Inspire, Spring 2008

Cedarville University 15 Cote d’Ivoire. According to John-Mark, the country of Liberia already lagged behind the rest of West Africa in development when the 14-year civil war destroyed most of whatever infrastructure existed prior to that time. “Whole towns were literally leveled as various rebel factions invaded, indiscriminately killed innocent civilians, and looted everything that could be carried off,” he said. The majority of the population fled their homes to live in refugee camps in neighboring countries or in “internally displaced people” camps around the Monrovia area. “Only in the past few years have people been returning to the towns and villages to rebuild their lives,” said John-Mark. Few towns in the interior have populations of more than 20,000 people. Many people in rural areas live in small villages of less than 50 houses. “They eke out a living through subsistence farming, using slash- and-burn agriculture,” said John-Mark. Many of these communities lack basic necessities like schools for their children or safe drinking water. These are the people to whom John-Mark and his parents bring the Gospel, carrying it on the wings of compassionate care through three ministry programs: Community Health Evangelism, Muslim Background Believers Outreach, and the God’s Story Project. Community Health Evangelism John-Mark’s largest ministry effort, the Community Health Evangelism program, runs in conjunction with Samaritan’s Purse to train local community health educators, or CHEs, to raise awareness about the importance of good sanitation and disease prevention in the country. According to John-Mark, “We train the CHEs in health and sanitation; they then go out into their community and teach their family and neighbors the same lessons.” The CHEs also mobilize their community in cleanup and home improvement projects like building dish racks and clotheslines. In addition to the health teaching, John-Mark’s teams also lead the CHEs in a series of Bible stories, from Creation through the Resurrection. “Our prayer,” he said, “is that these community health educators would come to a saving knowledge of Christ and then become community health evangelists.” As a result of the Community Health Evangelism program, there has been a dramatic reduction in common diseases like malaria and dysentery, more than 150 Muslims have come to faith in Christ, and churches are being started in previously unreached areas. Muslim Background Believers Outreach John-Mark explains that the goal of the Muslim Background Believers Outreach program is first to identify the Muslim background believers — or MBBs — living within Monrovia and then to work on empowering them for Muslim outreach. Many MBBs have a difficult time adjusting to Liberian church culture; they feel isolated and marginalized. To avoid this, some will actually take a new name and avoid any association with their Islamic past. This, of course, makes them unable to reach their Muslim family members for Christ. In starting this outreach, Samaritan’s Purse staff members conducted a survey and identified more than 500 former Muslims. They then held a workshop for some of the key Christian leaders from a Muslim background. While working toward establishing fellowship groups of MBBs throughout the city, they meet weekly, pray together, study the Bible, and encourage each other to remain committed to the task of reaching their Muslim friends and neighbors for Christ. John-Mark’s team hosted a mass meeting at Monrovia City Hall for the MBBs of the area, and more than 500 people enjoyed a time of praise and worship, a special challenge, and a fellowship dinner. “There is strength in numbers,” said John-Mark, “and believers went away very encouraged and asking us to do it again next year.” God’s Story Project God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity is an 80-minute film consisting of powerful illustrations and narrative that explain in a chronological format God’s redemption of mankind. Translations have been finished in more than 200 languages. “Its evangelistic potential is enormous, and reports continue to pour in from around the world about its effectiveness,” John-Mark said. “It is the perfect resource to use alongside the Jesus film, because it gives viewers the Old Testament context necessary to fully appreciate the person and work of Jesus the Messiah.” Unfortunately, no translations existed in any of the 17 officially recognized tribal languages in Liberia. But John-Mark speaks Liberian English fluently and is ideally suited to lead the translation project. Through partnerships with churches in the U.S. to fund production, seven translations of God’s Story have been completed, and five more should be finished by year end. Having the film in these heart languages means more than half the population of Liberia will have a clear presentation of the Gospel. The film will be shown by teams working with large open-air events. Without a doubt, John-Mark has made ministry his mission, going wherever his bike will take him, meeting physical and spiritual needs, and continuing to serve God in any way He leads. John-Mark Sheppard ’05 would love for Cedarville alumni to get involved with what God is doing in Liberia and with the God’s Story projects. You may contact him at coraplayer@excite.com . Mark Kakkuri ’93 is a freelance writer who lives in Oxford, Michigan, with his wife, Jocelyn (Scharfe) Kakkuri ’95. Besides having his work show up in numerous national publications, he is the editor of The Fear of God: A Forgotten Doctrine . You can contact him at kakkuri@gmail.com . i