Bartimaeus writes to his younger self

Dear Brother in Christ,

I write to you now at seventy, with a heart both heavy and hopeful, looking back on forty years of ministry among God’s people. When you were thirty, I know you burned with zeal, eager to see the Gospel transform lives and communities. You imagined a straightforward path: preach the Word, plant churches, and watch souls saved. Yet you’ve seen how suffering refines faith, and how the interplay between church and state can both hinder and spur God’s purposes.

On God’s Sovereignty and Our Smallness

At thirty, you assumed you would always see clear answers, quick victories, and ever-growing congregations. Now you know the Lord often works through delay and difficulty. You’ve learned that His sovereignty is not measured by our numerical success but by His faithful fulfilment of every promise. Remember Romans 8:28:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Even when your plans crumbled, He was weaving a greater story.

On Suffering as a Christian

In your thirties, suffering felt like an unwelcome guest, an anomaly to your optimistic theology. Yet Scriptures such as James 1:2–4 taught you that trials produce perseverance and maturity. Weary shepherd, embrace suffering as a means of sanctification for both you and your flock. You will one day look back and see that the hardest seasons deepened your dependence on Christ and pressed you closer to His heart.

On Evangelical Churches and the Ethiopian State

Institutional and Local Tensions

Registration and Recognition
Early in your ministry in Addis Ababa, many evangelical congregations struggled to gain official registration. Without it, they could neither own land nor build sanctuaries. Local officials sometimes delayed licences for years, demanding excessive fees or imposing opaque requirements.
Land and Building Permits
Nationally, land is held by the state. Evangelical churches often faced hurdles acquiring plots. In some regions, officials would grant land only in less accessible outskirts, marginalising congregations.
Official Suspicion
At both national and woreda (district) levels, some officials—particularly in historically Orthodox areas—viewed evangelical growth as a threat to cultural and religious unity. Pastors have faced informal investigations, harassment, and even temporary closures of meeting halls.
Taxation and Financial Oversight
Despite their non‑profit status, some local tax offices have attempted to levy taxes on donations or require detailed financial audits, citing irregular record‑keeping. This created strain on smaller churches with limited administrative capacity.

As you sought to inculcate a Reformed understanding of vocation—that every Christian’s daily work is a calling to God’s glory—you encountered distinct challenges:

Moral Witness in Civil Service: Believers serving in government roles often faced pressure to conform to local patronage practices—offering gifts or favouritism. Maintaining integrity meant risking career advancement or even losing posts.
Marketplace Evangelism: Entrepreneurial Christians wanted to run businesses as worship. Yet in markets where bribery and informal taxes were normative, refusing to pay bribes jeopardised their enterprises and livelihoods.
Community Development: In modelling vocation through community initiatives—schools, clinics, micro‑finance—some state agencies insisted on oversight or partnerships that compromised the church’s doctrinal distinctives.

Church Responses and Adaptations

Legal Aid Networks
Several evangelical denominations formed legal teams to assist congregations with registration, property disputes, and compliance. They trained leaders in civic processes and built relationships with sympathetic officials.
Strategic Engagement
In Addis Ababa, some churches invited government workers to prayer breakfasts and community events, fostering goodwill and demonstrating the church’s social contributions in education, health, and welfare.
Confessional Clarity
To safeguard doctrinal integrity, Reformed bodies produced clear, bilingual position papers on vocation and social ethics, distinguishing their commitments from political partisanship and cultural nationalism.
Mutual Support Networks
Recognising that smaller congregations bore the brunt of local pressure, larger churches partnered with them—sharing resources, providing temporary meeting venues, and offering pastoral care in times of crisis.

What I Wish You Had Known

That the State Can Be an Asset: While you often saw the state as adversarial, it can also be a means for the Gospel to flourish—through religious‑freedom protections, development grants, and public recognition of the church’s social service.
That Relationships Matter: Investing time to understand local government cultures and building personal friendships with officials pays dividends. A shared cup of coffee with a woreda administrator may open doors more swiftly than an impassioned sermon.
That Discipline Strengthens Witness: Holding fast to integrity—even when it costs—earns the respect of neighbours, officials, and, ultimately, the Lord.

A Prayer for the Church in Addis Ababa

Almighty God, who reigns above all earthly powers and yet dwells within our fragile hearts, We pray for your precious flock in this city—especially the humble congregations striving to honour You. Amid bureaucratic trials and societal suspicion, grant our leaders wisdom (James 1:5), that they may navigate regulations with integrity, serving both church and country without compromise. Sustain the faithful in government posts, that daily tasks may be their worship (Colossians 3:23–24), and let their honourable conduct testify to your grace.
Strengthen those facing land disputes and permit delays; let your Spirit soften the hearts of officials, replacing suspicion with a clear sight of your servant‑church’s blessing upon the nation.
O Lord of every vocation, empower entrepreneurs and civil servants alike to see their work as divine calling, renowned for truth and mercy. Fill our hearts with patience to endure trials, and hope to anticipate your vindication.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Brother, I hope this letter encourages you. May your labour not be in vain, knowing that God’s kingdom advances through worship and witness, through suffering and solidarity. Trust in His faithfulness, and love His people well.

Your older self,

Pastor B.