Overview

The Department consists of two main arms namely, Missionary Areas/Stations, (ADNOFAN, Akwaya, Mamfe, Furu-Awa, Bakassi, Kentzou, Bassossia, Mesaje etc.), and Ministries (Crusade; Music/worship, Social, Prayer, Francophone and Discipleship). These arms of the Department are each headed by Area Pastors and Ministry Coordinators respectively.

The Department consists of 4 Missionary Areas (Akwaya, ADNOFAN, Mamfe, Misaje), 4 mission stations (Kentzou, Bakassi, Bassosia, Furu-Awa) and ministries (Crusade, Discipleship, Music/Worship, Prayer, Francophone and Social). These Areas are administered by an Area Pastor while Ministries are headed by Coordinators. The Evangelism and Missions Department works in synergy with local and foreign partners.

The Department runs an annual missionary conference retreat program as a means to re-invigorate, energize, strategize, enhance fellowship and take stock of what is happening in her mission stations. This retreat program is not limited to missionaries sponsored by the Department but open to CBC church based missionaries throughout the nation. Speakers for the retreats are selected based on expressed needs of missionaries and the vision path of the Department.

La mission et les objectifs du ministère francophone

La mission du ministère francophone est d'évangéliser, d'établir dans la foi et de former des disciples parmi les francophones au Cameroun et partout où la CBC existe, en implantant des églises autochtones francophones, en promouvant une bonne intégration du francophone dans la vision de la CBC et en développant une bonne œuvre missionnaire au sein de cette communauté.

Le fonctionnement du ministère francophone

Le ministère francophone a à sa tête un coordonnateur national qui élabore avec les coordonnateurs régionaux un programme d'activités conforme aux objectifs généraux fixés par le Directeur de l'évangélisation et des missions. Lorsque ce programme est validé par le Directeur, il est appliqué.

Statistiques et impact

Deux églises autochtones francophones ont été implantées, à Douala et à Dschang. L'une de leurs responsabilités est de se reproduire dans leur environnement. De nombreuses autres églises dans tout le pays ont des services en français dirigés par des pasteurs francophones. Beaucoup de francophones viennent à la connaissance salvatrice de Jésus-Christ, s'établissent dans la foi et sont formés pour devenir de bons disciples du Christ. Beaucoup de francophones sont intégrés à la CBC et se voient confier de grandes responsabilités dans les églises.

Défis

Un de nos grands défis réside dans la formation des francophones. Ce défi va de pair avec le manque de francophones qui répondent à l'appel à se former, la limitation de la langue française dans nos séminaires où tous les cours de théologie sont dispensés en anglais, et le manque de moyens financiers pour soutenir les francophones désireux d'aller au séminaire.

Prions pour que dans chaque ville du Cameroun, soit implantée une église francophone de la CBC avec la responsabilité d’atteindre toute leur communauté.

Endeavors into foreign missions (Bioko and Gabon) have often met with unforeseen challenges that forced the Department to put on hold current ventures, rethink, re-strategize before possible re-launch and at the same time spread out her tentacles for new openings into foreign missions.

Presently, there is on going work in Taraba state of Nigeria. It initially started as ministry to Cameroonian refugees but now has grown into a full grown church plant.

The Department through some former CBC Christians now residing in the United States of America is engaged in a faith step ministry in US – Mizpah Alumni and CBC Women’s Extension.

The Crusade ministry exists to work in partnership with CBC Churches to win, build, train and send qualified and committed disciple-makers who will evangelize and plant vibrant indigenous, self-reproducing and God-glorifying churches in Cameroon and beyond. Her objective to evangelize Cameroon and beyond is accomplished through the Jesus film projections and discipleship training (NLTC). The trainees are empowered for mass evangelism, door-door witnessing and one-on-one presentation of the gospel.

During her 28 years of existence, Crusade Ministry has not just strengthened many weak churches but has impacted many lives in and out of Cameroon with the gospel - over 115 churches planted in Cameroon and over 20 churches in Nigeria; and 15,640 have made definite commitments for Christ in over 80 communities. In partnership with Chosen Children program of the CBC Health Services, over 1500 children have made commitments with God.

Mission and Objective of the Ministry The worship and music ministry of the Cameroon Baptist Convention exists to propagate the gospel through music and worship in the context of Cameroon and beyond, to educate and equip church musicians and congregations in sound theology of music, performance and worship art for proficient administration of music and worship in light of the scriptures. It also intends to intentionally attempt to retrieve and preserve our rich cultural and musical heritage which is fast disappearing in favor of foreign and contemporary trends. This ministry is charged with organizing music and worship at all levels of the convention in both training and performance. Brief Description on How This Ministry Operates The music and worship ministry is made up of a national committee which is supervised by the director of Evangelism and Missions and headed by a National Music and Worship Coordinator who must be a holder of at least a Bachelor degree in church music. Members of this committee are the National Music Directors of all the National Combined Choirs, NACOMEC, NACOVEC, NACOFREC and NAPT, two persons appointed by the director of evangelism and missions and the heads of the music departments in CBTS Ndu and CBS Kumba. This structure runs down to the local church. The ministry organizes seminars, workshops and training programs at Convention, Field, Association and Church levels for the training of church musicians with the focus on implementing the knowledge and skills acquired in the local congregation. These workshops are run by facilitators carefully selected by the National Coordinator and include rehearsals, lessons on the theology of music and biblical worship, practice and assignments on both modern and traditional music, musical instruments and cross cultural worship. The ministry also works hand in hand with CBCMD, CBCWD, CBCYSD, CNLC to organize and supply music and worship material at those different levels to enhance worship, taking cognizance of their differences in psychological, philosophical and psycho-social build.

The Social Ministry exists to reach out to every member of the community which God has permitted us to work in holistically, bring along the message of the Kingdom and a hope to social life while here on earth. The social ministry has as objective to back up the faith preached, through works by reaching out to families and individuals within our communities who are plagued by various forms of crisis/difficulties James 2: 14-17 (KJV). This is in a bid to bring hope to their hopeless situations, restore their dignity and above all, build up their physical/social lives to be as relatively comfortable as possible for their spiritual services to God.

In partnership with Missions 21, Norwegian Refugee Council and World Team, the CBC social ministry has carried out diverse activities in line with food security – food assistance and livelihood support, non-food items distribution and hygiene promotion to thousands of internally displaced persons of the North West and South West Regions. Also, a training session on psycho-social counselling was carried out among CBC and PCC Pastors/Ministers of various churches, schools and hospital institutions of the North West and West Regions. Another session will be organized for ministers in the South West Region.

Challenges and Areas of Needs

• The greatest need for the time is to be able to see the Gospel spread throughout the nation and beyond.
• There is also the need for more partners in order to reach Africa and the rest of the world with the good news.
• Insufficient man power to sustain all the new churches planted.
• Some communities have not been reached since the Jesus film has not been translated into those local languages.
• Limited funds have greatly slowed down activities especially to the Chosen Children Ministry.
• Access to some communities especially intensified by the ongoing Anglophone crisis in North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
• Traveling restrictions imposed by the current Corona virus (COVID-19)  pandemic has led to postponement of some planned activities.
• Rising demands from communities plagued by various crisis such as lack of water, food and shelter with limited funding/resources.
• Limited number of funding partners and or resources to recruit a quality team for technical tools to be developed especially in the area of M&E.
• Community agents to be recruited, put on a stipend to carry out assessments and run certain activities within communities across the National territories.
• Proper communication and sell out of the Social ministry to the Field/Association Pastors and community members.
• Fund-raising opportunities for the ministry be it through grants or other funding partners.

Prayer Points

• Pray for CBC Missionaries, especially those in the front line mission stations of Adamawa, North and Far North Regions of Cameroon.
• Pray for the CBC Churches and Christians to catch a new vision for missions, both National and Foreign.
• Pray for more missionaries to respond to the call for missions.
• Pray for more mission partners as we continue to break new grounds for missions.
• Pray for more open doors of missions within the CEMAC Region and also beyond the zone.
• Pray for all CBC partners that God will continue to bless, uphold and provide for them as we all join God at work in Cameroon; Africa in miniature.
• Pray for a deep sense of compassion for the lost to grow in the hearts of members of CBC Churches that they will be more concerned with the issues of the lost and dying world
• Pray for the crisis rocking the nation of Cameroon and the negative effects on the gospel witness (Anglophone/Boko Haram crisis respectively).
• Pray that God will continue to give vision and passion to the leadership of the Department as daily vision is cast and decision is arrived at towards ministry.
• Pray that the Lord in His mercy provide a final solution to the Covid- 19 that has stifled ministry.
• Pray that God will continue to prepare the ground for mission, especially among the least unreached people’s groups.
• Pray that God will continue to enlarge the coast of the Department and grant the grace needed to match the assignment.
• Pray for more open doors and the above obstacles to give way.
• Thank God for the funding partners of the Crusade Ministry.
• Pray for good health for the staff and their families as well as protection.
• Pray that the vision of this ministry will be caught by all within the CBC and adequately/prayerfully supported
• Pray that God bestows a true heart of service to the individuals at the coordination office so that projects embarked on would be those that meet the needs of the concerned communities and not for selfish interests.
• Pray that the team that will be recruited in various communities subsequently will be individuals with the gift of service so that their work would directly serve and impact their communities.
• Pray that God will open up doors for ministry partners to fund the activities of the ministry.
• Pray for the beneficiaries to see God at work through the various forms of assistance they receive and revere Him only.
• Pray for good health of all the workers involved in this ministry from the staff at coordination office down to the community members/beneficiaries.