CHRISTMAS IN JUNE
Posted on June 21, 2009
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We had a tremendous day today at church! We were humbled by our wonderful family at Madiba Bay as they brought numerous gifts for Corli and I as appreciation for what God has done through us.
Lady after lady came forward and brought gifts such as sets of glasses, a sheet set, and african decor. Wow! We never expected anything like this! Thank you to all those who gave to us today - - - not just for the gift but for the heart behind it. It means alot!!!
It was kind of funny how today was Father’s day but it ended up being appreciation day for the pastor and his wife. I do have to say though that most of the praise seemded to be going to my wife! She is an amazing woman and it just goes to show that I am not the only one that thinks so. Thanks goes to God for giving me such a wonderful church family and an unbelievable wife.
Coaching
Posted on June 15, 2009
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Well as time nears to an end here in South Africa, and we get ready to take furlough my role is changing dramatically into coaching. God has his timing and it seems as if He is putting everything in place as He wants it.
Sunday I preached the morning service and observed the rest of the time. We made some mistakes but we were able to have a good time of discussing the services after our second service.
We have the church financial matters in order, the preaching is getting better and better weekly, and the overall leadership roles of individuals in the church are taking shape.
I have to say that I could not have created this thing artificially. God has been in full control from the get-go. Yes, I have made decisions, etc., etc., but God is the one directing the steps here and it is phenominal how precise and timely His actions are.
Continue to pray for Team Madiba Bay, which includes numerous people, but as far as the men are concerned, they are as follows; Sipho, Lubabalo, Wisani, and Dewald. Also pray for continued development in our Sunday Schools. We have two tremendous teachers in Lubabalo, and Nyameka. Corli was just commenting on Sunday on how she could hear the children in Lubabalo’s class laughing and participating in all the activities of his class.
One last thing, we are still meeting in a rented building. There is a building right next door to where we meet and it is probably three or four times the size of where we meet and it is for sale. The price that we have been quoted is astronomical but I believe the owner has a mind to negotiate. Would you pray with us that God would direct us in this matter and that he would help this owner to give us a fair price if this is where the Lord wants us.
Rastafarian for the Lord
Posted on June 3, 2009
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Today was a great day to be a Christian. God knocked it out of the park today! We have been praying for a rastafarian man for a loooooong time. He is the cousin of Lubabalo. He has tremendous talent and I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in his life. Please keep him in your prayers. His name is Umvuzo.
MADIBA BAY NEWS
Posted on May 11, 2009
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Yesterday was a great day in worship. It was kind of like our “old fashioned Sunday” but old fashioned in the Xhosa culture. All our ladies were dressed up in traditional Xhosa wear along with my beautiful wife. They sang a couple of specials with a little “spice.” The service came alive. In the end I believe everyone had a good time worshipping the Lord yesterday. My message came from Proverbs 31, and I spoke of the Actions of a good mom. It came from what Lemuel’s mother taught him as he grew up. Pray that the mother’s would have the strength and Godliness to be good mothers. We had a good number in attendance, though I don’t know how many yet as I didn’t get a chance to speak with our church secretary.
On Sunday night we had another fantastic service as one of our young preachers, Sipho Bonga, took the pulpit. He preached an excellent message and continues to communicate God’s Word better and better each time he gets an opportunity. It is obvious that our people listen intensively when he preaches and he always has something well prepared. Please pray for him as he will be leaving us for a short time to complete some cultural responsibilities.
A SAD DAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Posted on April 9, 2009
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Today we finally finished the funeral process for a family member of one of our dearest ladies here in Madiba Bay Baptist Church. Her grandson was murdered sometime in the beginning of March. His mother did not want to deal with the cost of the funeral and thus decided not to tell anyone of his death. Obviously after a while family began to ask of his whereabouts. They came to his house to find his mother had locked it up and went into hiding. Come to find out Mabhuthi/Mzimkhulu (the young adult who died) had been dead for quite some time. He was beaten to death over a cigarette and a glass of beer by four teenage boys. How sad!!! Life seems to be so cheap in Township, South Africa.
After five days of prayer and preaching in the family’s home we concluded today with the actual funeral procession. The entire process was like having a revival service. You didn’t have to go out and invite people, the lost came to us to pay their respects. Our preachers had a blast as almost all of them got several opportunities to preach and they did a tremendous job!!! Paying your respect to the dead is very important to alot of them seeing that this young man is now their newest ancestor, which they believe has the power to bless or cause trouble for them.
Surprise, surprise the mother of this young man showed up today to get some sympathy in front of a very large crowd. I didn’t have much sympathy for her but I was thoroughly convicted by the love and care our church and especially mama Johnson showed toward this young man. It was her grandson but it was not her responsibility to bury him but she did, and to the best of her financial ability.
This family (mama Johnson’s family) fed about 150 adults today (fried chicken, sandwiches, and bottles of soda). I know that this cost this family money that they will probably have to pay back for years. It was just unbelievable how someone with so little could offer so much to something that many of us with so much more than likely would have turned our backs to and said, “no, this is not my responsibility.”
I have to say I have never seen anything as repulsive as the face of this young man. I do not know why but they had the casket opened where everyone could see what was left of this 26yr old’s face. It was straight out of a horror movie. Absolutely sad!!! May God break our hearts for people like this so that they are reached with the Gospel before they die. Most likely this young man who obviously lived a lousy and despicable life is suffering in Hell today. In other words he lived a 26yr nightmare and then goes off into a Devil’s Hell for eternity. It doesn’t seem fair, and it isn’t but not because God is not loving or just, but because many of his watchmen are sleeping or have forgotten why they have been given their post. God really used this in my life - I wish you could have experienced it.
Overall, it was a tremendous outreach for our church and an opportunity to show the people of our church how we would be there for them in difficult times. We really came together as a family. Also this was a tremendous learning experience for me. Throughout the prayer meetings, Lubabalo or Sipho would lead the services but today, today was different. Lubabalo was working and as soon as I saw Sipho’s face I realized that he didn’t have a clue as to what needed to be done. I will just be flat honest and say I didn’t either but I have an excellent poker face and it was on today. I “winged it” all the way through, and I think from the responses I received and the thank you’s all that was done that they thought I had done it a million times before. Honestly, this was my first funeral… ever! I learned a ton and will be able to do an even better job next time. God gets all the glory for anything good that comes out of it. God Bless!!!
A WORKING CHURCH
Posted on April 5, 2009
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We are at the point now as a church/team/body that we are all getting involved in the work and as a pastor and missionary that is awesome to see.
Just this week our church came together for a funeral services at Mama Johnson’s house. Our church family did a tremendous job of supporting our sister in Christ as she goes through this difficult time. The services were lead by Sipho and all the young preachers got or will get an opportunity to preach during these prayer meetings. (Funerals here are preceded by several days of prayer meetings in the home of the family of the deceased.)
Also we kicked off our new youth meetings. This also was started and led by Sipho. He was helped by several other dedicated young adults. They had great time and gave a great report back on how the meeting went. Sipho is the kind of guy that if you give him “the tools, he will finish the job.”
Then just yesterday we started our operation Jerusalem campaign. We had about 15 people out to help pass out gospel tracts. I know the Lord will bless the work we did yesterday as each team spent about 3 hours knocking on doors. We look forward to a great service today!
God’s Hand
Posted on March 29, 2009
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When Joshua went to take Ai the first time he was sadly dissappointed. But the second time was totally different, he took the city with ease. What made the difference? God’s hand or power. I honestly believe God’s hand is upon Madiba Bay Baptist Church. God is consistantly glorifying himself through our body. I am thrilled to be a part of something so powerful.
Today to change things up a little I opened the morning service with two testimonies. One of our sweet “mamas” (what you respectfully refer to an older woman as) stood and gave a beautiful testimony. Let me preface by saying for a long time our people were focused on themselves but now many of them see things differently. The dear lady stood and told the congregation that she praised the Lord the the health problems of her grandchild that she had to take to the hospital because while at the hospital God gave her the opportunity to give the Gospel. Isn’t that just awesome.
Today we saw four adults make professions of faith, three women and one man. The only way to explain this is God’s hand. I believe with all my heart God gets an enormous amount of joy from using our humble people. Praise to the KING of KINGS!!!
5 YEARS!!!
Posted on March 8, 2009
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As of Friday of this past week Corli and I have been married for five years!!! Where did all that time go? Two kids a new country, new language, and a new church later and here we are in 2009. That is quite a change.
I thank God all the time for giving me the most amazing girl in the world. The great thing about it is that she is the girl of my dreams yet I get to spend every day with her. You may think I am just being bias because she is my wife but I assure you she gets prettier and prettier every year. It’s like the more children we have the more beautiful she gets.
I look forward to spending the rest of my life with the one that “excellest them all.” (Proverbs 31:29)
5 YEARS!!!
Posted on March 8, 2009
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As of Friday of this past week Corli and I have been married for five years!!! Where did all that time go? Two kids a new country, new language, and a new church later and here we are in 2009. That is quite a change.
I thank God all the time for giving me the most amazing girl in the world. The great thing about it is that she is the girl of my dreams yet I get to spend every day with her. You may think I am just being bias because she is my wife but I assure you she gets prettier and prettier every year. It’s like the more children we have the more beautiful she gets.
I look forward to spending the rest of my life with the one that “excellest them all.” (Proverbs 31:29)
T.E.L.L.
Posted on February 1, 2009
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We had our second T.E.L.L. meeting on Thursday night. Sorry for the delay in reporting it, nonetheless it was a definate success! I am not exactly sure how many preachers were there from the different churches but there was a good group representing each body.
Pastor Larry Nelson did a fantastic job of giving an opening discussion on homeletics. He put the lesson on a level for anyone to grasp. I know the guys from Madiba Bay really benefited from it.
We also heard via video from Pastor Mike Allison from Madison, Alabama. I doubt he reads my blog but if by chance you somehow you do read it. I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to make the video. It was a excellent and I know everyone enjoyed it!!!
Afterwards we drew names from each of the churches for preachers that would preach the outline they turned in in order to come to the meeting. Lubabalo, Rodyn, and Kenny Westenberger all got a chance to preach the Word. They all did a wonderful job and will get a chance to see and hear somethings they can work on as they get feedback from the missionaries.
I look forward to the next one as I know all the preachers from Madiba Bay do. They are on a high as they leave these T.E.L.L. meetings. They love it and want more!!! Thanks to Gerald Myers, and Ken Westenberger, alongside of Larry Nelson for all the work they put into making it happen.
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