Baptist National Convention

The meeting was held on the east coast of Madagascar

I, Grant, and our partner from the states, Bill Grimme, spent this past week attending the Malagasy Baptist national convention in Toamasina. The main emphasis of the week was a renewed focus on cooperation within the convention in order to fulfill the Great Commission. Throughout the week Bill, the National Training Team (Chris and Jonoro) and I were able to talk with many people about how God is moving throughout Madagascar. Numerous members, pastors, and convention leaders throughout the country heard about how God is multiplying churches throughout Madagascar as a direct result of the work of IMB missionaries, partnership with local churches, and the National Training Team. Many showed a heartfelt interest in having the training team come to their church and lead Church Planting Strategy Training!

On Thursday, we met with the leadership of the Malagasy Baptist Seminary to discuss potential opportunities for partnership in continuing discipleship and education of church leaders throughout the island. As we discussed the possibilities it became apparent to all there is a need for a missions department within the seminary. They are hoping in the near future there will be an indigenous missionary training program within the seminary! 

The main meeting sight of the conventional.

On Friday, we met with the Council of Administration of the Malagasy Baptist Convention. After learning about the structure and operating principles of the Malagasy Baptist Convention we had an opportunity to share what God is doing through the work of IMB missionaries, partnerships with local churches, and the National Training Team. As we shared, the council got excited about what God has been doing here among the people groups of southwest Madagascar and through the work of the National Team throughout Madagascar. With a common vision of seeing Madagascar reached for Christ, we discussed what God has been doing through the Malagasy Baptist Association over it’s 84 year history. There are currently 160 churches, primarily concentrated around the central plateau near Antananarivo. We praised them for their efforts, but they insisted that doing church planting by addition (2 per year) wasn’t going to get the gospel to those who have never heard (Romans 10:14). There is currently an evangelism team of fifty evangelist who are ready to go out into new areas as directed by the convention in order to get the gospel to those who have yet to hear! Again, we encouraged them in their efforts but also challenged them by asking about the next steps…discipleship, church planting, and leadership development in these potential new areas. At this point the president of the convention asked the council members to prayerfully consider expanding the current evangelism team into a mission board! The leader of the evangelism team then asked us to come alongside them and train them in creating a holistic church planting strategy. They are also excited about sending some of their evangelists to learn from our team here in the southwest and for us to come up for trainings with them! 

Praise the Lord for a great few days of meetings and unity of vision to see "a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages [in Madagascar], standing before the throne and before the Lamb…crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” 

Please continue to pray for us as we seek to bring glory to God through evangelism, discipleship, church planting and leadership development throughout Madagascar. Pray specifically that God would continue to guide us and our national partners every step of the way!

Bill, Grant and Chris working at their mission's booth