Empowering saints for the Great Commission.

Dear friend,

In 2007, during my internship after my second year on campus, I was praying about what God wanted me to do when I returned to school. I heard Him say I should lead a mission awakening among the saints.

I loved the Lord, and I had already led mission outreaches in my first and second years; He had been stirring this in my heart since 2005. When I got back I hesitated, but I had already shared it with Pastor Victor Akunwanne, who, like a good disciple, was ready to help.

In April 2008, I called a meeting of nine people from different campus fellowships with whom I had shared the vision, and asked them to pray about it. We gathered in my house and agreed that the Lord wanted us to do it. On 19 May 2008, after our first-semester exams, we held a two-day vigil. The town leader of EFAC (Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion) gave us a single student room for the retreat. We didn't mind; we were zealous for the Lord. That was how Christian Mandates Organization was born.

I heard God say I should lead a mission awakening among the saints.

Our goal was to awaken the body of Christ to missions and outreach. Evangelism leaders from several campus fellowships joined us, and we worked closely with campus leaders, especially evangelism coordinators. Our priority was never only to go on missions ourselves, but to equip, inspire and support churches, fellowships and ministries to go into a world that desperately needs the gospel the Lord has committed to His church.

On 29 October 2008, we went to Ogwusham in Ogbaru, Anambra State, for our first mission: a five-day campaign as a team. In 2009 we joined EFAC in town to support their mission outreach. This was what we wanted to do: inspire, support and mobilize the army of the Lord into the field.

I will always remember the night of 1 November 2009 at Oforekpe, Ebonyi State. It was about 1 a.m., and we had just finished the last open-air crusade of the mission. I had poured myself into planning it and leading the team, and I was about to graduate without knowing what came next. As was our custom on the final day, I shared the vision with the team, and I told them honestly: if those going back to school wanted to continue, they should, but I felt I had served the Lord in my time and did not know what He wanted next.

The brethren went back and carried on, in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, I visited the school again, and on the bus home the Lord spoke to me: go back to the work, and first host a general mission conference. That conference took place in August 2012, with many ministers from churches we had served. On the final night, God's power came strongly, and He told us to go to Ozubulu in Anambra State. I had lived in the state for over 13 years and had never heard of that community. It was a remarkable mission, and we have held a general mission every year since, alongside many peer and group missions.

Time would fail me to tell of the testimonies, healings, provisions and deliverances, the successes and the challenges. Above all, I think of the men and women of God this ministry has raised. Many are now missionary pastors, and many are professionals who have made mission outreach a priority in their lives.

Thank you for walking with us. I pray we keep inspiring one another in a busy world, until the end.

Your brother,Rowland I. EkemeziePresident, Christian Mandates Organization