Sudanese Church Planting Project
Report on Project ID # GCC-2 Series 2006
Sudanese Church Planting Project
In 2006, the Georgia-Cumberland Conference requested NAD funding for the first year of a five year project to intentionally reach Sudanese people living in the Atlanta area.
With funding received last year from the NADCOM special Evangelism Appropriation ($29,500.00) as of Nov. 1, 2006, we have hired a part-time Global Evangelism pioneer who has been working to establish relations with Sudanese people in the Atlanta metropolitan area. John Lam (see accompanying photo) accepted the role of Bible Worker to the Sudanese people living in Atlanta. John is a native Sudanese who speaks fluent Arabic.
We have also used funding to pay for two evangelistic series (approx. $10,000.00) for the Sudanese group and have allocated another $9,000.00 for evangelism during the remainder of this year. An African-Muslim man has been baptized as a result of these efforts. See accompanying video on Good News Atlanta.
Here are some endeavors John has been involved in since starting this new position:
- Nightly visitation programs, where he is greeting, meeting, and holding Bible Studies with his native people.
- Regular Sunday social and church event networking strategy (building rapport with African-Muslims by repeated contact)
- Eight people have visited the church during services.
- Expanding vision to reach all African-Muslims in the Atlanta area (not just Sudanese)
- Changed name of church to Adventist International Mission (AIM) which reflects new outreach emphasis.
- Attended Muslim relations training seminar, equipping people to share the Gospel with Muslims.
- Works closely with AIM lay-leader, David Shokai
- Attends leadership meetings with the Good News Atlanta team.
- Regular one-on-one mentoring and planning sessions with the director of church planting.
Please see accompanying pictures, articles, and video.
Thank you,
William F. Levin
Director for Church Planting and Global Evangelism
Georgia Cumberland Conference of SDA