traffic in Monrovia is very congested and must navigate numerous, cavernous potholes filled with water. Moving through the city was difficult. The worst road damage seems to be at the busiest intersections. The roads are filled with huge lorries, cars, yellow taxis, motor scooters and cycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. There was little apparent attention or regard for traffic laws or procedures which would have alleviated the logjams. Moving through the intersections can take 20 minutes or longer, with vehicles seeking the shortest way through and around others. However, I have seen much worse!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

We traveled about two hours to the small city (again, more a town) of Kle (on some maps, spelled “Klay”). The rain was extremely heavy and steady. I had the opportunity to share with the men traveling with us so the travel time was used well. When we arrived it took at least an hour to set things up. There was no electricity, so Alfred used his generator to run everything – projector, laptop, sound system, microphones, and lights. At one point the rain was so heavy and loud on the metal roof I had to stop teaching. We began to pray that the rain would stop. As we moved into a praise song, it did stop and the sun began to shine. I resumed teaching and the response was the same – passionate excitement about the vision and a deep desire to be a part of it. Despite the heavy rain and difficult travel, there were about 125 in attendance people in attendance, many coming from miles away.

After our return to Monrovia, I was able to connect to the Internet and get somewhat caught up on e-mail. Basic services in Liberia were totally disrupted during the war. The economy of the country was destroyed, it’s infrastructure severely damaged, and the people suffered terribly. Most places outside of Monrovia, and even within Monrovia, do not have electricity. Still, the power of globalism and of the human spirit is amazing, as even in the most rural areas we visited you could see people on cell phones. However, it appears to me that Liberia has a very long way to go to recover from the war to give it’s citizens an opportunity for prosperity.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

I preached in the morning at the International Church of Monrovia, which is located on the SIM campus. Alfred is the leading elder in the congregation. Pastor Moses is a very gracious man, small in stature, and gentle in demeanor. When we entered the building I was escorted to the platform to sit in front of the congregation on a giant “pastor’s” chair. This thing was so big my feet barely touched the ground even though I was sitting forward in it. I felt like a small child sitting on a large throne. Pastor Moses is even shorter than I am (short people don’t say “I’m short”, they say “I’m not too tall!”). He had to sit on the very edge of his seat and lean very far forward to reach the floor. The congregation had many whites, missionaries, SIM workers, soldiers, and visitors. The service was traditional and refreshing. The choir was dressed in their robes, and was made up of young people. The keyboard and drums were a bit loud and made hearing the singing voices difficult from where I was sitting. But what I did hear was vibrant and inspirational. The congregation sang a number of hymns, including “Nearer My God To Thee”, “It is Well With My Soul”, and “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. All were led by the choir and featured a modern beat and rhythm, which, surprisingly, did not distort the structure or message of the songs. A Nigerian missionary working through the church led us in a kingdom-oriented prayer, asking the Lord to raise up disciples in the church.

I preached for about 20-25 minutes on John 13, the preparation of a missionary, calling the congregation to the Great Commission. All the teaching and preaching on this mission were done in English without translation. The response was very positive with the congregation applauding at the end, and many commenting on the message as they greeted me.

I met four soldiers after the service. They are stationed here to assist in training the Liberian defense forces. They seemed like very nice young men. I mentioned Richard Stiliha’s training to them and they are going to try to set something up for him. Perhaps he can come and do some training with the military and civil services while we are doing the five day training next year. Also, a woman who attended the Kle training the day before approached Alfred and announced she was there for the five day training! Alfred explained to her that the five day training would not take place until 2012. She had traveled all that way, hitching a ride and walking, thinking the training was taking place right away!

We then went to Pastor Jeremiah’s church. They had been waiting sometime for us. Before I got my seatbelt unfastened in the car they were taking my Bible, coat, and water, and then took me into the church building. The congregation was small (under 100), but the building was full. It was made up of younger people and there were a good number of men present. They sang a very lively song which I could not identify, and then I was escorted to the pulpit, with someone carrying my Bible for me. I noticed that there were two microphones and the one I using was not used by anyone else. Alfred pointed out that many have that custom – there is the common microphone and there is the preacher’s microphone. No one uses the preacher’s microphone but the preacher! I preached for a very few minutes from Luke 7, on Jesus raising from the dead the son of the widow of Nain, calling them to walk on the mission with Jesus, having compassion on the lost, imparting to them the life of Christ.

We then drove to Pastor Alex’s church, which is in Monrovia, but in a very rural village area of the city. The roads became impassable so we walked part of the way. The building was a large thatched hut, but was clean and very cool. The congregation is dominated by women. I encouraged them from Luke 3, the baptism of Jesus, telling them that if they repent of their sins, and pray, heaven will be opened above them, and they will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will hear the voice of the Father. It was very brief and well received. After enjoying a cool soda with them, we left and toured the government district of the city. Even the best of the government buildings were damaged in the war. The huge presidential palace is shattered and empty. The scars of the war are everywhere. We ate a meal of Jollof rice and chicken, discussing the condition of the church in Monrovia and the effects of the war. I then returned to my room at the ABC Residence. This place, located on the SIM campus, is clean and safe. It is an oceanfront home, similar to a guesthouse in that you share the bathroom with other guests. It is inexpensive ($45).

Monday, August 15, 2011

The next two days were spent training in Monrovia. The training took place at Pastor Jeremiah’s church.

The church was overflowing with about 135 registered attendees and some who did not register. Most were pastors with their key leaders. The first day of training ended with the call: “Who will give their lives to fulfill the Great Commission?” and about 130 people stood to their feet and shouted “I will!” I said, “No, no, no. You don’t understand what I am calling you to do. I mean who is willing to die, to give up everything, to fulfill the Great Commission?” They shouted back, “I am willing to die!” Now, I know that in the emotion of the moment it is easy to stand with everyone else and make a commitment to do something that like. But in my conversations with individuals after we finished, I am convinced this was not an emotional commitment, but a genuine kairos moment for many of them. They came to me and confirmed their desire to refocus their lives and churches to multiply disciples. Many told me this message affirmed a previous missionary call on their lives. It is a truly amazing thing I am witnessing. No where is there even a hint of dispute in the groups we are training. They not only embrace the vision, but they are begging for more. After sitting in an oven of a church building – it had to be 110 degrees in that place – for almost 8 hours of teaching, several older pastors came to me and said they wished the training would go on for four days instead of two! What impressed me the most was the positive, teachable spirits and attitudes of the older pastors. They remained engaged throughout the entire day, asking excellent questions and expressing appreciation for the clarity of the vision. My heart goes out to them when I consider their many years of ministry and labor for the Lord. Many led their churches through the war, in the face of mindless violence and poverty. At great sacrifice, they built church buildings and organized programs, events, and structures they hoped would grow the church. They preached, prayed, studied, and many took care of the poor. Yet, not a single pastor attending the meeting had a congregation of even 300 members. In fact, most had churches of less than 100 people. They welcomed this training with a renewed hope for their churches and ministries, and a deeper, clearer understanding of the mission.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Well, Isaiah 6 did it again. I briefly shared two main points from that passage (dethroning King Uzziah and enthroning Jesus by embracing the Cross) and the Holy Spirit descended in a powerful sweeping wave of prayer, repentance, surrender, and confession. One young man who is due to leave for missionary training in Nigeria fell to his face on the platform and grabbed my feet weeping. Many others were on their face, kneeling, pacing back and forth, praying with others. A stream of affected participants came forward to testify, many of them expressing a deep gratitude to Jesus for a fresh call and anointing on their lives. All of the confessions were positive and pointed to a personal renewal and awareness of the mission. One woman spoke of the need for the church in Liberia to become more compassionate for the poor. Several pastors spoke about being liberated to go outside the walls of the church to reach the lost. Others expressed a desire to go to unreached people groups. Still others surrendered to God’s call on their lives to become missionaries. A few told how this was an affirmation of what God had already spoken to them, and they felt as though they now had permission to obey what they’d heard and a way to obey it. The rest of the day was spent in equipping training – how to make disciples, how to launch a movement. When lunch time came they refused to stop the training for the meal. They wanted every scrap of teaching I could give them. We ended up eating lunch at 4:00 PM! Most Liberians eat only one meal a day and that was their one meal! They did not want the teaching to stop. Needless to say, it was a very encouraging time. May God give us wisdom to follow Him in this work. I simply do not have the ability to do it on my own, or to figure out what to do next. I pray the Lord will have mercy on me and the entire Keystone Project to be faithful to follow Him in equipping missional leaders for the next generation.

After the training was over I met with the event team and shared with them how to proceed. I was careful to make no promises, explaining in detail that there was no money or positions being offered. They would have to go through the same three assignments as every other person. I further detailed for them that Keystone works with leaders who are implementing the training. We also discussed the logistics of the five day training, including the type of venue, the budget, and how to determine which people to select for the training. They agreed to all that I said and we spent some time in prayer for Liberia and the future of the mission there.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Alfred and I spent the morning visiting possible hotels for the 2012 five day training. Prices in Monrovia are simply obscene! Rooms in 2 star hotels start at $120 per night. I am talking about rooms with broken mirrors and poor furnishings. Food is extremely expensive, with lunch meals beginning at $10 for a simple sandwich or a bowl of soup. Dinners are $20 or more. Safety, close proximity to the training venue, and cleanliness are the key criteria in choosing a suitable place for the staff and coaches who would come. Perhaps we can use the ABC Residence where I stayed this last week, though it has a limited number of rooms.

I quickly packed, had a farewell meeting with the event team, and then they drove me to the airport. The flight was full and it took about 16 hours to get from Monrovia to Atlanta (there is a stop over in Accra, Ghana). It was good to get home on Thursday!

Conclusion

All in all, I would assess the Liberia mission as a success with great potential for the future. We have a key leader (Alfred Varney) who understands the vision and mission, demonstrating the ability to contextualize it, and exhibiting keen discernment, humility, and graciousness in dealing with other leaders. He has put together a training event coordinating group to arrange the details of the five day training. His previous experience working with other American missionaries (Rick Leatherwood, for example) gives him a good perspective on the organizational aspects of putting training events together. In addition, the response of the leaders was encouraging. We shall see how many complete the assignments. Despite many churches in the cities (it seems there is a church every 100 feet in Monrovia!), it is estimated that only about 40% of the country’s 4 four million people are Christian, another 40% follow indigenous African religions, and 20% are Muslim (from PrayWay, Global Prayer Community website). The major unreached people groups are the Gio, Gola, Maninka (Mandingo) Manya, and Vai. Several of these groups are spread across West Africa. In addition, two Keystone Project graduates have launched a disciple-making movement on the Liberia-Ivory Coast border and have produced about 120 churches among refugees. They sent a team of five leaders to the training. I will be meeting with the leader of the movement, Kim Smith, in November here in the states. It is my opinion that Liberia is positioned to embrace a call to launch movements beyond its borders and the Keystone Project should seriously consider providing the training and coaching needed to do it.

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The Keystone Project is a global missions network of churches and leaders committed to the fulfillment of the Great Commission in this generation.

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