Welcome to the College of Prayer in Africa

As the Dean of a theological seminary in Africa, I saw firsthand the dynamic impact of the College of Prayer. Prior to us hosting the College of Prayer, students would regularly come into my office and tell me how they were losing focus and considering dropping out of the ministry. Since the College of Prayer, that has changed completely. Students are now focused, excited about God’s call on their lives, and eager to learn so they can later put into practice what they are receiving. The College of Prayer has dramatically changed FATEAC in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.

Isaac Keita, Dean
FATEAC Theological Seminary in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa

From the Upper Room to the Nations, God Is Using the College of Prayer to Change the World!
The Report of the First Annual African Summit
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire - July 21-25, 2009

More than 100 College of Prayer (COP) leaders from across Africa gathered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, July 21-25, for four days of prayer, worship, instruction and equipping. FATEAC, the only fully accredited Theological seminary in all of West Africa, hosted the event. Twenty different nations were represented.

The vision of the COP is to mentor pastors and Christian leaders who will reach a lost world through a revived church both inside and outside the walls. We accomplish this vision by planting COP campuses. The objective of the African Summit was to equip and certify African leaders with everything they would need to plant new COP campuses across the African continent. We earnestly want to see revival come to Christ’s church. The revival we are working toward will be pride-breaking, sin-removing, Satan-evicting, stronghold-overthrowing, life-transforming, leader-mentoring, church- awakening, and nation-discipling.

At our initial meeting we announced to all the participants, “Our goal is to meet God. We come with great conviction that God has big plans. Our vision is to reach unreached people of the nations. The only way that happens is through a revived church, by building upper rooms of prayer and training leaders to build upper rooms. This is what Jesus did. He built an upper room prayer environment into which He poured His Holy Spirit and out from which He thrust forth empowered leaders. This is why we gather here - to build upper room disciples who will go out and build upper room environments. We want to empower and certify each of you leaders this week.”

Each morning was devoted to worship, prayer, preaching and ministry. Each afternoon was given to training, equipping, small group discussion and interaction.

In order to receive certification each delegate needed to submit a Project Proposal explaining how they intended to start a new COP campus. They also needed to demonstrate a thorough grasp of the material on the Examination of Excellence. We were honored to certify a good number of participants; some even graduated with Highest Excellence. We are committed to continue to mentor those who did not pass the examination so that every participant who so desires will gain a thorough grasp of the material, pass the Examination and earn Certification.

There were many extraordinary moments of the African Summit that need to be acknowledged:

Originally we thought the African Summit would be worth convening if twenty African leaders attended; to our astonishment 106 participants came from twenty different nations.

The entire Summit was characterized by such an atmosphere of peace. It was obvious that our intercessors were battling in the spiritual realm on our behalf. The weather was perfect; the environment at the African theological seminary, FATEAC, was wonderful. Every delegate arrived safely despite many obstacles.

The worship was free, Spirit-filled, and engaging; our worship leader, Øistein Overgaard, from Norway did a magnificent job remaining sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to the cultural distinctions of the various African leaders.

Our translation team did a marvelous job. Led by Dany Gomis, our primary translator, the team effectively translated from English to French and French to English so that everyone received instructions in their native tongue.

The teaching from The Servant Leader’s GUIDEBOOK of the Revival Prayer Institute was life-giving, engaging, and catalytic. Virtually every leader who attended said their expectations were far exceeded.

We spent the entire morning on Thursday praying through the Lord’s Prayer pattern truly modeling what the upper room of prayer is all about. We all agreed that building upper room disciples is critical to the health of the church and the expansion of Christ’s kingdom here on earth.

On Thursday evening following our glorious day of prayer, the Honorable Benson Obua-Ogwal, member of Parliament in Uganda declared, “Today was the greatest day of my life.” He explained that with all the demands placed on him as a governing official, this fresh encounter with Christ was the most refreshing and impactful moment in his life. Many other African leaders agreed. God did extraordinary things in the lives of leaders of high influence. Only eternity will reveal the full effect of these four days we spent together.

At one point we called leaders to respond to God’s love, “Wade into the healing pool of the love of God - medicinal, warm, cleansing, soothing, and relaxing. As Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Come away with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ We have many responsibilities. The Father is extending his hands and placing on each forehead His hand of love and blessing, ‘You are my son whom I love, in whom I am well pleased.’” The response was overwhelming.

The African delegates gave a spontaneous offering to the COP (over $800 US) . We were overwhelmed with this incredible investment on behalf of these leaders. As the recipient, I felt much like King David when his three friends risked their lives and went behind enemy lines to retrieve water from the well in his hometown. (2 Samuel 23:14-16) The only difference was, God told me to receive their offering rather than pour it out. We will eventually pour it back into our work in Africa. To God alone be praise!

The written materials we brought with us were excellent both in content and in publication. It was most profitable to put in their hands three years of curriculum both in French and in English, as well as the COP Manual (guidelines for the structure of COP campuses) and the GUIDEBOOK (how to plant new COP campuses).

Every leader received a professionally produced video to promote the COP in their communities.

Our team of leaders from the US, Canada and Norway was certainly an “A” team. Everyone participated with such grace, servanthood, alertness and anointing. We needed each one.

An task force edited the African Summit Manifesto which proved to be like a shofar-trumpet to rally the leaders as they left the Summit. A copy of this Manifesto is contained in this report. You will feel their passion and commitment as you read it.

Bruce Bliss, the Academic Dean for the COP International, brought great honor and integrity to the African Summit. Each of the African leaders was impressed with the caliber of leader involved in this international ministry.

What the Delegates Said:

Isaac Keita (Dean of FATEAC, Côte d'Ivoire):

“I believe this summit will turn Africa upside down. This morning when Fred told us that the Upper Room was Christ’s greatest miracle and then he told us to look around, pointing to how many Upper Rooms would be built out from the African Summit and referring to the words of Christ ‘Greater things than these will you do,’ I cried! I was profoundly humbled by the way God moved among us here at FATEAC. This is what this seminary is here for.”

Celestin Koffi (CMA President, Côte d'Ivoire):

“One thousand times, thank you! The country that needs COP the most is Cote d’Ivoire, politically, spiritually, etc. We are all here to intercede for the nations, but we are so grateful that it was held here! This year we expect to plant 15 new campuses of the COP across Côte d'Ivoire, and that will not be the end. We will plant many more campuses both inside and outside our country.”

Andre Tinkpon (Pastor, Benin):

“We are honored to bring the COP to Benin, both to our pastors and to government leaders. I received a phone call this morning from the President of Benin; pray for me as I present to him the COP.”

Jeremie Della (Pastor, Côte d'Ivoire):

“The size of my ministry depends on my prayer life. It is easy to get busy in ministry and forget to pray. No longer!”

Abiodon Johnson (Pastor, Benin):

“Most African men of God have not destroyed all the old altars. They have just built new altars which have been ineffective. Until we destroy the old, the new will never be effective. God does not share His glory! Gideon did not build a new altar just for his family, but for his whole nation. Tear down all personal altars and die to self. Become living sacrifices, dying each day.”

Moise Guindo (Pastor, Mali):

“This morning God gave me a lesson in humility. God wants me to be humble before Him. I cannot be blessed in my ministry or anything else before then.”

Dr. Christine Ondoa-Onama (M.D., Uganda):

“1 John 1:8-10. After confessing and praying with my brother, I feel refreshed, worthy to be used by God again.”

Marcel Kouadio (Pastor, Côte d'Ivoire):

“I am not sure the church in Côte d'Ivoire would have survived the civil war if it were not for the COP. I and each of the other leaders from Côte d'Ivoire were thoroughly blessed at the African Summit. You gave us everything we asked for and surpassed even our greatest expectations. We now have everything we need to run with the vision and we will run.”

J. Philip Zoryu (Pastor, Liberia):

“Most of our time at the summit was filled with prayers, confession of personal and national sins, teaching of God's Words by Pastor Fred and a wonderful time of worship and praise. [Now at home] every night, I discuss [what I learned] with my wife and children especially on where every husband and wife should win the battle against sexual immorality; where husbands and wives can cancel the plots of the evil one on behalf of their children and others. I thank God for the wonderful teaching.”

David Fisher (Pastor, Canada):

“I believe when the history of revival is written that we will look back and see the significant role the African Summit played in bringing revival to Africa. I mean that!”

LeeAnn Strecker (Team Member, US):

“As Pastor Fred shared communion with me, I felt the love, acceptance, and pride of God coming through him so strongly I wanted to cry. One thing that I have realized this week is the importance of walking closely to the Holy Spirit and in the gifting He has given me. I do not need to be like someone else in their gifting. God will use me in any gifting He chooses as He leads me. Without a deep walk with Him, without the fullness of the Spirit at work in me, it is nothing. No other priority matters. As I devote myself to prayer, He will fill me and empower me to His glory, not mine!”

Results of the African Summit:

Leaders were empowered to serve Christ in righteousness.

Seventy or more African leaders will be certified to start new COP campuses.

31 new COP campuses are scheduled to start across Africa over the next two years.

We appointed five new Sub-Regional Directors, each of whom are African leaders who will assist our Regional Director, Bill Trinidad, in overseeing the rapid growth and expansion of the COP across Africa.

Several African leaders will be certified to teach The Servant Leader's GUIDEBOOK of the Revival Prayer Institute to other African leaders so that the future of the COP in Africa will not be dependent on US resources.

We are planning two sub-regional African leader gatherings over the next two years, one for French-speaking leaders and one for English-speaking leaders.

We anticipate another African Summit in 2013, four years from now, with 150-200 leaders participating.

Special Thanks:

1. We must begin by thanking our intercessors, particularly for Sherry Hartley and our “Give Us the Nations” Prayer Team. We estimate that more than 1,000 people interceded for the success of the African Summit. One church rallied their members to provide 24 hour a day prayer covering before, during, and after the Summit. Thank you all for your commitment to the work of Christ.

2. Thank you, Laura and Jeter Livingston. Your work as event coordinators was superior. All the logistics, emails, leg-work, coordination, chauffeuring, networking, problem-solving did not go unnoticed. Without your excellent work, the Summit would never have happened.

3. Isaac Keita, Dean of FATEAC, Please communicate to your entire staff and student body our most profound gratitude for the excellence you demonstrated in all your detailed preparation for the African Summit. Both inside and out, your Seminary Campus showed your love for Christ and His kingdom.

4. To every member of the facilitating team from the US, Canada and Norway, you guys were great. Every one of you demonstrated grace and love and a do-whatever-it-takes attitude. Mike Roe, our videographer and technician, perhaps worked harder than all of us. Mike, we cannot thank you enough for lending your expertise to the task. May God expand the territory of Mike Roe Video beyond your wildest imagination.

5. To our “Give Us the Nations” Financial Support Team who stepped up generously to fund the entire African Summit. We have never previously been involved in sponsoring such an extensive ministry. Thank you for seeing the vision and for your willingness to partner with us in a worthy cause, particularly in these days of financial recession, I want you to know that your investment will continue to reap significant and eternal dividends. I praise the Lord for each one of you.

6. I want to thank the Elders and Congregation of Lilburn Alliance Church who blessed and empowered me to be able to fulfill this assignment. I want to assure you as well that the sacrifice you made to release me to carry out this world impact ministry will continue to bear fruit for generations to come.

7. The Board of Directors of the Revival Prayer Institute are to be thanked for providing the governance and protection over the integrity of the COP International. Bless you.

Much has been invested in the African Summit and the dividends will continue to come. We are confident that we will see results - 100-, 60- and 30-fold - for many years to come. Only eternity will tell the whole story. As one of the delegates said on her return trip home, “I am not coming home the same as when I left. This was not a mountain top experience to eventually leave behind. This was a call to go deeper, a heart cry for more. More, Lord, more!” Yes, more Lord!

May Christ alone be praised!