How can you build a strong local church? Why is the local church so important? Today on The Evangelism Podcast, I speak with Pastor Edwin Anderson, who founded a church in High Springs, Florida in 1980 and pastored it for 43 years. In this episode, we discuss the imprtance of building strong local churches.

SAM Ministries, founded by Dwight and Lynn Lagore, has been operating in Mozambique since 1993, shortly after the civil war ended in 1992. Their ministry takes a holistic approach to mission work, addressing spiritual and practical needs including food security, clean water access, healthcare, education, and pastoral training. Their leadership training program has graduated over 300 church leaders across the country, with many rising to become denominational leaders. Their ministry base in central Mozambique features a grade school, two health clinics, orphan homes, literacy and craft programs, an airstrip, and a 1,000-hectare training facility.

Christopher Alam was raised as a Muslim. He met Jesus at age 21 after a period of suicidal despair. Three days later, he received an audible call to preach, leading him to abandon everything and join the radical Jesus People movement. His dramatic conversion resulted in imprisonment for preaching, and death threats that forced him to find asylum in Sweden.

After Bible school training Alam began doing crusades. Over nearly 40 years in Africa, his ministry has birthed over 2,000 churches and raised up numerous pastors and Bible college leaders.

Alam attributes his ministry foundation to mentorship from several "spiritual giants" and he feels privileged to "sit in their shadow." Today we talk about George Verwer's sacrificial missions vision, Harold Groves' impartation of faith and aggressive spiritual violence, Kenneth Hagin's teaching on faith and final warnings against financial manipulation, Billy Joe Daugherty's simplicity and world vision, and Reinhard Bonnke's humility and individual care for "insignificant" people.