2022 was a good year for ministry for Cell Life Church International. Today we celebrate all the Lord did through our hands and feet around the world.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Watch the video of this teaching at https://www.celllifechurch.tv/2022-cell-life-church-ministry-in-review/ or on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/oOemkdoKYg4
Each year we prepare a year-in-review report and share it with the Cell Life Church International Church Council. It is always a wonderful evening with council members and their spouses celebrating all the Lord has done in the previous year through the hands and feet of believers around the world. Today we want to share with you some of the highlights from that report.
We read in the gospels that at one point John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the one, or should they look for another. Jesus gave a report to John’s disciples to bring back to him. Let’s read this in Matthew 11:1-6
(1) After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. (2) When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples (3) to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (4) Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: (5) The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. (6) Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
We often remark on how amazed we are at all the Lord is doing in and through us. We first started talking about this new movement that has become Cell Life Church in a McDonald’s restaurant while our daughter was in a gymnastics class. We had first envisioned a regional group that met weekly in homes and other places and would come together every month or so for a large gathering for times of worship and celebration. We envisioned each group serving their community in some way often, giving God all the glory. Our message was simple; be the hands and feet of Christ wherever you find yourself, at work, in the marketplace, in school, and at home.
Little did we know that God had a much bigger idea, which still amazes us. This new movement that we called Cell Life Church officially grew first to Pakistan, then Kenya, followed by Zambia, and then Malawi. These are the officially recognized ministry areas of Cell Life Church. However, our reach extends around the world because of the Internet. Many groups use our resources like sermon notes, videos, discussion series, and blogs for their own groups.
We would like to share some of the great things happening in some of these places. First, we will talk about the Internet reach of Cell Life Church.
Kelly and I not only lead Cell Life Church International, mentoring our pastors and evangelists around the world, but we also produce many of the online resources used by people around the world. Most weeks we have an encouraging teaching that we record a video and publish the text so they can be used by individuals and groups. The great thing about this is some people are in sensitive countries, places where it is dangerous or even illegal to be a Christian, and we can minister to them and encourage them. The underground Church is alive and growing around the world.
We have two websites. One has all the text teaching notes and sermons available for reading and downloading, and the other has all our videos. We also publish our videos on YouTube and Facebook. It is interesting the difference in countries that use these resources. The videos are watched predominantly in English-speaking places while the text is viewed and downloaded in many non-English-speaking places. We believe this is because it is easier to translate.
Some of the top places that use our Internet videos and notes are Russia, the Czech Republic, Iran, Greece, Great Britain, and India. Interestingly Iran was the largest amount of video views outside the United States in 2022. God is moving in the hearts of the people in Iran.
Our teachings are always encouraging and simple to understand. Jesus spoke simply using plain language and every-day examples when he taught about the kingdom of Heaven. We do the same. That is one of the most common comments we get. People appreciate the simplicity of the message and the short time of the teachings.
But we don’t only minister online. We have official ministry areas around the world. Let’s look at those. First, we will look at Pakistan.
Pastor Tahir Mahmood and his wife Rukhsana lead Cell Life Church in Pakistan and they have been with us for many years. They continue to devote their lives to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and leading others to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in their every-day lives.
Tahir continues to travel extensively in his region in Pakistan going from cell site to cell site. Many have come to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior because of his ministry there. He now travels to 29 different sites, some more than 100 miles from their main site in Toba Tek Singh, and ministers to more than 2000 people regularly.
They continue to teach the children of the brick kiln workers, who are enslaved Christians. They teach the children to read using Bibles. In addition, they have started a second sewing school for young girls. One girl who graduated from the first sewing school has been able to make enough money as a seamstress that she was able to pay the price to free her Father from slavery.
They also continue to raise money with their wheat for widows campaigns and distribute Bibles in book form and audio form for those who do not read. Please continue to pray for Pastor Tahir and Rukhsana and their entire ministry team as they be the hands and feet of Jesus in Pakistan.
We have seen the ministry in Kenya firsthand and it is wonderful. Pastors Martin and Patricia Indakwa lead Cell Life Church in western Kenya. They now count 21 cell sites in the western counties of Kenya in and around Mumias with more than 600 people a part of these.
CLC Kenya continues to reach out with medical camps for people. They bring medication for typhoid and malaria as well as help clean jiggers from people’s skin. Jiggers are small parasites that burrow into the skin and eat the flesh. They also do HIV and early pregnancy education as well as hygiene education at these medical camps.
2022 was a more difficult year for Kenya with some disasters and CLC Kenya helped with disaster relief. Pastor Martin said, “In 2022, we have seen God work through our ministry differently compared to other years because He has been revealing himself through his word by meeting our needs when things seemed to be tough.”
Another notable thing is water. Clean water is one of our initiatives for Kenya and we were able to put in a clean water well in one village a few years ago. Since that time, that village has seen a dramatic drop in the number of waterborne illnesses and no deaths due to contaminated water. Praise the Lord! If we could only put a clean water well in each village.
Please continue to pray for Pastors Martin and Patricia and their team as they lead the work in western Kenya.
Pastor Issac Mphande and his wife Chewe lead Cell Life Church in Zambia. Despite COVID restrictions, CLC Zambia continued to flourish. Pastor Isaac was able to continue doing discipleship training, pastor bible training, children’s early education, bible and food distributions, and more. They also started some rural outreaches and have started doing mission trips to Botswana.
Pastor Issac has a heart for children just like Jesus. His wife, Chewe, is a nurse in the children’s HIV ward at the hospital in their city. Because of HIV/Aids, they have many orphans that they have started a school that they self-fund. More than 300 children come to this school and are taught, fed, and loved every day.
Pastor Isaac is hoping to increase the number of pastors’ conferences and pastors’ schools this year. The need is great to teach pastors from around the region solid truths from the Bible, and this is on his heart too. Please continue to pray for Pastors Isaac and Chewe as they minister to the people of Zambia and mentor pastors throughout the region.
The newest area to officially join Cell Life Church International in 2022 was Cell Life Church in Malawi. Pastor Innocent Magona and his wife Fages lead the work in Malawi. They started the year with a small group in an open-air gathering. They are now ministering to over 1000 people at 6 different sites, 3 of which are in neighboring Mozambique.
Pastor Innocent has the fire of the Holy Spirit in him and it shows.
This year they have been able to provide food for people ravaged by floods, helped with housing for those displaced, and repair the homes of some others. They have seen sicknesses healed and demons cast out, all in the mighty name of Jesus.
Pastor Innocent is looking forward to 2023 and being able to help with more housing and food for those who are starving, as well as teaching biblical truths and helping people learn to serve one another, in Jesus’ name.
That is a whole lot of serving in the name of Jesus going on around the world! One of our core verses is Ephesians 4:11-12 which says:
(11) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, (12) to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
We are here to equip people. We are here to equip you to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in your home, in your workplace or school, in your village or community, and anywhere else you find yourself. Our pastors around the world have that same calling. They are not there to meet everyone’s needs. God has given us these leaders to equip you, the Church, to reach out and serve others in the name of Jesus Christ.
By the end of 2022 Cell Life Church International is ministering to people in numerous countries in 6 different time zones and countless more online. We hear stories of people being healed, delivered, transformed, and renewed every day.
Whatever your part in this ministry is, thank you. Some give financially and some are prayer warriors. There are those that give their time and those that share their wisdom. In all, we are one large community of believers, brothers and sisters in the family of God and co-heirs with Christ.
We hope this report of ministry in 2022 has blessed and encouraged you as much as it does us.
Thank you.
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