Equipping our Team – Phase 2
The Next Big Step
Here at CfaN, the pace of growth is increasing at an almost dizzying rate! Right now, our second Evangelism Bootcamp school is in full swing, with double the number of students we had last year. Many of last year’s graduates are now passing on skills to others or have been deployed as campaign organizers on the ground in Africa.
Using the lessons learnt in 2020
We’re not content with the achievements of yesteryear – never! To meet the mandate God has given us – to double the number of decisions for Jesus this decade to 150 million – we must be prepared to do whatever it takes. Already last year, our technical team took on the incredible challenge of transforming the sound and stage equipment we had, to be able to hold multiple campaigns at the same time.
The Decapolis campaigns in Tanzania in November were the first time we used these new configurations – smaller, more mobile, more efficient single-truck systems that a small technical team can operate with ease. Of course, as with anything that is tried for the first time, we learnt a great deal. As good a job as our team had done (and they really did an amazing job!), it became clear there were “holes” that needed to be filled.
Currently, we’re addressing those shortfalls, making sure that each system has enough of everything – microphones, mic stands, cables, radios and so on. Can you imagine trying to communicate with your team across a giant field of people, with radios that no longer work properly? That’s exactly what happened in Arusha, and it’s of the utmost importance that these radios are replaced immediately. Such things seem small and are certainly not glamorous. And yet, in the same way that each Christian has a part to play in the body of Christ, so every piece of equipment, big and small, is a vital part of getting the Gospel to be heard.
TWO Decapolis Multi-Events in 2021!
But turning our big system into 5 small systems was only Phase 1 of our Decapolis equipment plan. The aim is to have TEN fully independent, one-truck systems, because we want to do two Decapolis multi-events in 2021, and even more in 2022 and beyond.
Derek Murray, our Technical Director, explains it like this:
“At the moment, we have 5 trucks, so if we’re doing more than 5 cities, we’ll have to do double journeys. That’s not going to work for very long. It sounds crazy, but we are already in the process of doubling what we have, to get to the 10 systems that we need. System number 6 is in progress, and we have some incredible opportunities at the moment. Because of the pandemic, the market is flooded with barely-used, high-quality audio and stage equipment. This is a God-given opportunity to stretch our budgets much further than we could even as recently as last year.
Going from 5 to 10 systems means doubling everything, from generators, lights and stage scaffolding, to mixing consoles and microphones. This is our chance to thoroughly modernize and future-proof all our systems, using much smaller and more energy-efficient modern equipment. In the past, we’ve lost a great deal of time and effort to endlessly fixing some very old and totally out-of-date components. We need to make sure each of our new smaller tech teams is using their time and energy in the best way possible – setting up quickly and reliably, so that the preacher can be heard – not wasting precious time and money on repairs of obsolete, ancient components.”
Enhancing speed and efficiency
Modern audio and stage systems have become much more compact than a few decades ago. It’s now possible for us to fit a fully-functioning system, capable of reaching tens of thousands, on a single truck and trailer rig. That gives us far greater flexibility and the ability to travel into diverse areas without the need for an entire convoy of vehicles. And these compact systems can be set up swiftly and managed by a small team, enabling us to have multiple sound and stage teams on the go at the same time, in different cities.
All our technical team members “wear multiple hats”. The guy who sets up the lights may also be the team cook. The sound engineer changes truck tires, and the drivers are also mechanics. Everyone must be willing and able to jump in and offer a helping hand wherever it is needed. We want to make those many tasks as easy as possible by putting the right tools in their hands.
Small to big, big to small
The key word for the development of this part of CfaN’s ministry is FLEXIBILITY. Think of the smaller systems as like pieces of Lego… Each “brick” (the smaller sound and stage systems) is complete by itself. With that piece, it is possible to stage an entire evangelistic campaign for tens of thousands of people.
But what about when we’re in a big city, and the crowds are in the hundreds of thousands? This is where the genius of our new system is seen. With all the right components being compatible with each other, it’s a relatively simple matter to combine as many smaller systems together as we need, for a giant evangelistic event. And then it’s just as simple to split it back up into small, much more mobile one-truck systems again.
More Gospel Trucks needed!
Gospel Trucks don’t only operate in the weeks leading up to our major campaigns. They are also a vital aspect of the Bootcamp initiation of new evangelism graduates, who will go into urban and rural areas conducting mini-campaigns. With many more new graduates in the pipeline, as well as the doubling of Decapolis events this year, we are in desperate need of more trucks.
This is not only extremely expensive – especially for the necessary customization – but also remarkably difficult because of new vehicle import regulations in East Africa. Please pray for Winfried Wentland, who is trying to track down and purchase trucks that are reliable, are right-hand drive, have the correct chassis length, and are available in time for when we need them. We are running out of time fast for this, but we know the Lord has it under control! Please pray that every obstacle is removed, and that the right trucks be released into this ministry in time.
Please also pray for wisdom and inspiration for our team, as they source the right equipment and build these new systems. It’s very important to us that we handle these budgets with the utmost integrity. It’s the Lord’s money, and we want to make the very best use of it! That means looking to the future and making sure we have durability, reliability and excellent functionality in every system.
We’re not waiting!
We’re moving as fast we can, even with constantly changing travel restrictions and pandemic regulations in multiple countries. It hasn’t been easy, with factories and shipping in disarray all over the world, but we are confident that the Lord will finish the work He has started. Already, we have another container now in Kenya, which our technical team is busy customizing and equipping. And we have just moved to a new warehouse, safer and more affordable. The clock is ticking, and there is no time to waste!
The CfaN Europe office has committed to paying € 250,000 for this equipment-doubling phase, approximately one quarter of what is needed. This is exciting! This is exactly what makes the harvest possible!
All the anointing in the world is worthless if no-one can hear what the preacher is saying…
Thank you for standing with us. It is our joy and privilege to do this work with you at our side, so that “by all possible means, (we) might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Thank you for helping us to come this far – and for seeing prophetically what God has planned for Africa and this ministry.
Together with you for the Gospel,
Evangelist Daniel Kolenda
(and the CfaN ministry team)
