Sango Malamu ezali nini?

Yesterday was probably the highest point of my time thus far in this sprawling city of Kinshasa. I finally preached in Lingala without a translator. This has come after several weeks of frustration in my own heart over feeling so inadequate to teach or speak anything of significance into the lives of Congolese people. I could talk to them about the weather. I could talk to them about where they live. I could talk to them about their family members. But now after 9 months on this continent, I felt like I communicated the gospel well without any help from a translator. The title of the sermon was, "Sango Malamu ezali nini?" which means "What is the Gospel?" The points were simple and straightforward. I watched the pastors writing feverishly in order to catch every little point. This is not to point out any excellence in me as an orator or preacher because there isn't. It is simply to illustrate that there are some pockets in this city that have an incredible hunger for the gospel. There is a church on every corner here in Kinshasa but the majority of the members have no idea about the gospel.

Here in Kinshasa, almost everyone goes to church, almost everyone prays, almost everyone says they are a follower of Christ, but the majority of people do not know the gospel. Sound a little familiar? Sound a little like the United States of America? Churches everywhere but a famine of true understanding of what is the true gospel? Yesterday was a glorious day for me. We were sitting there in the congregation, sweating like we were running a marathon. Hope was running around and playing in the dirt. Sophia was crying because she was hot. We were singing choruses in a language not our own. We were hearing and UNDERSTANDING as people gave testimonies of God's provision. I stood and preached and the words came out and I didn't have to translate them in my head! Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! He is truly sufficient for me in all things! All of this reminded me that God never calls me to do something that he will not equip me to do. If he calls you to a task that seems greater than you can imagine, then jump in headfirst and be amazed as the God of all provision makes a way for you to strive with all his energy to do what you view as impossible. Join me in praising God for his sufficiency! He will accomplish his purposes! He will draw all nations to himself! They will bow and worship the risen Christ! Nzambe akumama!