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Missionary to America Professor John Loum Gambia, West Africa
Professor John Loum is the President of “EEIT” Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology at Concordia University. John teaches mission practice and theology; he comes at it from personal experience.
As a curious sixteen year old growing up in Banjul, Gambia, West Africa, he came upon a man teaching near his village. Like almost everyone else, John was a Muslim. Thirty years ago in Gambia, West Africa, Muslims and Christians lived in peace with one another; often families would contain both Muslims and Christians. Everyone got along.
In those days, John Loum could listen to a teacher in the open air by the name of John Crosley. The adolescent boy stood still, his eyes fixed on the man talking - he stopped noticing the heat of the day. His heart didn't stand still, it raced. Crosley opened up a new world for John when he described the death of Jesus on a cross speaking words of love and forgiveness. He spoke those words to one of the thieves hung up alongside Him. He spoke forgiveness to the scowling crowd taunting Him. That day John became a Christian.
Times grew dangerous in Gambia. Christians and Muslims no longer saw themselves as one family. John went to School to become a missionary to Muslims. He had to leave his country. He married and began raising a family, until the fire of war brought misery. At one point, returning late at night from a worship service, John and his family were surrounded by revolutionaries, men who were pointing rifles at him, his wife and his children. Many in that area had been murdered in this same way. By God's grace John and his family were spared. But they could no longer stay where they were.
After an encounter with the missiologist Eugene Bunkowske, he was invited to come to America. In Ft Wayne Indiana he began a mission to African immigrants - a mission that grew into a strong congregation. Then, the door was opened for greater service, a ministry of forming men for missional/pastoral ministry - men from all nations. He realized why the Lord had led him to the United States. His dream? That African missionaries will "win America for Christ."
Hear Professor Loum's vision for America.
Listen to Professor Loum's complete testimony!