Yousif and Sousanna Ministry Update
Yousif and Sousanna both had wonderful experiences with God before coming to seminary. Yousif had been part of his church’s youth and college student ministry, and Sousanna was diligently looking for ways to know God more. In 2018, they both felt the need to grow in their knowledge and understanding of their faith. Feeling God’s urging and wanting to respond to His work in their lives, they both began their journey of theological education in 2018. At the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, when we transitioned from a residential to a hybrid delivery method, Yousif and Sousanna moved back to their home in Khartoum. There, they committed themselves to serving the Kingdom through their local Baptist church while continuing their theological education and growing their family.
Yousif shared in early 2021:
When we came back, the church had been going through a period of difficulty as many ministers had left, so my wife and I supported many of the church’s ministries, including the Sunday school and youth ministry. We then held a conference on church planting.
Sousanna shared that the classes she took helped her grow immensely. She learned that she needed to respond to where God shows her the need is greatest and not where she felt the most comfortable. Yousif and Sousanna also worked with the Baptist Convention in Sudan to help other Baptist churches in the area organize and prepare youth camps and conferences.
As they served with their church, God led them to Soba, a largely unreached city to the East of Khartoum. There, He gave them the opportunity to build bridges with the community through home visits, discipleship, and Sunday school programs that birthed several home groups in the area. The home groups they were serving had a deep desire to grow their understanding and knowledge of the Lord’s word. So, in early 2022, Yousif and Sousanna responded to the Lord’s call for them to plant a church in East Khartoum that they called Faith Baptist Church.
Yousif and Soussana experienced God’s faithfulness, guidance, and providence through the many challenges in Sudan. Talking about the journey the Lord took them on, Yousif shared:
As they served with their church, God led them to Soba, a largely unreached city to the East of Khartoum. There, He gave them the opportunity to build bridges with the community through home visits, discipleship, and Sunday school programs that birthed several home groups in the area. The home groups they were serving had a deep desire to grow their understanding and knowledge of the Lord’s word. So, in early 2022, Yousif and Sousanna responded to the Lord’s call for them to plant a church in East Khartoum that they called Faith Baptist Church.
Yousif and Soussana experienced God’s faithfulness, guidance, and providence through the many challenges in Sudan. Talking about the journey the Lord took them on, Yousif shared:
We first started reaching out to people in September 2021 when one family invited us to hold a Bible study in their home. Slowly, the ministry grew, and more people started to join the Bible study. We became known in the area as the thoughtful evangelists! But some people complained about the ministry, and the owner of the house that the family rented threatened them with eviction if they continued to hold meetings in their house. So, we had to look for somewhere else to hold our Bible studies.
Yousif and Sousanna prayed about it, and a short while later, God led them to two families who wanted to hold meetings in their homes! Just like that, their ministry had doubled. During their outreach, the Lord showed Yousif and Sousanna that there was a need for a children’s ministry in the area as many of the kids did not go to school, so they started looking for a way to respond to this need in their community.
The Lord helped us set up a children’s ministry in a third home. Soon, more than 50 children began attending the ministry! This helped us reach out to their families, many of whom started attending home groups. Again, as the group grew, members of the community complained, and we were asked if we could move the children’s ministry elsewhere. Shortly after, a woman opened her home so that it may be used both for home groups and for the children’s ministry, and so now the community had grown to include three home groups! One day, during a Bible study session, the three groups asked us to hold a prayer service on Sunday evening so that the Lord might help us turn the home groups into a formal church. We prayed, and soon, the Lord guided us to a family who wanted their household to host our church! This brought joy to everyone.
Shortly after the church was planted, a woman who had a leg injury asked Yousif and Sousanna to pray for her. They did, and the Lord brought healing to her household.
She asked us to come over so she may thank us, and when we went, we found that she had invited many people over so that she could bear witness to them of her recovery. This lady is now one of the most active evangelists in the church! The church body currently includes around 50 individuals, 13 of whom accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior and were baptized this past April. There are 11 more new believers who want to be baptized so that they can become official members of the church! The Lord has expanded the ministry so that we can reach out to many more. Our church ministries now include Bible studies, a children’s ministry, a worship ministry, a young adults ministry, and an outreach ministry, in addition to the main service occurring on Sundays.
Yousif and Sousanna are currently preparing five young adults who felt the Lord call them to ministry through intensive discipleship sessions and weekly one-on-one counseling.
Talking about how studying theology has impacted their ministry, Yousif shared:
Talking about how studying theology has impacted their ministry, Yousif shared:
Studying at ABTS has had a profound impact on my life. The Missional Church module guided my outlook on ministry and the church. It encouraged me to break out of my comfort zone so that I could widely share the gospel with others. There is a reason why in giving us the Great Commission, Christ says “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In our going, the Lord impacts the lives of others and brings glory to Himself. The Disciples Making Disciples module was also vital for our ministry because it supplied us with the tools, programs, and attitudes we needed to disciple others effectively. The Communication module was also very important for us as it taught us how to reach out to others in a comprehensive manner that acknowledges people’s different opinions. With the varied backgrounds and cultures in Sudan, communication skills are vital for effective outreach and ministry.
I thank the Lord for everything He is doing in Sudan, and for allowing us to play a small part in His plan for our country. I pray that the Lord continues to use us as He grows His Kingdom on earth. I ask you to pray for my family, for the ministry here in Sudan, and for the growth of His Kingdom.
We thank the Lord for our students and graduates who are actively serving His Kingdom, and we pray for wisdom and guidance, both for them and for us, as we seek to answer His call for ABTS and for their lives.
