Good times in Togo

Dennis Hilman and Bob Maki continued their West African trip by traveling from Ghana to Togo in mid-February. Here is an update from Dennis Hilman:

A FIRE BURNS!! For the closing session of our seminars in Notse, Togo today I led the participants and all of us leaders in an exercise in the practical aspects of forgiveness which I call "Lasting Change". Many of us were raised very close to these practices in our spiritual lives but for many people we meet in the mission field they are not very familiar. So with John 5 as a point of departure - Jesus at the Bethesda Pool - I brought very close to home how Jesus specifically asked the man if he wanted to be healed, whereby the man opened up and confessed with his own mouth what the problem was. It was then that Jesus took his hand, lifted him up and healed him.

In many other places Scripture we find out how "with the mouth confession is made". This is even a well known principle in psychology but human reasoning stops short before the REAL nature of healing and lasting change can take place when forgiveness and assurance are declared and heard in the name of Jesus and the power of His blood.  

 

All of the participants, including us leaders, were asked to take a clean sheet of paper and respond to Jesus encouragement to "cast all your cares on me, for I care for you!" and write them all down on this paper - problems, doubts, guilt, worries, fears and sins. Current ones, ones that trouble from the past and ones that shadow the horizon in the future. Much time was given for this along with the assurance that no other human being would ever see this paper.

Then we all divided into groups of six and we all went around and confessed one thing of our choice that was on this list, upon which the other members of the group put their hands upon us, assured us of forgiveness in Jesus name and the power of His blood and prayed for us with many encouraging words. What a blessed sound there was in that church today as the blood of Jesus was speaking and He lifted and healed so many there! 

 

The next step was for everyone to raise the "problem papers" above their heads in acknowledgement that although we can never fully confess our sins and problems Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us ALL of our sins....turning everything over to Him.

Upon which we crumpled these papers up and threw them all into a burning basin, went outside and watched them disappear in the fire as we sang beautiful hymns. Not a ritual but symbolic of the fire of God's Spirit, His love and forgiveness which washes all of our sins into the sea of grace where He never remembers them again (even if we sometimes do!).

And so it was back to the everyday lives of homes, communities and congregations as we re-entered the church singing a wonderful rhythmic African song of praise.....equipped to implement what we practiced today - there on our "home altars" as Pastor Bob put it in closing. 

 

Gone, gone, gone, gone, yes my sins are gone!

Buried in the deepest sea, yes that's good enough for me!

 Singing a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. Old things are passed away. Old church in background. New one under construction to the left.

 

SEMINAR IN TOGO COMPLETED! Many of the participants proudly show their certificates. The theme on this certificate is "The Principles of Forgiveness" (focus text John 20:21-23). Oh what an active group of pastors and church workers we had! Some of them even brought their children. The teaching was deep and practical with examples from the lives of many well-known Bible characters. How precious it is for all of us to learn more in practice about forgiveness - a major building block of everyday life and living faith!!