| dc.description.abstract | Evangelism is considered a major factor in propagating the gospel of Jesus
Christ, emanating from the Great Commission as recorded in Mathews 28:19. The
researcher identified a gap in evangelizing the Chonyi people and subsequently
developed and used a strategy to suit the area, where cultural issues had prevented
evangelism.
A two week evangelistic campaign was planned in collaboration with the few
local church members, whom the researcher previously involved in a one week
workshop on “Strategies for Evangelizing the Chonyi People Group in Kenya Coast
Field”. As the workshops were going on, a medical missionary team conducted a free
medical camp to the Chonyi people in Kasemeni. This was designed as an access
strategy.
The two-week evangelistic gospel campaign was held in the month of
December 2011 at Kasemeni within Chonyi, in the coastal strip of Kenya. Working in Team comprising five pastors and ten trained church members, the campaign was
conducted in an open air at the venue which is also used as a market place by the
villagers.
The outcome of the meeting was the baptism of 30 people, who accepted the
message of Jesus Christ and were converted. As a sign of repentance, they were
baptized by immersion in water, in the view of the people gathered to spectate an event
so rare and unique in their sight. The other impressive outcome was that church
members in the local area displayed immediate interest in evangelism. Teams of three
to five were organized to do house to house visitation and to nurture the new converts.
A local city church was approached to sponsor one evangelist, who would be stationed
in Chonyi for the succeeding one year, to be a resource person, caring and nurturing.
Also established was ‘friendship’ evangelism team that was to do follow up during the
three week post-baptism sessions where doctrines and the gospel were put up for
discussion. | en_US |
