‘Who knows how far this team will go in the work of the Lord?’

It started with the children.

 

West End Church of Christ minister Kerry Duke recalls that little ones in the congregation had begun filling the front pew, sitting close to him before Bible classes and during worship.

 

Then he had an idea.

 

“After a while I thought, ‘I have something going with these kids. What can I do to get them involved and leave a lasting impression?’” Duke, who also serves as Vice President at Tennessee Bible College, said. “I began to brainstorm and eventually thought of Team Basileia.”

 

That was in 2018. Since then, one Wednesday evening Bible study per month has had a special theme – learning more about mission work, especially foreign missions. 

 

Wearing matching red Team Basileia t-shirts with an image of the earth on the front, they begin each meeting by reciting Daniel 2:44 and Mark 16:15-16.

“Daniel 2:44 says that God would set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,” Duke said. “The New Testament teaches that this kingdom is his church. Since the Greek word for kingdom is the word basileia, I decided to call our group Team Basileia.” 

 

The children – along with the rest of the congregation, which is located in Livingston – have enjoyed slideshows with pictures from churches in different parts of the world, starting with works supported by West End in Ghana and Zimbabwe. Some foreign missionaries have visited in person; others have shared their stories via Zoom calls from different countries.

 

“This year we have had Howell Ferguson, stateside coordinator for Chimala Missions in Tanzania, and Chad Wagner, director of Nigeria Christian Schools, to speak at West End on Team Basileia night,” Duke said. “We have also had a Zoom meeting with Robert Ati Amukwei who preaches at the Balaweshie church of Christ in Ghana and with Ong Eng Boon, who preaches in Malaysia and teaches at Four Seas Bible College in Singapore. On Wednesday night, June 28, our Team Basileia night will host a zoom meeting with Dennis Ncube who preaches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.”

 

Duke said the goal is to educate the congregation’s young people about evangelism throughout the world and motivate them to get involved.

“Who knows how far this team will go in the work of the Lord?” he said. “We could have young people who grow up to be missionaries and take the gospel into many parts of the earth. I have seen special interest and renewed excitement in our congregation since we started this unique activity. Parents love to see their children involved in learning about other cultures – and everyone has learned a Greek word in the process!”

-Amy Davis, TBC Correspondent