French Ministry

Disaster has a way of rearranging people’s lives. Before the 2010 earthquake that devastated much of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, many Haitians who practiced voodoo blamed evil spirits for tragedies. However, after the disaster claimed more than 300,000 lives, Haitians turned to churches instead of voodoo temples, proclaiming God’s sovereignty in their lives. Today, Back to God Ministries International sees more people opening up to the Gospel than ever before. Angelo Joseph, a 20-year-old student, serves as one example of this movement. In the past, Angelo dedicated his life to worldly pleasures. Like many his age, he looked forward to attending Carnival, Haiti’s version of Mardi Gras, that includes drinking, partying and carousing. But this year was different. When Angelo’s sister invited him to skip Carnival and come with her to a spiritual retreat outside of Port-au-Prince, he knew it would be a great way to avoid temptation. Angelo attended the retreat…[Read More]

On Thursday, March 28, Rev. Paul and Charlotte Mpindi successfully left Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR) where war had broken out between government troops and rebel forces. The couple had traveled to Bangui on Wednesday, March 20, to lead training seminars for pastors and lay leaders. Although rebel forces had been holding the city hostage earlier this year, a peace treaty had been signed in January, and local staff advised the Mpindis it was safe to travel.  However, on Saturday Rev. Mpindi, French ministry leader for Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI), alerted BTGMI director Rev. Kurt Selles that rebel troops were advancing into the city. He sent a follow-up text message on Sunday that Bangui had fallen to the rebels and the CAR president had fled the city. Rev. Selles immediately alerted the Christian community through email, Facebook, and the Back to God website. He asked for prayer for…[Read More]

Rebels were at the gates of Central African Republic’s capital city, Bangui, and Back to God Ministries International French staff located there requested urgent prayers. Thanks to the avenue of Facebook, we were able to put out a timely prayer request to people who immediately responded that they would pray! BTGMI maintains a ministry center in Bangui from which 18 staff members and 500 volunteers carry out ministry in central Africa. In late December French ministry leader Rev. Paul Mpindi received word from Bangui staff that rebels were progressing toward the city. Rev. Mpindi sent out an alert to BTGMI colleagues in North America. “Please pray for peace in central Africa,” he added. “I'll be monitoring things with our leaders there and see what necessary steps to take if the rebels do enter the city.” Not long after, Rev. Mpindi sent an update: “I received an urgent e-mail from one…[Read More]

The January 2010 earthquake temporarily suspended many facets of the ministry in Haiti. But now, Rev. Paul Mpindi is pleased to report, “God has sent us a godly Haitian leader, Pastor Jacky Chery, to provide leadership for our ministry center in Haiti.” “The Lord has been blessing our ministry in Haiti,” says Rev. Mpindi, Back to God Ministries International French outreach leader. “Our radio programs have been on the air there for nearly twenty-five years. In 2008 we opened a discipleship center to serve our listeners. We are blessed to have Pastor Chery join us in our Haitian ministry. ” A long-time listener to our French broadcasts, Pastor Chery came to faith in Christ in 1989 and has served in youth ministries for nearly ten years.  He studied civil engineering from 1998 to 2003 and received training in leadership and project management. He then felt called to study theology at…[Read More]

Whenever Rev. Paul Mpindi leads rallies or training seminars, he is surrounded by a group of prayer warriors. And now the team of prayer partners has expanded to pray weekly—and sometimes daily—for Perspectives Réformées en Centrafrique (PRC), the ongoing mission work of Back to God Ministries in French-speaking Africa. A little over a year ago, Rev. Mpindi was teaching a group of pastors in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR) when staff who were present sensed “some sort of attack from the enemy,” reports Pastor Ekolo, PRC staff member. “We took action and quickly prayed for spiritual protection for Rev. Mpindi.” Following that event, the BTGMI French staff developed a plan to increase the number of intercessors trained to pray for the local church, for missions, and specifically for Back to God Ministries French outreach in Africa. In May 2012, a group of 600 believers from various denominations came together for…[Read More]

Lesha* was a young woman living the life of a street prostitute in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Because poverty is so prevalent in Congo, many young women feel they have no other option.   Then Lesha “happened” to hear one of Charlotte Mpindi’s messages geared especially for women. Drawn to the messages of hope and direction, Lesha continued to casually listen to the weekly broadcasts, produced by the French media outreach of Back to God Ministries International. One day Lesha felt convicted to go to the BTGMI ministry center in Kinshasa. There she met Mama Pasteur Francoise, the women’s discipleship coordinator. Mama Francoise spoke with Lesha about her life, the Bible, and salvation in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit moved in Lesha’s heart and she gave her life to the Lord. Lesha made a commitment to leave the life of prostitution, but that wouldn’t be easy. Everyone knew her…[Read More]

Josette was standing next to her fiancé, discussing their upcoming marriage. In the next moment, without warning, they were buried by rubble caused by the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. “My future husband died beside me and I was trapped under the rubble until 11pm that night,” recalls Josette, who also lost her left arm in the accident. “It was the worst day of my existence.  After the earthquake I couldn’t stop crying. I believed I had truly lost everything.” For a long time Josette kept her feelings inside, quietly grieving the pain and loss—until she learned about a counseling ministry provided in partnership with Back to God Ministries International and Christian Reformed World Missions. Josette met with Pastor Gregory Brutus hired to lead a pastoral care ministry focusing on earthquake victims with special Help Haiti funds.   “Pastor Gregory listened and prayed with me and gave me some…[Read More]

Lusa Bahati, a senator in the Democratic Republic of Congo, testifies that her faith motivated her to offer greater service to her country. And she said Back to God Ministries French media outreach helped her grow in faith. Senator Bahati, who lives in the outskirts of Kinshasa, often listened to Perspectives Réformées, the French radio program produced by Back to God Ministries International, and broadcast in the DR Congo. Through this she learned about our Bible study correspondence program. At a recent ceremony in Kinshasa, celebrating the graduation of 800 people who completed the program, Senator Bahati testified to the power of the Gospel that changed her worldview, and especially the way she conducts her political activities. “This study gave me a new perspective on my work as a senator. My life has been transformed. My faith is now firmly established in Christ and my Christian witness has been strengthened.”…[Read More]

Radio is still one of the most effective ways of mass communication to people in Haiti as they continue to recover from the devastating earthquake in January 2010. Now, thanks to “Help Haiti” donations and the work of twelve volunteers from Fremont (MI) First CRC, Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) is able to reach even more people with words of hope from Scripture. Shortly after the earthquake, French ministry leader Rev. Paul Mpindi began preparing special messages for the Haitian people. Initial response was very encouraging. Looking for answers and hope, nearly 2,000 listeners signed up for the BTGMI Bible study course.  But through our partners in Haiti, Rev. Mpindi came to realize we were missing a large segment of the population whose first language is not French, but Creole. “Programs in the Creole language would speak the good news of the gospel in the ‘heart language’ of the…[Read More]

Huguette felt like her future was bleak. She was raised in Congo as a member of the Eckankar occult sect. She found herself living in “fear, frustration, hostility, division, and finally ended up in dire poverty.” She adds, “My experience in the sect brought me difficulties in my family and terrible troubles in my personal life.” But then Huguette found hope through a series of radio messages called “The Curse and How to Get Out of It” by Back to God Ministries International French leader Rev. Paul Mpindi. In this series, broadcast throughout French-speaking Africa, Rev. Mpindi confronted the issue of the occult and its devastating effects on people’s lives. He also offered biblical hope and deliverance through the power of Jesus Christ, laid out in seven practical steps. After listening to the Rev. Mpindi’s messages, Huguette visited our Perspective Réformées ministry center in Congo's capital city, Kinshasa, where the…[Read More]