God's Heartbeat

In the fall of 1994, Richard Erhiawarien made a presentation to the Executives of the Washington DC Chapter of African Christian Fellowship (ACF) under the leadership of Dr. Bolu Olowomeye on the need for a Missions Commission (MC), setting out clear objectives for the MC. The leaders of the local Chapter advised that this important proposal be presented to the Regional leaders. At the meeting of the Board of ACF USA (East Region) held on November 12, 1994 Richard presented the proposal and it was unanimously adopted.

From the very beginning we saw that there is a clear move of the Holy Spirit in many parts of Africa bringing in the harvest. The soil is not as hard in Africa as it is in United States and most of the western world. We saw that Africans are better equipped to meet the challenges of Islam, not only in Africa but also in the Middle East. Perhaps the most crucial and urgent reason for setting up the Missions Commission was the inevitable decline in the inflow of missionary resources to Africa from the western world due to the spill over effects of donor fatigue combined with countries in Eastern Europe and other former communist regimes becoming open to the gospel. It became imperative for Africans in the U.S. to rise up to the challenge, fill the resource gap and facilitate the penetration of the gospel to the remaining unreached peoples in Africa.

We also believed that the Missions Commission would help position the African Christian Fellowship to be a key player in Africa's final harvest among unreached people groups and in extending the love of Jesus to those suffering from the many social issues facing Africa. This is God's heartbeat.

 In the past ten years, the ACF East Region Missions Commission has evolved into a vibrant and growing missions agency, ACF Missions. Through God's abounding grace, we have accomplished much for the Lord, including the following highlights:

• Creating missions awareness among Africans in the U.S.
• Organizing Short-Term Mission Trips to Africa annually since 1998.
• Encouraging Missionaries serving in Africa.
• Through our monthly praise and prayer calendar, mobilizing prayers for unreached people groups and Missionaries working with them.
• Building partnerships with Churches that have a heart for Unreached peoples groups in Africa
• Giving opportunity to Africans in the Diaspora for broader missions involvement through ACF Missionary Advocacy Network.
• Demonstrating the love of Jesus to and strengthening the persecuted Church in Sudan
• Providing for the training of missionaries in French speaking African countries.
• Offering a Christian response to the ravages of AIDS among Uganda's Children.
• Supporting Missionary Teams across the Continent especially in Sudan, Nigeria and Benin Republic.
• Providing for the nurture and discipleship of Kanuri converts who face severe persecution from their families and working towards the planting of the first Kanuri Church.

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