Raising up a new Generation

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What does it take for a small tribal church in the heart of Africa to endure for the generations to come? What must happen now, so that 200 years hence it will still be proclaiming its allegiance to Christ  – notwithstanding that it is surrounded by Muslims, and sits on top of Chadian petroleum reserves?  Much indeed – the training of pastors, the translation of Scripture, a critical mass of  believers, and the establishment of a gospel tradition, just to name a few. But these efforts will avail nothing if, as the present generation dies, another generation of believers is not raised up to take their place. Yet within the Kwong church, there has been essentially no intentional transmission of the gospel to the next generation.

In recent years, however, Mark and Diane Vanderkooi have been doing their best by word and example to imbue the Kwong church with just such a tradition of conscientiously training up their children in the fear of God. They have collaborated with a Kwong gentleman by the name of Jonas who is a fervent believer, respected village chief, and an engaging story teller to teach a children’s Sunday School hour. Upwards of 80 children attend this program. They have also started a weekly girls’ club as well as a boy’s club where more personal attention is possible.  (Read more about Jonas...)

However, the Vanderkoois are finding that they are not able to give these ministries, important as they are, the kind of attention that they deserve. More seriously, they are finding that they are not gifted with the creativity that the task demands. For this reason, the Vanderkoois are looking for a couple who is willing to dedicate at least 15 years of their life to the task of training up an entire generation of Kwong children.

Our vision is to begin with 50 children of approximately 5 years of age, and then to build into their lives right through to adulthood with a comprehensive package of beliefs, attitudes, and conduct which befit a Kwong society ordered by Christ. In this “school of character”, nothing would be outside the scope of its teaching – the practice of polite behavior, the valorization of sacrificial service to others, healthful living, God-honoring marriage, the practice of personal discipline, an awareness of the outside world, an appreciation of nature, the pursuit of academic excellence, love for and devotion to Christ, and finally (and most crucially), a sense of obligation to imbue their own children with these same qualities. Insofar as it is possible, we envisage the replication of this school of character in as many localities as possible in Kwongland.

Prerequisites for such a ministry are a history of fruitful children’s ministry in your home country, fluency in French (one year in France or Quebec), acceptance by one of the sending agencies listed on the back of this brochure, and a commitment to mastering the Kwong language, without which this ministry will be impossible.  We prefer a couple for this ministry, believing that both male and female role models are essential to the kinds of character development and spirituality we envisage.

If you believe the Lord might be leading you into this ministry, study the rest of this website to get a better overall picture of the work, and then contact us at the email address at the bottom of this page. 

 
Send mail to The_Vanderkoois@yahoo.com with questions or comments about this web site.
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Last modified: August 12, 2014