African church sends out church planters

A WEC-planted church in Cote d’Ivoire is now a sending church for local church planters, who are working among unreached people groups.

Four local couples have now been been ‘sent’ by the church, a development which has greatly encouraged the WEC team.

Pastor Yao Daniel and his wife Lydie are working among their own traditionally animistic people group, the Gouro.

“Door-to-door evangelism and the showing of films such as the Jesus film give Pastor Daniel and Lydie opportunities to present the gospel to large numbers of people in the villages,” said WEC church planter Denise.

“So far three cell groups have been created in villages where there are not yet churches.”

Another couple, Pastor Narcisse and his wife Eugenie, are working among the Worodougou people, and have been able to hand out cassettes, tracts and scriptures in the local language. They are also discipling three new Worodougou believers.

“During one village visit the chief asked for a special prayer for rain in his village; and the same evening the Lord heard our prayer and sent rain,” said Narcisse.

Pastor N’Da Celestin and his wife Lydie are working among the Muslim Soussou people, where Pastor N’Da is discipling two men despite still learning the local language.

“The showing of films in people’s homes is a means of reaching people,” Denise said.

“The dedication of a baby of a believer also gave them the opportunity to present the truth to all invited guests, most of them Soussou.”

A fourth couple, Pastor Traore Moussa and wife Melanie, are involved with Bible translation for the Worodougou people.

“A sign of a maturing church is an increasing missionary awareness,” said Denise.

“It is a joy for the WECers to see the church develop from a church planted by WEC missionaries to a church that is sending out its own people.”