Young people praying at open air Gospel festival in Benin last February.

By Tom Shanklin

Susan and I are excited to launch out to Benin, west Africa on January 7-22, where a wonderful door has opened for the Gospel. While I was there last February, working with Lusk World Outreach, I was invited by national church leaders to return for two Gospel festivals and a workers conference. What a wonderful opportunity to touch a nation for God!

Benin is a great untapped resource, filled with hungry souls, and Gospel workers teeming with potential to reach others for Jesus. Tucked between Nigeria on the east and Togo on the West with a southern coastline, this narrow strip of land has about 11.5 million people who have an average annual income of just $828. It is likely the least evangelized non-Muslim nation in all of Africa, and has 13 unreached ethnic groups within its borders. 

Statistically 31.6 percent of the people are Christian, but many of these are nominal (in name only) and not true followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, it is estimated that 80 percent of the people are following ethnic religions, the highest percentage in all of Africa. Benin is known as the cradle of voodoo, a polytheistic religion which honors a god with a dual nature, both masculine and feminine, and various spirits that rule nature as well as spirits in rocks, rivers, trees, along with tribal deities. Voodoo practices include animal sacrifices and ancestor worship. (gotquestions.org)

Our mission is to reach the lost with the Gospel and with signs and wonders and to teach and encourage Gospel workers to reach and teach others. Our ministry time will include:

• A 2-day interdenominational open air National Festival of Glory and Miracles in the largest city of Benin, Contonou (pop. 880,000).
• A 4-day interdenominational open air Regional Festival of Glory and Miracles in Hlassame, a smaller town in southwest Benin. 
• A 3-day Gospel Workers and Pastors Conference, to encourage Christians from all denominations in evangelism, discipleship and the mission of the Church. 
• Susan will be speaking at a women’s meeting at The Messenger Gospel Church of God in Contonou. She plans to speak on “You are a Gift from God!”
• We will also be visiting a Bible School and Revival Center and preaching in at least two churches.

At the Gospel Workers and Pastors Conference, we will be distributing copies of my book on evangelism, “You Can Touch the World,” which has now been translated into French, the official language of Benin. From the many questions I received during the translation process, I can see that a great deal of care was taken with this project. One thousand copies of the book are now being printed for the conference. It will be exciting to distribute the books with our own hands to the ministers, and to entrust them with the truth it contains. 

Our preparation is going well! Susan will be ministering alongside me in the Gospel festivals and teaching in the conference. I know she will be a great blessing and encouragement to the people of Benin, especially the ladies. We recently obtained Susan’s entry visa as well as her Yellow Fever vaccine. Both are required to enter the country.

Thanks to everyone who has been giving for this project. We received several more gifts for Benin this month, including a $400 anonymous donation.

Benin Mission Progress

Our Goal: $5,000.00 for travel expenses.

Received: $5,379.65 (as of December 14)

Anything received above the $5,000 needed for travel expenses will be used to help drill a well at the Mt. Moria Retreat Center and Bible School at Danzoumey, Benin. This well will serve the needs of the Retreat Center, Bible School, and also provide water for the entire village, which is located in a predominately Voodoo-influenced area. We believe this is a place where the living water will be distributed and many will come to know Jesus as the Messiah like the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.

Invest in Benin here>>>

Your love, prayers, and faithful financial support for this ministry are a constant source of encouragement for Susan and me. Without you, we could not fulfill the calling on our lives to take the Gospel to the world. Everywhere we go, you go with us in the spirit. You are part of every healing, every salvation, and every worker that is released into their ministry. Together, we are a team for the Lord, and we thank God for you and pray for you everyday! 

Susan and I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas! Jesus said, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” (John 12:46, KJV). We pray that the light of Christ will burn brightly in your home this Christmas season!

One of our precious partners sent us this prayer confession for our Benin trip. I thought I would pass it on and ask that you use it to pray with us for the success of this mission.

Prayer Confession, Benin Mission Trip, January 2019

Father, in the name of Jesus, I bring Pastors Tom and Susan and their team before You as they go forth to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom in Benin. I declare the harvest is ripe and ready as they minister the Gospel to the poor, bring healing to the brokenhearted, deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.

Father, I thank You for a mighty outpouring of Your Spirit upon all flesh in Benin. Thank You for signs and wonders and miracles confirming the Word preached. Father, I thank You that as they minister, Your healing power moves mightily in every meeting. Thank You that the people are enlightened and transformed by your Word. I believe and expect that extraordinary miracles are manifested among the people, that deaf ears are opened, the lame walk, the dead are raised, and the demon-possessed are set free.

Father, I thank You that Pastors Tom and Susan and the team are covered with the blood of Jesus and protected from all schemes and plots of the enemy. I forbid any demonic activity against them, their finances, possessions, travel schedules, transportation, vehicles, health, meals, sleeping accommodations, and all activities they engage in. Father, thank you that You have given Your angels charge over them to keep guard, defend, and preserve them in all their ways.

Father, I thank you for covering Benin with your glory as the waters cover the sea. I call in multitudes of souls and declare that many are delivered out of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of Your dear Son. Now I praise You for doing abundantly above all that I ask according to the power that is working in me, and I declare that Jesus is Lord over Benin, in Jesus’ name. Amen.