In conversation with Sam Amara

News
Sam leads the Riches of Grace Church in Lagos, Nigeria, and also heads up an educational initiative, Sure Foundation, to help children from poorer backgrounds to receive high quality education. I had the joyful opportunity to catch up with Sam when he visited the UK recently. Riches of Grace Church Sam’s vision is to build a strong Word and Spirit grace-filled church. Coming from a Pentecostal background he is aware of the legalism that can so easily invade the local church and also, in Nigeria, of the influence of so-called prosperity teaching. Part of the life of a healthy church is to influence the next generation to walk strongly in the truth of the gospel. So, with his wife, Lovette, Sam started a school several years ago which now educates…
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Effective Meetings pt 2 – Characteristics of a meeting

Administration in the Church, Equipping, Good Practice, Meetings
I am involved in many different types of meeting. Not all have the same structure or importance but listing them may give you a point of identity from your own scene, so I will discuss them briefly in the next blog. First, however, all need to have certain characteristics or questions answered. Characteristics 1. What is the purpose? 2. What are the expected outcomes? 3. What is the status e.g. does it have a legal standing as part of the management of the church/charity? Purpose This defines the structure on which to hang topics to be handled. So, the purpose of one group could be ‘to govern the church’ (i.e. elders’ meetings), ‘to organise a conference’ (e.g. the annual Newfrontiers conference ‘Together on a Mission’) or ‘to manage and strategise for the family…
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Effective Meetings pt 1 – Overview

Administration in the Church, Administrative Skills, Biblical Administration, Christian ministry, Equipping, Meetings
The future of Time Management I still have one more Time Management posting to make about PDAs but am not yet ready to do so. In the meantime I want to begin a new series on meetings. I hope you will find it helpful. Meetings in abundance Do you ever feel that the Lord got it wrong?! When he says he came to give life in abundance do you sometimes feel that he must have meant meetings in abundance? We all seem to attend so many! I am sure that many in leadership feel that their lives consist of attending meetings. I don’t mean worship meetings, but planning and strategy meetings, finance and administrative meetings etc. It is obviously vital that such meetings take place in order for your church…
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Ministry Report 4 – Jubilee Health Centre, Cape Town

Christian ministry, Good Practice, Health, HIV, Ministry Report, News, Poor, South Africa
I love receiving regular updates from the Clinic based at Jubilee Church in Cape Town! They are always full of faith and testimonies of God’s intervention – so I felt to share a report with you to be blessed also! It is written by Dr Caryn Wilson whose passion and leadership of the Team make this a highly effective ministry. This is one of a dozen Mercy Ministries from Jubilee Church and at the end of this blog is a video made about 18 months ago showing how they integrate together, an important feature of good practice in a church’s social ministries. But first, let Caryn tell you the story.   Our experience of working alongside God in the Jubilee Health Centre is aptly described in the words of a…
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To the Nations – Visit to Ghana and Nigeria – Part 1

Christian ministry, Cross-culture, Ghana, International, News, To the Nations
I am breaking into my Time Management series to include a report on my recent visit to West Africa. It was a joy to be with John Kpikpi in Ghana and Sam Amara in Nigeria. John leads City of God Church in Accra and brings apostolic oversight to Newfrontiers churches in 7 West African nations. Sam leads the Riches of Grace Church in Lagos and is church planting in both Lagos and beyond. This report will come in 2 parts. The first is primarily an interview with John about his ministry and the West African scene. I encourage you not only to watch this but then to link to his teaching videos which have arisen out of his very successful television ministry. In the second part (with the next Time…
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Administration in the Church and Ministry with the Poor: Index ~ June – December 2009

Administration in the Church, Biblical Administration, Christian ministry, Equipping, General, Good Practice, HIV, India, Kenya, Ministry Report, Poor, Zimbabwe
I have been writing this blog for about 6 months and am aware of a growing following, so some may have missed the early material. To help you find that material it seems appropriate at the turn of the year to Index these 6 months. Clicking on the Topic will take you to the first in the series. There have been 3 main series on Biblical Administration and The Poor. There are also some Ministry Reports and National Reports, and two on Conference Administration which punctuate these Series. Series June 17th – Aug 29th Lessons from Jesus the Administrator in Mark 6. Jesus - The Administrator! Sept 3rd – Oct 22nd Some ‘good practice’ Indicators when ministering with the Poor. The Poor deserve the Best - part 1 Oct 26th -…
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