Dear Friends,
Watch video. Bible college students & staff thank the Lord and our supporters for a successful semester.
Rebuilding Community
CFM is an oasis. (Psalm 84:6, 107:35) The nation is experiencing severe hardship through energy prices and money shortages. Many are dying. As students go for practical ministry, their faith will be proved as never before. They will experience the Lord’s revival and his faithfulness. Faith, soil and relationships are all you have left, if you are in rural areas. There is massive food inflation due to transport costs, terrorism, food hoarding and foreign manipulation of markets: e.g. land and fertilizer. Large regions of land are vacated as “climate change investments.” Feed costs for fish, pigs and chickens have put most small livestock farmers out of business. The WHO passed a PCR test protocol, to put down livestock with “non-symptomatic viruses,” promoting processed food markets. CFM has been fighting this by building relationships between Christian crop farmers and Muslim cattle herders, for corporative eco-farming, free from manipulated markets, rebuilding peaceful communities. At first, this was rejected by most farmers, but now community farming is being restored.
Students of CFM farm, plant churches and schools.
Return from Exile - Faith, Family, Regional Development
The world languished under the globalism of Babylon. Cyrus was called to restore local, decentralised community. Some debated whether he was good or bad. God had chosen him to bring jubilee, though no man gets the glory. The enemy raged, bringing legal cases against the people, like Zechariah 3, and Sanballat and Tobia (Nehemiah 4). False trials are a satanic speciality, like Genesis 3, Job 1, and, of course, to crucify the holy Son of God. We, as persecuted Christians, should know this more than any.
The world had been exiled for her sins and judgement had run its course. During this time, God had protected his people, like the church was protected in the wilderness from the Roman beast in Revelation 12. But the time of return from exile had come. God said he would shake the nations and bring in a harvest like never before. He said, “The glory of this latter house would far exceed the glory of the former.” (Haggai 2:9) This is the church, including our ongoing refreshing and growth. (Acts 3:20) It speaks of God’s sure revival from global captivity. Resurrection (including from exile), renewal, revival, restoration, are God’s character. Before exile, God said, “For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
God’s word says what is coming is far more glorious than what has gone before. We need to position ourselves for something much greater in God’s plans. How do we position ourselves? With holiness and faith. “Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 2:14) And be positioned with faith: faith in what God has declared about his purposes. When God was about to restore Samaria, an elite official argued against it, and Elisha told him he will see God’s word fulfilled but not inherit it. (2 Kings 7) Let’s be positioned for the fulfilment of God’s word, to inherit it. “If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” (Habakkuk 2:3)
Almost at roofing level for the new bible college classroom.
Last Saturday we had a small wedding with family in the front yard of Mark’s rented house. Dr. Mark is the head of our hospital, who married Aisha, our head pharmacist.
Most church members are on their farms, as some repair the building with wet season damage.
One of our missionaries recently visited five regions. This is part of a report on one of the regions:
By the special grace of God, I embarked on the mission visit on 21/4/2024 to Gwaza with the intention to establishing new mission post, with the view to re-awaken Christians who were deeply terrified by the terrorist activities. To the glory of God, I succeeded in establishing one through a COCIN pastor who pleaded that his name should not be made public. His house was my first meeting point with the new disciples. CFM has trained one of the Gwaza community, who is currently a serving student. The plan is to station him in Gwaza, which will go a long way in fostering Christian life in the area. Continue to pray for our areas. Abduction is still an issue, most especially when you are identified as a Christian.
This week we heard of more people dying of hunger, including a small girl and her story. We heard of a pastor who claimed God told him he had given enough: he did not need to give any more. This is not the God of the Bible. “Freely we received so freely we give.” God transforms us to build us into agents of transformation. That's who we serve and that's who we are, to become more like Jesus daily.
If you can stand with us in CFM's big task of transforming lives through the power of the gospel, working together to transform communities, we will be thankful to God. We still need significant financial miracles and are trusting God for them. If God has enabled you, we ask for your prayer and financial help. Thank you for your love, prayer and support.
Blessings,
Kent, Ruth and Team
Donate
Giving in Australia: 1. Christian Faith Ministries Australia Incorporated, BSB 035046, Account No. 607721. Secretary: Warren Mack cfmaustralia@outlook.com. 2. Voice of the Martyrs kindly receives tax deductible gifts on behalf of CFM. Please contact Melissa Hill (mhill@vom.com.au) and designate your gift to one of these CFM projects: Children’s Crisis Care, Discipleship Care & Training (new believers in danger), Bible College for Students from Persecuted Regions, Medical Care for Persecuted Christians.
Giving in the USA: CFM is a tax-exempt charity in the USA. Christian Faith Ministries USA, US Bank, Routing Number 122105155, Account Number 151708783072. Contact Bart Langland tmatf16@gmail.com. Or make an online donation at CFMUSA.org.
Giving in the EU: Christian Faith Ministries Africa is a registered charity. Boezingestraat 103, 8906 Ieper, Belgium: IBAN: BE50 7330 7602 7418, BIC/SWIFT: KREDBEBB. Contact Pieter Morisse, pieter.morisse@telenet.be
Giving in the UK: Charity Commission# CFMI 1137723. 1. Transfer to CFM’s account in Belgium, details listed above. This will then be sent to Nigeria. Please contact us if need be. 2. Use “Make an Online Donation” link (see below). (We are working on new banking details in the UK to come soon.)
Make an Online Donation: You can click CFM Donation Form to be taken to a secure site where you can make an online donation.
Transfer to CFM in Nigeria: This must be made in US$. United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Nigeria. Swift Code: UNAFNGLA. UBA branch sort code: 033200987. Beneficiary account number: 3002513431. Beneficiary name: Christian Pentecostal Faith Assembly. Beneficiary address: Wurin Alheri, Du, Jos South, Post Code: 930101, Plateau State, Nigeria. Bank address: UBA Plc., Dadin Kowa Branch, Jos North, Jos, Post Code: 930272, Plateau State, Nigeria.
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Kent & Ruth receive no wage from CFM, only our weekly living costs in Nigeria are covered. CFM cfaithministries.org Substack kenthodge.substack.com CFI (Bible College) cfaithinstitute.org
Our Faith:
We believe in One creator God, who created all things. The incarnation of God in Christ, as redeemer, son and heir of creation. The death of Christ for our sins, his bodily resurrection on the third day and his current rule over the nations. God the Holy Spirit, the agent of salvation and restoration in the church of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of all humanity from the dead and the final judgement. Eternal life for those of faith and eternal destruction for the godless.