Build it and they will come
By Bill Moore
A few months ago, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a very large tabernacle church was constructed at a location where there was no congregation. A crusade was held, services started and people began attending. With the birth of this church, another church helped erect the walls around the framework of the building. The report is that now the church already needs to break out the walls and expand the building as they have almost 350 in attendance. This is the impact a tabernacle can have on a community — and we need to do this 5,000 more times!
One of the crucial needs of the African church has always been an adequate place to meet and hold church services. For many years, that place was under a tree, a temporary mud and thatch hut, or a rented facility of some kind. As funds allowed, missionaries would help to establish more permanent buildings, especially for city churches or at mission stations. Oftentimes, the local church would be encouraged to build their walls and then the local missionary would seek funding to assist with putting a roof on the building. But with the growth of the church across Africa, none of these plans were really fulfilling the existing needs, not to mention the needs of all the new churches. It was in anticipation of that growth that Africa Tabernacle Evangelism (ATE) was established.
The purpose of ATE is to provide a basic starter church that they can modify, enlarge or complete to fit their specific application and needs. ATE, in partnership with its donors and the local missionaries, provides a steel structure and roof that can easily be erected in a matter of hours and the local church immediately has a place to worship; yet can complete the building at their own pace as time and funds permit.
A typical tabernacle is 36’ x 48’ and can easily seat 250 people. Oftentimes, the congregation is not nearly that size, but immediately after the tabernacle is erected, the church will grow substantially and many times the church attendance doubles. The building gives the church credibility in the community, and as more people are drawn in, the church continues to grow and with a larger support base, the church can complete its structure.
Africa Area Director Mike McClaflin says, “Currently, there are requests for over 5,000 new tabernacles to be erected across the continent. This ministry not only changes the destiny for lives of the people of Africa, but also for the ones who give of themselves to go and build. Souls will be saved, lives will be changed, and bodies will be healed because of new churches being established on this continent.”
For more information, to sponsor a church (or join with others to sponsor a church) or to travel on a team to erect a tabernacle, see www.ate.africawatch.com or contact ATE Director Bill Moore at (417) 862-2781 x 1703 or tabernacles@ahpac.org.