Lance & Mindy Hines
VISION:
A Healthy Church
Within Walking Distance
Of Everyone, In Southern Africa
Reaching The Lost
The first aspect of fulfilling our vision is we REACH everyone in Southern Africa with the Gospel, while there is still time.
Carl Henry wrote, "The Gospel is only Good News, IF it makes it in time."
To REACH the lost, we work with in partnership with locally based missionary teams and national church leaders to develop and sustain culturally relevant evangelism and outreach programs that effectively reach people for Christ!
The beautiful (formerlyMuslim) young woman in the center, came to faith in Christ at a women’s conference where Mindy ministered. Her entire family is Muslim. But someone invited her to the women’s conference, and she convinced her grandmother to allow her to attend. The only way the family would allow her to attend, was for her grandmother to chaperone her while at the conference.
During the conference, the young woman felt drawn to Jesus and wanted to make a decision to follow Him. But before she came forward for salvation, she went to her grandmother to ask for permission.
The grandmother's shocking response was, "I want you to be happy and to choose your religion for yourself. Do what you must do." So, as her grandmother watched, the young woman courageously walked to the front and gave her life to Christ. Her smile says it all! She beamed throughout the entire weekend.
Urban Tribes churches are remarkably effectively in reaching people just like her! Her life has not been the same since that day. She has been welcomed with open arms by her amazing Urban Tribes church family where she is being discipled by Trish (right) and other amazing women of God!
Planting and Establishing Churches
The next aspect of our vision is to PLANT and ESTABLISH local churches. This matters because Jesus called us to go into all the earth, and make disciples. Disciple-making happens most effectively in communities of faith, we call churches.
One way we partner with local congregations is by providing new permanent structures or by replacing existing strucures which are often unsafe. (This structure is located in Zambia.)
More prominent and safe church structures draw people in the community, and causes the church to become a hub of activity for the entire community.
In many cases we are able to also put a water well at the church property, which serves as a message to the community that the church desires to meet their felt needs. The compassion of Christ expressed in such a tangible and life-giving way creates remarkable openness to the Gospel.
Typically within weeks of receiving a steel structure, church attendance doubles or triples. When we are able to provide a community with an upgraded church structure along with a water well, community transformation takes place!
Training Pastors and Developing Leaders
Healthy local churches must be lead by Spirit-empowered, Biblically trained pastors and church leaders. We prioritize TRAINING pastors and DEVELOPING leaders to effectively equip and empower them with the education and tools they need to shepherd their congregations and communities with excellence.
Training in Southern Africa focuses on a creating and sustaining comprehensive, scalable, holistic programs which include theological education, practical ministry skills, and leadership development.
Healthy churches thrive under the guidance of Spirit-led, Biblically educated leaders such as Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Chipao in Malawi. Dr. and Mrs Chipao were both trained at the Malawi Assemblies of God Bible School, Dr. and Mrs. Chipao leverage their Godly influence to shape and guide Malawi's next wave of leaders for both the Church and the nation.
Currently, we are undertaking significant Bible School infrastructure projects in Zambia and Zimbabwe along with the ongoing projects of building or improving infrastructure at local training sites where pastors gather to receive training in closer proximity to where they live and minister. We invite you to join us in providing much needed training facilities throughout Southern Africa.
Serving Those In Need
Healthy churches, meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the most vulnerable members of their communities. Local churches engage their local communities in locally based and sustained expressions of Christ's compassion.
Our focus is to create and nurture sustainable local, community-based programs focused on community health evangelism, education, women’s empowerment, clean water solutions, micro-enterprise, and agricultural projects.
In rural areas like Malawi, carrying water is a daily reality, often falling on the shoulders of women and girls. This duty frequently interrupts girls' education by early adolescence, halting their schooling around sixth grade to meet family needs, thereby forfeiting their potential for growth due to water-carrying responsibilities.
The burden is literal as well; the yellow jug you see in the photo, is light when empty, but weighs about 40 pounds when filled. These young women trek one to two miles a few times daily to supply their families with water.
Clean water saves lives and provides greater access for young women to receive education which provides life-changing opportunities for them. Clean water goes hand in hand with women's empowerment.
Wells strategically placed alongside a church building offers the community an opportunity to experience the tangible expression of Christ's love as well as the message of the Gospel! The combination of meeting physical and spiritual needs in one location is transformative in the community.
They Matter!
These beautiful little girls are a poignant reminder of our responsibility and our opportunity to ensure the next generation of Southern African's has adequate access to the Gospel! In Southern Africa, over half the population is under 15. *Around 91 million people. The lives, futures, and eternal destinies of Africa's children and teens are directly influenced by our obedience to the Great Commission: to go and make disciples.
WHY is it vital to plant and establish healthy local churches within walking distance of every Southern African?
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Jesus called us to go and make disciples, and discipleship happens best in the context of a healthy local church.
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Healthy local churches recognize and reach people who are spiritually lost in their local community.
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Healthy local churches retain new believers through multi-generational, multi-cultural ministry and discipleship.
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Healthy local churches meet the felt needs in their communities through culturally appropriate, long-term sustainable compassion.
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Healthy local churches plant other healthy churches, and the God-given vision of having a healthy local church within walking distance of every Southern African multiplies and becomes achievable!