Africa Hears Loud And Clear

Pastor Steven Sebyala and Keith Shealy

About five years ago, Keith first had the privilege of meeting Pastor Steven Sebyala from Uganda, Africa. Pastor Steven had stopped at Bethel Temple as part of a speaking tour of the United States. Pastor Ron Johnson of Bethel Temple asked Keith to a luncheon along with Pastor Sebyala and his wife, Sarah. During their fellowship time, it became rapidly apparent that this was God's appointed time to bring together these two ministries for more than casual talk. Steven began sharing the needs of his ministry in Africa, including much needed sound equipment for the growing outdoor crusades.

At that time, Toward the Mark was in the early stages in building the ministry's sound system. However, being mindful of the Lord's promise to bless the cheerful giver, Keith recognized this as God providing an opportunity to sow into His Kingdom by supporting a ministry in another part of the world. It has been said that you should give out of your need, and this was the time to do just that. So, at that lunch, Keith made a mental review of the sound gear Toward the Mark had acquired to that point in order to determine what could be given to Pastor Sebyala for his ministry.

At the top of the list were a pair of JBL Professional Festival Series speaker cabinets. These were the best we had to offer, because they were the best we had. While still at the lunch table, Keith began to tell Pastor Steven about those cabinets, and he replied that those were exactly what he had been praying for. Arrangements were made, and the cabinets, plus other sound gear, were shipped to Kampala, Uganda.

Over the past five years, Pastor Steven has kept in touch with Keith, and he has repeatedly made mention of how well those cabinets have held up in the rigorous outdoor crusade conditions and requested that Keith look for more equipment of that caliber for use in the crusades. On a visit to a local music store, Keith came across four speaker cabinets stored in the back of the store on the loading dock. Since these were perfect for Pastor Steven's ministry, Keith asked the owner about the cabinets. The owner explained that the cabinets were not for sale, but were part of the store's rental equipment. However, after Keith explained what the speakers would be used for, the owner decided to sell them for use in the mission field. When he quoted a price that Keith recognized as being more than fair, he decided to purchase them on the spot and store them locally until arrangements could be made to ship them to Uganda.

This purchase was only the beginning, and a small one at that, as events later proved. Eric Fox, President of Fox Audio and Consulting and the sound man for Toward The Mark, acquired twenty-six festival series speaker cabinets (no speakers, though) and had them stored in the same facility where Keith had already stored Pastor Steven's speakers. On Pastor Sebyala's next visit to the U.S., Keith took him to the warehouse to see the four speakers that had been purchased for his ministry. When they entered the building, Pastor Steven couldn't help but notice the mountain of speaker cabinets that had to be bypassed before getting to his four cabinets. When he saw them, he was overjoyed at God's provision.

Once back in the car, Keith had an impression and acted upon it immediately. Using the phone in his car, Keith called Eric and asked him to consider sowing the mountain of cabinets into Pastor Steven's ministry. Keith knew that this was a big request to make of Eric, because that sound system was Eric's favorite. Five minutes after hanging up the phone, Eric called back to tell him that he was obeying what Jesus said to do: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Luke 6:38.

Now Pastor Steven's ministry had twenty-six cabinets that needed speakers! That evening, he asked the question: "What would it take to complete the entire sound system?" So, Keith called Eric and asked him the same question. Eric put together an itemized list and called back the next day to tell Keith that the job could be done for $8500. However, to do the job for this low price, Eric said he and Keith would have to do all of the work. Also, Eric had to scan the Internet looking for the best prices on all of the gear needed to complete the sound system.

So, Keith relayed the information to Pastor Steven and asked him if he had the money to buy the necessary speakers and other equipment. The answer was no. So, Keith called Pastor Ron Johnson to ask for his advice concerning how to raise the $8500. Pastor Ron immediately suggested that Keith bring two of the cabinets to the Sunday morning service and present the situation to the congregation and see what the Lord would do. At that service, the $8500 need was met by a special offering for Pastor Steven's ministry. The congregation gave $8533! Praise the Lord for His provision!

Click here for a larger photo
Now the work could begin in earnest. Eric began ordering the gear and drove to Virginia from his home in Florida. He brought with him a 24 channel mixing console and effects units that he donated. Once he arrived, he and Keith began the process of putting it all together. Speaker cables were made up. Mike stands and other miscellaneous pieces were added from Toward The Mark's inventory.

Speakers were installed in the cabinets with the assistance of Steve Lyzenga, a local missionary.
Click here for a larger photo

Finished!
After the system was completed, it was loaded in a forty foot container and shipped to Uganda. The system is to be used in many crusades so that literally hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of people can be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ loud and clear!

Click here for a larger photo


	Africa Hears Loud And Clear Pastor Steven Sebyala and Keith Shealy About five years ago, Keith first had the privilege of meeting Pastor Steven Sebyala from Uganda, Africa. Pastor Steven had stopped at Bethel Temple as part of a speaking tour of the United States. Pastor Ron Johnson of Bethel Temple asked Keith to a luncheon along with Pastor Sebyala and his wife, Sarah. During their fellowship time, it became rapidly apparent that this was God's appointed time to bring together these two ministries for more than casual talk. Steven began sharing the needs of his ministry in Africa, including much needed sound equipment for the growing outdoor crusades. At that time, Toward the Mark was in the early stages in building the ministry's sound system. However, being mindful of the Lord's promise to bless the cheerful giver, Keith recognized this as God providing an opportunity to sow into His Kingdom by supporting a ministry in another part of the world. It has been said that you should give out of your need, and this was the time to do just that. So, at that lunch, Keith made a mental review of the sound gear Toward the Mark had acquired to that point in order to determine what could be given to Pastor Sebyala for his ministry. At the top of the list were a pair of JBL Professional Festival Series speaker cabinets. These were the best we had to offer, because they were the best we had. While still at the lunch table, Keith began to tell Pastor Steven about those cabinets, and he replied that those were exactly what he had been praying for. Arrangements were made, and the cabinets, plus other sound gear, were shipped to Kampala, Uganda. Over the past five years, Pastor Steven has kept in touch with Keith, and he has repeatedly made mention of how well those cabinets have held up in the rigorous outdoor crusade conditions and requested that Keith look for more equipment of that caliber for use in the crusades. On a visit to a local music store, Keith came across four speaker cabinets stored in the back of the store on the loading dock. Since these were perfect for Pastor Steven's ministry, Keith asked the owner about the cabinets. The owner explained that the cabinets were not for sale, but were part of the store's rental equipment. However, after Keith explained what the speakers would be used for, the owner decided to sell them for use in the mission field. When he quoted a price that Keith recognized as being more than fair, he decided to purchase them on the spot and store them locally until arrangements could be made to ship them to Uganda. This purchase was only the beginning, and a small one at that, as events later proved. Eric Fox, President of Fox Audio and Consulting and the sound man for Toward The Mark, acquired twenty-six festival series speaker cabinets (no speakers, though) and had them stored in the same facility where Keith had already stored Pastor Steven's speakers. On Pastor Sebyala's next visit to the U.S., Keith took him to the warehouse to see the four speakers that had been purchased for his ministry. When they entered the building, Pastor Steven couldn't help but notice the mountain of speaker cabinets that had to be bypassed before getting to his four cabinets. When he saw them, he was overjoyed at God's provision. Once back in the car, Keith had an impression and acted upon it immediately. Using the phone in his car, Keith called Eric and asked him to consider sowing the mountain of cabinets into Pastor Steven's ministry. Keith knew that this was a big request to make of Eric, because that sound system was Eric's favorite. Five minutes after hanging up the phone, Eric called back to tell him that he was obeying what Jesus said to do: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Luke 6:38. Now Pastor Steven's ministry had twenty-six cabinets that needed speakers! That evening, he asked the question: "What would it take to complete the entire sound system?" So, Keith called Eric and asked him the same question. Eric put together an itemized list and called back the next day to tell Keith that the job could be done for $8500. However, to do the job for this low price, Eric said he and Keith would have to do all of the work. Also, Eric had to scan the Internet looking for the best prices on all of the gear needed to complete the sound system. So, Keith relayed the information to Pastor Steven and asked him if he had the money to buy the necessary speakers and other equipment. The answer was no. So, Keith called Pastor Ron Johnson to ask for his advice concerning how to raise the $8500. Pastor Ron immediately suggested that Keith bring two of the cabinets to the Sunday morning service and present the situation to the congregation and see what the Lord would do. At that service, the $8500 need was met by a special offering for Pastor Steven's ministry. The congregation gave $8533! Praise the Lord for His provision! Click here for a larger photo Now the work could begin in earnest. Eric began ordering the gear and drove to Virginia from his home in Florida. He brought with him a 24 channel mixing console and effects units that he donated. Once he arrived, he and Keith began the process of putting it all together. Speaker cables were made up. Mike stands and other miscellaneous pieces were added from Toward The Mark's inventory. Speakers were installed in the cabinets with the assistance of Steve Lyzenga, a local missionary. Click here for a larger photo Finished! After the system was completed, it was loaded in a forty foot container and shipped to Uganda. The system is to be used in many crusades so that literally hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of people can be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ loud and clear! Click here for a larger photo
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