Dear Friends,

Christmas greetings! May the wonder and the joy of this season abide with you always.

There is so much to give thanks for at this time: we can never thank God enough for his love to us, a love shown supremely in the gift of his Son, but also in so many other ways. We thank God for life itself, for strength and health: I continue to praise the Lord for my miraculous healing, and for the healing of many other people – in body, mind and spirit. The gifts of God have also been manifested in the ways in which the small team of Gafcon staff have continued to work hard even under difficult circumstances. We thank God for them and for the Trustees, the Primates, the wise elders, the network leaders, and those who have supported us financially, and particularly for those who faithfully continue in prayers for us.

Gafcon itself is a gift from God as it focuses on proclaiming Christ faithfully to the nations, and on encouraging those who are being persecuted to stand firm and hold on to the Word of God. We thank God for what has been done so far, and we put the future into his hands.

At this Christmas season when we gather with family and friends, and celebrate the coming of the baby who is our King, let us continue to pray. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will so work in the hearts and minds of people throughout the world that when they hear the Word of God proclaimed they may gladly respond to God’s call on their lives. May the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified as, with good discipling, they now live lives which show that they are children of God.

Sadly, some church leaders are continuing to lead churches away from the truth of the gospel, and the faithful who have taken a firm stand find themselves without a church building or a house to live in. When the truth of the Bible is not taught, and when people are not evangelised or discipled, the Bible itself becomes unknown and Jesus is neither worshipped nor glorified.

Let us continue to pray for such churches. On behalf of the Gafcon leadership I wish you all a very happy and holy Christmas and a joyful New Year. May the love of God fill your hearts; may joy of the shepherds and the courage of the Wise Men be yours, and may the blessing of God Almighty the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you, your families and those for whom you pray, now and always. Amen.

The Lord be with you all,
Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi
General Secretary
Gafcon