Word of The Day:
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)
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About Us
Our History
Revival, Resilience, Renewal!
Brief Background
In the years between 1987 and 1994, the Lord God poured out an exceptional revival in the National University of Rwanda and other High Education Institutions of the time. A movement known as the “Groupe Biblique Universitaire (Fellowship of Evangelical Students) ‘GBU’ operated within these educational institutions.
Its mission was to teach its members the word of God; to disciple them in spiritual growth, to lead other students to become disciples of Jesus Christ, to proclaim the good news in secondary schools and to collaborate with evangelical churches in spreading the gospel through mass crusades in stadiums and other public places.
The GBU operated on different campuses of the National University of Rwanda, namely Butare, Nyakinama and Mburabuturo campuses, as well as in the Institutes of Higher Education at the time. This revival of GBU members was characterized by repentance, confession of sins, baptism by immersion and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
This revival echoed throughout the country as these students, with the help of friends who supported their ministry, zealously committed themselves to spreading the gospel throughout the country of Rwanda. They travelled all over the country preaching the gospel in churches and secondary schools. They also organized evangelistic crusades, including a historic one which was held at the Kigali Stadium in Nyamirambo in 1992. Throughout this revival, the students received God’s promises to be sent abroad to announce the good news of salvation.
Continuation Through Adversity
During the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994, some of GBU members were killed, others were scattered to different countries while others remained in the country. Both those who left the country and those who stayed continued God’s work wherever God had placed them, bearing witness to His might and power.
Revival in the Digital Age
In September 2017, with the increasing access to social media, some of the brethren expressed the desire to form a WhatsApp group. Those who were able to meet on this “WhatsApp group” were excited to reconnect after 23 years of separation. Since then, the number of members of the group has been growing steadily and from September 2020, a new initiative was born; that of meeting virtually via Zoom.
This initiative generated another profound revival. Former GBU members who experienced the revival of the 1987-1994 years, together with their friends and fellows in the ministry, committed themselves to meeting on a daily basis to share the word of God, to edify one another through testimony and to restore the flame of the Spirit in those who might have fallen into spiritual lethargy, and to continue to seek others who are scattered all over the world in order to intercede again for their revival.
Formation of GBEF/BFEB
These Zoom meetings became an opportunity for the members to remember the Lord’s prophecies and the promise to send them to evangelize the nations. They gradually came to the realization that even though they are serving God in different ways where they are today -some have established churches, others minister in churches they have joined, and others are making full use of the ministerial opportunities that the Lord has opened for them-, they need to work in synergy.
It is out of this search for practical ways to work in synergy that emerged the idea of setting up an organization with the purpose of promoting evangelism among the nations. Based on its main mission, vision and goals, this organization is named “Groupe Biblique d’Evangélisation sans Frontières (GBEF)” in French, “Bible Fellowship for Evangelism without Borders (BFEB) in English and “Umuryango w’Ivugabutumwa ritagira Imipaka” in Kinyarwanda. Thus, GBEF/BFEB came into being not as the result of human endeavor but as the fulfillment of God’s purposes and promises to the founding members.
Establishment and Governance
The Constituent General Assembly was held on July 24, 2021 to officially proceed with the creation of GBEF/BFEB and the election of members of its statutory bodies. These consist of a board of directors comprising five (5) members, a General Secretary responsible for the daily management of the Organization as well as an audit and technical advisory committee which comprises three (3) members.
GBEB/BFEB is an international non-profit organization under Belgian law, registered under number BE787367905. A legal personality has been granted to the organization on May 19, 2022 by decree WL 22/17.531.
