By Becky Maina
The ECWA Gospel Church off Ashaka Road, Gombe, has celebrated its 26th Mission Conference, which also marks the church’s 26th anniversary since its establishment.
The church began as an English-speaking fellowship in ECWA No. 1 Bolari, Gombe, on 12th January 1997, following the creation of Gombe State and the deployment of civil servants and others.
According to the Secretary of the Mission Conference Committee, Mr Absalom Yusuf, the church was officially upgraded and inaugurated as a Local Church Board LCB on 6th June 1999, and was named ECWA Gospel off Ashaka Road.
“The church has grown over time, and because mission is at the heart of our values, we now celebrate our anniversary in the form of a Mission Conference,” Mr Yusuf said.
The Guest Speaker, Evangelist Kilyobas Sule, delivered a sermon titled “You Will Seek Me and Find Me,” drawn from Jeremiah 29:10–13. He emphasised that God’s promises are fulfilled only when believers seek Him sincerely and wholeheartedly.
“Many of God’s promises are only fulfilled when people seek Him with all their hearts,” Evangelist Sule stated.
“We were created to worship God.
He stressed that the heart plays a central role in a believer’s relationship with God, adding that spiritual growth begins from within.
“The heart is the control centre of life. A heart that is joyful, willing, and aligned with God is essential for mission work.”
Evangelist Sule also charged Christians to actively participate in mission activities, provide support for missionaries, and continually pray for those in the mission field.
“It is not enough to attend church services. Every believer must be involved
He said in addition to going one can support by sending, supporting, or praying. Missions are our collective calling
Evangelist Sule called for spiritual renewal, urging members to surrender their hearts to God, confess their shortcomings, and allow divine transformation.
“We must surrender our hearts to God, confess our shortcomings, and allow Him to transform us from the inside out.”
He noted that the Bible identifies over fifty types of hearts including positive ones like pure, tender, and willing, and negative ones like bitter, stony, and arrogant. “Believers should aim to have a heart that truly pleases God and supports His mission.”
In his remarks, the Minister in charge of the church, Reverend Andrew Yusuf, encouraged full participation in mission activities as a sign of dedication to God’s work.
“The mission conference is not just a tradition it’s our spiritual responsibility,” he said, adding that “Every member should be fully involved in outreach and service to God.”
The conference featured soul-lifting worship, inspiring testimony by a missionary , and renewed calls for deeper engagement in evangelism and missionary support.