Praise and Worship
Gn. 4:21; Ex. 15:1-21; Jos. 6:4-20; Ps. 81:2-3; 1 Chr. 6:31; 15:16-24; 16:4-7; Ecc. 2:8; 1Kgs. 1:39; 1 Sm. 16:14-23. Living Water E. Free church has trained musicians, song directors, music leaders and song writers able to enhance musical ministry with creative worship that touches the hearts and the spirit of the worshippers. (1Cr. 14:7-8, 26; Mt 26:30; Acts 16:25; Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:16; James 5:13).
Christian Education
This ministry includes children and youth’s education. Our youth includes high school and college age young people. Youth is another essential part of the Body of Christ. Christian youth is Jesus’ youth. It should be disciplined in a righteous way (Eph. 6:4; Prov. 22:6). For this reason, the service organizes early childhood education, appropriate approaches for Christian youth development into youth ministry and counseling. Ex. 10:2; Dt. 6:7; 31:10; Joel 1:3; Ps 22:30; Prov. 4:3-4; 22:6; 13:24; 2 kings 22:1-2; Mt 18:6-7; 14; 19:13-15; Acts 23:16-22; 2 Tim. 3:15.
Evangelism and outreach
(Matt. 28: 19-20; Mark 16:15; Lk. 10:1-3; 5: 4-5; 1 Cor. 1:23.). “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few,” said our Lord. Our organization was founded as a church where individuals who are native to Africa can come and worship God in their native languages. We now conduct our services spontaneously in both Swahili and English languages. We have a translator who translates each service to English or Swahili. During these services we teach the word of God from the Bible and promote evangelism within the local community of greater Des Moines. Currently we are operating as an associate church of the Evangelical Free Church of America. Our worship services are held every Sunday. There are Bible studies conducted each Monday evening and Saturday morning and prayer services are held in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays. We also hold a children’s service on Sunday during our regular service. In addition to our religious services we have 3 choir groups namely a children’s choir, a youth choir and a ladies choir. These choirs spread the good news of the gospel through traditional African music. They are invited to different churches and different areas to perform songs and thus reach out for Christ. Music CD and DVD are produced and distributed worldwide. This ministry also organizes crusades, conventions, conferences, Christian film projection activities, and other events. Throughout the year, our church holds different outreach events and/or is invited to attend an event in a different city or state.
Adult Ministries: includes ladies and men’s ministry
Ladies ministering for Christ need to understand that they were made equal to men in creation (Gen.1:27) and their oneness with men in marriage also shows that they have an important role in serving the Lord . We at Living Water Church, encourage Christian women to develop their proper attitude toward biblical aspects of women’s participation in Christian ministry. (Jud. 4:4; 2 Sam. 20:16, 19; Mk 15:47; Luke 8:2-3; 24:1-11; Acts 16:13-14; 21:9; Rom. 16:1-2). The women’s ministry at Living Water Church provides opportunities for our ladies to study God’s Word, encourage one another in the Lord through Bible studies, visit the sick, and help new mothers in various ways. We also have an annual women’s retreat and other social events to encourage the women to become mature women of Christ. Men’s ministry provides an opportunity for iron to sharpen through the studying the word of God and encouraging one another in the Lord through Bible studies, social events and annual retreats. Both the men and women of this congregation realize that apart from Christ we can accomplish nothing, so all are devoted to seeking the Lord in prayer.
Finances and Facilities
This ministry is responsible to ensure that all collections for the Living Water EFC are conducted with integrity and accountability. This ministry also includes a team which serves to maintain a clean and orderly church facility.
Discipleship
Leadership training
We care for our ministers; help develop their knowledge of God’s Word, explore how leadership problems can develop and help solve them with the Lord’s help and wisdom, develop sound principles, theories and practices of effective leadership in every area and provide practical advice for the work of the ministry. Ex 3:1; Nm 35:2; Neh. 13:10; Mt 10:10; Lk 10:7; 1 Cr 9:4-10; Heb. 6:10-11. This service provides diligent training for the Christian life and ministry to pastors, evangelists/missionaries and leaders who will be able to then teach others through effective Bible study and conferences as well as the symposiums and other programs. We will seek benefactors to provide scholarships for leaders to attend Bible schools, seminaries and colleges. Gen. 41:39-40; Nm. 27:15-17; Lk 21:7ff; 2Tim. 2:5
Prayer and Bible Study
Acts 6:4 states, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word.” Both actions are important: As Chuck Swindoll said, Bible Study provides “light” whereas prayer produces “heat.” We agree with Chuck Swindoll !! (1988), “If we have only Bible study and no prayer, we wind up with light – but no heat. If we have only prayer and no Bible study, we have heat – but no light.” We believe that a vital necessity for the well-being of our fellowship is a balance of prayer and Bible study! As a church, it is our desire to walk in God’s will and seek to know His plan for our lives personally and corporately. For this reason, we have Bible study followed by prayers of intersession on Monday evenings from 7:00 – 8:00pm, Friday from 9:00pm – 2:00am, and Saturday mornings from 8:00 – 10:00am and Saturday overnights from 9:00pm – 5:00am. On the last week of each month we hold Bible study sessions and fasting from Friday evening (9:00pm) through Sunday (5:00am). In addition, believers are encouraged to hold weekly house to house fellowship services with time for collective prayers and fasting. Acts 20:31, 36-38; Rom. 6:5ff; 16:5; 1Cor. 1:9. Join us during any of the times mentioned above… You will be blessed by the working of God’s Spirit in your heart and life!
Compassion
One of the many roles of this ministry is to be, as a caring body of Christ , ones who offer practical help to the less fortunate, to the homeless, to new refugees, widows, orphans and the needy as God’s Word says to reach out to them (Gal. 6:7-10; Heb. 13:1,16; Mk. 2:3,5; 8:1-3; Jn. 5:6; 8:7,11; Ex. 22:22-27; Lv. 25:35-37; 19:9-10; Dt. 14:28; Ps. 9:18; 37:25; Lk. 6:35; 9:16-17; 1Tim. 5:3-5; Mt. 25:34-40). For individuals who have just arrived in the United States (New Refugees) we offer assistance in helping them to acquire basic necessities of furniture and clothing and shelter as needed. In an effort to accomplish this, we usually network with other churches and nonprofit organizations in the community. We also visit the homes of these individuals to determine exactly what their needs are and creating a plan for addressing those needs. If we are unable to acquire the necessary products through donations we always attempt to purchase them if there is appropriate funding available.