“Pastor Evans is no longer a pastor. Not with this church. Not with any.” The Senior Pastor continued, “You are not to visit him. You are not to pray with him or for him. He is a Dead Man.” The words of excommunication had been publicly proclaimed. Evans was an outcast. Cast out of the church, the social community, the local tribe. And perhaps the greatest indignity…the devastating dictate was made in the presence of his wife and children, while sitting in the congregation.

Evans was not there. He was at home, in their one room mud and stick shack, in the Mathare slum. He had been sick for months, with an ever-increasing pain in his left leg, and overwhelming weakness. The local clinic said he needed to go to a hospital. But that was impossibility. They had no money. None. He hadn’t worked in months. His wife Phyllis and eldest son Eric (18) were doing everything they could to simply keep food on the table. After all, there were six mouths to feed, rent to pay, school fees overdue, and now medicines to buy. By the time Evans finally found a missions clinic willing to examine him, his shin bone was visibly exposed through a large open wound. The prognosis was not positive. There was a deadly infection in his shin…it was now moving into his thigh. They would surely have to amputate the leg to save his life.

The family had come to church to celebrate the Sabbath. They went home socially stoned. The offense? “Officially” it was because Evans “continues to go to that Bible School.” Evans had been the Associate Pastor for years. But once he began preaching the truth of God’s Word, he was quickly removed from the pulpit. Evans summarized the scenario: “I had never had any training in the Word of God. I simply took a verse and preached on it. The same as every pastor. Once I heard about the Bible School, I knew it was the answer to many years of my prayers. The very first day in the School, I was changed! I knew what I was hearing was God’s truth…and it was contrary to almost everything I had been saying and doing as a Pastor. I couldn’t wait to come to class each week. Whatever I heard on Saturday at the School, I taught on Sunday in the church.” And that is when and why the troubles began.

The Senior Pastor insisted on controlling Evan’s preaching…the verse, the message, and the aim of directing the benefit to himself. Evans’ “new” preaching was not appreciated by the Senior Pastor. Not one bit. Evans was warned to leave the Bible School or lose his position. Evans chose to stay in the Bible School. “I had no choice. I had to continue. God is there at that School. I began to realize He was not at my church.” And so Pastor Evans was sidelined. Literally. First he was removed from all preaching responsibilities. Eventually, he was told to sit in the back row. Shortly afterwards, he became sick.

After several months of debilitating pain and weakness, Evans found he could not even walk. No one from his church came to visit. He sent word of his need for prayer several times through his wife and several others. Stunning silence ensued. It was then that the most wounding words were uttered from the pulpit, “God has revealed to me that Evans is sick because he is being punished for his sin. He continues to go to that evil Bible School. And now God has cursed him. Do not pray for him. If you do, you will be cursed as well. Let those people at the Bible School pray for him.” It was more than Evan’s family could bear. When his wife delivered the message, Evans broke. Everything seemed so unbelievable. He had gone from the pulpit to a publicly proclaimed pariah in just months. After the heart-breaking news, he fell back in bed completely despondent.

“The spirit of a manWill sustain him in sickness,

But who can bear a broken spirit.”Proverbs 18.14

Just when it became all too much to bear…the breakthrough came.

Two men arrived at the door of their shack. They had not been invited. They had never been to his home before. When they arrived at the door, Phyllis did not know who they were, or why they were there. She knew her family had been shunned. Even their neighbors avoided them. She wondered, “Why are these men here? What more trouble can we bear?!” They made their mission known, “We’re here to see…our brother.” They had come…from the Bible School.

Evans was stunned to hear voices at the door. He struggled to sit up in the only bed in the shack. He imagined it was the landlord, coming to lock them out for failure to pay rent. It was going to be too much to bear…the last straw for a destitute, dying man. But instead of an unforgiving conflict, it was a divine appointment…perfectly orchestrated by the Most High God. The brethren sat at his bedside…and they brought the light of Christ into a very dark and desperate home. The two

brothers listened and shared…with the compassion and love of Jesus Christ. They prayed over Evans, as tears flowed from his eyes. Then they prayed over Phyllis and the children. Three little ones…and for the eldest son who was out trying to find work for the day.

It was just like God…to take the vile words of a sin-filled Senior “Pastor”, and turn them to good. Indeed, the brethren from the Bible School did pray for Evans. Those pastors came not by invitation, nor by compulsion…rather the Holy Spirit had prompted them. And they responded in compassion, concern and faith…

“Therefore, as we have opportunity,Let us do good to all,

Especially to those who areOf the household of faith.”

Galations 6.10

Immediately after the Pastors left, Evans fell asleep. He recounted, “I had a dream from the Lord that afternoon. I was in the midst of a stormy ocean. And yet the area immediately around me was flat calm. Not a splash. Not a wave. Nothing. Just flat and still. And there I was…sleeping! Sleeping on top of the water! I could not sink! I was completely at peace on top of the water. And then I heard the Lord’s voice say to me very simply…

‘I will be with you always.’”

“When I awoke, I knew everything had changed. God had heard the cry of my heart. He had intervened. And God had confirmed that I was in obedience to be at the Bible School. God confirmed that He loved me. My leg is now healing. And my heart is healed.”

Pastors Evans is now ministering once again…this time from his one-room shack in the Mathare slum. He has six people coming to be taught the Word of God. They are no longer afraid to enter the “dead man’s house.” They can plainly see that the “dead man” is walking once again…to the Bible School.

“Pastor Evans is no longer a pastor. Not with this church. Not with any.” The Senior Pastor continued, “You are not to visit him. You are not to pray with him or for him. He is a Dead Man.” The words of excommunication had been publicly proclaimed. Evans was an outcast. Cast out of the church, the social community, the local tribe. And perhaps the greatest indignity…the devastating dictate was made in the presence of his wife and children, while sitting in the congregation.

Evans was not there. He was at home, in their one room mud and stick shack, in the Mathare slum. He had been sick for months, with an ever-increasing pain in his left leg, and overwhelming weakness. The local clinic said he needed to go to a hospital. But that was impossibility. They had no money. None. He hadn’t worked in months. His wife Phyllis and eldest son Eric (18) were doing everything they could to simply keep food on the table. After all, there were six mouths to feed, rent to pay, school fees overdue, and now medicines to buy. By the time Evans finally found a missions clinic willing to examine him, his shin bone was visibly exposed through a large open wound. The prognosis was not positive. There was a deadly infection in his shin…it was now moving into his thigh. They would surely have to amputate the leg to save his life.

The family had come to church to celebrate the Sabbath. They went home socially stoned. The offense? “Officially” it was because Evans “continues to go to that Bible School.” Evans had been the Associate Pastor for years. But once he began preaching the truth of God’s Word, he was quickly removed from the pulpit. Evans summarized the scenario: “I had never had any training in the Word of God. I simply took a verse and preached on it. The same as every pastor. Once I heard about the Bible School, I knew it was the answer to many years of my prayers. The very first day in the School, I was changed! I knew what I was hearing was God’s truth…and it was contrary to almost everything I had been saying and doing as a Pastor. I couldn’t wait to come to class each week. Whatever I heard on Saturday at the School, I taught on Sunday in the church.” And that is when and why the troubles began.

The Senior Pastor insisted on controlling Evan’s preaching…the verse, the message, and the aim of directing the benefit to himself. Evans’ “new” preaching was not appreciated by the Senior Pastor. Not one bit. Evans was warned to leave the Bible School or lose his position. Evans chose to stay in the Bible School. “I had no choice. I had to continue. God is there at that School. I began to realize He was not at my church.” And so Pastor Evans was sidelined. Literally. First he was removed from all preaching responsibilities. Eventually, he was told to sit in the back row. Shortly afterwards, he became sick.

After several months of debilitating pain and weakness, Evans found he could not even walk. No one from his church came to visit. He sent word of his need for prayer several times through his wife and several others. Stunning silence ensued. It was then that the most wounding words were uttered from the pulpit, “God has revealed to me that Evans is sick because he is being punished for his sin. He continues to go to that evil Bible School. And now God has cursed him. Do not pray for him. If you do, you will be cursed as well. Let those people at the Bible School pray for him.” It was more than Evan’s family could bear. When his wife delivered the message, Evans broke. Everything seemed so unbelievable. He had gone from the pulpit to a publicly proclaimed pariah in just months. After the heart-breaking news, he fell back in bed completely despondent.

“The spirit of a manWill sustain him in sickness,

But who can bear a broken spirit.”Proverbs 18.14

Just when it became all too much to bear…the breakthrough came.

Two men arrived at the door of their shack. They had not been invited. They had never been to his home before. When they arrived at the door, Phyllis did not know who they were, or why they were there. She knew her family had been shunned. Even their neighbors avoided them. She wondered, “Why are these men here? What more trouble can we bear?!” They made their mission known, “We’re here to see…our brother.” They had come…from the Bible School.

Evans was stunned to hear voices at the door. He struggled to sit up in the only bed in the shack. He imagined it was the landlord, coming to lock them out for failure to pay rent. It was going to be too much to bear…the last straw for a destitute, dying man. But instead of an unforgiving conflict, it was a divine appointment…perfectly orchestrated by the Most High God. The brethren sat at his bedside…and they brought the light of Christ into a very dark and desperate home. The two

brothers listened and shared…with the compassion and love of Jesus Christ. They prayed over Evans, as tears flowed from his eyes. Then they prayed over Phyllis and the children. Three little ones…and for the eldest son who was out trying to find work for the day.

It was just like God…to take the vile words of a sin-filled Senior “Pastor”, and turn them to good. Indeed, the brethren from the Bible School did pray for Evans. Those pastors came not by invitation, nor by compulsion…rather the Holy Spirit had prompted them. And they responded in compassion, concern and faith…

“Therefore, as we have opportunity,Let us do good to all,

Especially to those who areOf the household of faith.”

Galations 6.10

Immediately after the Pastors left, Evans fell asleep. He recounted, “I had a dream from the Lord that afternoon. I was in the midst of a stormy ocean. And yet the area immediately around me was flat calm. Not a splash. Not a wave. Nothing. Just flat and still. And there I was…sleeping! Sleeping on top of the water! I could not sink! I was completely at peace on top of the water. And then I heard the Lord’s voice say to me very simply…

‘I will be with you always.’”

“When I awoke, I knew everything had changed. God had heard the cry of my heart. He had intervened. And God had confirmed that I was in obedience to be at the Bible School. God confirmed that He loved me. My leg is now healing. And my heart is healed.”

Pastors Evans is now ministering once again…this time from his one-room shack in the Mathare slum. He has six people coming to be taught the Word of God. They are no longer afraid to enter the “dead man’s house.” They can plainly see that the “dead man” is walking once again…to the Bible School.

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