News: ERM Now Member of ECFE

Last month, Director Dereje Shiferaw got word that Ezra Rural Ministry was accepted for membership in the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia (ECFE), an umbrella organization that had its beginnings in the early 1970’s. The ECFE was established, endured and grew during Communist rule from 1974-1991, a time in which many of its leaders were imprisoned and tortured for the sake of the Gospel. Now, ECFC membership includes 27 denominations with about 30,000 local church fellowships and millions of believers. Associate members include 50 para-church organizations within Ethiopia. For more information on the ECFE, you may log on to www.ecfe.org.

Being accepted as a member of the ECFC is an honor for Ezra Rural Ministry and Dereje Shiferaw has worked hard to gain the reputation and recommendations needed for it to even be brought before the General Assembly for vote. On April 11, 2009, ERM was accepted into membership and now gains the many benefits of that membership, not the least of which will be more open doors for ministry. Currently, ERM works in cooperation with two churches in Hosanna and all the churches in Butajira. It is Dereje’s desire that God will expand the work of training church leaders to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the ways in which that desire will be fulfilled is through membership in ECFE.

Acceptance for membership into the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia coincides with the Fifth Anniversary of Ezra Rural Ministry’s founding in March of 2004. We thank our God and congratulate all those who have made this honor possible at such a fitting time.

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