Schoville
 

BISHOP ARUMBI
Bro. Freeman, it good to meet with you today.   I hear from many Pastors who speak very highly of you.

FREEMAN
Bishop, first of all, thank you for allowing me to meet with you.  I have a question to humbly ask you, sir from the Word of God.   Do you have an English Bible?

BISHOP ARUMBI
Yes, right here. 

FREEMAN
Turn to Acts, Chapter 19.  While you’re turning there, I have another question.

BISHOP ARUMBI
Yes, what is it?

FREEMAN
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

BISHOP ARUMBI
Oh, yes, yes of course.    I found it—

FREEMAN
Read verses 1 and 2.

BISHOP ARUMBI
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."     

This is it--This is what you have been teaching and preaching!

FREEMAN
Yes.  Now read verses 3 through 7.

BISHOP ARUMBI
So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.

Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
Ahhh, so this is why many have been re-baptized—you’ve been immersing them in the name of Jesus.

FREEMAN
Yes sir.  They were fulfilling the original message God gave Peter in Acts, Chapter 2.

BISHOP ARUMBI
Verse 38—I was just studying that verse this morning.  Ha-ha!  There are no coincidences in Jesus, no? 

FREEMAN
No sir. 

BISHOP ARUMBI
Bless the Lord!  I am so glad you came here today, Bro. Freeman.  I have a note here for you.  (hands the note to Bro. Freeman)  You are invited to the Village of Schoville to preach to the hundreds of brothers and sisters located there. 

FREEMAN
The Village that was named after the pirate? 

BISHOP ARUMBI
Yes--we have an interesting history in Africa.

FREEMAN
I will go.  But before I leave, let’s pray together.

BISHOP ARUMBI
After we pray, we will go to the river.  There you will baptize me and all of the pastors I serve in the Name of Jesus Christ.

FREEMAN
And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

BISHOP ARUMBI
Ha-ha!  Amen, brother, amen!

+++

PASTOR SESAY
Welcome to our Village, Bro. Freeman.  We are so very excited to have you in Schoville.  We trust your trip went well?

FREEMAN
It went well, thank The Lord.  Well, it was pretty interesting at the border—

PASTOR SESAY
Oh?  What happened?

FREEMAN
The border police ordered everyone be completely searched, and they were sending most of the people back.  As I stood in line, I prayed, “Lord, You sent me to Schoville.  I know you’ll make a way for me to get through.”

PASTOR SESAY
You obviously made it through—

FREEMAN
When they finished searching a couple in front of me, they looked and walked right past me, as if I wasn’t there.  It truly was a miracle!

PASTOR SESAY
Praise God!

FREEMAN
Amen!  Oh, thank you for allowing me to sleep in your extra room—I am honored. 

PASTOR SESAY
We constructed it especially for you.  Bro. Freeman, you are a special man.  Even before we met here today, I knew in my heart you have a message we need to hear.

FREEMAN
God is working in all of Africa--

PASTOR SESAY
Ha-ha!  Yes, He is GREAT at work.  He is ALWAYS working, and we are working with Him:  we are His voice, His hands, His feet—we show His heart. The fields are ripe for harvest. 

FREEMAN
That’s my favorite scripture—

PASTOR SESAY
That is confirmation from the Word of God, indeed!  When we heard what’s happening at our sister churches across the border, we sent for you.

FREEMAN
So, you’re the one who—

PASTOR SESAY
Yes, yes – we have been looking forward to this for weeks.  Let us go over there now.  The people are waiting.

FREEMAN
I hear them already.  Such wonderful worship!

PASTOR SESAY
God is worthy to be praised!   Come, we’ve set up a place for you to preach to them, along with an interpreter.

+++

Reference:  All Scriptures from the New International Version (NIV):
Acts 19:1-5
Acts 2:38
John 4:34-36
Mark 16:16
Acts 8:12
Acts 18:8

--bro. tim pickl   
Monday March 9, 2009 A.D.

Originally posted on FaithWriters -- Check it out:
  http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article-level3-previous.php?id=28088

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