This coming

Sunday, March 9, we will have as our houseguest and church guest Solomon

Kato. He is an associate pastor of the Kampala Pentecostal Church, the

largest church in Uganda and one of the strongest evangelical voices in

East Africa. He comes to the United States annually to attend the board

meeting of Evangelism Explosion International in Fort Lauderdale.

Solomon and

I met initially several years ago on my first trip to Uganda. He is father

of three bright and delightful children, all who are active in the church's

ministry. One of his greatest contributions to Christianity was his leadership

in reviving the church throughout the countryside after the ruthless dictatorships

of Amin and Obote. He has stories to tell! Let me invite you to come and

hear a hero of the faith.

On another

topic, let me give you advance notice about a coming unity event: Sunday,

March 23, six churches will gather in the center of Fayetteville at the

Edgefield Baptist Church for praise and worship. The 6 p.m. service in

addition to Edgefield will include New Generation Christian Fellowship

from Griffin, New Covenant Metropolitan Church from Ellenwood, North Fayette

Baptist Church, Community Christian Church, and Outreach International

Center. The pastors of these six churches have been meeting on a weekly

basis since 9/11 for prayer, encouragement, and fellowship. Come early

to get a seat, because it will be standing room only after the praise

begins.

The six pastors

in our accountability group presently are rotating our meeting site by

visiting the church sites of each pastor. Last week we gathered at Community

Christian Church located on Kenwood Road. That church has been ably led

who will assist in ministering to a greater diversified population in

the north Fayette area.

It's one thing

to meet with fellow pastors at a common area like IHOP, but it is an altogether

different thing to visit where that pastor conducts the work of God, preaches

the Word, and ministers to the needs of his or her flock. Here's the fact:

most pastors rarely go in to other houses of worship. We often wonder

what it must be like on the inside, but seldom do we enter in the other

world of another pastor. Sad, but true.

In going on

the inside of our friends' church houses, we get sharper perspectives

of their ministries. As I admired beautiful quilts hanging on the walls

at Community Christian Church, I could see the devotion of its members

and the special place their church held in their hearts.

The week before

we had prayer at North Fayette Baptist Church where Dr. Jim Willis is

the founding pastor. What a delightful time we all had, as we were hosted

to a feast of a breakfast truly prepared as for kings. As always, we gather

around, lay our hands on the resident pastor and pray for him, his family,

his church, and God's ever widening purposes for his life. I sincerely

advise all pastors to huddle with a small group of fellows pastors with

some sense of diversity to pray and encourage one another.

John Hatcher is pastor of

Outreach International

Center

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

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