Churches are multiplying!

A member of the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SSPEC) was displaced to the region of Wau, and did not have a church to worship in. She began gathering with friends to pray in her house. They wanted to start a congregation and sent a message to SSPEC leaders for support. The leadership contacted a pastor in Abyei, several hundred kilometers away, who spoke the same language and was willing to move to Wau to start the church. But SSPEC did not have funds to enable the pastor to travel to Wau. Finally, they found a portion of the funds and the pastor and congregation raised the rest. The congregation in Wau has since outgrew the house they were meeting in and is struggling now to find a place to worship.

People gather for worship in a new congregation

When leaders in the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SSPEC) are asked what their priorities are, church planting and evangelism consistently ranks at the top. There are many needs and many challenges in South Sudan, including conflict, famine, and economic crisis. But church leaders recognize that the foundation every person needs is experiencing the transformation, freedom, and love that life and salvation in Jesus gives. Through local congregations, the church can then holistically help people meet other needs such as finding healing from trauma, equipping and educating people, providing food relief, or promoting peace in the community.

SSPEC has been in South Sudan for about 15 years, and has about 50 congregations spread through the Eastern, western, northern, and central region of South Sudan as well as among refugees in neighboring countries. In the last two years, twelve new churches have been planted, both in rural and urban regions. When a new church is planted, it needs extra support for a period to get established and to meet needs such as getting land, purchasing chairs or benches, or supporting a pastor until they find a job in the area.

Women sing in worship at new congregation

In Juba, three pastors who were not serving congregations were encouraged to start a new congregation at the edge of Juba where there were not many churches. They worked hard getting to know people in the community and assess needs. They began worshipping and a congregation formed that included people of several different tribes.  They found that in the nearby market area there were many homeless boys who were not going to school. With some support from a few friends, they invited the boys to come for a meal and some teaching. Now the boys come to the church every day, and one of the pastors provides some teaching on trauma healing, literacy and the Christian life, along with feeding them a meal.

Pastors and members in the new congregation near Juba

Please consider joining this significant work by praying and contributing towards new church development in South Sudan. Pastors and church members are eager to share God’s love and establish new congregations. While support needs vary by location and situation, even a small amount such as $500 can significantly help a congregation in securing land and covering basic expenses. Current specific needs include paying the balance on land for a new congregation in Juba, constructing a temporary shelter for a new congregation in Wau, and supporting a pastor to relocate to a village in the Pochalla region that does not have a church. You can give towards this need through SSPEC's account with PC(USA): https://pma.pcusa.org/donate/E052148/. If you donate, please designate in the comments for "New Church Development". Thank you for joining in the significant work God is doing in South Sudan!

Mud bricks and thatch for roofing are ready to make a

temporary shelter for worship in a village near Pochalla.