At Faith Chapel Church Anniv. in the U.S., Rev. Dr. Francis Tabla urges Christians ‘not to settle for less’ 

Banner photograph: A group of women representing the Faith Chapel Ministries Women’s Department, gathered Sunday to present a check of $7,000.00 to the church as a gift.

By James Kokulo Fasuekoi|Editor-Publisher

Days prior to the 21st anniversary celebrations of Faith Chapel Evangelistic Ministries (FCEM), Rev. Dr. Francis O.S. Tabla spent countless hours, lecturing pastors and members of the church regarding what it takes for a pastor to run a successful gospel ministry especially, in these United States. 

Discussing the theme Strategies in Church Growth, Dr. Tabla covered a wide-range of issues like Excellence in Ministry, Taking Initiatives, as well as engaging in Creativity in carrying out God’s Kingdom work. He also discussed Why Some Christian-Leaders Are Successful in their work. 

As for winning lost souls, which is at the core of Christianity, the Ebenezer Community Church pastor listed five kinds of evangelisms and urged attendees to work in those areas to bring people to Christ Jesus. They are Invitational, Sports Ground, Lifestyle, Occasional, and Testimonial Evangelisms. He drew his lecture from a biblical concept as well as personal experiences of how he succeeded.  

The two-day lecture series was organized by the Faith Chapel Gospel ministry last week at FCEM’s Headquarters in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, and comes at a time when the church celebrates her 21st anniversary and involved in vigorous evangelism, with the church’s lead-pastor, Rev. John Saah, taking lead and often travelling to Asia and Africa to do evangelism work. Dr. Tabla had been invited to speak on church building and conflict resolution in today’s churches.       

A native of Liberia, West Africa, Tabla is a businessman and a well-sought-after pastor-speaker in the United States. He’s a graduate of Booker T. Washington Institute in Kakata, Margibi, a highly rated vocational center from where he perhaps received his business foundation. His mega Ebenezer Community Church at 9200 West Broadway Avenue is probably the biggest so far in North America, owned by an African immigrant and worth well over $10 million US dollars. 

Faith Chapel Evangelistic ministries was first established in 1996 in La Cote D’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast) by mainly Liberian refugees who had fled a brutal civil war in neighboring Liberia, according to Journalist Joe Mason, who previously worked for the government’s national radio and television news network LBS, and now a deacon in the church. 

However, the ministry was restarted here some twenty-one years ago by its first pastor, Rev. John B. Saah with the help of scores of their members that resettled in the US Midwestern state of Minnesota.

Speaking regarding undertaking a church-building project, Dr. Tabla advised pastors to always pray and listen for God’s prompts before they can proceed with their plans per revelation from the LORD, rather than rely on men’s “advice.” At the sametime he warned Christians against “settling for less” for the God whom they serve, he said, does not lie about that which He has promised you.

He said pastors should beware of people who tend to scorn, or appear unwilling to embrace their ideas in building ministry. Some people, he explained, may even try to discourage you from pursuing your goal and may not see any “good thing” that will come out of it. In this case, he advised that you stay away from such toxic individuals. 

Rev. Tabla cited as an example, an encounter he had with a fellow pastor years before they started construction of the new church. He said he had discussed with the guy his plan to erect a “mega church” in the US and that he, Rev. Tabla and his wife had been praying to God to make it happen. This happened at the time Ebenezer’s congregation was getting bigger thus creating a need to move it out of the school to their own place.  

However, Tabla’s excitement was cut short. The referenced pastor, also from Liberia, tried to “talk-him-out” of pursuing such a plan on the basis that it wasn’t feasible especially for an immigrant like Tabla to achieve such a dream. Dr. Tabla said the guy cited his situation as an example, saying, in spite of his many years in the US, he still runs church service in a private rental house because they can’t afford such luxury.

From that moment onward, Tabla said he didn’t go back to consult with him anymore concerning his proposed project. Instead, he and his wife continued with fervent prayers, backed by constant fasting, in anticipation of hearing from the LORD. God eventually answered their prayer.

But opposition to Tabla’s idea didn’t only come from outside acquaintances. In fact, some of Tabla’s own loyal members at Ebenezer resented building a new church and refused to participate in fundraising exercises for the project, he told the audience.  This group eventually left Ebenezer, he said. 

Rev. Tabla narration of his own “ups and downs” in pursuit of what he said was promised by God, doesn’t seem too far from Nehemiah’s, faced with opposition from within (Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem who tried to murder him) as he grieved over the sins and sufferings of his people, the Jews, and how he might help restore the Walls of Jeruselm. 

And like Nehemiah, Pastor Tabla had only one key source to depend upon throughout their journey to construct a new church-home, One who never failed those that trust in Him, the God of Israel. 

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the day marking the church’s anniversary, the Women’s Department gave a purse of about $7,000.00, while the Men’s Department also presented $5,000.00 as a gift to the church. 

The financial presentation by both departments was followed by a special dinner, hosted by Faith Chapel Evangelistic Ministries.

JESUS CHRIST IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY?

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