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Hidden horrors of hypocrisy

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by Gordy McCoy

It was once said by Mark Twain, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side, which he never shows to anybody.” How sad is that?

This dark side can exist for years behind carefully guarded masks. Most of us remember the Watergate scandal. I, like many others firmly resisted the thought of corruption in the Oval Office till the very end. Such corruption and compromise were unthinkable. Conversations with those who were there at the time and participated in the cover-up and books documenting those events forced me to accept what I once denied. Watergate wasn’t the only scandal that shook the American public. We can never forget the Clinton Era, and the news about other political leaders placing themselves in the proverbial hot seat.

Biblically speaking we know from Numbers 32:23, “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”

Mark Twain was partially right with his statement, but we as Christians need to remind ourselves to invite OUR LIGHT to reveal those dark spots that Mark Twain was speaking of. Going to OUR LIGHT source, we find in Psalms 119:105, “That Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” We need the flashlight of His Word to reveal the sin that so easily entangles us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

We also need to have someone we can be open and honest with. Someone we can pray with and seek His guidance. This shows accountability and vulnerability. It is not always an easy road to take but it is the best way. You can rest assured rattling skeletons don’t stay in closets … lies don’t remain private … and secrets don’t stay secret. It’s only a matter of time.

In closing, it reminds me of an old song by Keith Green, from Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me. “

Hidden works of darkness always come to LIGHT.

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Featuring: President Bosokpale – Congolese Free Church

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by Cal Kierum

This Sunday, Elim is hosting the President of the Congolese Free Church, President Bosokpale. He is speaking at both services. Following the second service, we will host a potluck in his honor where we will have a Q&A time.

Who is this man God has placed in charge of leading His church in the Congo? What follows is a brief biography and his call as God’s man for this hour.

Bosokpale Langbe Pitiago Gratien had finished high school with an emphasis on teaching and was working on his father’s plantation when a friend invited him to an evangelistic rally in a nearby city. An evangelist had come from the US and was holding meetings in English that were being translated into Lingala by a missionary. The message from John 3:16 spoke to him that evening and he gave his life to Christ. Shortly thereafter, he was baptized in a local church.

One day he was introduced to a seminary student and was asked whether he might be interested in attending seminary. Months before, having received a New Testament from his younger brother, the passage in Matthew 19, of giving up everything to follow Jesus and the promise of receiving far more than what he would give up, brought him to the point, following this encounter, to realize that God was in fact calling him into ministry. His father, being both a wealthy politician and large plantation owner however, had other plans and insisted that he not become a pastor. The day following this interaction, his father became severely ill and was taken to Tandala Hospital. After being examined by the doctor and finding that there was nothing wrong with him, he agreed to meet with the hospital chaplain. It became clear to him that God had healed him and soon thereafter he encouraged Bosokpale to attend seminary.

His application was sent in and he was one of four students accepted to attend the seminary in Bangui, Central African Republic. When it came time for them to leave for school however, he received a letter saying that they wanted him to remain at Tandala to be evaluated over the course of the next year because of his recent conversion and non-Christian family background. It was during that year that he met his wife-to-be, Jeanette, and they were married. So, for the next year he taught elementary school at a village near Tandala.

The following year, he reapplied to attend the seminary in Bangui, but again was not accepted. He appealed the decision and even applied at another seminary but was refused there as well. Finally, he was accepted at a seminary in Kinshasa where both he and Nubako Selenga attended as first-year students. He finished seminary in 1991 and returned to work as an assistant pastor and a pastor for 4 years, as a District Superintendent for 18 years, and in 2008 was voted President of the Evangelical Free Church work in Congo.

President Bosokpale gives oversight to the second largest Evangelical Free Church denomination in the world, which currently consists of over 900 churches. He and his wife, Jeanette, have 7 children, with the oldest in college in Kinshasa and the youngest in 2nd grade. This is his first trip to the U.S.A.

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A Summer and Fall full of Outreach opportunities!

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by Cheryl Weller

Spring has sprung in the great Northwest and summer is right around the corner. Be careful not to blink because fall is around the next corner!! With spring comes summer and fall planning for the children’s ministry at Elim.

The theme this summer – OUTREACH! Let’s get out of the building and go into our community and neighborhoods. Consider these two opportunities to reach those in the community around Elim and in your own neighborhood!

* Host a 5-day Club! This is a great opportunity to reach the children in your neighborhood. We want to partner with you by providing the materials, supplies and any training you may need. Grab a friend and your children or grandchildren and begin planning. Let this be a family outreach; plan together, serve together. What a great example for children to see and learn as they serve as Jesus served. A 5-day club in your home is were children will see and hear about Jesus – were real life is shared.
* Outreach Soccer Camp! We are excited to offer this fun high energy camp again this summer and once again we need you! This is a great opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ on an open field while playing soccer with the children.

We need coaches, registration coordinator, snack organizer/snack providers, outreach coordinator…there are plenty of ways to serve at Soccer Camp – and don’t forget to invite kids from your neighborhood and bring them each day. Dates will be announced in the next e-newsletter!

This fall we are starting a new ministry to reach out to the children at Zeiger Elementary and I am very excited about it! It is called KidREACH. KidREACH is a World Vision program that reaches children who are struggling academically and/or socially by tutoring them in a free after school program. We will be partnering with Zeiger Elementary school and will offer a safe environment here at Elim for children to come and work one-on-one with a volunteer tutor in the areas of reading, writing and math. Through WV the volunteers will receive training – but the ultimate goal is to build a relationship between the child and the tutor. It is through this relationship that outreach happens with the child and their family. This relationship begins when the child is paired with a tutor who will not only help them with homework but will also walk along side them throughout the time of the ministry, October – May, and hopefully beyond. We will meet on Wednesday’s from 4-5:45 with the hopes that some of these children will stay for Awana. For those who stay we will serve them dinner before Awana.

What is needed to make KidREACH an effective ministry here at Elim?

We will need those who love to serve behind the scenes. We need a snack coordinator – we need a meal coordinator – we need a party planner (celebrate Birthdays, Christmas etc..) – we need a set-up and tear-down coordinator – we need a prayer coordinator (someone who will make sure that each child and tutor pair are being prayed for) – we need a co-site coordinator (work along side of me) who loves paperwork! We need those who love garage sales to be on the look out for specific games and books –

And of course we need those who would love to work with children and tutor them while building a relationship with them. We will only offer spaces for those children that we have tutors for. Men – this is extremely important for you to consider. Young boys need role models!

Together we can make in impact for Jesus in the lives of children! Start at home by being that example of serving Jesus together and have fun. Then let’s reach out to our community and the children who desperately need Jesus – they are loved by Him and they are special to Him as they should be to us, His Body, here at Elim

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