By Pastor Benard Okello
November 2008
“I am glad to be associated with The Elijah Challenge. Missionary Butch Berner came to Homa Bay [in September 2007] and taught The End Time Model of Evangelism to my sixty members. Then my members went and preached the Kingdom of God and miraculous healings began to take place, bringing many converts to our church. I had pastored this church for six years without increase because it was I doing everything as the believers in my church just looked on. But when Butch came and taught, we have increased to three hundred active members and they are still in action. Recently I went to Tanzania and taught The Elijah Challenge at a church. The host pastor is now healing the sick and the church is growing rapidly through his members whom I taught to heal the sick the way Jesus did. In November 2008 I went to Nigeria and in the Crusades I saw how God used His other servants to heal the sick—not only me as it used to be. God’s power is greater than witchcraft. I had a meeting with fellow pastors in our city of Homa Bay to tell them it is possible to win our entire city in this way. Praise God now we know we can win people to Him.”
In early December 2007 Pastor Benard taught The Elijah Challenge at the Masindi Pastors’ Conference in Uganda. Below is Benard’s report.
Pastor Benard Okello
December 2007 Update
“I went to Uganda and it was good. To be honest, I had not had such a great meeting like the one we had this time. Host Pastor David Kubarashia did all he could to draw all the ministers in Western Uganda. I presented The Elijah Challenge teaching for the first time in Masindi and it worked more than I had ever imagined. People were healed and pastors were trained. I encouraged them to do the training in their respective districts in Western Uganda. For effective evangelism we need The Elijah Challlenge vision to be presented everywhere. I have realized this is the will of God concerning the End Time Church.”
Pastor Benard Okello – September 2008 Update from Tanzania
Pastor Benard Okello was trained under Missionary Butch Berner in September 2007 at The Elijah Challenge Event in Homa Bay, Kenya. Within a little over a year, his congregation which had plateaued at 60 people mushroomed to 300 members.
“It has been a long time since I gave a report on what God is doing through us. We bless God for his goodness. We had a good meeting with pastors from Tanzania and the Kenyan border with Pastor David Kubarashia from Uganda. We did the Elijah Challenge Training for the pastors after which we held crusades. We indeed saw [the glory of] God. The host pastor called me last night telling me how God had increased their church and how he had no time because people were flocking to his church in need of Jesus and healing. I indeed know that our God [will not allow us to be put to shame]. We are organizing another meeting in Mwaza, Tanzania with Tanzanian pastors before I travel to join you in Nigeria early next month. The town where we are going to hold the meeting is dominated by the “religion of peace” but I am encouraged by the newsletter you sent me about them. Pray with me as I lead these men and women into the knowledge of the priestly, the prophetic, and the kingly offices of our Lord Jesus.”