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The title of 2011 DDC was “Not as I will, but as you will” based on Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."(Mat. 26:39) Jesus prayed God to help him deny himself to do God’s will. We knew that we have much head-knowledge on being his disciples, but we do not grow and bear fruits because we don't practice Jesus' self-denial. Through this conference, we wanted to learn Jesus' self-denial. We prayed that each attendant learn to deny at least one thing that hinders him from fulfilling God’s will.

First of all, as part of preparation of the conference, we went through an intensive discipleship devotional training from 20^th June to 7^th July (during student's holidays). We were in three groups. The first group was for the students who joined our DDC for the first time. Second group was for the student leaders who had been faithfully joining Bible studies and Sunday worship service for almost a year. They were also supposed to be designated as student shepherds during the conference. The third group was for the graduates members including shepherds who established house churches.

The first group studied ‘5 lectures of Abraham’s life of faith. They made spiritual resolutions to live as ancestors of faith like Abraham through the Bible studies and testimony writing. Five student leaders of second group studied ‘4 lectures of shepherdology’ to grow to be good shepherds like Jesus. Through the Bible study, they deeply mediated on Jesus’ shepherd heart and Jesus’ life as the true shepherd. Through devoted life testimony writing more than 30 pages, they revealed their dark part of life and repented their shameful sins before Jesus and deeply met Jesus as their personal savior. Graduate shepherds group studied “House church Bible study series” and wrote their Bible testimonies based on the passages. They also could make resolutions to love each other in Christ and establish God centered house church to serve God’s campus mission. Through 3 weeks discipleship training, we could prepare discipleship conference spiritually.

                (1st Group: New Team)                                                 (2nd Group: Student Leaders Team)

On the first day, Kevin delivered an opening message titled “The Disciple’s Way’(Mark 8:34-39). He established the first house church in Kenya UBF. His self supporting life seemed to be smooth in the beginning. However, before long, his business fell down to bottom and he faced with serious financial challenges. This persisted almost for 2years. He initially intended to give up joining the conference since he felt ashamed to borrow money to pay the conference fee despite being a top leader in our fellowship. However, while he was preparing the message, he repented his deep rooted desire for easy-going life asking only for God’s blessings but having no idea of self-denial. He sincerely confessed that he realized that the seemingly endless financial difficulties was God’s divine training to help him repent his easy-going life style from bottom of his heart and to mold him to be a man of absolute faith in God. In fact, when he turned his heart to God, God granted him to be employed in the government office. He is going to receive regular salary after 3 months’ of probation. He asked us to pray for him to learn self-denial and self-sacrifice for Jesus in his life.

(Kevin's family and Omotunde)

The first main message was delivered by Abraham Omotunde who is the ancestor of faith in Lagos UBF, Nigeria. The title was “Not as I will, But as you will"(Matthew 26:36-46). He delivered message with sincerity and humor from the beginning to the end. A part of his message was like this. “In fact, the first part is the common prayer topic for all of us too. “If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” Check your prayer topics, for example. Before the meal, what do we pray for? “Lord, thank you for this meal, Lord! bring us more“ Before the exam? “Lord, give me more wisdom!” In doing the business? “Lord! bless me with the power of money!” And in the worst case, “Lord! If you do not allow me get loan for this semester, I will quit to serve you.” It is not a prayer but “a negotiation” or even “a threat” toward God. There is no element or hint of self-denial or self-submission to the will of God.”He had once had to go through similar prayer as Jesus did. There was a time when Missionary Peter Park stayed in UK for two years. By then, he was entrusted with responsibility of leading ministry in Lagos UBF. To make it bad to worse, he lost his job during that period. He could not pay the school fee for his children. Eventually his wife begged his father-in-law for the school fee. He could not but swallow a shame with tears. The most difficult matter for him, however, was that he did not have someone with whom he could share his inner sorrows and agonies. Then he was seriously tempted to leave ministry for a remote city where a good job was offered. However, owning to his coworker's advice, he agreed to deny his human plan and seek God’s will for 1 month through fasting. Eventually, God gave him strength to maintain the ministry. Then God blessed him with a stable job, and doubled his salary within a year. God also enabled him to raise faithful disciples of Jesus. Among them, one shepherd established house church and another one was sent to USA as a missionary. His testimony encouraged all our shepherds including Kevin who had been going through the similar situation.

(Graduate shepherds)

In that evening, all our graduates shared their testimonies based on the message. Wekesa established second house church. Recently, he encountered a dreadful traffic accident. While trying to avoid a trespasser, the car rolled down to the hill several times. While three accompanied passengers died on the spot, God spared him alone. He confessed that it is God's message for him to repent. He repented that initially he intended to use the car for serving the mission, but he was using it for the success of his own business. He thanked God that he allowed him the second life. He made a resolution to live his remaining life fully devoted to fulfill God's will, and all shouted "amen!"

(House Church of Sh. Wekesa)

After sharing Bible testimonies, we had campfire. On a piece of paper, each of us wrote down one thing that hinders us currently from obey God's will. We burned them on fire. Surrounding the burning fire, we enjoyed Nyama Choma (African style barbecue) as we shared never-ending stories of God among us beyond mid-night.

(Camp Fire)

On the last day, the second main message was delivered by Otieno. The title was "Cost of Being a Disciple" (Luke 9:57-62). He delivered the message powerfully emphasizing that there is a cost to follow Jesus. His message was conclusion of the conference and helped all attendants to accept the truth that there is always cost to pay to become true disciple of Jesus.

After all, the highlights of the conference were student shepherds who received shepherd training faithfully and were designated as shepherds. Alexander initially did not want to join DDC, because his mother who stayed alone was sick. He first wanted to go home to take care of her. However he finally denied himself and joined the camp by faith and prayed for his mother throughout instead. He was brought up under a single mother. He did not know who his father was. Even at his tender age, his mother also deserted him. He was thirsty for love. He could not forgive his mother too. He searched his lost love from a girl in campus. Once he begged her to love him, however, she went a away. So, he.lost his meaning of life. However, through Jesus’ prayer of forgiveness on the cross, he realized God’s great love surpasses any human love. He could even forgive his mother and his father whose face he had never seen. Musili also was to give up on joining the camp due to financial hardship to stay in Nairobi. One day, he found himself left with no single coin to buy food. He planned to quit the training camp after the first week. However, by faith he endured the week. Then God provided him to get part time job with no one's help but God's. Finally, his faithful commitment to the camp earned him to be a ‘grand prize’ winner with scholarship. He shared his life testimony with tears from the beginning to end. He confessed that even though he looked outwardly faithful, he was fixed to pursue a girl in the fellowship due to inner fear of his future marriage. But he realized how evil and spoiling it was before God. It was first time to see that an African man repented his sin shedding tears. It was truly the touch of the Holy Spirit.

Musili (Left) & Alexander (Right)

Discipleship devotion conference was open for all leaders but with self-reliance principle -- the entire cost to be catered by participants. Almost 20 candidates did not make it. Though gathering was small in number, we could see God's blessings upon those who dedicated their hearts by faith. We pray that we may continue to focus not on mass ministry, but on raising devoted disciples of Jesus one after another. May God raise his disciples among us who are ready to deny himself and follow Jesus sacrificially. UBF Kenya prayer topics for the remaining period of 2011 are as follows:

(1) For Juma and Janet to establish house church in September

(2) For freshmen fishing ministry from October - for each shepherd to serve one sheep faithfully

(3) For all members to devote themselves to write and share Bible testimonies every week.

One word : "Yet not as I will, but as you will."