Planting and Growing Churches in Togo, Africa

The country of Togo, Africa, is known as the birthplace of voodoo and a place marked by slave trade. JJ Alderman, his wife, Melissa, and their three daughters live in Togo as Converge global workers, planting churches. JJ talks about what it looks like to plant churches in another country, and how God is moving in Togo.

0:21 Lee introduces special guest, JJ Alderman.

0:30 JJ explains where he and his family live.

0:40 Lee asks JJ to tell his story of how he came to live in Togo.

0:50 JJ tells of his connection to Togo and why he chose that area of the world to tell people about Jesus.

0:55 Danny asks JJ what church planting looks like in Togo and if JJ himself is the lead pastor.

1:29 JJ explains that a leader originally from Togo was the pastor at the first church they planted.

1:48 Danny states that usually how people think of missionaries are as the people leading and pastoring a church, then handing over the pastor duties to someone local after a few years.

2:06 JJ speaks to the importance of national leaders being the best fit to reach the local people with the gospel, especially within tribes in the area where he lives. He is more of a coach to national leaders.

2:40 Lee recalls visiting the Aldermans in Togo and seeing the incredible things happening there for the advancement of God’s kingdom.

3:00 Lee asks JJ to speak to how spiritual warfare has influenced church planting and how JJ coaches planters.

3:14 JJ explains how the place where he lives, most people believe things happen due to spiritual reasons, rather than physical reasons. The West has a hard time understanding that cultural difference.

3:46 JJ confirms that spiritual warfare is real, and it transcends cultures. He sees the same trends in church planting in the United States when it comes to Satan trying to push back the work God is doing.

4:25 Lee asks JJ what the biggest challenges to church planting are in Togo right now.

4:34 According to JJ, most people who come to Christ in Togo do so in a church service. Many have never heard the gospel message before. JJ and his team try to equip new believers right from the start how to share the gospel with others.

5:33 JJ talks about the importance of equipping the church to look forward with a vision of planting more churches right from the start and how that’s done.

6:16 Danny asks if the stakes are high within their community for those individuals who say yes to Jesus.

6:35 JJ tells a story about six young girls who are mentored by a Converge global worker and how the group multiplied by bringing friends to Christ. One of those girls stood up to a teacher who was mocking Jesus, the church, and believers.

7:33 Lee asks how a US church planter can build a church with a global perspective of missions.

8:18 JJ suggests we must continue to learn because the world changes so quickly. 

8:51 Lee asks JJ what kind of person he’s looking for to join the efforts in Togo as a global worker.

9:37 JJ speaks to some of the characteristics they’re looking for in people who work well on their team.

10:00 JJ also explains that serving in missions can be just a small portion of their life when a worker looks at the big picture of their entire life.

10:51 Lee asks JJ where he sees the ministry in Togo and Benin going in the next five years.

11:03 JJ speaks to the rapid multiplication of churches he’s been experiencing in the last couple of years and how they hope to have 100...

The country of Togo, Africa, is known as the birthplace of voodoo and a place marked by slave trade. JJ Alderman, his wife, Melissa, and their three daughters live in Togo as Converge global workers, planting churches. JJ talks about what it looks like to plant churches in another country, and how God is moving in Togo.

0:21 Lee introduces special guest, JJ Alderman.

0:30 JJ explains where he and his family live.

0:40 Lee asks JJ to tell his story of how he came to live in Togo.

0:50 JJ tells of his connection to Togo and why he chose that area of the world to tell people about Jesus.

0:55 Danny asks JJ what church planting looks like in Togo and if JJ himself is the lead pastor.

1:29 JJ explains that a leader originally from Togo was the pastor at the first church they planted.

1:48 Danny states that usually how people think of missionaries are as the people leading and pastoring a church, then handing over the pastor duties to someone local after a few years.

2:06 JJ speaks to the importance of national leaders being the best fit to reach the local people with the gospel, especially within tribes in the area where he lives. He is more of a coach to national leaders.

2:40 Lee recalls visiting the Aldermans in Togo and seeing the incredible things happening there for the advancement of God’s kingdom.

3:00 Lee asks JJ to speak to how spiritual warfare has influenced church planting and how JJ coaches planters.

3:14 JJ explains how the place where he lives, most people believe things happen due to spiritual reasons, rather than physical reasons. The West has a hard time understanding that cultural difference.

3:46 JJ confirms that spiritual warfare is real, and it transcends cultures. He sees the same trends in church planting in the United States when it comes to Satan trying to push back the work God is doing.

4:25 Lee asks JJ what the biggest challenges to church planting are in Togo right now.

4:34 According to JJ, most people who come to Christ in Togo do so in a church service. Many have never heard the gospel message before. JJ and his team try to equip new believers right from the start how to share the gospel with others.

5:33 JJ talks about the importance of equipping the church to look forward with a vision of planting more churches right from the start and how that’s done.

6:16 Danny asks if the stakes are high within their community for those individuals who say yes to Jesus.

6:35 JJ tells a story about six young girls who are mentored by a Converge global worker and how the group multiplied by bringing friends to Christ. One of those girls stood up to a teacher who was mocking Jesus, the church, and believers.

7:33 Lee asks how a US church planter can build a church with a global perspective of missions.

8:18 JJ suggests we must continue to learn because the world changes so quickly. 

8:51 Lee asks JJ what kind of person he’s looking for to join the efforts in Togo as a global worker.

9:37 JJ speaks to some of the characteristics they’re looking for in people who work well on their team.

10:00 JJ also explains that serving in missions can be just a small portion of their life when a worker looks at the big picture of their entire life.

10:51 Lee asks JJ where he sees the ministry in Togo and Benin going in the next five years.

11:03 JJ speaks to the rapid multiplication of churches he’s been experiencing in the last couple of years and how they hope to have 100 total churches planted in the next three years.

11:39 Lee asks JJ how he’s scaling and building a system for expanding ministry.

12:00 Investing time in leaders is how Togo is seeing church planting growth.

12:38 JJ shares a story of a young man who often shares his faith and how he’s part of a chain of males who are supporting one another and sharing the gospel with others.

13:39 Lee asks JJ to give a little more detail on the different components of his ministry.

14:04 JJ talks about each of the five different projects and areas of service within the ministry in Togo: two projects of church planting, a camp called Togo Palms, a deaf ministry, and vocational training.

16:54 Lee thanks JJ for the work he’s doing in Togo, Africa.