A Christ-Reliant Church in South Sudan

If you were in a small plane flying low over South Sudan, you would ask yourself, “Where are the people of South Sudan?” South Sudan was established in 2011, is (still) the youngest country in the world, and contains a relatively small population of 12 million people. While families are getting larger, their buying power is shrinking. South Sudan is at the bottom of the list in terms of GDP per capita, with 80% of the population living below the extreme poverty line. South Sudan is at the top of the list as the most corrupt country in the world.

Given all these overwhelming needs, why would RP Global Missions (Cush4Christ team) continue planning their exit strategy? An exit strategy was in place from the start when Cush4Christ’s work began in 2006, and exiting continues to be the plan.

As we look back on Cush4Christ’s history, we can see that the work has gone through two phases thus far. During Phase One (2006 - 2015), a national church was established, along with ministries to strengthen the church (officer training, radio, school, health training, agriculture, literacy, school clubs, etc). During Phase Two (2015 - 2025), the work was focused on deepening the theological education of the pastors, reforming worship, and strengthening the indigenous leadership of Cush Christian School. Phase Three, the final phase, will focus on bringing the church to its goal: establishing a national RP church that relies on Christ to govern, train, propagate, and support itself. RPGM workers will mentor national leaders who fully oversee both the Reformed Presbyterian Church of South Sudan (RPCSS) and the agencies that support it.

This final phase, which we are calling “Cush4Christ 3.0,” RP Global Missions will work in close cooperation with the national church leaders, their churches, and denominational agencies. RPCSS has seven teaching elders and six ruling elders who shepherd three organized churches and fourteen unorganized churches. There are also denominational agencies, such as Cush Christian School and Crossroads Training Center.

We look to the national leaders to show us how we can come alongside to help them reach their goal of a Christ-reliant church. We see ourselves as scaffolding in their building project. We laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-11) and helped build the structural walls. Now it is time to assist the RPCSS in putting on their roof and finishing the work. We pray that, in the next few years, the RPCSS will truly be ready for us to take down the scaffolding and exit, celebrating what the Lord has built through the work of our hands. From that day onward, we would continue our partnership in the gospel through prayer, visiting, and helping in times of need, just as we do with other Reformed Presbyterian denominations.

In all these things we continually pray, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17, ESV).

Pray with us that Cush4Christ would reach this goal. We long to see the Reformed Presbyterian Church of South Sudan growing even more in depth and breadth, and bringing kingdom influence that leads to increased gospel-centered prosperity and integrity in South Sudan to the glory of God.

Would you consider going to South Sudan or do you know someone who could help in this final stage? We need spiritually mature, hardworking, and flexible people who have experience in entrepreneurial endeavors, truck/motorcycle/tractor mechanics, and farming. A range of time commitments would be from 1 month to 3 years.

One of the unorganized churches. They have one teaching elder but no ruling elders.