A TRIBUTE: GREGORY BANGURA

EULOGY FROM LARRY STOCKSTILL

To all family and friends of Gregory Bangura,

I wish to give a short eulogy of my friend and co-worker, Gregory Bangura.

Gregory and I worked together for over 15 years planting churches in the nations of West Africa.  Together with his precious wife, Agnes, they represented the finest couple I have ever met on the African continent.

Gregory was an innovator.  He pioneered church planting with motorcycles down a “corridor” of ten villages.  One of his church planters planted 43 churches with his motorcycle. He planted 144 churches just in 2018 alone.

Besides being brilliant and innovative, He was a “bridge-builder.”  He bridged the gap between the religions in Sierra Leone by providing bags of rice for all houses of faith.

He was also a man of mercy.  His great love was feeding and blessing children and widows.

Most of all, he was an encourager.  To be with Gregory meant that you would laugh!  His wit, positive outlook, and spark made everyone want to be involved in the clear direction he took them.

Finally, he was an Enoch.  He “walked with God.” His prayer life and humility were two of his greatest qualities.  He walked so closely with the Lord that one day the Lord said to him, “Gregory, why don’t you come home with Me?  It’s closer to my house than it is to yours.”

He slipped away.  He slipped away in Agnes’ arms.  He is not “gone.” He is not “lost.”  We know exactly where he is. He is staring into the face of His God.  He has laid down his labors. He has entered his inheritance. There, he is meeting countless people who are in heaven because of his lifetime of service to Christ Jesus.

Today, let us pick up Gregory’s mantle.  Like Elisha, let us look up to heaven and see his mantle falling upon us in a double portion.  That mantle is a mantle of kindness, a mantle of purity, a mantle of joy, a mantle of hard work.

Who will pick up Gregory’s mantle?  I challenge all gathered at this service today to reach down and pick it up.  Try it on. Part the waters with it. Raise the dead with it. Shake West Africa with it.  

To Agnes, Timothy, and the entire family, we at Surge say, “Thank you” for letting us work alongside your hero.  He changed our lives forever. We will not stop working in West Africa but will redouble our efforts to do what he would have done had he stayed with us.

Farewell, Gregory.  We will see you soon…

Larry Stockstill
Executive Director, Surge Project