The Tanzania Advent Christian Conference has been fully approved to receive its government certification, recognizing its right to operate as a Christian denomination. We are doing a little dance of joy, because this is no small thing! God’s hand is seen in this miraculous favor. Some others have been refused, still others have been threatened with prison if they persist in their own form of evangelism, but our brothers and sisters have somehow found favor in the eyes of the government officials. They are now officially free to preach in the streets, under mango trees and in their churches.

It was not an easy road as the enemy of their souls used other “Christians” to lodge complaints against them. Here are some examples:

• One of our pastors was accused of being Kenyan, thus was preaching illegally, and was thrown into prison without evidence to convict him. It was later discovered that the people our brother was winning to the Lord had threatened a neighboring pastor, and so he bribed the officers to arrest him and imprison him for six days. The Spirit of God moved upon this embittered pastor and later he was on his knees before his victim begging forgiveness.
• A former president of our conference was caught in acts of immorality and of corruption. He used monies intended to register the conference and spent it without accounting for it. The brothers lovingly sought to restore him to a relationship with God. When it became apparent that he would not change, they felt compelled to remove him from his office of leadership. He did not go gracefully, but tried to persuade pastors to leave with him to another organization which promised more money. (He did not succeed.) He then went to government officials and accused our conference of not being registered. He further sought the government’s help in regaining the presidency. The government heard the case and warned this former president to stop these activities or he may well end up in prison. To prove their point, they closed a church that he was attending.
• Most recently, some pastors from other denominations went to the government to lodge a complaint against Advent Christian churches, saying that they were praying at night and making too much noise. (Wouldn’t you like to be accused of that?!) The answer they received was not what they had expected, “Now YOU are not allowed to pray at night!”

You are invited to do a little dance with us! God has done great things in the Tanzania Conference. Prayer has defeated great opposition, and finally they are free to speak out the Word of God.

I am reminded of Peter and John who also went to jail, suffered a beating and were solemnly warned not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus. Their response,

 “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand” (Acts 4:29 – 30).

“Indeed, stretch out your hand, Lord.” Amen.

(submitted by Africa/Europe Area Director Bryce Whiting)