Never in my life had I met a more lovable church leader than Pastor David (Dave) Petrescue from Canada, the Senior Pastor of Maadi Community Church (MCC) my new boss! By the way, Dave’s wife and children complimented him wonderfully.

During our ten-days of candidating for a pastoral team position, Dave asked me to indicate to him before returning to Australia how many small groups can be expected to be formed within my first year at MCC. I can still remember mumbling aloud to my wife, “Who but God can answer that question?” Anyway, I gave Dave the number, twelve. During our flight home to Australia, I asked myself, “Now, should the Lord enable us to form twelve groups within the first year, how many groups can I expect to be formed in the following twelve months?” Following my reasoning that a woman is capable, should she and her husband desire, to produce a child every twelve months (until they run out of steam), I thought, with God’s help, we can double the number of small groups every year! Gutsy thinking? Was that me who had entertained such a wild thought? 

MCC leadership extended a warm invitation to us to join them in the ongoing work of growing God’s people and expanding God’s Kingdom, at MCC. I returned to Cairo before my wife, early 2000. She followed after helping our young-adult children resettle elsewhere, and arranged for the sale of our house. (Yes, sounds like a heartless thing to have done to our children. However, they’re tough, and still love me).

Anyway, I soon opened by bag of ‘traditional’ tricks and set out to make a good start. Although I gave all I had with my first shot at the target, my best failed dismally! Shock, disappointment, and discouragement pulled me down into depression. My wife was with me at this time. She didn’t know how to help me, except to encourage me and pray. The walls of my office reflected the state of my mind… blank and empty! 

God made sure I was completely bankrupt of my ‘traditional know-how’ before he opened the eyes of my mind to something I had never before entertained. He led me along a new path in my experience… a pathway that harmonised with how He grew His Church in New Testament times. A small group training guide was quickly developed and a green light was given to train, equip, and empower every willing lay-member to serve as a small group pastor at the church.

By the time we concluded our time at MCC (due to my wife’s ill health), 413 small groups were functioning! MCC had grown from 400 to 5,000+ member/adherents, 5 Sudanese daughter churches had been planted, and 1,600 people said ‘yes’ to trusting the Lord with their lives! Is there any wonder why we left Cairo with a super-charged faith that had us ‘dancing on water’ with the Lord?

Best wishes

Bill Joukhadar