Update from Sudan Evangelical Alliance

Dear Brother Tunnicliffe,

As you know, the Sudan Evangelical Alliance was formally registered in the Southern Sudan in November 2003. In April 2004, in partnership with ALARM, the Sudan Evangelical Alliance was able to bring together for Sudanese Church leaders from both the northern and Southern for a consultation on cooperation and working together. At the end of the Consultation, all leaders at the consultation unanimously approved SEA and many registered as members. As you may be aware, this consultation was the first to bring all evangelical denominations (including those members of the Sudan Council of Churches) together for the first time in 20 years.

Last week from March 13^th through 17^th, ALARM organized the Sudanese Strategic Leadership Consultation that brought together leaders from all major denominations from Khartoum and Southern Sudan . The consultation was held in Yei, Southern Sudan and 60 leaders representing all major denominations serving in the whole country of attended the consultation. The goal was to develop together a strategic plan that Churches will rally behind together in view of the political and religious changes happening in the and in response to the current strategy of Islam to Islamize the Southern Sudan through education, medical facilities, and relief.

I have never seen such a spirit of unity and togetherness among different national denominations like I witnessed last week in . On the second day, the leaders worked on a purpose or mission statement that will guide their efforts. After discussing this in five different groups, the leaders came up with one statement that summarized common themes that were occurring in different discussions and different groups. The adopted purpose statement for the Sudanese Church is “To Glorify God by empowering the community through holistic ministry resulting in transformed life.”

After discussing current needs and ministry opportunities in the country of Sudan, the delegates identified five key ministry areas that the church of Sudan is committed to deal with together as a body of believers: These areas are: (1) Economic Empowerment, (2) Evangelism and Discipleship, (3) Education and Training; (4) Health and Sanitation, and (5) Counseling and Rehabilitation.

At the end of the consultation, all leaders unanimously decided that these five areas will constitute the Commissions of Sudan Evangelical Alliance. Members of these commissions were elected from groups that worked on these areas. A committee of five key church leaders was put in place to follow-up on these commissions. The Sudanese Church leaders invited ALARM not only to continue providing the direction, mentoring SEA leaders and partnering with SEA in those areas of our expertise but they also asked ALARM to help in enlisting support from the Evangelical community worldwide. You may or may not be aware that I have been acting as the Interim General Secretary of the Sudan Evangelical Alliance since its foundation and I am mentoring its leadership until the end of 2007.

May I request once again the leadership of World Evangelical Alliance and the community of all Evangelicals to take this golden opportunity to support, encourage, and partner with Sudan Evangelical Alliance which has potentials to change and Africa for Christ in the next few years. The time is now for AEA to stand behind the brethren in the . ALARM has done all what we can to build unity and cooperation between the denominational leaders but I believe AEA and the Evangelical Community will take SEA to a second level.

I hope and pray that God will use AEA to strengthen SEA and partner with its commissions to the Glory of God and for the wholistic transformation of and Africa .

Sincerely yours,

Rev. Celestin Musekura,

Interim General Secretary, Evangelical Alliance (SEA)

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Rev. Celestin Musekura
President & International Director
African Leadership And Reconciliation Ministries, Inc.

; Dallas, TX 75371 Cell Phone: 214-668-0372; US Office: (972) 671-8522;
Nairobi Office: (254) 20 271-1248; www.alarm-inc.org