Friend Day

Posted on August 17, 2008
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We thank the Lord for a wonderful Sunday morning service. Our people are doing a wonderful job ministering for the Lord. Asanda, Nomandla, and Lubabalo are doing a fantastic job working with the children and it is showing in the fact that the Sunday School is growing at a tremendous speed. We had 85 people in the service today with one profession of faith. The Pyle family are a tremendous help to us. Mrs. Pyle does a tremendous job through interpretation teaching our 7-12yr old class while Bro. Ross Pyle is a great blessing as he preaches from time to time.

The auditorium is almost completely renovated now and it looks beautiful. Bro. Ross along with several of the young men of the church have done a tremendous job with renovations. Thank you!!!

We rejoice in the visitors we are receiving but we still need more of our people to take great strides forward in assuming responsibility in the ministry. I cannot be involved in every minsitry our church has (I could but I would be a jack of all the ministries and master of none of them). We need more of our people to mature into people that can teach others also/ or just to become helpers in the ministry.

We are caught in the middle of Hurricane GRACE and the power it is demonstrating is beyond human comprehension.

Thank you for your prayers and we give thanks to God for his strong hand of blessings on this ministry.

I’d Rather See a Sermon

Posted on August 13, 2008
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Here is an old poem by Edgar Guest, not that today’s preaching is without value, but I believe this guy got it right.

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear. Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear; And the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creeds, For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.

The First Day of Prayer

Posted on July 30, 2008
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As I said before the funeral takes place families hold several nights of prayer. This is the Xhosa culture. We had our first night of prayer last night. This was all new to me. I was totally dependent on our church family for direction because this is one of those you will not know until you try it. Well I tried it and it went well.

Lubabalo led the prayer service. Our church family sang songs I have never heard before so I kind of just sat there lipping watermelon, watermelon. Then Lubabalo, Luvuyo, and myself all got opportunities to preach short Gospel messages directly to the family of the deceased. I am hoping that God continues to work in their lives.

I know this is kind of basic to you probably but God showed me an awesome thought that I shared last night. When God saves us he quickens our Spirits with life but what kind of life? Eternal life!!! That is why we CANNOT die the second death - we got eternal life when we got saved and the death of our body has no effect on that eternal life.

We will continue with a few more prayer services this week on Thursday and Friday.

This is Reality in S.A.

Posted on July 24, 2008
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What is ministering in South Africa like? One aspect is better than 50 yard line seats at the Georgia Dome to watch the Atlanta Falcons (that relates to my likes most likely not the rest of the 6+ billion people on earth). On the other side it is heartwrentching as you pass by the numerous tents EVERY Saturday where funeral services are being held. I am not talking just one tent but several every Saturday in just the small area that I work in. It is unbelievable!

Today, death struck our own church. A young girl, I believe 25yrs old, by the name Thunyiswa passed away. We are comforted by the fact that she did make a profession of faith and can only hope that it was a genuine call upon the Lord for salvation. I am not sure the cause as for some reason getting a clear diagnosis here seems a little hard to come by but there are several fatal diseases that are prevailing throughout the country.

Lubabalo just got out of the hospital on Tuesday and I thank you for your prayers as this could have very well been him I am writing about, nonetheless it is heartbreaking to see such a young girl pass in a suffering manner. Her brother is a faithful attender at our church and I believe God is going to do something great with his life. I ask you to pray for the other family members of this girl that they would come to know the real Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Over the next couple of days I will be asked to spend time in prayer with the family in just “another rented tent” so please pray that I would be able to turn the LIGHT on in this dark tent.

The Song that God Wrote

Posted on July 19, 2008
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Wow! When God writes a song the lyrics are literally alive. I am not a music lover but when I do sing I want the words I sing to make sense and really impact my heart and mind as I (attempt to) sing them to the Lord. Here is a lousy illustration but let’s see if I can ties some things together with it - All throughout movies filmmakers play specific songs at specific times to really emphasize the moment - many times the words of the songs actually talk about what is happening/ed in the movie. Now all you carnal movie watchers have your favorite scenes with the corresponding music/songs in your minds (e.g. Eye of the Tiger and Rocky).

Now let’s go back to some Bible - Duteronomy 31 - here we read about God giving Moses a song to teach the children of Israel. I am not exactly sure of the lyrics unless they sang the exact words that are in the scripture but I definately believe that the song was definately taken from what God told Moses in this chapter concerning the Jews. Just for an overview I believe the song would have included something like - “I blessed you and provided everything I promised I would and you (Israel) have forsaken me AGAIN and now you will experience my wrath, evil is going to invade your life. Why you say? So that you will WAKE UP!!! and return back to me and worship me in the way I hold as acceptable. By the way this song is going to keep playing in your head to remind you of why you are so miserable.(because you have been hearing it since you were a babe! It is stuck in your head!!!) You are going to be miserable in your sin!”

I realize my summary is a far cry from what the real song stated but I believe that the message is clear. Now, what does this tell us today as New Testament Christians. Well, first that our God is unbelievably faithful to us. You see as God was giving this song to Moses God told Moses that “even now,” (v.21) the imaginations of the Jews was not pleasing to God. This is an amazing thought you see because, God knows our hearts yet still continues to love us and work amongst us. Even though God knew what was already in their hearts He still kept His promise and gave them the promise land. Secondly this song is a constant reminder of the attitude of God toward sin - HE ABSOLUTELY HATES IT! It (the song) told the Jews that their sin and all sin for that matter comes with a price - a very expensive one, blood and death. It was also given so that once they did sin, the song would ring out in their hearts and minds about the way to get back to God.

The leaders of Israel were commanded to have the song taught to the people even while they were still children so that by the time they were old, this song was as much a part of their make-up as their own names were. Why? So they would fear the Lord and if they did sin they would be reminded of what God expected and how to get things right with Him again. Let us as Christians remember the Lords song!!!

Sunday Highlights

Posted on July 7, 2008
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On Friday the young men and I passed out approximately 1,300 flyers to recruit for Sunday School. These young guys did a great job and are constantly looking for ways to help.

Many thanks to everyone that prayed for the launch of our Sunday School at Madiba Bay. There were a few major quirks that need to be worked out but overall it went well. We had 28 kids including the small ones in the nursery. This is school holiday so next week when the kids are back in school I believe that our attendance couple possibly double.

We also want to thank Ross Pyle and his family for helping us get started. They have dedicated a few weeks or so for helping get off the ground. The impact they make shows on the kids faces.

Keep the following in your prayers - Lubabalo (still in the hospital with spinal t.b. meningitis), Nokuzola (another teacher that needs prayer), and Sipho that his work schedule would get permanently fixed where he would be able to commit to a Sunday School class.

Sunday Services Update

Posted on July 1, 2008
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Sunday morning went well. Our crowd was down a bit seeing that the kids have school holiday for two weeks. Unfortunately they think that means holiday from church also. Literally, we had just a handful of our normal group of children. God helped me as I spoke to the people out of James chapter one on living faith.

In the evening I continued through the book of Ruth and looked at how Naomi returned to Bethelehem after hearing that God was blessing his people and that the famine had ended. We love God and we are close by during the good times but many during trying times depart and go to where they think they will have it better, for Naomi and family it was Moab. Unfortunately they learned the hard way that no place is like home (near God). After husband and sons all died Naomi said I am going back and guess what God received her again and blessed her again. God is amazing in all His ways!!!

Sipho also preached a short message in the evening. He has really turned into a preaching machine. Honestly, I believe God has gifted him with the ability to preach. After the messages we baptized one young man named Lusizo.

I ask you to pray for Lubabalo Sitole. Most of you know him in name at least by now. He has been a tremendous help since the beginning of this church plant. He leads the singing for us, does translation work, and will soon be a Sunday school teacher. At the moment it looks like his T.B. spinal meningitis has come back. He is not doing well at the moment. The first time he battled it he spent several months in the hospital lying in bed. The doctors didn’t think he would make it. Now it seems to have returned. He was suppose to have check ups every six months which didn’t happen. Just pray that he would get the tests done that he needs and the appropriate treatment thereafter. It is very serious if it is in fact T.B. spinal meningitis again.

LOOOOOOOONG OVERDUE!

Posted on June 28, 2008
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Sunday the 6th of July we will be kicking off our Sunday School. It has been long time in the making and it is finally going to happen. Our teachers finished up decorating this past week and now they will finally put into practice what they have been learning the past couple of weeks.

Please pray for this day and for our continuation of the Sunday School. Pray especially for the teachers that they would do their best for Christ. We really need your prayers. Thank you.

Preach the Word!!!

Posted on June 24, 2008
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This is an excerpt from an article written by John Piper taken from his blog. www.desiringgod.org

A little encouragement to keep preaching God’s World.

Preaching Is Heralding and Exulting

He gathers a group of people and says, “Here ye, hear ye, be it known to you today that by royal order of his highness, the king, there will henceforth be granted to this town an imperial watch of one hundred soldiers to protect you from the rebel bands who plunder the king’s subjects.”

And a cheer goes up among the people. (Those are the amen’s of the congregation.)

And he continues, “Furthermore be it known to you that the cost for this protection shall be born not by taxation but by the beneficence of the king from his royal treasury!”

Again cheers! (Amen!)

“Moreover, the king would have you know that he loves you, his loyal subjects, and will use all his royal counsel and power to defend you and supply your wants.”

Again cheers. (Amen! Amen!)

“And lastly he sends through me his royal blessing. Blessed be the people whose trust is in the king!”

Cheers. (Amen!)

Preaching is more than teaching. It is, exultation in the Word. “Preach the Word,” means “exult in the Word.” That is, announce it and revel in it. Speak it as amazing news. Speak it from a heart that is moved by it.

Two Reasons Why This Kind of Speaking Is So Crucial

There are two reasons why this kind of speaking in the church is so crucial. One is that the subject matter is infinitely important. There is no other organization on earth that deals in matters of eternal life and eternal death—matters about God and his Son and his Spirit, matters about salvation and judgment, matters about the life that pleases God or displeases him. In other words, no other group of people, besides the church, gathers regularly to deal in such tremendously important realities. This means that there is a form of speech that is fitting as part of that gathering that fits the greatness of that truth—namely, preaching. So the first reason for preaching is that the nature of the truth calls for something more than mere explanation or discussion or conversation.

The other reason why preaching is so crucial is that our hearts yearn for the truth to come to us in ways that highlight the worth of the truth. In other words, not only does the magnificence of the truth call for a heartfelt heralding and passionate exultation, but our hearts call for this too. Our hearts will not be drawn out to worship if someone just dissects and analyzes the worth and glory of God but does not exult in it before us. Our hearts long for true preaching. Some of us don’t even know that is what we are missing. Like children who grew up in homes where mom and dad never exulted in anything. They never rejoiced or praised or verbally admired and treasured anything. They were always flat and unenthused (except when they got angry). You couldn’t tell if anything really moved them deeply and positively. So the kids grow up not knowing what they are missing. That is what many people in the church are like who have never tasted true preaching.

The Warmest Welcome!!!

Posted on June 17, 2008
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Wednesday night I got a great welcome from the church, people gave letters and I was met with smiling faces. It was good to be back.

On Sunday Night I preached and it was back to my ministry of humiliation. I thought things went alright considering I’m getting back into the swing of things. Today, the humiliation continues - after spending the whole day with a few men from the church one turns to me and tells me flat out “pastor you have got to do something about your xhosa or people are not going to keep coming back to the church” ouch!!! Yeah that was a big smack down on any confidence I had in the language, even though I already knew what he stated. I’ve still got a long ways to go!!!

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