The church, which is located in the suburb of N’Balia, has endured pressure from local people, but has continued to thrive and BMS mission worker Simon Wood says he is really excited by the church’s growth.
“It had been a housegroup for 15 years but publicly changed its status and received a pastor to lead it. A three-night evangelistic campaign, aided by mission personnel, included a showing of the Jesus film, followed by a very public inauguration of the pastor, André Tamba Léno.â€
PeopleNow there are services each Sunday morning, a day of prayer for women every Friday and four evening housegroups.
Numbers have risen from 50 last October to nearly 150 people today, including about 70 children, which is something to particularly build on, says Simon.
“The majority of this growth comes from other believers switching churches, with ten adult conversions and a lot of new attendance from many local children. We are introducing the idea to the pastor of a children’s after-school club as a way of increasing this outreach to children and their families.â€
PressurePersecution is a very real problem for Christians in N’Balia – a predominately Muslim area of Kissidougou. The church has suffered antagonism from neighbours and Pastor André has been evicted from his house when his landlord was put under pressure from local groups.
Youths throw stones at the church’s building, the roof of which is made from corrugated iron (not straw because of the threat of possible arson) and has been provided by BMS World Mission.
PrayerSimon requests prayer for this bold body of Christ’s people as it looks with hope to the future. He says: “Please pray for Pastor André and the people of his church, for protection against further antagonism, and for a more receptive attitude by local Muslims.
“Pray that the church will increasingly be able to incorporate Muslim background believers by becoming more flexible in their approach to how services are run. Pray that the church will develop in its outreach, that the children’s work will take off.â€
Pastor André Tamba Léno became a Christian in 1973 and for a while worked as a missionary in a Muslim area, but eventually left due to persecution.
At N’Balia, he regularly visits households with other church members, where they share the gospel and pray for people. He wants to improve his teaching to the adults in the church, and is interested in introducing a course for married couples.
Alice Saio Mansaré is the president of the women in the church and has been a believer since childhood.
She has been attending the housegroup in N’Balia since it started, 15 years ago.
Kekoura Oamouno was a Muslim but nine years ago was invited to a church service with a visiting speaker.
Kekoura had wanted to leave early in the service but torrential rain meant he couldn’t, so he stayed and met with God!
Kekoura has mainly worked as a driver, but is now almost blind.
This can be rectified by surgery, and he is waiting to go to the Mission Philafricaine hospital in Macenta.