(Picture: Stephen McDowell teaching in South Africa)
South Africa (1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999)
In 1988, Mark Beliles traveled to Johannesburg and neighboring black townships such as Soweto and Sharpsville to see the situation there under apartheid. He preached in a church in Johannesburg and met with various pastors such as Ray MacCauley and a group of both black and white pastors in the city. Mark also went alone with a couple black pastors to black townships and was the first white person to be in their homes. They wept as they prayed together for God to end apartheid and bring transformation. Mark also met with some black city government leaders and a black leader of a political party.
Stephen McDowell then went in 1992 and 1993 to speak to about 800 people and then 1200 at conferences called SYMSA which stands for “SYMposium for the biblical rebuilding of South Africa.” A group of international speakers taught on how the Bible can transform the nation. Stephen also consulted with Kenneth Meshoe and others who went on to start a new political party called the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP). The ACDP received enough votes in the historic elections of 1994 to place two members in the national parliament and three in regional parliaments. Luis Green had been the leader of the ANC (African National Congress, presently the ruling party) in the Cape Province when he attended SYMSA ’93 and read Liberating the Nations. He said he had been a Christian in his heart, but after being exposed to the truth he learned in the conference and our book, he realized his thinking and action did not coincide with his Christian faith. From that time his life was turned around. He left the ANC and joined with the fledgling ACDP. Three months later he found he had been elected to the Parliament. Luis’ testimony is a great example of what is needed to bring godly reform to the nations — the thinking and action of Christians must become consistent with their heart faith.
Luis and pastor Paul Daniel of His People Church in Capetown came to Charlottesville, Virginia in 1996 and presented an award to Stephen and Mark from the Parliament in South Africa for their work in the transformation of South Africa. Kenneth Meshoe, also a member of Parliament, visited us later that year. Then in February, 1999, Stephen McDowell spent two weeks in South Africa speaking at two SYMSA conferences and at numerous churches, as well as meeting with many different government, education, and church leaders. Over 600 people attended a two-day conference in Capetown and 300-400 attended in Pretoria. Both were very successful. Kenneth Meshoe, who is a Member of Parliament and head of the ACDP, invited Stephen and other speakers to a luncheon meeting in Parliament. Stephen was very excited to see the fruit that has come forth from previous trips — teachers using our materials, people inspired to start new businesses, people serving in civil government, and many who have greatly benefited from our book Liberating the Nations.
Later a pastor from South Africa whom McDowell visited in 1999 and spoke at his church wrote: “It is just amazing how much your visit on those short two days really started a great change in our lives. We are studying your material very carefully and have also started a course for leaders called Biblical Christian World View. Your book Liberating the Nations is the core handbook.”
Nigeria (2005)
Dr. Dominic Obott of Nigeria attended our Institute for World Reformation in 1991 and since then he has been doing much to teach others in his nation. Dr. Obott, who is founder and President of Redeemed International Seminary, wrote in 2000: “As a Providence Foundation Scholar, I have been playing a leading role here in training Christians to participate in politics and governance and ordering civil government. Before I attended your Institute for World Reformation, I used to think it was abominable for a Christian to be involved in politics or participate in ordering earth’s government. In your school I was taught the political mission and mandate of the Church, etc, that opened my eyes to the truth and changed my perspective. Thank you once again for the vision of the Providence Foundation.” Dr. Obott wrote that “in our seminary, we teach Principles for the Reformation of the Nations as a course. Our students like this course more than every other course that we offer in the seminary. The course is so educative, informative, exciting and liberating. I teach the course personally. All our students now have a new idea of Christianity and governance.”
Meanwhile others were using our materials in bring change such as Michael Gowan in the city of Jos. In 2005 Mark and Stephen went to Nigeria and not only met with Gowan, but with new friends Tony Rapo and Kemela Okara in Lagos. They taught in various churches and met with pastors, members of parliament and the attorney general.
Congo (1988)
In 1988 Mark Beliles went to Kinshasa and met with various ministry leaders and preached in some churches.
Others Working in Africa:
(Picture: Providence Foundation representatives from Ghana and Holland)
Zambia
John Jere is a pastor and the Executive Director of Zambia United Christian Action. His desire is to disciple his nation, beginning by educating pastors and Christians in their civil duties. Rev. Jere recently obtained some of our books and has been diligently studying them. He wrote in 2000: “Your books have transformed me and I will not be free till I put everything I have learned into practice. We want to begin by educating those in the 1500 churches throughout the country that are members of Zambia United Christian Action. . . . For your information I am in direct contact with the key political leaders. Some come to my house to consult on national controversial issues. President Frederick Chiluba’s term is coming to an end. At the moment, we have two key brothers that are willing to stand as Presidential aspirants for 2001 general elections. One of these men is the Hon. General Godfrey Miyanda, the Minister of education. He is the only one in the ruling party who is capable of leading the nation. Most of the others are crooked. They may have the money, but they do not fear God or know Jesus Christ.”
Rev. Jere then writes of his great hunger and thirst for truth and training to help evangelize and disciple his nation. Under President Chiluba “Zambia covenanted herself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.” Jere is working to see that Zambia will continue on with the same heart, plus have the internal principles and ideas necessary to see the nation grow in the blessings of God. “We pray that the Providence Foundation may come some time next year to Zambia and teach a seminar on Liberating the Nations.”
Chanda from Zambia writes: “I am compelled to write you after reading your book, Liberating the Nations. It is an amazing treasure of revelations and answered a lot of questions I have had about our nation. Most of our different political parties do not acknowledge the power of the gospel in governance. Even our current government, despite being led by a Christian president does not consist of men and women who accept and uphold the gospel’s truths. . . . The remedy to this nation is the promotion of the internal government of self, reason, will and Godliness rather than the forcing of external government powers. The church has also been misled by believing that Christianity and government (politics) can never work together. . . .I read your heart in your book, Liberating the Nations, and this is why I have the courage to bother you this far, I feel the concepts in that book must be taught and taught and taught till they become the fundamental base of our politics, Christianity and life style of our youths in Zambia. . . I believe there is a call for the Providence Foundation in the republic of Zambia. We need to see the transformation power of the gospel in our cities, markets, streets, gardens, and schools and the political parties themselves. Please pray and do what you can do for this cause. America has been friendly and has given us donations after donations but this has never been the solution. We need the knowledge, the understanding and the revelation of the biblical principles of Godly and good governance. Please help the young in Zambia to understand this. They are the presidents, pastors, fathers, mothers and covenant keepers of tomorrow.”
Burundi, Rwanda, Congo
In 2005 Stephen traveled to Belgium to teach a seminar to French-speaking African pastors who traveled from throughout Europe to attend. Over 100 pastors from Burundi, Rwanda, Congo, and other nations attended the multi-day event.
Ghana
Albert Mensah and others started Providence Foundation – Ghana around 2010 to educate Christians in Biblical worldview. PF – Ghana have conducted numerous training events and published Liberating the Nations for use in their country.
(Picture: Beliles and McDowell consulting with leader from Togo)
Liberia
Togo
In 1991 Mark Beliles and Stephen McDowell were visited in Charlottesville by an African prince named Francois Ayi who sought help in writing a Declaration of Rights for his nation. After contributing to this document, the prince submitted it to his nation’s political leaders and it also was distributed for study in several other African nations. Ayi eventually became king of his people and met with the President of Togo for ways to improve the country. His Highness later visited us again in Charlottesville and spoke at the University of Virginia in 1997.
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