At the recent EHC International Conference, I heard our brother Cleopas Chitapa, from Zimbabwe share an inspiring message. Here is an excerpt:
Acts 5:42 is the Scriptural premise of EHC and its methodology. “Day after day, in the temple courts and FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news.” This text is on every publication we produce in Zimbabwe.
This convinced me that the phenomenal results we read of in the apostolic era, were a result of a systematic approach in proclaiming the gospel. No modern innovation or piece of technology could substitute house-to-house evangelism, and no method could comprehensively guarantee the completion of the task of preaching the gospel to every creature except house-to-house campaigns.
The following verse was even much more revealing, for it loudly declares the results, “And in those days, when the NUMBER OF DISCIPLES WAS MULTIPLIED.” (Acts 6:1) Disciples were multiplying as a result of the house-to-house efforts of the early church. Then Acts 6:7 sums it up for us: “And the word of God increased and the number of disciples multiplied greatly.” There is a direct relationship between the abundance of the Word and the multiplication of disciples. We can never have too much Word. No matter how many shipments and containers of gospel literature we unveil each month, the more Word we give out, the greater the respondents.
Along with the Apostle Paul, I have resolved to go from home to home: “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you, but have taught to publicly AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.” (Acts 20:20)
Hearing Cleopas declare his conviction, I was freshly stirred with a desire to shout: “YES! Let’s continually saturate the field of human hearts with the seed of God’s life-transforming Word!” Since EHC started home-by-home outreaches in Africa, more than 22 million responses have been followed up on that great continent. 74,000 Christ groups have been established. Today, across Africa, we follow up more than 8,300 responses DAILY by God’s grace.
May God help us all to not only agree with Cleopas’ conviction and commitment to increase the spread of the Gospel, but also redouble our commitment to support the increase of that life-giving Word to everyone everywhere.
Denys Blackmore Executive Director