How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, "Your God reigns” Isaiah 2:7
This verse from Isaiah creates a significant image of our ministry in West Africa. We are here to bring the good news of peace. Our message has been both given and received as the gospel of peace. We are here as ambassadors of reconciliation and we disciple believers to carry on the ministry of reconciliation. We don’t believe peace is an important facet of the gospel; we believe and preach that peace is the gospel.
We are currently in a series of teachings about peace. We are equipping the men who go out to the villages to be sharing the vision of the peace that God is calling us to enjoy.
How do believers become ministers of reconciliation? We teach that our new relationship with God is possible only through the death and resurrection of Christ and that as he died, we also die to the world and the flesh in order to be raised to a new life with him. We who have come to peace with God are thereby enabled to be reconcilers among those with whom we live. (I Cor. 5)
Continuing to seek revenge, reacting with anger and attempting to repay evil with evil is indicative that the flesh is still dominating one’s life. The gospel of peace is relevant all over the world, but especially so here in West Africa where bullying, intimidation and violence are the culturally acceptable ways of dealing with affronts. When people become disciples of Christ, they become first and foremost people of peace.
Listen to this testimony of transformation of one believer’s life as he began to follow Jesus. His name is Gibriel Mane.
