“Pastor John Issa Of Swahili Service Springfield Mo Testifies Of Jesus As Lord,” host Dennis EversEn sits down with Pastor John Issa for an open conversation about his life, spiritual journey, and ministry path [01:33 Opens in a new window ].
- Background: Pastor John grew up in Makobola, a small village near Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, living off fishing and farming [08:16 Opens in a new window ].
- Shift to Pentecostal Faith: Raised Roman Catholic [09:35 Opens in a new window ], John went to live with his uncle (a Pentecostal pastor) following his father’s passing in 1999 [10:11 Opens in a new window ]. This led him to pursue formal discipleship at CEP (Communauté des Églises de Pentecôte) [13:37 Opens in a new window ], where he received a New Testament Bible and grounded his faith in scriptures like John 3:16 [14:08 Opens in a new window ].
- Escape from War: Fleeing conflict in DRC in 1996 [15:22 Opens in a new window ], John made his way to Cape Town, South Africa [16:09 Opens in a new window ].
- Early Ministry Roles: Despite initial hesitancy and language barriers, he was called upon to interpret during services [16:46 Opens in a new window ]. He later moved to Durban, where he met Pastor Peter Milen and joined Gilgal Christian Ministry [18:38 Opens in a new window ].
- Calling to Leadership: Church leaders progressively recognized his calling—raising him from an interpreter to an evangelist, then to an elder, and eventually ordaining him before his departure [21:43 Opens in a new window , 23:54 Opens in a new window , 32:37 Opens in a new window ].
- Arrival in Springfield, MO: After waiting nearly five years through the UN refugee process [02:33 Opens in a new window ], John and his family arrived in Springfield, Missouri [34:27 Opens in a new window ].
- Connecting with Central Assembly of God: Local believers connected John’s family to Central Assembly of God [38:23 Opens in a new window ]. He met Pastor Jerry Spain, a former missionary to South Africa, who sensed that God brought John to Springfield for a specific work [48:36 Opens in a new window , 49:23 Opens in a new window ].
- Growth of the Swahili Service: Following home prayer meetings and divine direction [53:26 Opens in a new window ], Central Assembly hosted the Swahili Service. The congregation rapidly grew from a small fellowship into a weekly service attracting hundreds of attendees [57:39 Opens in a new window , 59:12 Opens in a new window ].
- Spiritual Leadership: Both hosts emphasize the value of spiritual authority, humility, and submission in ministry growth [01:03:13 Opens in a new window ].
- Call to Action: Pastor John encourages believers to integrate discipleship into daily living and to actively imitate Jesus rather than simply admiring Him [01:08:19 Opens in a new window , 01:09:08 Opens in a new window ].
- Closing: The session concludes with a prayer in Swahili [01:09:35 Opens in a new window ].
