Women's Day collaboration between Soweto Region and Botswana church

Women's Day in Luanda, Angola

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:17:07 GMT

Faith, fun, and fellowship.

With great joy, zeal, and dedication to what the King of Kings has entrusted to us, we held our annual Women's Event at the International Church of Christ in Luanda, which was a very special and unforgettable moment of fellowship, learning, and spiritual growth.

During the meeting, we had memorable moments of praise, teaching, sharing of God's Word, encouragement, challenges, and fun. Each moment of the activity was prepared with great care, with the intentional purpose of reaching all women, and we saw God's presence in every detail.

The participants had the opportunity to reflect on their true identity and heritage as women of God, strengthen friendships, and renew their spiritual strength. It was also a time of unity, where many testified to what God has done in their lives and areas of their journey that need to be restored and aligned with the divine plan to be and serve like Jesus Christ.

The most exciting and satisfying moment of our activity, for the glory of God, was undoubtedly the baptism of one of the event participants, Filomena Nhime, who has been studying the Bible for some time.

We thank all the women who participated, the organising team, and everyone who contributed to making this event a success. May God continue to bless each woman, and may we continue to grow together in faith.

We are already eagerly awaiting our next gathering!

T ext: Mwacili Wapella

#angolaicoc #saicoc

Divine Tension: Embracing the Fullness of God’s Truth (Part 4)

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:29:39 GMT

In aviation, there is a phenomenon known as “drift.” If a pilot wants to fly directly from Point A to Point B, they cannot simply point the nose of the plane at the destination and fly. Why? Because of the wind. An invisible crosswind will push the aircraft sideways, carrying it miles off course without the pilot even feeling the turn.

To fly straight, the pilot must establish a crab angle, turning the nose of the plane into the wind to counteract the drift. The tension here is between the intended path and the environmental drift. To the untrained eye, the plane looks like it is flying crooked, but it is the only way to arrive at the correct destination.

This aerodynamic reality illustrates a profound spiritual principle. We are all designed with a specific trajectory: a divine mission. Yet, we live in a world with a constant spiritual crosswind, a shadow mission, that tirelessly pushes us to drift off course.

Your mission vs. your shadow mission

Every human being has a divine mission. We are not accidents of the universe or mere assemblages of atoms; we are God’s masterpieces, created in Christ Jesus to do good things planned long ago (Ephesians 2:10). We were made to make a difference.

However, the tension arises because we also possess a shadow mission. A shadow mission is where we drift from God’s original design and start pursuing something else, often something more selfish in nature.

The term was popularized by John Ortberg and was illustrated in the Gulf War movie Three Kings. While the US army was tasked with the liberation of Kuwait, George Clooney leads a rogue unit pursuing Iraqi treasure. The unit ate in the same mess halls and attended the same briefings, but when the army marched into battle, they went off in search of gold. Their fellow soldiers were completely unaware that the unit was on a whole other mission.

Satan works hard to “sell” us on these shadow missions because he knows if he can distract or divert us, he can shipwreck God’s purpose for our lives.

Biblical case studies of the drift

When we look at Scripture through this lens, we see the tension between the divine mission and the shadow mission playing out in the lives of major figures.

1. Adam and Eve: Stewardship vs. “more” (Genesis 3)

Mission: Take care of the garden.
Shadow: Satan convinced them that what they had in Eden wasn’t enough and that they needed to be like God. They needed “more.”
Result: They lost their place in the garden because they couldn’t manage the tension of contentment and enough.

2. Samson: Liberation vs. validation (Judges 14-16)

Mission: Free Israel from captivity. He was given abundant talent to achieve this.
Shadow: Showmanship and worldly relationships.
Result: Instead of leading, he squandered his gift, tearing lions apart (Judges 14:6), catching 300 foxes (Judges 15:4), and lifting city gates for sport (Judges 16:3).
His pursuit of the wrong women (Philistine prostitutes and Delilah) proved that while he had the strength of a giant, he had the drift of a lost child.

3. Jesus: The suffering servant vs. the celebrity messiah (Luke 4:1-13)

Even Jesus had to wrestle with this tension. In the wilderness, Satan offered him a corrupted version of the messiahship.

The shadow offer: A mission without hunger (“turn stones to bread” – Luke 4:3) , without pain (“you won’t strike your foot” – Luke 4:11), and without sacrifice (“bow down… I will give you the kingdoms” – Luke 4:6-7).
The reality: Satan was whispering, “You don’t have to do this God’s way. There is an alternative to the cross.”

Jesus stared this shadow in the face and rejected it. He knew that a mission without a cross was not a mission from God.

The danger: Morphing from servant to consumer

How do we recognize if we are drifting? One of the most common signs is a shift in our attitude toward the church.

We often join the church grateful for salvation, saying, “Here I am, send me”. But slowly, the crosswind hits.

We stop wanting to serve and start demanding to be served.
We ask, “Why isn’t the music to my taste?” or “Why doesn’t the church meet my needs?”
We become experts at avoidance of service.

We morph from servants of Christ into religious consumers. This is the shadow mission of comfort: seeking a life without the inconvenience of the cross.

Overcoming the shadow

We cannot simply ignore the crosswind; we must actively correct for it.

1. Identify and name it

You cannot defeat a shadow you refuse to see. For some, it is selfish adventurism (an “adrenaline junkie” lifestyle without boundaries). For others, it is wealth, status or simply comfort. Shadow missions are often subtle—they aren’t necessarily “bad” things, but they become destructive when they have no boundaries.

Ask yourself: If you were Satan, what distraction would you use to sidetrack you?

2. Get conviction through prayer

Jesus fought his shadow mission all the way to Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46). The reality of the cross hit him hard, and he prayed, “Take this cup from me.” He had to beg God for strength to stay on the divine mission.

Prayer is the key to surrendering our flesh. When Jesus struggled, he didn’t quit; he prayed until his will aligned with the Father’s (“Not my will, but yours be done” – Luke 22:42).

Conclusion

There is always a voice whispering, “Save yourself! Come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40). It whispered to Jesus, and it whispers to us. But we must be like Esther, who overcame the shadow of self-preservation (“Use your blessing for yourself”) with the conviction of her divine mission (“If I perish, I perish” – Esther 4:16).

To live in divine tension is to acknowledge the drift but refuse to let it determine your destination. Name your shadow. Stare it in the face. And choose the mission.

For reflection:

What is the specific “shadow mission” that competes for your time and energy?
Have you drifted from “Here I am, send me” to “Here I am, serve me”?
What practical step can you take this week to “turn the nose of the plane” back into the wind?

Click here for my sermon on this topic.

Divine Tension: Embracing the Fullness of God’s Truth (Part 3)

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 14:59:06 GMT

In the physical world, dynamic forces must work in opposition to create environments where life can flourish. Consider a mighty river: it requires two opposing realities to exist. It needs the kinetic energy of flow to move water forward, providing life and hydration downstream. Yet it equally requires the static resistance of banks to contain that energy. Without the flow, the river becomes a stagnant swamp; without the banks, it becomes a destructive flood.

We see a similar tension in the plant kingdom. A tree requires a root system that digs deep into the dark earth for stability and nutrients, contrasting with branches that reach high into the sunlight for photosynthesis. The downward grounding and the upward reaching are not contradictions; they are the combined, necessary mechanics of growth. It is not one or the other, it’s both/and. In the same way, the church thrives when we recognize and embrace the divine tensions God built into its design.

In Part 1 we established that the fullness of God’s truth is held in tension, rather than in simplistic either–or categories. We must apply this lens to a topic that often causes confusion and conflict: church culture.

The ecclesiological tension: many models, one church

When we ask, “What is the church supposed to be like?” we often look for a single, simple definition. But Scripture does not offer us one static image. Instead, it presents a kaleidoscope of metaphors, each holding the others in check. The church is described most frequently as a family, a body, an army, a flock, a bride, and a building.

Each of these models carries a unique culture and set of expectations. The tension arises because these archetypes describe realities that, on the surface, seem to pull in opposite directions.

The static and the living: the building and the flock

A tension exists between the stability of the building and the movement of the flock. These two images present a necessary contrast between established structure and organic care.

The church as a building:

Scripture describes the church as “God’s household” (1 Timothy 3:15) and a structure built on a foundation (Ephesians 2:19-22). 1 Corinthians 3:9 tells Christians, “we are…God’s building.” A building represents permanence, shelter, and order. It requires a strong foundation and structural integrity to stand. Jesus fulfils that as the chief cornerstone. See also 1 Peter 2:5, Hebrews 3:6.

In this mode, the focus is on structure and truth. It provides the walls that define what we believe and the roof that covers us. Without this structure, the church has no location or definition; it becomes formless and lacks conviction.

The church as a flock:

In contrast, the church is also called a flock (Acts 20:28). A flock is a living, breathing entity that needs guidance, food, and protection. It is defined not by walls, but by movement and the voice of the Shepherd. (Luke 12:32, John 10:11-16, 1 Peter 5:2-4)

In this mode, the focus is on guidance and care. A flock wanders; it gets hungry; it gets scared. It needs a shepherd to lead it to green pastures, not just a foundation to stand on.

The tension:

The divine tension here lies between structure and Spirit.

If we emphasize the building to the exclusion of the flock, the church risks becoming rigid or institutional—a museum rather than a home. We may have perfect doctrine (foundation), but no life inside the walls.
Conversely, if we view ourselves only as a flock without the structure of the building, we risk chaos and vulnerability. A flock without a pen is exposed to predators; a movement without a structure eventually dissipates.

We need the solid “walls” of truth and structure (building) to protect the vulnerable, wandering life of the sheep (flock). We must be grounded enough to stand firm, yet mobile enough to follow the Shepherd’s leading. Pauls sums it up in 1 Timothy 4:16 “Watch your life and doctrine closely,” re-enforcing the both/and nature of divine tension.

The warmth of the family vs. the discipline of the army

One of the most profound tensions in church culture exists between the concept of the family and the army.

The church as a family:

Scripture is clear that we are God’s household. Ephesians 2:19 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” In a healthy family, the dominant culture is one of love, acceptance, and unconditional care. We are called to “do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10).

In this mode, the church focuses on warmth and empathy. It is the place where we ask, “Are you feeling sick? Let us take care of you.” It is a culture of celebrations, acceptance, friendships, and safety. (See also, 1 Timothy 3:14-15, Hebrews 2:11.)

The church as an army:

Yet, the New Testament also describes the church as a military force engaged in spiritual warfare. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 reminds us that “we do not wage war as the world does,” but we are waging war nonetheless. We are also commanded to endure hardship like “a good soldier of Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). This then extends to the communal mission of the spiritual battle, as seen in Philippians 2:25, where believers are called “fellow soldiers” who are told to put on the “full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-17). Furthermore, Revelation 12 depicts the devil making war against the collective offspring of the woman, the people of God. All these military metaphors affirm this as a biblical motif; the warfare is corporate; therefore, the martial reality must also be corporate. (See also, Philemon 1:2 and 1 Peter 2:11.)

In an army, the culture is defined by commitment, courage, discipline, obedience, and sacrifice. The songs we sing in church often reflect this reality: “Soldiers of Christ arise” or “You’re a hard-fighting soldier on the battlefield.”

The tension:

Here is where the divine tension lies. An army without the love of a family becomes a harsh, demanding regime. Many can attest to the wounds this type of environment, if unbalanced, can afflict. Conversely, a family without the mission of an army becomes an inward-focused social club, with little impact or influence on a lost world. We need to care deeply for the family of believers, but also care deeply about the mission of the church to reach the lost. We need the acceptance of the family and the discipline of the army to be the church God designed.

The organic and the intimate: the body and the bride

Another tension also exists between viewing the church as a functioning body and a cherished bride. These two images, found in Ephesians 4 and 5, present us with a duality of function and identity.

The church as a body:

Scripture emphasizes that we are the body of Christ, where “each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). This metaphor is driven by functional necessity and interdependence. In a body, there is cooperation, sharing, and specific roles. The tension here is that parts cannot exist in isolation; the “Boston body” cannot say it doesn’t need the “Chicago body,” nor can “Cape Town” claim independence from “Johannesburg.” In a physical body, when parts go rogue and refuse to submit to the head or work with one another, this is a disease we know as “cancer,” a disease that threatens the whole. In the spiritual body, isolation is not freedom; it is illness. The body is designed for cooperation—to act and achieve the instructions of the Head.

The church as a bride:

Yet, Ephesians and Corinthians also describe the church as the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Corinthians 11:2). While the body speaks to how we work together, the bride speaks to who we are to Jesus. This image is not about mechanics, but about intimacy, covenant, and devotion.

The tension:

The divine tension here lies between industry and intimacy.

If we emphasize the body to the exclusion of the bride, the church becomes a biological machine—efficient, busy, and structured, but devoid of passion and romance for Jesus. We become “hands and feet” that have forgotten the “heart.”
Conversely, if we view ourselves only as a bride without the mechanics of the body, we risk becoming sentimental and static. We may enjoy the feeling of closeness to God but lack the coordinated movement required to serve the world and each other effectively.

We must live in the tension of being functionally connected to one another (body) while remaining relationally devoted to Christ (bride). We need the structure of the skeleton and the muscles of the army, but we also need the beating heart of the beloved.

The source of conflict: our bias

Why is this balance so hard to maintain? The challenge lies in our own internal preferences. Depending on our wiring, we are dominantly drawn toward one or two of these archetypes over the others. These tensions become difficult not because Scripture is unclear, but because we are biased.

For example, let’s take the family/army tension.

Some of us love the family model: we crave love, care, and a judgment-free environment.
Others are drawn to the army model: we value mission, radical sacrifice, and “getting stuff done.”
When we enter a church community, we subconsciously try to pull or push the culture toward our preference. The “army” people get frustrated when the church seems too soft or slow. The “family” people get hurt when the church seems too demanding or structured. We find ourselves arguing over culture because we want the church to look like the model we prefer.

We have to understand our own bias before we can embrace the divine tension. Socrates said it like this, “know thyself.” Carl Jung tells us, “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your own heart. He who looks outside – dreams, the one who looks inside, awakens.” God simply tells us to “examine ourselves” (1 Corinthians 11:28). Our biases are formed by numerous things, from our personality types to lived experiences, to the echo chamber of our news sources (liberal or conservative). A key measure of spiritual maturity is self-awareness.

Embracing the tension: unity through acceptance

Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” To embrace divine tension is to accept that the church will never fully match our personal ideal, and that’s a good thing. A healthy church requires every metaphor God gives us.

If a church becomes exclusively a building, it loses its heart. If it becomes exclusively a family, it loses its mission. True unity requires us to admit that the Bible gives us multiple models, not just one. This means giving up our insistence on getting everything our way so the whole body can flourish.

The person who loves action and efficiency may need to slow down to care for the wounded (family).
The person who loves care, comfort and stability will need to concede that flexibility and change are necessary for the growth of the church (flock).

The ultimate question we must ask ourselves is: Is the unity of the body precious enough for you to give up some of your personal preferences?

But what do we do when certain biblical metaphors, like the church as an army or a family, trigger discomfort or even pain? For some, the word “family” brings up memories of dysfunction and hurt. For others, the imagery of an army recalls experiences of harsh, militant church environments. Yet the solution is not to delete these metaphors from Scripture. As we learned when studying the Bible, “All Scripture is God-breathed,” and we are not free to treat the Bible like a buffet, keeping only the parts that feel comfortable. Any single metaphor, when pushed to an unhealthy extreme, can create distortion. That is precisely why God, in his wisdom, provides multiple images to describe his church. Only by embracing all of them together can we find balance, health, and maturity. And yes, living within that fullness inevitably creates tension.

Conclusion

Just as we learned in Part 1 to ask, “What is the lamb to this lion?”, we must now ask, “What metaphor of the church am I ignoring?” “Am I willing to accept and learn from people that are different from me to maintain the divine tension so the church can be complete?”

Until we appreciate the tension between these opposing images, we will not have a healthy church culture. By embracing the tension, we allow the church to be everything God intended: a disciplined army that fights with the love of a family, a structured building that lives with the organic connection of a body or flock. Everything is motivated by the passion of a bride.

For reflection:

Which church metaphor (building, flock, family, army, body, or bride) do you naturally gravitate toward?
How might your internal biases be creating blind spots in how you view your local church?
Have you “opposed” people who are advocating for a biblical metaphor of the church you personally dislike?
What are you willing to “sacrifice” to help maintain the divine tension in your community?

See also: Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.

Divine Tension: Embracing the Fullness of God’s Truth (Part 2)

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:12:12 GMT

In Part 1 we explored how divine tension is woven into the fabric of creation and Scripture, holding opposing truths together to reveal the fullness of God’s wisdom. From the balances in the physical world to core doctrines like faith and deeds, justice and mercy, we saw that embracing these tensions guards us against imbalance and draws us deeper into God’s character. As promised, let’s now apply this lens to the wisdom literature of the Old Testament: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. These books present a striking divine tension that reflects the complexities of life under the sun while pointing us to eternal truths.

At first glance, these books might seem to contradict one another. Proverbs tells us the world we live in operates under a moral divine order, with clear spiritual principles for living wisely, while Ecclesiastes paints a picture of randomness, futility and unpredictability. Job plunges us into the depths of undeserved suffering and chaos. Yet, when held in tension, they provide a balanced, profound understanding of God’s world: orderly yet disrupted, purposeful yet mysterious.

The orderly world of Proverbs

Proverbs stands as a beacon of divine wisdom, guiding us toward a life of blessing through righteous choices and disciplined living. It portrays a world governed by moral laws where actions have predictable consequences. A brief look at just four topics paints a clear picture.

Consider the theme of wealth. Proverbs 13:11 warns, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” This teaches the value of patience and steady effort over get-rich-quick schemes. Similarly, Proverbs 21:20 notes, “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it,” encouraging prudent management and living within one’s means.

In work, diligence is exalted: “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor” – Proverbs 12:24, and “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty” – Proverbs 14:23. Hard work leads to prosperity; laziness to hardship.

Relationships thrive on sharpening and counsel: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” – Proverbs 27:17, acknowledging that growth often involves challenge. Proverbs 15:22 advises, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed,” urging us to seek wise input rather than act impulsively.

Finally, in choices, we’re called to trust God and his wisdom to guide us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” – Proverbs 3:5-6, and “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” – Proverbs 16:3.

The overarching message of Proverbs is clear: Righteous living leads to blessings and success; unrighteous living to failure and pain. The world operates under moral order—obey God’s principles, and life flourishes. Our lives have purpose when aligned with his ways.

The futility of Ecclesiastes

Yet Solomon, the primary author of Proverbs, takes a surprisingly different tone in Ecclesiastes. Here, the same wise teacher observes life “under the sun” and concludes it is often “meaningless—like chasing the wind” – Ecclesiastes 1:14. The moral order in Proverbs now appears random and unpredictable.

Ecclesiastes 1:13-15 describes the human race enduring a “tragic existence,” where “what is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered.” Later, in Ecclesiastes 9:11: “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” Efforts don’t always yield expected results. Success isn’t guaranteed by ability or righteousness; randomness and frustration abound.

Have you ever felt that life’s outcomes defy logic? Ecclesiastes captures that cynicism, highlighting the vanity and unpredictability that can overshadow even wise living. How can the writer of Proverbs be the same person who wrote Ecclesiastes?

The chaos agent in Job

Job introduces yet another layer: innocent suffering. Job is described as “blameless and upright, a man who feared God and shunned evil” – Job 1:1. He was prosperous and devout. He believed in the moral principles of Proverbs and followed them devoutly. In the book of Job God peels back the curtain and introduces us to the ultimate chaos agent, Satan. He challenges God, accusing Job of serving him only for blessings. God permits testing, and Job’s ordered life shatters, his livestock is stolen, servants are killed, and tragically his children lost in a storm.

How does Job respond? Not with blame, but worship: “The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” – Job 1:21. Remarkable faith.

Job’s three friends, steeped in a Proverbs-like worldview, assume he must be at fault. A + B = C. In chapters four through 25 (a full 22 chapters) they argued that his suffering must be punishment for sin, but they were wrong. The book reveals the agent disrupting God’s order. Yet God remains sovereign, ultimately restoring Job’s health, wealth, family, and dignity. As Romans 8:28 echoes, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

Integrating the wisdom literature: divine tension in action

Herein lies the profound divine tension of the wisdom books:

Proverbs affirms God’s created order: Moral laws govern life, righteousness brings blessing.
Ecclesiastes and Job acknowledge disruption: Sin and Satan introduce chaos, unpredictability, and suffering, even for the righteous.

But the tension doesn’t end in despair! God, in his sovereignty, restores order over time for those who remain faithful. Justice prevails in the long run; meaning emerges when we fear God and keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

This both/and perspective prevents extremes. Overemphasizing Proverbs alone might breed a prosperity mindset, ignoring life’s hardships. Leaning solely on Ecclesiastes could lead to cynicism and resignation. Job reminds us that suffering isn’t always punitive, yet God redeems it.

Embracing this tension brings balance: Live wisely as in Proverbs, endure chaos with Job’s faith, and maintain perspective amid vanity as in Ecclesiastes. The fullness of wisdom, and of God’s truth, emerges only when we hold all three together.

Conclusion and application

The wisdom literature mirrors the divine tensions we’ve seen elsewhere in Scripture: order and disruption, justice delayed yet certain, purpose amid apparent meaninglessness. By integrating these books, we gain borders for navigating life, avoiding naivety on one side and hopelessness on the other. Holding the tension honors God’s multifaceted revelation and equips us for real-world faith.

For reflection:

How have you experienced the tension between an “orderly” expectation of life and its chaotic realities?
In what area might you be overemphasizing one wisdom book’s perspective, leading to imbalance?

May this divine tension draw us closer to the God who designed a world of profound depth, where opposites coexist in perfect harmony under his sovereign hand.

Watch the related sermon for more insights on this series.

Divine Tension: Embracing the Fullness of God’s Truth (Part 1)

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:59:32 GMT

Any serious reader of the Bible soon discovers an uncomfortable reality: the fullness of God’s truth is often held in tension. We see this in Scripture and in creation. We live in a world governed by intricate balances, from the vast expanse of the universe to the microscopic dance of atoms. We cannot avoid encountering a profound principle: divine tension. This concept, drawn from the very fabric of creation, reveals how opposing forces coexist to maintain harmony and wholeness.

Consider the solar system, where gravity pulls planets inward while centrifugal force propels them outward, creating stable orbits. Scale it down to the atomic level, and you’ll find protons and electrons held in equilibrium by electromagnetic forces, or nuclei bound by strong and weak nuclear interactions. Even our own bodies embody this tension, requiring a delicate balance of eating, sleeping, and exercising to thrive. Imbalance leads to illness, just as excess or deficiency disrupts the natural order. This echoes Romans 1:20, where God’s invisible qualities are clearly seen in what has been made. This principle isn’t confined to the physical realm; it permeates the spiritual world as well, reflecting the character of God himself. The Bible is rich with examples where truths exist not in isolation but in dynamic tension. Each side complements the other to reveal the fullness of divine wisdom.

Tensions in creation and core doctrines

Faith and deeds, for instance, are like inhaling and exhaling—essential and interdependent. As James 2:26 declares, “Faith without deeds is dead.” Yet deeds performed without faith are equally futile, amounting to mere human effort devoid of spiritual life (cf. Isaiah 64:6, where even our righteous acts are like “filthy rags” apart from God). This does not mean non-believers’ good deeds lack any value under God’s common grace (Matthew 5:45), but they cannot achieve spiritual salvation without faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Similarly, repentance and grace form a sacred tension. Without repentance, grace is spurned—as Hebrews 10:26-31 warns against deliberately continuing in sin. But without grace, repentance becomes an impossible burden, for no one can atone through effort alone.

At its core, the fullness of God’s truth resides in this divine tension. We, as finite beings, often seek to resolve it, craving simplicity and closure. Our discomfort with ambiguity is evident in everyday life. Think of how Hollywood crafts narratives: tension builds with a villain’s threat or a romantic misunderstanding, heroes intervene, and resolution arrives, leaving audiences satisfied. While some appreciate open-ended stories, unresolved narratives often frustrate us, prompting complaints about “cliffhangers” or “poor scripting.” Yet, in reality, embracing tension fosters balance and depth. Resolving it prematurely can lead to distortion, much like favoring one side of a seesaw, which tips everything into imbalance.

Human aversion to tension

This aversion to tension explains why many approach Scripture selectively. We gravitate toward verses that align with personal preferences while ignoring counterpoints. But true biblical understanding demands we hold opposites together. Jesus himself exemplifies this divine tension, portrayed in Scripture as both Lamb and Lion, symbols that could not be more antithetical.

In John 1:29, he is the gentle Lamb of God, sacrificial and meek, taking away the sins of the world. Yet in Revelation 5:5, he is the fierce Lion of the tribe of Judah, triumphant and powerful. Is Jesus submissive or sovereign? Compassionate or conquering? The answer is both/and. This isn’t contradiction but completion, a both/and reality that defies our either/or mindset. This duality reflects the hypostatic union: Jesus as fully God and fully man (John 1:14), avoiding heresies like Docetism (denying His humanity) or Arianism (denying His divinity).

To transform your personal Bible study, adopt this lens: for any topic, you’re not done until you’ve identified what holds it in divine tension. What is the “Lamb” to this “Lion”? These tensions serve as the right and left borders of truth, preventing us from veering into extremes. Without them, we either risk heresy or shallow faith. Emphasizing grace without repentance leads to a permissive license to sin, while stressing deeds without faith breeds legalism and a works-oriented Christianity.

Key Biblical examples

Consider additional biblical examples to illustrate this universality.

Love and truth: As Psalm 85:10 poetically unites them: “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” Love without truth becomes sentimental indulgence, while truth without love turns harsh and judgmental.
Sovereignty of God and human free will: God’s predestined plans (Ephesians 1:11) coexist with our responsibility to choose (Deuteronomy 30:19). While different Christian traditions vary in emphasis, such as Calvinism leaning toward sovereignty and Arminianism toward choice, Scripture holds both in tension as a divine mystery, guarding against fatalism on one hand and self-reliance on the other (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9, God’s ways are higher than ours).
Predestination and evangelism: God’s election (Romans 8:29-30; Acts 13:48) doesn’t negate the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) but energizes it. This also reflects God’s desire for all to repent (2 Peter 3:9).

Other profound tensions include the Trinity, one God in three persons (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19) and the incarnation of Christ (John 1:14). Theologians like A.W. Tozer, in The Knowledge of the Holy, emphasize such divine attributes as paradoxes that deepen our awe of God. Let’s apply this to another pivotal theme: justice.

Justice and mercy illustrated

Scripture resounds with God’s unwavering commitment to justice. Isaiah 61:8 proclaims, “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.” God is impartial, showing no favouritism—what is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong. Unlike us, who often bend justice for those we favor, excusing misdeeds with rationalizations like “They had a tough day” or “Consider the root causes,” God remains steadfast and is not swayed by bias. Deuteronomy 32:4 affirms, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” This consistency is a rock-solid comfort in an unpredictable world, where relationships can swing from affection to criticism without warning.

God’s justice extends to his role as judge. Psalm 9:7-8 states, “The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.” We, however, judge hypocritically; we are harsh on others’ actions but lenient on our own intentions, pleading “I didn’t mean to.” Yet God judges with true equity, as Nahum 1:3 assures: “The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.” This slowness to anger counters our misconceptions of a quick-tempered deity, while promising that injustice won’t go unchecked provides solace amid worldly corruption. Still, God’s hatred of sin (Psalm 11:5) underscores his holiness.

But justice alone isn’t the full picture. Its divine counterpart is mercy, forming borders that keep our understanding balanced. Psalm 103:8-10 reveals, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” Who among us would demand justice for our own failings? Instead, we echo the tax collector in Luke 18:13, crying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” and find justification through humility. Justification declares us righteous in Christ, as if our sins are fully covered and atoned for (Romans 4:7-8; 5:1) which is a forensic declaration where God remembers our sins no more in terms of condemnation (Hebrews 8:12). Micah 7:18-19 exults, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression?… You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”

God doesn’t forgive begrudgingly; he delights in it, casting our sins into the sea’s depths. Lamentations 3:22-23 adds, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Justice and mercy aren’t at odds, but intertwined in God’s nature—his justice demands payment for sin, yet his mercy provides it through Christ (Romans 3:25-26).

Without mercy, justice crushes us; without justice, mercy cheapens grace. A vivid illustration unfolds in John 8:1-11, where a woman caught in adultery faces stoning under the law’s justice. Jesus upholds justice by challenging the accusers (“Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”) while extending mercy (“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”). Here, divine tension resolves not by compromise but by fulfilment in Christ.

Conclusion and application

Embracing divine tension can revolutionize our personal Bible study. It guards against one-sided interpretations that lead us astray and provides borders that define the path of truth. However, remember that “tension” doesn’t justify relativism. God’s truth is absolute, though multifaceted (Proverbs 25:2 encourages searching out such matters). Some tensions may resolve in eternity, when we know fully as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12). Very few topics are standalones—they do exist (e.g., God’s monotheism in Deuteronomy 6:4), but you will be surprised at how few there are. Whether exploring leadership structures, women’s roles, humility and boldness, rest and labor, or any doctrine, always ask: What holds this truth in tension? What is the lamb to this lion? Until we have found the tension, we do not have the fullness of God’s truth on any topic. By embracing the tension, we mirror the balance found is both scripture and in creation that God designed, drawing us closer to his infinite wisdom.

For reflection:

What tension do you see in your current Bible study topic?
How might overemphasizing one side lead to imbalance in your faith?

In part 2 , we’ll explore the wisdom literature in scripture through this lens.

Watch my sermon on this topic below, starting at the 52 minute mark.

Windhoek Church's Annual Outing

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:01:41 GMT

Camping at Farm Prospect

After four months of planning and eager anticipation, the Windhoek Church of Christ in Namibia, finally gathered on Friday, 26 September, for our long-awaited annual outing at Farm Prospect, about 43km southwest of Windhoek. The peaceful dam greeted us with a cool breeze as families arrived at different times and began preparing their meals. When night fell, we settled into our tents under the crisp desert air, accompanied by the sounds of the wild — a true Namib night symphony.

Saturday dawned with a stunning sunrise, marking the start of our fun day. Activities ranged from kayaking, swimming, and walking around the dam, to relaxing on swings, playing chess, and even an unexpected highlight — horse riding! Many took turns exploring the farm on horseback, which quickly became a favourite.

As evening approached, the sisters prepared delicious poitjiekos while the brothers fired up the braai. With generous wood from our host, dinner came together beautifully. Our communal meal of pap, rice, mutton poitjie, and braaied chicken was plentiful and deeply enjoyed, especially in the company of Ivor and Anne-Marie Botha, who joined us this year.

The night continued around a glowing bonfire with a lively Bible quiz — brothers versus sisters — which ended in a close but joyful victory for the sisters. Laughter filled the air again during a storytelling game led by Sister Memoir. Finally, Anne-Marie guided us through a peaceful meditation under the Kalahari stars, a truly spiritual and unforgettable moment of reflection.

On Sunday, we shared breakfast before Brother Ivor led a heartfelt worship service by the dam, with gentle breezes and joyful singing. Afterwards, we packed up and said our goodbyes to Farm Prospect — refreshed, uplifted, and more united than ever.

It truly felt like a journey through the wilderness together — camping, sharing, and growing as one family in Christ.

Why I Left the Church...and Came Back – Jan

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:49:40 GMT

15 years after leaving the ICOC, Jan decided to come back. Hear his powerful story of loss, rebellion, exploration, and why he decided to return.

#internationalchurchesofchrist #icoc #disciplestoday

God Answers Prayers

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 09:09:11 GMT

Two prayers, one answer

When Lorna Karolus and her husband, Lester, moved into a new neighbourhood in Cape Town, far from the friends and community they loved, Lorna began praying. She asked God to bring kind, respectful and God-fearing neighbours into the empty unit in their complex. She also prayed a simple but heartfelt request: “Lord, I want to know Your Word—please send someone to help me.”

Around the same time, Irene Masters travelled from Joburg to Cape Town for a short work assignment. Before leaving, she prayed that God would use her time in the Mother City for His purposes.

On Good Friday, God brought their stories together. Lorna and Irene met for what they thought would be a quick coffee and cake, but their time together flowed naturally into a beach walk with Lester and Stephen (Irene’s son), and later a braai that evening. A sweet friendship had begun.

Irene invited Lorna and Lester to the Cape Town church and soon started studying the Bible with Lorna online. In July, after counting the cost with Sandy and Rene, Lorna was baptised into Christ.

“I was so blessed to see how God answered prayers,” Lorna shared joyfully. Irene felt the same, marvelling at how God had responded to her own “short prayer” in such a beautiful and unexpected way.

Their story is a reminder to all of us: God hears, and God answers—often more wonderfully than we imagine.

Encounter 2025

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 13:15:43 GMT

Nearly 200 young people, 160 campus students and 33 teens, for the Saturday, gathered to learn, connect, and worship together!

Our theme for the weekend was “But God”, taken from Ephesians 2:1–5. The passage speaks of how things were going. They were stuck in sin and without hope, "but God" stepped in with mercy and love, changing everything.

We held split classes for men and women under the shared title: “I Would But Jesus…”, encouraging honest reflection on our struggles and the transformation Jesus brings.

The whole weekend invited us to examine our lives, hearts, and circumstances, and to recognize the “But God” moments:

moments where God’s fingerprints, love, and good plans broke through our mess and showed us a better way.

We were especially inspired by the diversity in the room, students representing eight different nations:

South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Angola, Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana.

It was a weekend full of worship, connection, truth, and renewed vision. We can’t wait to see the ripple effects from what God started!

I Love My Church – Mark Ottenweller

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:13:44 GMT

Dr. Mark Ottenweller has had a wild adventure in Christ. Here he shares his story, gives glory to God and expresses gratitude for the church that has helped him and his family.

#disciplestoday #icoc #internationalchurchesofchrist #ilovemychurch

I Love My Church – Lin Beaty Ottenweller

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:11:25 GMT

#icoc #internationalchurchesofchrist #disciplestoday

New Church Planting in Beira

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:42:59 GMT

A Story of Faith and Commitment

In January, Cláudio Mavume, leader of the church in Maputo, along with Wolf Bila, travelled to Beira, a city over 1 000km away in the northeast of Mozambique, to prepare for the planting of a new church. Despite facing challenges like road blocks due to post-election unrest, the team adapted quickly and successfully prepared the missionary house. The house, located near a university, schools, and commercial areas, is easily accessible by transport—an ideal location for their mission.

The six-member team, made up of faithful but ordinary brothers and sisters, shares a deep love for Christ and a strong spirit for the mission. Elton Mucavel recently graduated from the Southern African School of Missions (he is the fourth graduate). Wolf holds a degree in civil engineering, while Leo gave up a high-earning job to join the team. Leia is a student, Cartilia is an entrepreneur and Ana is a single mother.

They began their work by reaching out to the community with invitations to Bible discussions and church services. One special moment was reconnecting with Manuel, a disciple from Maputo who had moved to Beira.

The group's loving service began to bear fruit, creating meaningful connections and fruitful Bible discussions. Caleb, a young local, became a vital part of the mission, helping with services and introducing the team to local structures. Even with challenging weather, the mission continued to grow, with over 20 participants at a Bible talk in February.

The team is deeply grateful for God’s guidance and the support of Southern Africa Missions and the Maputo church board. They are excited to see what God will do through them in Beira. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. To God be the glory!

Our First Swamp Camp and Groundbreaking for a Meeting Hall

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:38:10 GMT

2024 Highlights: Botswana

The Botswana International Church of Christ (BICC) has had an eventful and inspiring year in 2024, marked by a series of activities that strengthened its community and extended outreach. Some lives have been touched in special ways. One young lady summarised the year as, “having been incredibly eventful, with unforgettable highs and challenging lows, and throughout it all, I’ve witnessed God’s faithfulness”. Below are a few highlights:

Botswana Swamp Camp 2024 – as the year draws to a close, BICoC is ending it with a bang! Swamp Camp has finally made its way to Botswana, bringing together three countries, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Converging in the Mokolodi Game Reserve, just a few kilometres out of the Botswana capital, Gaborone, 24 members from the BICoC and three from Namibia received training from the South African team on how to run the camp. The camp director, Jake Graham explains the camp mission that brings together 43 campers from Namibia and Botswana as geared to “provide a safe space physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually so that children can have fun and experience God.”

Marrieds retreat and devotionals – The church hosted a retreat for married couples. One couple had this to say about it: “In an era where marriage as an institution seems to be under attack from a wide range of fronts, most notably from people who tried it and failed, it is both humbling and

encouraging to be amongst couples who have been at it for quite some time, and seem to still be

going further afar. It is inspiring.” One sister shared that the marrieds retreat presented a highlight for her as it “helped us to re-think about our marriages and build them on the rock, that is, Jesus.”

Youth Engagement Programmes - recognising the importance of nurturing the next generation, the BICoC heightened its youth programmes, by revitalising the teens Bible discussion meetings held weekly. A 17-year-old teen said, “This year the growth of the teens in terms of relationships with each other has been very encouraging. We weren't very comfortable with each other but the more we spent time together the more we bonded.”

Groundbreaking ceremony – The church was excited to receive the permission from local authorities to build a missions hall, which led to a momentous groundbreaking ceremony. The cherry on top was that he ceremony coincided with Botswana’s 2024’s HOPE Volunteer Corps, and the HVC participants from all over the world, also attended.

BICoC as a haven - While many cherished memories were created in 2024, someone got introduced to the church in 2024, said “the year had initially been the darkest, I was angry and hopeless for a meaningful life ahead. Mine is a testimony to say I found solace in the church family, they don't know it, but the warmth of their love revived me so much and drew me closer to personalizing the word of God.”

Check out the photos below:

Deeper Relationships with God and Each Other

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 14:33:07 GMT

2024 Highlights: Madagascar

The year 2024 has been a foundational year, marking a new phase of growth for us. Every activity aimed not only at deepening our relationship with Jesus and enhancing the awareness of God's presence in our daily lives, but also at increasing our commitment to making a difference in our world through mission.

Equipping disciples spiritually and materially for the mission has been the top priority for every ministry in 2024.

Teaching and mentoring

We organised teaching sessions, strengthened spiritual mentoring, and focused on evangelism activities. Generally, the number of Bible studies has doubled compared to the last two years, with an incredible impact from our online contacts, significantly increasing the number of remote bible studies. This marks God's response to our prayers to open all doors for the gospel.

Special attention has been given to the development of Youth and Campus Ministries. This year, we organized our third youth camp, which had a fascinating impact on their dynamism. Their sense of responsibility and belonging, as well as the number of Bible studies, have increased compared to previous years.

These efforts highlight our unwavering commitment to nurturing and empowering all ministry in our community and the next generation, ensuring they are well-prepared to spread God's love and teachings far and wide.

Restoring families

One of the fascinating news is the story of Holy and her family. Holy was restored in early 2023. Her husband, Zou always accompanied her to all church activities for a while. Ten months later, Zou decided to start his restoration studies and was restored last December. Then, in February this year, Holy's sister Fara rejoined the church and was restored. It's amazing to see how God leads us to hope and bold faith. Indeed, our Lord will give strength to his people.

Gratitude

Last, but not least, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for all generous support. Your contributions have been a cornerstone in enabling us to achieve our mission. Thank you for believing in our vision and for standing with us. Your generosity has made a significant difference, and we are profoundly grateful. Together, we are making a lasting impact, and we look forward to continuing this journey with you by our side.

Transformative Work & Plenty of Visitors

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 09:25:10 GMT

2024 Highlights: Bridge Christian Community

Some updates from the friendly city of Gqeberha, otherwise known as Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape. 2024 has been an encouraging year indeed!

Our campus and young professionals ministry have connected well, having enjoyed a wonderful retreat and with some attending Campus Encounter in Johannesburg.

Then, we of course felt very blessed with three baptisms in our campus ministry, one in young families, as well as two restorations. Our men’s ministry continued to meet faithfully on Saturdays, connecting deeply as they worked through books together which inspire Godly manhood.

We ‘relaunched’ our Family ministry with bi-weekly meetings on Friday evenings. Currently, we are working through the ‘Making Marriage Simple’ by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt.

And what is a church calendar year without a church camp! A wonderful time together was enjoyed by all at InniKloof, which is set in a tranquil mountainous environment with no cell phone reception!

We were also very blessed to have people visiting our city throughout the year, including students from campus ministries and young professionals from Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria. We also had elders, teachers and family ministry leaders from the USA coming to our shores.

Last but not least, we initiated a high-impact Justice Project by renovating an abandoned and vandalised home in a poor township to host a pre-school run by a faithful sister in our church.

We look forward to God continuing his transformative work in our church community, and blessing our city through us.

Angola Baptisms, Missionary Trip and 'Olympics'

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:30:43 GMT

Highlights of 2024: Angola

This past year has been one of incredible blessings and spiritual growth in our community. Here’s a look at some of the highlights that have brought us closer together and deepened our faith:

Youth Camp: We hosted our very first youth camp, welcoming 65 enthusiastic campers. It was a time of fellowship, learning, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Women’s Retreat: In May, our women’s retreat was a truly special event, featuring our beloved sister Deanne as the host. It was during this retreat that Mama Dorotéia, a mother of two brothers in the church, felt moved to ask what she needed to do to be baptised. Her decision to actively study the Bible and commit her life to Christ was a testament to God’s work in our lives.

Baptisms: We celebrated several baptisms this year! In addition to Mama Dorotéia, Juju's two nieces, Djamila and Angelina, were baptised, one of whom has been attending since her kids kingdom days. Brother Geraldo, restored to faith in 2022, continues to work toward his goal of seeing 10 family members baptised. This year, he had the joy of witnessing the baptisms of his nephew and granddaughter.

Mission Trip to Benguela: Our campus ministry embarked on a two-week mission trip to Benguela, where they encouraged the brothers and shared the gospel. The trip resulted in 48 active Bible studies and a first baptism—a wonderful testament to God’s power in action.

Encouragement from Afar: We were blessed by the visit of Bible teacher Gilbert Kimeng and his family from Nigeria, who made their second trip to Benguela to uplift and inspire the brothers there.

Collective Dates: Our monthly collective dates, open to all ministries, brought vibrancy and unity to our church. They’ve become cherished opportunities to build stronger connections as a community.

Olympics for New Disciples: This year marked our second Olympics for new disciples—a unique event combining fun with deep scriptural engagement. Participants memorised 60 scriptures and practised leading Bible studies with friends. It was an inspiring way to celebrate and encourage spiritual growth.

As we reflect on these milestones, we are filled with gratitude for God’s work in our church. Let’s continue to pray for one another and look forward to all He has planned for us in the coming year!

Check out the photos in the gallery below:

Campus Encounter & SASM

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:47:04 GMT

2024 Highlights

The annual Southern Africa Encounter Campus retreat took place from 12-14 July, bringing together 172 campus students from eight countries across Southern Africa. This was our biggest retreat since Covid. The theme was Revolutionary and we had Perrie Keeve and Dominic Camerino from Columbia, South Carolina as special guest speakers. It was wonderful to cap off the retreat with a baptism.

Connected to the Encounter Campus retreat was a training week for all the campus leaders. The focus was on Spirit-led Leadership and providing a practical ministry toolbox to lead healthy growing campus ministries.

The Southern Africa School of Missions (SASM) is now in its fourth year, we have 10 students participating in the programme geared towards training the next generation for the full-time ministry, young leaders from six different countries.

The programme has three pillars:

Academic Biblical Studies – the students completed three modules: The Word of God; New Testament Survey and Old Testament Survey (Team photo)
Practical Leadership Development – the Focus was on ‘Leading Yourself’ and ‘Making Disciples of Jesus’
Global Connection – the students had the opportunity to connect with others training in similar programs around our global fellowship and the training time was on Church History centred around the inception and development of our ICOC family of churches.

We will have one further graduate at the end of 2024, Elton Mucavele from Maputo, Mozambique. He plans to join the Beira mission team at the beginning of 2025. Please pray for him on this new adventure.

Spiritual Growth and Fellowship

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:28:06 GMT

2024 Highlights: Bulawayo

In January, with a beautiful celebration, we sent off of the oldest member of our church, Cecilia, who graduated into glory . She was 84.

We had a Kingdom kid , Masi baptised. And then Sindie who'd been invited by a friend who was studying the bible.

Kingdom Teachers Visit : We were honoured to have Gilbert Kimeng, a teacher in our movement, come for a weekend of teaching. He was accompanied by our own, Thabani Mashava, who was appointed the first teacher in our country Zimbabwe.

Sports Day : Our church family came together for a fun-filled sports day, joined by our brothers and sisters from the Gweru ministry.

Retreats : Our married couples, singles, and teens each had their own retreats, providing opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship, and bonding.

Family Group Leaders' Retreat : Our family group leaders gathered for a leadership planning retreat, equipping themselves to serve our church family more effectively.

First Century Services : We had a successful "Bring Your Neighbor Day" as part of our First Century Services, reaching out to our community and sharing the love of Christ.

Evangelism and Prayer : Throughout the year, we prioritized evangelism and prayer, seeking to deepen our relationship with God and share His love with others.

Women's Day in October : The sisters looked all pretty in pink, and they were dancing in beautiful gardens.

Rejoice with those who rejoice: The Church celebrated with Hazel and her family, as she graduated with a Masters in Science Degree.

We closed the year, praising God, at the baptism of a firedup young campus student, Praise.

All Africa Build Conference 2024

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 14:59:15 GMT

The theme of the conference was "BUILDtogether" and the speakers and discussions challenged the Elders, Evangelists, Teachers and lay leaders to love God, love people and allow the Spirit to lead the building of the church.

Lessons and Worship from the Conference

#disciplestoday #icoc #internationalchurchesofchrist

Women's Retreat in Angola

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 10:20:57 GMT

"Through the Eyes of God"

The sisters in the Angola church held a women's retreat last month. Sixty-six women met from 7-10 March for a time of rest, teaching, and great fellowship. The theme was “Through the eyes of God” and Dr. Deanne de Vries was the guest speaker.

Deanne De Vries is a dear friend of the churches in Southern Africa, and her love and support of the sisters is highly appreciated.

The retreat offered the sisters a break from their usual work and family responsibilities and they enjoyed connecting with God and each other. And even though their economic situation is challenging, the women expressed the desire to meet like this regularly.

What is very encouraging is that four women who came out to the first retreat two years ago-Elizabeth, Cristina, Jennifer and Helen decided to make Jesus the Lord of their lives and were baptised since then.

"We had a lot of positive feedback. The women expressed how they felt inspired and convicted. We'll continue praying to see what God will do according to his will," said Judia Rodrigues Rodrigues Judia who leads the women in Angola.

#womensretreat2024

#angolaicoc #saicoc

Family Habits that Nurture Love for Jesus

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 15:54:08 GMT

The difference parents or caregivers can make:

While there's no surefire way to ensure your child's journey toward loving and following Jesus, we've spoken to parents of teens and young adults who've recently found their faith. They graciously shared family habits and spiritual practices that made a difference. Here's what they had to say:

Family habits:

* Read the Bible together . Include reading scriptures as part of younger children's bedtime routine.

* Pray with them . Make it part of your morning routine, such as on the way to school.

* Eat together . Prioritise regular family meals without electronic distractions. Use this time to share daily highs and lows.

* Do life together . Share life experiences together, such as hosting celebrations and serving others in need.

* Commit to consistent and creative devotionals . Allow each family member the opportunity to lead.

Kingdom practices:

* Seek first the Kingdom . Make church and family Bible discussions a priority, showing, through your decisions, the Kingdom is your focus.

* Be part of a spiritual community. Connect with other families, share meals, celebrate, mourn, serve, and build friendships. Create a sense of belonging.

If you are already putting these into practice, we trust you will grow stronger in them. And if they are not yet a part of your life, perhaps they could be a goal to pursue in 2024.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

"Siyabonga" Themba and Zamalinda Xulu

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 13:07:55 GMT

Thank you & farewell service

How does one adequately say "thank you" for decades-long love, friendship, and service? The Tshwane Icoc bid farewell to Themba and Zamalinda Xulu last Sunday as they step out of the full-time ministry and start a new life adventure in KwaZulu-Natal.

The couple was encouraged with songs, and sharing from members of the various ministries in the church and by some of the older couples in the church who also prayed for them.

Members of the North-west and other regions of the Joburg church were in attendance. Joyce Nyanyatsi, who has known Themba and Zamalinda for a long time, summed it up well: "It was an amazing experience, though most of us shared some tears. The worship was incredible and very uplifting. Most of us knew them from their tender years and watched them grow from young campus students, to young ministry leaders, to being married and being parents. They are awesome leaders who lead by example who can relate to any age group, and who love God consistently. Their faith in God is steady and firm. They've been through a lot but never lost focus or sight of God's greatness. Their love for people is amazing. Their intentionality is amazing."

If you'd like to catch the full service, you can watch it here :

New Delegates Elected for the Southern Africa family of churches

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:09:11 GMT

In 2006 Irene and I were asked by Oneychi & Deysi, the leaders of the Joburg church, to take on the task of leading the Southern African Family of churches. We were reluctant, feeling we were happily settled in Cape Town and busy with our current responsibilities, including raising our young children Elena and Luke, who were 6 and 3 at the time. After much prayer and advice, we packed our bags and moved to Johannesburg in January of 2007. What has followed has been the privilege of a lifetime, 17 years of planting and strengthening churches, and building friendships in the 12 countries of Southern Africa. We have seen God do amazing things and been privileged to baptise both our children into the body of Christ. We have had many late night and early morning prayers, seen 10 new Evangelists and their wives and 5 Teachers appointed as leaders in the church.

Over the past year we have worked with the Southern Africa Church leaders to adopt a new model for the leadership structures of our family of churches. You can read about it here , and we just completed our election process to choose new leaders to represent Southern Africa in our global fellowship. Edwin & Christine Shumba were chosen for the Regional Family Chair position, Anne-Marie Botha for the Women’s representative and Jacques Genis for the next generation candidate. Irene and I have worked alongside these men and women for multiple decades now and we respect and love them all deeply. They are worthy of our support and respect. (Hebrews 13:17)

Edwin & Christine Shumba (Regional Family Chair Couple)

Edwin and Christine were both born in 1970 in Masvingo and Harare, Zimbabwe respectively. They first came to the church in 1989 and they were baptised in the following year. Both of them were reached out to by disciples on the mission planting team to Harare.

Prior to joining the full-time ministry, they worked on corporate jobs in the accounting field for Edwin whilst Christine worked as a PA/Administrator in a non-governmental organization. In In 2010 an opportunity arose to utilize skills acquired from Edwin’s stint in real estate to establish their own construction company. They were called to serve in the full-time ministry in August 2015 in Harare, Zimbabwe and were appointed Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader in June 2019. Together they have served at various levels of leadership with singles, marrieds and the campus ministry in the Harare church.

Edwin and Christine have been married since December 1995 and they have three daughters, Rumbidzai (25 years), Laura (18 years) and Lisa (16 years). Edwin is a sports enthusiast who loves to watch and play soccer, basketball and occasionally swims and goes fishing whilst Christine loves to read and travel. They both love the outdoors.

It is a great honour for them to serve in this capacity and as they step out in faith, let us pray for God’s wisdom and His guidance. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Anne-Marié Botha (Women’s Representative Delegate)

Anne-Marié was born in Pretoria, and became a disciple of Jesus in October 1990. in 1991 she graduated from the University of Pretoria with a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy.

In November 1991, she entered the full-time ministry and was sent to Cape Town as an intern. In 1992 and 1993 she co-led the church with Justin Renton. In 1994, after relocating to Johannesburg she married Ivor Botha. They have three wonderful children, ages 25, 23 and 16. The Botha’s have navigated various challenges with astonishing faith and resiliency (from 7 ministry relocations to being diagnosed with cancer twice and a heart attack necessitating double by-pass surgery). They have been involved in the discipling of leadership couples in many different churches in Southern Africa.

They have also served in most aspects of the ministry: Youth Camp directors for 6 years, led campus and singles ministries, served as Kidzone coordinator, training and developing leaders and deepening family ministry.

Anne-Marié is currently doing a Masters degree in Christian Ministry and was the winner of the 2022 Teleios Student Paper Competition. She leads a group of sisters in Southern Africa who are passionate about the Teaching ministry and becoming better “handlers of the Word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

Together with her husband, they are facilitators for “Good Enough Parenting” and “I Choose Us” family building courses. She is also passionate about Spiritual Formation and a Christian retreat facilitator.

Jacques Genis (Next Generation Delegate)

Jacques graduated with a BCom Honours degree in Organisational and Industrial Psychology at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He became a disciple as a second-year student in 2001 and was a part of the campus ministry in the Cape Town church. After graduating, he worked for a management consulting firm and later for a National Retailer in their Head Office in the Training and Development space with a project focus on developing the in-house Performance Management system.

In 2007, Jacques entered the Full Time Ministry and served the church in Cape Town for 5 years before being asked to move to Johannesburg. Since 2013, he has been part of the leadership team of the North West Region of the Johannesburg church serving the Campus, Singles and Young Marrieds Ministries. He was appointed an evangelist in 2016.

In partnership with the Beam Missions Foundation, and the Regional Leadership Team of Southern Africa, he designed the Southern African School of Missions (SASM) training program that has become a pathway for young leaders as they enter in to the full-time ministry. He currently serves as the Program Director for SASM and plays a role in recruitment, training, and development of young talent for the churches in the region.

He has been married for 10 years to Laura and they have two beautiful children, Anzel (7) and Lincoln (6).

Looking Forward

As the Southern Africa family of churches, lets hold up these couples’ arms and go into 2024 with faith in our mighty God that he works out everything according to his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). We look forward to even greater things in the decades ahead.

Love in Christ

Justin & Irene Renton

Leading a Campus Ministry

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 15:44:40 GMT

The Southern Africa School of Missions Programme

Thandie Machoe is in her second of a three-year programme in the Southern Africa School of Missions (SASM) and enjoys serving in the campus ministry in Maputo, Mozambique. She shares about her experience and what she’s learnt so far:

“I became a follower of Jesus six years ago. The pastor of my church invited me to become part of the SASM. I accepted because I’ve always dreamt of serving God in a missionary role. At the time, I was working in my field of training (marketing and public relations) as a telemarketer. It was a job I loved very much and one I’d prayed for, so it was difficult for me to make a decision. But I accepted the SASM opportunity as it allowed me to serve God full-time.

I started the SASM programme in 2022 and expected to be busy all day, from Monday to Saturday, with Bible studies, baptisms, and SASM classes. I thought I’d never get weak spiritually because I’d be busy with tasks that feed the Holy Spirit in me.

But, in practice, these expectations didn’t materialise. This was a big challenge for me. I’d share my faith with many people, but when it was time for Bible studies, few would commit, or they’d postpone it for another day. Then I’d feel guilty, as if I was not doing my duty. And even though it wasn’t demanded, I’d put pressure on myself to produce baptisms. But I learnt results don’t depend solely on my own efforts.

The SASM training allowed me to understand the Bible better and how to lead the campus ministry. I’ve also enjoyed the opportunity to learn from the campus ministry in South Africa. It’s been revolutionary because I broadened my knowledge and horizons.

One of the highlights so far, was the baptism of Carolina, a student who met me on the Eduardo Mondlane University campus while I was busy leading a Bible study with someone else. At the end of the study, she approached us and expressed an interest in studying the Bible. We baptised her sometime later.

Her baptism showed me that it’s God who convicts people of sin, and that Jesus is with us as we make disciples, just as he promised. And that I need to rely on God and not on my own understanding. It was clear that it is God who convicts and grows His Word in people.

Through the SASM, I’ve studied modules such as apologetics, spiritual leadership, hermeneutics, and church history. I’m also learning how to lead a campus ministry. I’m convicted to use every opportunity to be involved in saving souls and spreading the gospel, whether I’m serving full-time in the church or not.

I recommend SASM to other young leaders because it’s an amazing opportunity to grow spiritually and to help others in God's plan for salvation. You also get to know yourself better and understand that your calling is serving the Lord.

The greatest lesson I’ve learnt is to always do my part in spreading the gospel, whether it’s accepted or rejected. My mission is to announce the kingdom of God to as many people as I can. If they don’t show any interest, I should still continue to share with others.

As for the next step for me as a young leader, God knows best. What I do know is that I’m willing to live my life to serve the Lord. For me, my life has meaning only when I serve God and seek to glorify Him.”

"Let the Children Come to Me"

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 13:23:09 GMT

Honouring our children

At the end of October, the Harare International Church Of Christ celebrated International Children's Day (20 November) earlier than usual with a special service focused on the children in the congregation.

The children participated fully--from the song leading to the communion message. Afterward, there was plenty of fun, food, fellowship, and tons of games to let our children know how much we love and appreciate them.

The day provided a beautiful opportunity for evangelism and God was kind and brought through families. We pray the gospel will spread with such events as we need to work harder in the harvest field.

#internationalchildrensday2023

Botswana Church Celebrate their 30th Anniversary

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 12:44:49 GMT

Joyeous celebrations...

What an amazing weekend it was, when the Botswana International Church of Christ celebrated 30 years of loving God and loving people. Over 100 brothers and sisters came with their children to Gaborone from Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, and Mozambique. We thank our brothers and sisters for your support.

The theme of the celebrations was "One Love".

On Friday night, we looked back at the last 30 years, and John Maleya (who leads the church in Lusaka, Zambia) encouraged us with a great message.

On Saturday, we were taught by Mfundo Nondala (leader of the Central-East region of the Joburg church) about taking care of each other in the present. Also teaching that afternoon were Phumla Khalo, Thabani Mashava, and Themba, and Zama Xulu inspired the youth toward a great future.

During Sunday's message, Mpho Khalo (leader of the Soweto region in Joburg) helped us look forward into the future.

The worship was very inspiring. Thanks to the worship members from our sister churches in South Africa and in Zimbabwe. Our region is due for a region-wide worship conference.

The food was amazing and plentiful. The members of the local church did totally great by donating food items and other things. Thank you also to the Gaborone North Ward Development Committee, and the Mayor, for donating food items.

A Wedding and Baptisms

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 13:32:43 GMT

Jack and Esperança were both pastors in a Pentecostal church with about 70 members until they met brothers and sisters from the church in Luanda through one of their members who was studying the Bible at the end of last year.

Jack was so amazed by what this member shared that he decided to study the Bible, and his wife joined the studies shortly afterward. They showed great humility as they realised that many of the things they were doing were far from the scriptures. Consequently, they decided to repent and even stepped down as pastors in their church.

Jack and Esperança were also convicted by the scriptures to repent and get married, and they eagerly took that step for the sake of their relationship with God. So on Wednesday, they got married, and on Thursday they got baptised and made Jesus Lord of their lives.

Jack appealed to his former church members to also study the Bible, and currently six of them have been baptised so far. One of them is Jack and Esperança's daughter, Claudia.

Please keep praying for them and for those who are still studying the Bible. And to God be the glory!

#angolaicoc

Encouraging Visit by Richard and Sarah Alawaye

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 09:34:49 GMT

A mini-conference and BYN Day in Harare Church

The Harare International Church of Christ welcomed back two of their favourite people, Richard and Sarah Alawaye who were great servants to the church in the early 90s. " What a way to end the month of August. We had an awesome mini-conference from Friday to Sunday with our guest speakers Richard and Sarah Alawaye. Day One was kicked off with lessons on how Satan can make us feel like God is holding out on us.

Day Two consisted of a morning session with the Bible Talk leaders, while the afternoon session was devoted to separate classes for the men and women. The third day was a Bring Your Neighbour Sunday service with a powerful lesson, Heaven is the Goal.

We are grateful to the Alawayes for their love and giving hearts towards the Zimbabwe Church ."

Visions & Dreams Team Serve in Joburg

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:51:07 GMT

Super Seven – team served and taught

Dr Mark Ottenweller recently led a diverse group consisting of empty nesters and retired individuals from the US, known as the Visions & Dreams team to teach and serve in the Johannesburg church . The team of volunteers conducted parenting and grief recovery workshops for members of the church, and then served in HOPE worldwide South Africa 's early childhood development programme.

The selfless group had barely landed before they were roped in to work, and taught Sunday sermons in the series, Christ @ Work: Bringing Jesus into the Workplace. Dr Ottenweller taught the first class, and the second was taught by Michael Rowell and Dr Lisa Wigfall , a week later. This trio also conducted a grief recovery workshop, and shared their rich vault of knowledge and experience with the parents in the church. This included classes for various age groups ranging from young children to teens.

The team took time to learn from and support HOPEww SA's early childhood development programme. They visted the households of parents and caregivers in the programme, and listened to firsthand accounts of persevering under severe challenges. The Visions & Dreams team also provided training on leadership and monitoring & evaluation.

We are thankful for the Visions & Dreams team for encouraging the church in such an amazing way!

#visionsanddreamteam

#johannesburgchurch

#icoc

Durban Church Women's Day: The Power of You

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 17:39:27 GMT

2023 Women's Day Celebration in Durban

The women in the Durban Church of Christ enjoyed a wonderful Women's Day celebration last month, and shared this about the event:

"Women's Day – The Power of You

On the 9th of August 1956, a women's protest March against pass laws and oppression led by activist Lillian Ngoyi marched to the Union buildings. Ordinary women with a purpose. Their chant... "Strike a woman, strike a rock."

Our diverse gathering of 60 women at Willow Way Manor was made possible by courageous women of purpose and passion who found their identity in something greater than themselves. As much as we enjoyed a beautiful venue and scrumptious food, it was to be reminded of our true identity and purpose.

Our speakers were ordinary women who live extraordinary lives. Lisa Comrie hosted a panel-style discussion.

Amy-Leigh Mhlungu, our youngest panelist shared about growing up in the Church and seeking & finding her own conviction as well as the challenges of social media influences.

Zipho spoke about finding her purpose in the Cato-Manor community she lives in.

Cathy Krummeck shared the struggle of eight years of infertility and yearning to be a mother. God answered her prayer to be a mom after learning to surrender.

Zamo Gwala spoke about being a businesswoman and the challenges of balancing family and work demands as well as being uncompromising in godly ethics.

Finally, Terry Angelos spoke about overcoming a difficult past as a sex worker and God's redemptive love to set us free and give us hope.

For a few hours away from our usual demands and schedules, we were able to be filled with awe and wonder over what God is doing in our lives, as much as winning stunning prizes and just loving being together and celebrating the power of us.

We want to thank all our sponsors who made this experience amazing: Camelot Spa, Café Mayfair, CK Pilates, Robertson, Get2Natural, Precision Medical Laboratories, Spar and Terry Angelos."

Check out their Facebook page for more pictures from the day.

#durbanicoc #saicoc

Margaret Chipunza – CFO, Mother, and Disciple of Jesus

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:51:37 GMT

Margaret Chipunza is the CFO of one of the best banks in Zimbabwe, a wife, mother, and a devoted servant in her local church. In this video, she shares how becoming a Christian early in her career gave her a foundation to withstand the challenges that have come her way.

Two Hundred Milestone in Maputo

Mon, 29 May 2023 09:43:37 GMT

Joyeous celebration

" But the word of God continued to spread and flourish ."

(Acts 12:24 CSB)

On the 28th of May, the church in Maputo celebrated an important milestone—reaching 200 members. It was a time of great celebration among the excited members who enjoyed singing from an excellent choir and sharing the word of God.

Diana Mazive Machava shares, "It was an incredible time, we were encouraged by the presence of Themba and Zamalinda Xulu from South Africa. This celebration included the cutting of a huge cake by the newly baptised disciples and a beautiful performance by our moms. We also enjoyed a joyful time of fellowship after the service. To God the glory!"

Encouraging the church in Angola

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 12:10:23 GMT

Ivor and Anne-Marie Botha visit Luanda

"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now," Philippians 1:3-5

The church in Angola was encouraged by Ivor and Anna-Marie Botha's recent visit. Not only did they inspire the family group leaders, but also the marrieds and singles ministries.

Evangelist, Juju Rodrigues said, "We learnt a lot and were encouraged and equipped. We're so thankful to God for giving us this incredible opportunity, and also for the Bothas for the fantastic time we’ve spent together."

#angolaicoc

#saicoc

Asanda Njobeni – Marine biologist, hiker, and disciple of Jesus

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:40:52 GMT

Asanda Njobeni is a marine biologist, hiker, and a disciple of Jesus. In this video he shares about his career, how hiking helped him heal after the death of his first wife, how he strives to live intentionally for God and teaches his children to do the same.

Find more great stories of faith on the Disciples Today YouTube channel .

Stronger Together Southern African Leaders Workshop

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 13:32:32 GMT

#StrongerTogether

Church leaders from 12 countries in Southern Africa concluded a successful workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa. The theme was #strongertogether and the brothers and sisters enjoyed a time of learning, fun and fellowship.

Over the first three days, the delegates were treated to classes from Mike and Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro, from Mission Point church in San Antonio, TX, evangelist Collin Sherrill, and campus minister Reo Allen from the Two Cities church in Minneapolis, and Drs Ted Compagna and Don Maharty from the church in Fayetteville, NC.

Tom Ziegler, a church elder in San Antonio, and executive director of the Africa Missions Association, taught a class on self-care, and shared good news about missions on the African continent.

The family group leaders in the Johannesburg church joined the workshop on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, where they learned about spiritual leadership and how to build effective ministries.

Here is feedback from some of those in attendance.

Dillon Musvamiri leads the church in Windhoek, Namibia. He said, “It was an empowering time. I loved first taking stock of how we’re doing as individuals, so we’re better able to give. The workshop gave me direction and showed the importance of building relationships, so we’re united and stronger together. I look forward to seeing what God is going to build in our region.”

David Gondongwe, the evangelist in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, appreciated the group discussions and time for reflection. “I also loved the practical ministry applications, such as developing people through small groups,” he said.

The fellowship, and time to bond and build new friendships, meant a lot to Judia Rodrigues, the women’s ministry leader in Angola. She shared her takeaways. “All the lessons were fantastic, but one that stayed with me was to be Christ-like in my marriage, parenting, and leadership. This is what I want to work on.”

There were also younger leaders in attendance. Thandie Mochoe, from Mozambique, said, “I loved being able to meet leaders from different countries and learning from their experience. I also learned that a leader first needs to be a servant because when people see your presence on the ground, they are inspired. I also learned that my role as a leader is to build people up while Jesus builds his church.”

Being able to tap into the collective wealth of experience meant a lot to Khojane Khethisa, from Lesotho. “I’d like to thank the great speakers who shared their strategies on successful leadership, particularly on the success of small groups. I can’t wait to share the information back home. I’ve been inspired to renew my dreams for the Lord’s work in Lesotho by being a worker in our Lord’s vineyard.”

Finally, Juju Rodrigues, the evangelist in Angola, shared the last word. “The workshop was phenomenal. I enjoyed the fellowship with local and US leaders. It felt like heaven, and I can’t wait for the next one.”

Return of Swamp Camp Zimbabwe

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:14:45 GMT

#campswampzimbabwe2022

The first post-pandemic Camp Swamp Zimbabwe was a huge success. The theme for the youth camp was Choices, and it brought 166 campers together for the weeklong camp from 13 to 18 December. The campers enjoyed a great time of learning, fun, and friendship.

Check out the video of the event here:

#zimyouthcamp2022

#saicoc

#zimbabweyouthcamp

#campswamp

#icoc

Spiritual lessons from the Comrades Marathon

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 16:16:50 GMT

From those who've done it...

As we applaud all who ran in the 2022 Comrades Marathon between Pietermaritizburg and Durban, we asked a few members of our church to share spiritual lessons they’ve gleaned from participating in what's known as “The Ultimate Human Endurance”. This ultra-marathon stretches over 89.9km and alternates between an "up" and "down" race between the two cities. Not many who entered started, and not all who ran finished the race. It is no different in the spiritual race towards heaven. That's why it's important to know what it takes to make it to the end.

Dr Elijah Nkosi: has completed 10 Comrades marathons and proudly wears a green number that attest to his achievement.

What it requires: “The Comrades is similar to our spiritual journey that requires faith that requires sacrifice, diligence and denial of self. Pushing yourself beyond your limit at times. To qualify for the Comrades, you need to complete a marathon (42km) in less than 4hrs and 50 mins. It’s challenging physically and mentally.

It’s not a solo journey : The most difficult part is the preparation for the final day— what I call 'judgement day'. It’s not a solo journey; you have to be a member of a club to run it. Secondly, for you to succeed, you train as a group. It’s like fellowship where you spur each other on. You train four to six times a week as part of your preparation. All this is part of your prep for the “day of judgement”.

Encouragement from others : The crowd that carries you through to the finish as they cheer you on from the start. For you to get a “crown” or medal you have to finish within 12 hours. This is similar to what we do as Christians. For us to keep the faith we require perseverance, fellowship, diligence, sacrifice and denial of ourselves. These are critical factors that enable us to succeed and finish this race.

In the Bible (2 Timothy 4:7-8), Paul said to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now, there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day. And not only to me but also for those who have longed for his appearing .”

Glenn Harvey has six bronze finishes (the first at the age of 50 ).

Motivation: I’m a diabetic and I needed the motivation to put my training kit on five to six days a week. It was also a bucket list item and I discovered the daily training and comradeship was almost more enjoyable and beneficial than the race itself, so I just kept it going. I have a training book, Make Sure of your Comrades medal by Don Oliver, and I’ve followed it almost word for word in preparing for my Comrades races over the years.

Unforeseen challenges : You’ll experience unforeseen challenges during the race. Apart from the soreness and pain in your limbs during the second half of the race that you come to expect, something else will trouble you along the way that will get you to doubt your ability to get to the finish. I’ve experienced severe cramps in both my calves at about the halfway point of the race to the extreme where I became unable to walk any further.

Accepting assistance : This has happened in just about all my Comrades runs. Fortunately, the first time it happened I was able to ask advice and get assistance from a first aid worker who was stationed nearby, and she explained that the cramps were due to a natural chemical deficiency in the muscle. After she gave me a good dose of salt and water, I was able to start walking and running again within a few minutes. In the next races I made sure I never ran without carrying a good helping of salt that I could take when I felt the cramps starting.

Questioning your ability to finish : The Christian race is similar in that challenges will come our way along the way that will question our faith and our ability to finish the race as faithful disciples.

Jesus said in John16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world”). I believe if we train and equip ourselves in living righteously as disciples, we stand a better chance to overcome the challenges that life and the world throw at us.

You need training and advice : Running the Comrades without adequate training and advice from friends and professionals is foolhardy and will result in failure. But with adequate preparation, you can feel more confident in being able to overcome the challenges you’ll encounter during the race.

Similarly, holding to Jesus’ teachings; training in righteousness and getting advice from the right people during challenging times in life, sounds like Matthew 7:24 where Jesus says, “ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. ”

Getting to the finish line: Making it to heaven is the most important finish line I can think of. I pray we never grow weary in building our house on the rock in preparation for overcoming life’s troubles that prevent us from finishing our race.

Encouragement along the way : Seeing friends and family along the way is definitely beneficial and enjoyable. The encouragement helps a great deal.

David Gondongwe has completed six Comrades.

The lesson I've learnt is that when I see people running in front of me, I know they are feeling the same pain I'm feeling, so it motivates me to continue running. Also, the people by the roadside who shout, 'keep going, you're almost there', and that encourages me to keep on running when I feel like quitting, because the most important thing is to finish the race.

PAUL SMITH

Training when you don’t feel like it : It not only builds character but it prepares you mentally for those moments in the race when you don’t feel like carrying on. Strength of willpower is able to overcome feelings of not wanting to carry on, which enables you to persevere to the finish line. That's the same in our spiritual race.

Running your own race: Everyone has the race to run, but each can only run his own race. When you compare yourself to others you rob yourself of the confidence to do give your best because you’re constantly measuring yourself by other peoples standards and expectations. At the end of the day it’s your body, your mind, your heart that’s going to get you over the finish line, no one else. Yes we can draw encouragement from others but they are not running your race.

Sibongile Radebe has completed five Comrades.

Spurred on by something bigger than you : I’ve learnt to perseverance, trusting the journey and knowing you are carried in life. There’s something bigger than us pushing us when we think we can't go on. Sometimes all you have to do is to do is to show up and put one foot in front of the other. God will do the rest. My dad loved running, his memory gave me the motivation to push myself.

Support is key : Seeing friendly and familiar faces along the route makes all the difference— you feel loved and it boosts you. You definitely want your loved ones to know they did not waste their efforts by being there when you cross that finish line.

It’s about how you finish

Anne-Marie Botha has completed two Comrades .

I completed the 2010 Comrades “down” run and finished 20 minutes before the end. The next year, 2011, I did the “up” run and got my back-to-back medal. I was the last runner home (In 11:59:59). The gunshot sounded loud in my ear, but I made it.

Being part of a community: Things I’ve learnt from Comrades is preparation is important. You have to be part of a community. For me it was the running club once a week, and one of the sisters, Diane Girffin (who has completed 9 Comrades), who was my running partner. It’s very difficult to run alone because you don’t push yourself hard enough, so you need a training partner. Training is hard, I’m not a morning person. I was up in the road at 5am, so the preparation towards the actual race is very important. On race day, you don’t know how you’re going to do. You can do all the prep you want, but then you get a cramp and you’re out. So the actual day is inconsistent. You need to be wise and eat healthily to make sure you don’t carry unnecessary weight.

Support during the race : During the race itself, it’s amazing. The support from the people that don’t know you but who read your name on your vest. So strangers suddenly shout, “Go, Anne-Marie, go Anne-Marie.” It throws you off a bit to hear that, but it’s so encouraging to be noticed in such a mad crowd. There were 23000 entered in my year, and less than 2 000 women finished, so that was also a big thing for me that I finished. I really enjoyed being one of the few women who finished both times.

Spiritual lessons : So the spiritual lessons are community, it’s about being regular with preparation even if it’s uncomfortable, because on the day you don’t know what you’re going to need, but because you’ve put in all the training beforehand, you’re ready. For me, that’s the last 30 years of regular quiet times. Then when I suddenly hit a tough time, I have so many Bible verses in my heart, in my mind; that’s when the Word really becomes applicable. When I need it, it’s there because I’ve invested, even though some quiet times didn’t feel like I was preparing for anything specific. So, regular times with God, regular times in the spiritual community. It’s not okay to think, ‘I’m going to do this on my own’ because you won’t.’”

#comradesmarathon2022

#spiritualrace

#saicoc

All Nations App

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 17:38:15 GMT

This App is designed to equip, inspire and connect you to mission opportunities all around the world. Download it today!

Google Play or App Store

Medical Account of the Crucifixion

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 17:58:36 GMT

Jesus died a gruesome death at the hands of his executioners. It wasn't in vain...

Sibusiso Mauze - Architect, father and disciple of Jesus

Thu, 26 May 2022 18:19:34 GMT

Sibusiso Mauze is an architect, father, and disciple of Jesus. In this video, he shares about his life and family and why he loves his church in Johannesburg, South Africa .

Easter Women's Retreat in Angola

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 15:28:51 GMT

It's been a long wait...

The women in the Luanda, Angola, church enjoyed an Easter retreat with their preteen and teen daughters, and friends—the first in-person event in three years. They were 70 in total and had time to connect with God and one another, and had lots of fun.

Judia Rodrigues, who leads the women in Angola says, "We just wanted to provide an opportunity to relax and recharge our batteries, especially for those sisters who haven't had time for themselves in a very long time.

"Our time spent together was marked with collective and individual times of prayer and meditation, amazing lessons, games, swimming, massage, party, Bible studies and lots of fellowship and fun!"

The event was capped off with Tunda's baptism. His mom, Paula, was also at the event.

Judia says, "One thing that helped us measure the impact of the activity, is the phone call we received from a brother who supported us with lifts for some friends and disciples after the activity. He called asking what happened during the weekend, because the women in his car were all happy and couldn't stop talking about the activity."

The sisters want to extend a big "thank you" to the brothers who supported them. "This activity was, in part, possíble and successfull because of them. We are very grateful for them," Judia adds.

#retreat #angolacoc

Bereans...eager to learn

Dr. Deanne De Vries's 30-year African Safari

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 13:55:12 GMT

Dr. Deanne De Vries quit her job on Wall Street and fit everything she owned into two suitcases as she joined a mission team to Nairobi, Kenya (East Africa). She speaks seven languages and put them to great use as she spent the next 30 years working on the continent of Africa and connected with church members in over 20 countries. She recently published a bestselling book, Africa Open for Business , in which she shares why now is the time to invest in the continent. Read her inspirational story below:

“I was blessed to grow up in a household where my parents taught us about God from an early age. We prayed before and after meals, read the Bible every night after dinner, were very active in our local church and my parents both worked so they could send us to Christian schools.

When my job transferred me to New York City, I went “church shopping” and looked for a church as the Dutch church I grew up in was not in New York City. But I wasn’t having much luck. Then a woman I hired to do some artwork for my company invited me to a Stevie Wonder concert, where I met some of her friends. When I discovered they all went to the same church, I started asking all kinds of questions and they invited me to join them on Sunday at the Beacon Theater. The rest, as they say, is history.

Moving to Africa

When I was six years old, a missionary came to visit my church and all I remember was him sharing that many African children don’t have the opportunity to go to school and learn to read and write. That night I told my parents, “When I grow up, I’m going to Africa to teach children how to read and write so I can teach them about God.” Eighteen years later that is exactly what happened. Looking back, I see how God had been preparing me from a young age.

I grew up bilingual, learned three more languages in high school and was going to study languages at the university. My dad, the practical immigrant, was like “no, you will study business”. So, I did both—majored in International Business and minored in French and German. My first job in the Netherlands transferred me to New York City, Wall Street, as Head of Corporate Communications for one of the Netherland’s largest companies. This is where I met up with the church.

As a young disciple, I was asked if I’d like to go on the mission team to Nairobi, Kenya. I said, 'Absolutely!' I quit my job on Wall Street, sold or gave away everything I owned and my life fit in two suitcases. I got on a plane and simply had faith that God would provide for whatever was next.

One day in Nairobi, I accompanied a brother who had an interview at the UN. While there, I asked if I could meet the head of Public Relations. Half an hour later, I walked out of his office with a job! I was the first person on the Nairobi mission team to get a job. How? God, of course.

God used the wisdom of my earthly father to prepare me for service with my heavenly Father. The UN’s Head of Public Relations was looking for someone with the exact business background and language skills that I had to be responsible for their three quarterly publications in six languages for both internal and external audiences.

My “extended family”

I’ve lived in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Mozambique and gone on mission trips to Ethiopia and Tanzania. Through my career, I have visited around 20 countries across Africa and could connect with disciples in all these countries (except Equatorial Guinea, where we don’t have a church yet).

What I most love is that everywhere I go, I have family. And the warm welcome my “family” extends to me.

On a side note, having “family” everywhere was definitely the source of some jealousy at work–*smile*. My colleagues couldn’t understand how I could arrive in Abidjan, Juba, Luanda or Maseru for the first time and already have friends to hang out with every night!

Knowing the local languages definitely helps. And I believe learning languages is a talent God has graciously given to me. I can do business (or Bible studies) in Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese or Swahili. I learned Dutch and English at home; French, German and Spanish at school; and Swahili and Portuguese after I moved to Kenya and Mozambique, respectively.

I’ve also learned a bit of many tribal languages from Wolof in Senegal, Changana in Mozambique to Kikuyu, Luhya and Luo in Kenya, and some Arabic as well from living in the Middle East for eight years.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that speaking the language does not mean I know the culture! This is vital when studying the Bible.

Some of my best memories

I will forever treasure the meals, the laughter, the singing… most of all the people I have met on my journey. There are so many fond memories, such as:

*The first banquet we organized in Nairobi for the homeless where we met Shem, who soon became our brother and how we’d all meet at his little place on Friday nights for coffee.

*Attending the 25th anniversary of the Nairobi church and standing in awe of what God had built.

*In South Africa, I enjoyed the scavenger hunt dates we’d organize. And one Valentine’s, a group of us organized a three-night cabaret as a fundraiser for HOPE, called Love Notes.

*One Christmas Day in Uganda a group of us piled into my car to go surprise a newly planted church a two-hour drive away for their Christmas service.

*Hosting Christmas cookie decorating parties and Christmas dinners at my home in Kampala.

*Showing up at the international leadership conference in Singapore with 18 disciples from Uganda—over half of whom had never been outside Uganda before.

*Hosting the first teen dance and later the first teen camp in Maputo and watching the New Year’s Eve fireworks from my balcony with a fabulous group of sisters.

*One of my most memorable business trips was when I received an invitation to Lesotho, a small country in southern Africa, for meetings with senior government officials and to have dinner with the king. Dinner was at 7pm, but midweek was at 6pm. So, I asked the Ambassador coordinating the trip if we could postpone dinner for one hour… and he agreed! At dinner, when the king asked if we’d been able to enjoy his country and meet any interesting people, I shared about how I met with my friends at my church, one of whom was a member of Parliament.

Africa: Open for business

So what does one do with 30 years’ of experiences across the fabulous continent of Africa? You write about it so others can get to know what I like to call AfriCAN—the can-do continent. My first book, Africa Open for Business , put in writing what I’ve been helping companies do for the past decades across Africa. That is to understand first if they have the Appetite to do business in Africa, if so then build the Bandwidth (time, people, resources) to prepare their entry or expansion strategy, and identify the Capital they’ll require… social, cultural and economic capital.

This book is to introduce people to the vibrancy, diversity and opportunities in what I like to call AfriCAN — the can-do continent.

Now, I’m writing a second book about political leadership in Africa based on my interviews with multiple African heads of state for my PhD dissertation. During my PhD, I was surprised to learn that almost no one has interviewed or given heads of state the opportunity to describe in their own words what political leadership is. They just watched them from afar and declared them all “bad” or “corrupt”. Not very scientific. Nor very fair to the heads of state. So, I sent out 59 requests for interviews and received 16 favorable responses. I conducted six interviews before Covid-19 hit and brought the world and my research to a halt.

Those who I could interview welcomed me warmly, shared honest, frank and sometimes amusing insights into their time as head of state.

My goal with this book is to provide an opportunity for a renewed conversation and debate on political leadership in Africa. Not all heads of state were or are “bad”, “corrupt”. Some political leaders have or are leaving their countries in a better state than when they took office. It’s my personal hope this will spur particularly the younger generation to get involved with politics and political leadership.

African proverbs

I love using proverbs from around Africa when I teach and write. African languages are rich in proverbs passed along from generation to generation. Within these proverbs, we find a wealth of wisdom, insight, wit, values, and life lessons. Their meaning is universal; everyone can relate to them on some level. In just one sentence, we find wisdom and poetry, making them easy to remember.

Proverbs also give us insight into African culture and represent the importance of oral traditions, wisdom and stories passed down from the elders to younger generations.

The award-winning Nigerian author Chinua Achebe wrote that “proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten”.

Encouragement for visitors to Africa

For everyone… Before you go, start reading different African-based news sites or listening to podcasts from Africa. And learn your geography! Africa is not a country… there are 55 countries (though some say 54… go figure out why (*smile*).

As you board the plane, leave all your preconceived notions and assumptions at home. Go with an open mind, curious, eager to understand not just what your eyes see, but the history or reasons behind it.

When you get on the ground, don’t just take pictures of the slums, take pictures of the skyscrapers, modern glass office buildings or amazing restaurants. Engage with the people, try the local food. And please experience more than the road from the airport to the hotel or to the office/church.

Spiritually, the West has so much to learn about faith and reliance on God from disciples across Africa. In many countries, Christian books and even Bibles in local languages are not available or expensive. Thankfully, Bible apps are providing easier access to the Bible.

Disciples also rarely have (or cannot afford) Wi-Fi at home. Their only way to access information (if they can afford a smart phone) is via downloads… and you can imagine how many MBs or GBs one YouTube video or Zoom church service costs.

They simply built their walk with God on their prayers and reading the Bible. No Internet research, no bookcases of Christian books, no fancy note books and colored highlighters… just them and God.”

Find Deanne’s book here , and her work: Website: https://www.drdeannedevries.com

Can You Trust the Bible? 3 Reasons to Consider

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 18:13:38 GMT

Was Jesus a myth? Is the New Testament accurate? Did Jesus' followers die for a lie? Dive in with Disciples Today and @Keydogo - Keys For Life as we explore these important questions.

New evangelist appointed—Araújo "Juju" Rodrigues

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 10:46:38 GMT

Celebrating the Luanda church's 24th anniversary

Let's congratulate "Juju" Araújo Rodrigues who was appointed evangelist in Luanda, Angola on Sunday, November 28. This was the highlight of the church's 24th anniversary celebrations, and great encouragement for the Portuguese-speaking churches in Africa.

Juju became a disciple in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1995. He and his wife, Judia, are faithfully serving the church in Angola under very challenging circumstances. The appointment was made by Evangelist and Teacher, Paul Smith, with Evangelist Araujo Franscisco who previously led the church in Angola, also in attendance.

#saicoc

Cycling for Team HOPE

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 10:49:39 GMT

Raising awareness and funds for Early Childhood Development

This last weekend, seven members of the Johannesburg church (South Africa) represented HOPE worldwide SA in the 947 Ride Joburg cycle race to raise awareness and funds for Early Childhood Development (ECD).

Here are responses from some of the participants:

Selepe Phetla (top right) competed for the fourth time in the 94.7 km (58.8 miles) event, which is the world’s second-largest timed cycle race that attracts between 20 000 and 30 000 cyclists. He aimed to finish the race in 3hrs30min and exceeded his expectations by clocking 3hrs23min.

“So far I’ve raised over R7 000 ($441) toward HOPEww SA’s ECD programme, and hopefully more donations will roll in. I enjoyed the race, and it was great to meet some sisters on the road when I had 27km to go. They came to support us and brought additional refreshments,” he shares.

Jacques Genis (bottom left), who leads the campus and singles ministries, competed in his first race. “It was an amazing experience; the best part was being able to do it with my brother-in-Christ, Neil Robinson.”

Neil (bottom right) previously raced for a professional team and, this time, he enjoyed doing it for a good cause. “It was great to enjoy the event and have fun, and to take it in for the joy of it. In previous years it was all a blur as I raced,” he says.

Irene Stotko (middle) had good reasons not to compete—her mom recently passed away. She also had a sore throat and limited training after recovering from an injury. Although she wasn’t part of the official team, she still took part. “I decided to just show up and see how it would go, and managed to finish,” she says.

This year, Keith Marais (top left) competed for the fifth time. “It’s been awesome to ride the race for HOPE, raising awareness around early childhood development while doing what I enjoy most, cycling! Ride Joburg is exactly that—the sites, the sounds, the supporters—the hype is awesome and memorable. For 2022, Team HOPE aims to rally together at least 22 riders.”

HOPEww SA serves and supports over 20,000 children every month. If you would like to support their Early Childhood Development work, go to hopeworldwidesa.org for information and to donate, or follow them on Facebook .

#Heroes4HOPE

A kingdom kid's journey to 'falling in love with Jesus'

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 13:33:58 GMT

From 'wanting' to having her own relationship with God

A much-younger Abigail with her family

Eventually, I chose to take a step back to hopefully see God. I stepped away from church and Bible studies and everything that had always been my safe space.

I’d never felt so lost. Yet somehow, through ways only God knows, I started to long after Him. I read my Bible again, not for the knowledge I could gain, but because I missed God. I fell in love with Jesus, and for the first time, my heart broke as I realised how much Jesus loved me.

Eventually, in the beginning of 2020, I went back to Laura, desperate again, but this time desperate for God, not for self-preservation, and was restored in March 2020.

Now, I still wrestle with the same doubts, struggles and hurts, but I realise God’s love for me is not conditional. It’s not fickle, it will not fail, and it’s much larger than any of these things.

These past two years have been extremely challenging but rewarding because I re-discovered the love of Christ—a love of offering and sacrifice. This is how Christ loves us. Nothing can diminish the love and grace of the cross.

Finally, as 1 John 4:9 says, ‘ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him .’ (NIV)”

Abigail graduated this year with a Bachelor's degree in Music with distinction.

Meet Mfundo and Nobuntu Nondala—leaders of the Central Region

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 09:23:26 GMT

Mfundo and Nobuntu Nondala are married for 17 years and have two children, Thandolwethu and Onothando. They share their story:

What motivated you to become followers of Jesus?

Mfundo: I was invited to a Bibletalk in my neighbourhood in 1994. Since I wasn’t doing anything, I thought ‘let me attend, to hear what it was all about’. I was impacted by the knowledge of the scriptures the disciples possessed, the practical application of the scriptures and their lifestyle (the brother’s household was next to my home). I studied the Bible and got baptised.

Nobuntu: I was invited to a campus Bibletalk at UNITRA (now known as WSU) by a friend from my former church in 1994. I was drawn by the love of disciples in that ministry, although I wasn’t totally comfortable, as I’m an introvert. When introduced to the Bible studies, I knew then that I got what I was missing in my life, as much as I was devoted to my former church. The scriptures made me take a decision to leave my family church. It was a very challenging decision to make as I grew up there.

Manna or locusts and honey? What food mentioned in the Bible would you like to have tried?

Pigeon.

What scripture gives you hope for the future in your Christian walks?

Mfundo: Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Nobuntu: Romans 12:12 (NLT) “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”

Which miracle of Jesus would you have loved to witness, and why?

Mfundo: John 11:43 When he said this, Jesus called in a loud voice," Lazarus, come out!"

I would’ve been interested to see Lazarus coming out of the tomb, as it’s something that has never happened, and that increased the faith of many people, seeing Jesus’s ability to raise the dead.

Nobuntu: John 5: 5-8 The Healing at the Pool—I would’ve loved to see the excitement and joy of this man after being healed from his helplessness. I’m sure that brought hope to others who were sick.

What was the biggest challenge for the Central Region during the pandemic?

Not being able to meet in-person, as we love to stay after church for fellowship. Online services made it difficult for us to feel connected to one another; another challenge was that some members didn’t have compatible devices.

Why should people consider visiting the Central Region?

As a region, we’re blessed to have diverse ethnic groups from all around the African continent. That makes our worship services more edifying and uplifting as we sing in all languages. We are also a youth and family-driven ministry. Our members are very welcoming and hospitable in their homes, irrespective of where you come from, and they extend their love and generosity to bereaved families in their time of need.

Meet Werner and Lize Vos—leaders of the church in Cape Town

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 11:18:11 GMT

What motivated you to become followers of Jesus?

Werner: Growing up, I had a deep desire to have a relationship with God and try to live it out as best as I knew how. Lize (my wife) and her family had been family friends for all of my life. I heard she got involved in an “interesting” church and got baptised. I went to check up on her as I had some concerns about what exactly she became a part of. She asked me some very thought-provoking questions about what it mean to be a Christian according to the Bible. I wasn’t able to answer her and therefore started studying the Bible. It was crystal clear to me that I was in no way a follower of Jesus and that life needed some radical change. I got baptised six weeks later in January 1993.

Lize: I grew up in a “non-practising” Christian home. I lived for myself and the world. I therefore felt a deep uneasiness with saying I'm a Christian. During my first year as a campus student, I started praying and begging God to help me find Him. After one particular emotional Sunday night crying out to God, I got up the Monday morning, went to campus and was invited by a girl to study the scriptures and get to know God! I obviously said yes and got baptised two weeks later.

What do I love about being a disciple?

Werner: Having a relationship with the Creator of the universe. Having him guide my life and empower me to be formed into his image. Along with so many others, be a part of his plan (the renewal of our world).

Lize: I cannot imagine what my life, marriage, and relationships would have been like without God. He indeed does save me from myself. I am humbled and blown away that after 30 years, He still continues to refine my character. I'm incredibly grateful that I can spend time in His Word to renew my mind. He enables me to overcome my inner demons and help others along the way.

How old is the church in Cape Town, and what is their strength?

The church is 30 years old. It's a wonderfully diverse group of people who love each other deeply. The disciples take ownership for us "being the church." The congregation has a highly generous spirit towards giving and service.

Which person in the Bible do you relate to the most?

Werner: David is definitely someone I would like to emulate! I desire the kind of heart that can say, "The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing!"

Lize: I am drawn to the "sinful woman" in Luke 7 due to her heart. I always feel challenged and inspired by her crystal clear understanding of her sin before God. She understood that she was forgiven of much, which enabled her to love much.

What does your family do for fun?

We love going away as a family, picnics on the beach, sunsets, visiting Hermanus and Yzerfontein, and watching different TV series together.

Why should others visit Cape Town?

We live in such a beautiful city with the ocean, mountains and vineyards. The Cape Town disciples are a hospitable, fun and adventurous bunch of people. We love connecting with other disciples across the world and learning from their experiences and relationship with God.

Meet Paul & Jacqui Smith—leaders of the East Region

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:59:21 GMT

Married for eighteen years, Paul and Jacqui Smith are leading the East Region of the Joburg church since 2016. Paul is also a teacher in the Southern Africa region of churches. They share their story:

How and when did you become followers of Jesus?

Paul: A friend invited me to an informal Bible discussion on campus at RAU University (now UJ) in 1999. I said yes, but never showed up (to my shame). This happened several times until he physically walked me to Bible talk after class one day, and the rest is history. A year later, I took up an internship with the church and have been serving in various capacities ever since. Jacqui and I dated, got engaged and married six months to the day on 3 May 2003. Our eldest daughter Gabriella was born in 2006, followed by our youngest daughter Isabella in 2009.

Jacqui : I went to London in 1998 to earn some pounds and see Europe, but God had other plans for me. I went shopping in a mall and an Irish and a Canadian girl reached out to me. I was blown away, because, while I’ve always loved God, I was wowed that some actually cared about other people’s salvation, and I said ‘yes please’. Someone followed up with me every Saturday at 5pm, and I went to a women’s event where I met Claire Barnard. We travelled home together and just connected. I studied the Bible for three weeks, and I was baptised in the East region of the London church on 19 May 1999. I joined the ministry staff here in Joburg in 2002.

Which person in the Bible do you identify with most and why?

Paul: I identify most with Moses, being predominantly melancholic in temperament. I feel deeply and passionately about things which can be both a strength and a weakness. Over the years, I’ve learnt my emotions are often not an accurate reflection of reality but rather mirror my perception of people and circumstances. I need to constantly bring myself back to the Bible, seeking God’s perspective and will versus mine.

Jacqui : I’m a Moses fan, but also connect with Phinehas the Zealot. I related to the zealous part for God’s honour—I’d like to spend time with him. And, in the New Testament, it definitely would be Peter, who I feel I have more in common with than most. Naturally, I’d love to sit down with him and talk about his life, and walking on water.

Paul (second from right) with the other teachers Neil Trollip, Werner Reyneke, Solly Kganyago and Raj Chandra

Paul, what does being an evangelist and teacher mean to you, and what makes it worthwhile?

I was appointed an evangelist in 2015, and a teacher in 2019. I’m so encouraged by the growth in maturity over the years—in recognising the importance of different roles within our ministry leadership teams. Whilst our evangelists’ team is responsible for moving the church forward, the teachers are constantly thinking about different ways we can deepen, grow and mature the faith of the disciples. I look forward to a time when we can have elders fulfilling the roles of shepherds in our congregations here in Joburg, completing the tripartite leadership dynamic we see in various contexts in the Bible.

What was the biggest challenge for the region during the pandemic?

The biggest challenge the East region faced during the pandemic was being isolated. It’s been challenging for most, even the introverts. We need to have our love tank filled with each other. As wonderful as Zoom is, it’s been hard not to be able to speak to people, not being able to hug, have a laugh, look into each other’s eyes and just have a great conversation.

Why should people consider visiting the East region?

We are the smallest region, and many of the Christians here have been around forever. They became disciples when they were single and now are the married’s ministry and the parents. So we’ve known each other for many years and are a real family. It’s been hard with Covid, but we love to have fun, have great kidzone, our teachers are amazing and we have very passionate songleaders. We need encouragement.

Paul and Jacqui with their family

Meet Mpho and Phumla—leaders of the Soweto Region

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 10:10:35 GMT

They are best friends, partners in life and the gospel.

They’ve been married for almost 16 years, have a 14-year-old son, Gomolemo, and twin daughters Oratile and Ofentse, and started leading the Soweto region in February 2019. Let’s get to know Mpho and Phumla Khalo:

How did you become followers of Jesus?

Phumla : My brother introduced me to the church in 1999, when I was 18 years old. I remember being so amazed by the love and attention I received on my first Sunday service; I started studying the Bible soon after. And I knew right away “this is it”, I was found by God. There were some challenges to overcome—breaking away from my previous church, where my aunt (who was my mother figure) was also a member. A deep fear of her gripped me, and I got a bit of persecution for leaving, but got baptised on 28 February 2000.

Mpho: I was met in 2000 during my first week on campus. Before that, another campus ministry at RAU (now UJ) reached out to me. I searched all over for them but couldn’t find them. In my despair, I went to the law faculty to fix some things and Zinhle Pondo reached out to me. I studied the Bible and got baptised six months later on 25 August.

What is the Soweto region’s biggest strength?

Worship, the love of fellowship with one another, togetherness, and resilience through various hardships.

What scripture (s) encourages you to persevere and not give up?

Mpho: Philippians 4:6-8 that talks about not being anxious but praying instead. And Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Phumla: I love Psalm 94:18-19 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” I also love 1 Corinthians 9:24, Galatians 6:9, James 1:12, Hebrews 12:11 and many others.

Which person in the Bible would you like to invite over for dinner and why?

Mpho: Moses. Moses is one of my favourite characters in the Bible. He was bold, fearful and emotional at times. But what I admire the most is he was real. It would be nice to hear him speak about the plagues and the staff, the parting of the sea, the water from the rock, the manna from the sky, and so much more.

Phumla: the Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7:24-30. I’ve always been so inspired and amazed by her shameless audacity, even after obvious rejection from Jesus.

What was the biggest challenge for the Soweto region during the pandemic?

Connection with one another. Depending on the virtual space proved a challenge for many as not everyone had compatible devices, especially our elderly, and data remained a constant issue. During the pandemic we lost five sisters. We are a fellowship that loves being there for each other, but the regulations made it difficult for us to the attend the funerals of our dear sisters and we depended on virtual feeds.

Tough and rough winds expose the sailor, the crew and the boat. While that is so, the pandemic asked a lot of questions about one’s relationship with God. Does daily reading stop because of it? Does fellowship stop because of it? Does evangelism stop because of it? I think this was a time to rise up rather than run down. That’s not to undermine the deadly effects of Covid. I mean, I was in hospital for two weeks with Covid pneumonia. However, we all needed to answer tough questions about our own spirituality. Did following Jesus become conditional, or were we determined to nest in with the birds and hole in with the foxes so long as Jesus leads?

Why should other disciples consider visiting the Soweto region?

Soweto boasts of historical landmarks, famous streets and good food. The church in Soweto is a wonderful church with great worship leaders and the song line-up always reaches a point of surrendered reverence to God Almighty. The brothers and sisters are always very encouraging and welcoming.

We thank God for Mpho’s recovery, and look forward to visiting the Soweto region when Covid restrictions are lifted.

Unsung Hero: Sibusiso Mauze

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 12:57:43 GMT

What it takes to create virtual worship songs

Sibusiso (S’bu) Mauze became a disciple of Jesus 18 years, and joined the worship team in the North-west Region of the Joburg church towards the end of 2004. He shares what it takes for him (and other teams around our fellowship of churches) to put together worship songs for the virtual services:

Did you ever think you’d face a challenge such as last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic?

Whilst virtual worship in 2020 started out as an adventure, which turned out to be a challenge, I never envisaged this type of scenario ever.

How difficult has it been to put together songs during the pandemic?

Putting songs together have been difficult for a few reasons. One major one was not being sure what team is available to take part. That means song choices became a challenge because not all the team members have the technological know-how to record. Sometimes songs have to be redone, and that frustrates everyone. I found it easier if I did the whole song on my own or with my family, because there was more control, but that’s not sustainable and looks exclusive.

Another problem is when singing alone, you cannot align yourself with the rest of your team, and in the end, that becomes a challenge for the sound editor.

What does the sound editor’s work involve?

As the person who does the audio and video edit, I have to wait for people to send me back their files, and that takes long, sometimes too long. After receiving them, the audio edit is first, and then video. Synchronising all the videos is sometimes hard, and one makes tough decisions. The longest a song has taken was four days — from receiving first input to sending out for adding on a service video. Some didn’t make it there because there wasn’t enough usable footage. If I were to count songs where I had to originate the backing track, it’s about a week per song.

What is the biggest challenge in teaching church hymns in the vernacular?

The challenge of teaching venac songs, especially in Gauteng, is the number of languages we have versus the number of speakers in the worship team. We cannot be singing two languages only, so worship leaders have to first learn the song, understand it and present it with feeling. This can be hard if you’re worried about saying the words wrong, then get feedback from the congregation, who have the same challenges. If we focused on fewer languages, it would help, but we currently can’t do that, so we keep going.

Do you have a favourite worship song?

I enjoy worship, and although favourites change all the time, I’d have to say I enjoy leading ‘ Sidumisa Wena Nkosi / Jerusalema ikhaya lami ’.

We’ve all experienced how hard it is to sing together during a live online meeting —*chuckle*— and we appreciate the hard work put in by the worship teams in all our churches with all our hearts. You guys and gals rock!

Meet John and Jane Maleya—leaders of the church in Zambia

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 14:03:58 GMT

"We're willing to go anywhere and do anything for Christ"

John and Jane Maleya lead the church in Lusaka, Zambia. They were baptised in 1991—three days apart—and didn’t know it. John became a disciple on 7th of July and Jane on the 10th, but they only discovered this on their first date five years later.

How did you become followers of Jesus?

J ohn: I came to know about the church through my best friend in the world and one I could say was my “partner in crime” considering the worldly life we both lived. One Saturday afternoon we chatted about which church we’d like to visit because my mum had watched my life and seen how dangerously I was living. She’d spoken to me about finding a church I could commit to. So this friend of mine talked about his cousin invited him to—the Nairobi Christian Church. That following Sunday, we went to check it out, and the service, the sermon, the joy and the enthusiasm of the young people I met convicted me.

I had my own worldly appointments to attend to that afternoon, but the impact of the service was great because when I was invited to a Bible talk that following Tuesday, I readily accepted, and started studying the Bible. Five days later, I was baptised into Christ. My heart was ready even though I didn’t know it, and God used someone who wasn’t even a disciple to bring me to church, and I’m grateful to God. In July, I celebrated 30 years in the kingdom of God. During this time, God showered his grace upon me incredibly, moulding me into the person I am today.

Jane: I was invited to church a month earlier on two different occasions by two different sisters, at the same spot on the street near where I worked. My friends tried to dissuade me from going, spreading rumours that the church was a cult. But I visited to see it for myself. After that first visit, I started studying the Bible, and was baptised a month later.

How did your love story come about?

John: We had been in the church for five years and had never gone on a date. One Saturday afternoon, we met on a group date, and afterwards we shared a bus ride to town. As we spoke, we realised we’d never spent time together, even though we’d both been around for five years. So we set up a date, which happened to be on her birthday, and realised we had so much in common. That was the beginning of our friendship that grew into a dating relationship four years later, and we got married three years after that in May 2003.

Jane: We’ve been married for about eighteen-and-a-half years, and have three children and two grandchildren. Sheila is our eldest. She’s 30, married, and has two children, (nine-year-old Michelle and Leo who is nine months old). Our son Jayson will be 17 in two months’ time and our daughter Jewel is 15.

How long have you been in the ministry?

John: I’ve been in the ministry 29 years, and Jane for 22 years. We’ve led different ministries in Nairobi, and by God’s grace also led ministries in different cities in Kenya, and discipled other churches under the East- African family of churches.

As a couple, this is our guiding scripture and principle:1 Corinthians 9:22b–23 “…. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”

We are willing to go anywhere and do anything for Christ.

Which person in the Bible do you relate to the most and why?

John: For me, it’s Timothy, because his background and character reminds me so much of myself. His grandmother’s faith and love for God as Paul writes, reminds me of my own grandmother’s faith and love for God. She was a prayer warrior and such a genuinely loving and generous old lady. I see the same in my mom who got baptised as a disciple four years after me. She’s also a prayer warrior and has deep faith in God. Their influence formed a powerful foundation for my Christianity. Timothy’s timidity and fear in his early ministry times and Paul’s mentoring reminds me of my weaknesses, and how it has taken great brothers to help me get to where I am now.

Jane: For me, it’s Priscilla (Acquila’s wife). I love her heart to help many know Christ and her hard work in the missions helping Paul and moving from one city to the other spreading the gospel. I’ve also moved around for the sake of the gospel, and I’d love to have the same impact Priscilla had.

What does your family like to do for fun?

We love traveling. Road trips are our favourite pasttime. We also do love our family times together, especially game nights where our competitive nature’s clash.

How does it feel to also have your son as your spiritual brother?

Our son’s baptism was a highlight in our family, and we thank God so much. Relating with him as our brother in Christ is awesome but also weird because of the father/mother and son relationship. However, it means so much to see your child make this all-important decision.

What is the church in Zambia’s biggest strength?

Love for one another. During the pandemic we’ve seen so much empathy and compassion displayed by disciples towards the infected and affected. We still need to grow more in love for the lost so we can win Zambia for Christ.

Unsung hero: Andrew Moage

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 15:33:55 GMT

Focus on the songleaders who help us sing.

Let's give honour to some of the unsung heroes behind the scenes who worked hard to put together worship songs over the last 18 months. First up, is Andrew Moage , from the church in Tshwane. Andrew was baptised in 1994, and joined the worship team in early 1995.

What was this last year was like for the worship teams?

I never imagined a day where we'd need to record our music for the church service. It really was a challenge because we were never prepared for such.

What do you enjoy most about being in the worship team?

I just love the idea of creating music. In as much as we sing existing music written and composed by other people, there is so much that goes on behind the scenes to prepare for an engaging time of worship. The type of singing we do is very intricate—there are many elements that comes with putting together an inspiring worship experience that will be inclusive to as many as possible.

What I enjoy most is that moment when we sing the church's favourite song and you can see most disciples engaged with the song, where people are visibly taken to places where only they can be emotionally.

Is there a scripture that encourages you to sing and worship?

John 4:24 says, " For God is spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth ." What this scripture does for me is take away the burden and sense of responsibility I carry with delivering an inspiring worship experience. This scripture says to me 'just come to God as you are, no pretence, no perfection, no worldly expectation, but in truth, and led by the spirit'. So that's why sometimes worship leaders feel like the system of church can stifle the guidance of the spirit. "In truth and in spirit" sounds to me like 80% spontaneous and 20% planned. That's authentic!

How difficult has it been to put together songs during the pandemic?

It's been difficult because we had to move from live worship to recordings. Our culture and systems have always been geared for live music as well as physical interactions with all members involved. Most members were not in a position to participate in the recordings because of a lack of capacity (resources, knowledge of the use of technology, etc).

Well, we are all excited about the prospect of meeting again for in-person services and being led by worship leaders like Andrew, and many others around our churches in Southern Africa.

Why I left the ICOC and then came back – Pat Hlophe

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:05:23 GMT

Pat grew up in South Africa and has overcome some intense challenges. She tells her story of joining and leaving the church, and then coming back.

Sisters in Soweto Region and Botswana church "dancing in the rain"

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 14:35:51 GMT

Sisters join forces to celebrate Women's Day 2021

Above: The speakers on the day

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the church online and, in 2021, broke down borders when the sisters in the Soweto Region of the Joburg church and the Botswana church jointly hosted an online event to celebrate Women’s Day. This past Sunday, they had 119 devices online during the live event, and this number has since risen to 519.

Choice of theme

The theme, Dancing in the Rain, sprung from Jeremiah 17:7–8 that says, “ But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit .”

The women’s leader of the Soweto region, Phumla Khalo, explains. “This is our region’s theme for the year. So dancing in the rain as in.. a tree deeply rooted is not worried even though it seems to be buffeted by the wind, as it sways about it’s actually dancing.. hence dancing in the rain.”

Phumla (left) and Kedibonye (right)

Joint forces

This was the second collaboration between the Soweto region and the Botswana church–they also shared an Easter series and a midweek series entitled Unbeatable .

Phumla continues. “The impact we were looking for was to highlight the presence and greatness of God in our lives amidst all the tough times we’ve been facing throughout pandemic and other issues. To show we might’ve been through different storms and tossed about by the wind but, in fact, we’ve been dancing in the rain because we’re still here, deeply rooted. God has been there with us through it all. We went around collecting letters of testimonies from women at church who shared what ‘dancing in the rain’ means to them, or how they think they’ve danced in the rain. We compiled the testimonies into a booklet and it’s been so encouraging to read all those stories of women who went, or are going through, challenges with resilience and faith in God,” she shares.

Kedibonye Malejane, who leads the women in Botswana, sums up the Women’s Day event in three words: refreshing, rebooting, reviving. “I feel Covid-19 has dragged us into a spiritual quagmire. The month of July seemed to be the worst, with close friends and family members succumbing to the disease. Dancing in the rain couldn’t have been a more apt theme for a time like this.”

She expressed the hope that “God refreshes them (the Soweto sisters) just as they refreshed us” (Proverbs 11:25) through the joint venture. “We enjoyed a fun-filled, faith-building, sister-bonding time. Personally, the messages have re-ignited my belief and confidence; and I’ve looked up again and wait for amazing things that God has in store for his people,” Kedibonye says.

What “dancing in the rain,” means

Here are the thoughts of some women in the booklet on what “dancing in the rain” means to them:

Larona (Botswana): My journey with Christ began in 2013, but his journey with me had long begun before creation. I have had my fair share of suffering. Particularly losing my mom at a tender age of 13 years on my birthday. It is a day I will never forget. However, as I reminisce on the time period of my loss, I can testify that God created a nest for me. I did not lack anything and still lack nothing for he is with me, my cup overflows. Even at a time when I feel like He is not there, He is.

Mahlatse (Soweto): The heat - Before it rains, the days are very hot and the sun shines bright. This is a season of beautiful times (Ecclesiastes 3:3). The dark clouds - This is the time when your problems feel heavy and the burden of the challenges seems hard to bear (Joshua 1:9). The rain - It just feels like the whole world is just caving in on you and you are in a hopeless situation, it’s a storm! (1 Chronicles 16:11); The rainbow - God reminds you that life is beautiful, and after every storm there is an even better day (Romans 8:37).

Pauline (Soweto): When I lost my husband, the father of my children, my world was shattered as I wondered how life will be without him. I could not comprehend how I will adapt to living a normal life without him. I was overwhelmed by the adjustments that I needed to make in my life, as I assumed full responsibility of taking care of my children and running my household alone. Then, I had to remind myself that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). God is the father to my children and he will defend me at all times at all and that is exactly what he is doing (Psalm 68:5).

Judith (Botswana): I really thank God for my salvation and His guidance in good or bad times. Even though sometimes we stumble and fall, we need to rely on prayer and the word of God to gain our strength back because our father has a good plan and purpose for our lives. One of my favourite scriptures is from Matthew 4:4, and 2 Peter 3:17-18.

Down by the sea—Meet Duncan and Lisa Comrie, leaders of the Durban church

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 14:33:34 GMT

'A common goal and helping as many people as possible'

How did you become disciples of Jesus?

Lisa: Duncan and I had just gotten engaged, and went on a working, adventure holiday, something we wanted to do before we got married. While living in London we were invited to church by a young couple who were also engaged. We were baptised together on 7 June 1991. We were blown away by what we learned in the Word of God, and finding out how God wanted us to live as his disciples. We were also so inspired seeing the diversity of the London church. We had never experienced black and white people being together and being friends.

When did you start leading the church in Durban?

We led the mission team that started the Durban church in December 1994. In October 1998, we left the farm where Duncan was working with his dad, and entered the full-time ministry. This took us to Joburg for eight years, and we returned to Durban in December 2006. The church had gone through a lot and was limping. God continues to strengthen us, as we pray and work hard on our vision to be an awesome family at a church that is diverse and deep in relationships.

Kwazulu-Natal is host to arguably the world's greatest endurance race, the 89km (56 miles) Comrades Marathon that's run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and that around 10 000 runners complete. What lessons can we learn from it in our spiritual race as disciples?

Duncan: It's very sad that this epic race has had to be cancelled due to Covid. I've run the Comrades marathon twice, both “Up” runs from Durban to Pietermaritzburg which has many hills to climb! Two major spiritual lessons I have learnt: Firstly, life is an ultramarathon, not a sprint. The journey is full of ups and downs, twists and turns and learning endurance is a necessity. Secondly, the Comrades marathon levels the playing fields in that it is all cultures, races, classes, ages, occupations and both genders and the common goal is the race. You are there to get through and encourage those around you to make it. The finish is particularly thrilling to watch because it embodies the spirit of Comrades, as participants pull each other over the finish line in their desperation to get to the end before the gun goes off. This is the journey in Christ, a common goal and helping as many people as possible.

Lisa, you are passionate about mental health. How can disciples help one another during these challenging times?

I started studying Counselling because I saw a need to grow in how to help people navigate the emotional ups and downs of life. As disciples I noticed over the years that we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be “fine” and “ok“ all the time. We worry about what people will think if we tell them we are falling apart. The reality is that even as disciples we cannot be fine all the time, we struggle and we are meant to struggle! Mental Health and Grief recovery are particularly close to my heart as I've had to navigate these issues personally.

In 2 Corinthians 1:4, the Bible says, “ He comforts us in our affliction, so that we might be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ”

This scripture has truly come alive for me and I'm passionate about helping people in and out of the church navigate mental health and grief. It is especially a need as we navigate this time during a pandemic. Mental health issues have risen remarkably and dealing with grief and often multiple grief scenarios is a reality. Christians can help each other by sharing vulnerably, not being afraid to get help, and then helping each other to look to God in the situation.

Both your daughters are disciples. What encouragement can you share with parents to help their children build their own relationships with God?

We are very privileged and blessed to have both our grown daughters who became disciples since they were 16. As parents, we wanted to show them God by our example … in the good and the bad! That meant we had to own our mistakes/sin and ask for forgiveness (we encouraged them as they got older to point out our faults …. and they did!); and it meant loving them unconditionally when they made mistakes/sinned. We worked very hard at being emotionally connected as a family and creating a home of vulnerability and safety while having a lot of fun in the process.

A new wonderful stage for our family is that our youngest daughter, Shelley, got married to Jade, so now we have a son! (in the picture below).

If you could choose a profession mentioned in the Bible, which one would it be and why?

Duncan: I was raised on a farm and farmed as a career before going into the ministry. I still read the Bible through the lens of a farmer as there are so many farming illustrations and terms, so I'd say that I would choose the occupation of farming. In the Ministry I see myself as farming for Jesus!

Lisa: I'd choose to be a fisherman as I consider my calling to fish for people a special privilege. I used to fish with my dad as a child and I loved those time with him. I see a parallel in helping God’s people and that he chooses me to be a part of his plan to do that.

Meet Roma and Hanta, leaders in Madagascar

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sat, 29 May 2021 16:22:40 GMT

When people hear the name Madagascar, they think of the animated movie, but there is more to this island than the endangered lemurs. With a population of just under 27 million, Madagascar is the second-largest island country in the world, yet one of the poorest nations. The church in the capital Antananarivo (Tana) comprises 28 members—14 men and 14 women; they grew by four in the last couple of years. We spoke to part-time leaders Roma and Hanta Randrianavelona, who’ve been taking care of the church since 2011.

How is everyone doing?

Madagascar is now amid the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic just as winter is starting. There is limited access to vaccines, while the price of medicines has increased. Currently, four of our members and their family are on treatment and they’ve been in lockdown for weeks, but they are slowly recovering. Seven members of the church who worked in the snack and restaurant industry, and education, lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

What challenges are you facing?

Because of the virus, we’ve had to stop in-person meetings since early April and have online services, fellowship and prayer groups on social media. However, many of our members have a difficulty connecting with the group—some don’t have smartphones and cannot afford access to the Internet.

How did you become involved with the church?

The church was planted in 1997. Hanta was baptised in 1998 and assisted the mission team leaders from 2000 to 2005. I (Roma) was baptised in 1999 on campus while a third-year student at the Faculty of Science at the Antananarivo University. I led the campus ministry from 2000 and assisted HOPE worldwide with community outreach activities.

The two of us “grew up” in the church, started dating in 2003, led the singles ministry together from 2004 to 2006, and got married the following year. We now have three boys aged 12, 10 and eight years old. I started working part-time for the church in 2016 and Hanta in 2019.

What is your dream for the church on the island?

We are praying that we will continue to grow this year as we are studying the Bible with some people despite the limitations caused by the pandemic. We love the church so much, and have dedicated ourselves not only to serve in the ministry but to increase our knowledge of God and His word. We’ve been fortunate to attend ministry training in South Africa in the past, and enrolled in courses with the Athens Institute of Ministry last year. Our fervent dream is to raise up the next generation of young leaders, and to expand the church beyond Tana into the five other provinces of Madagascar.

Please pray for the growth and safety of the church in Tana.

Below: Roma and Hanta with their boys.

Why I left the ICOC and then came back – Kent Washington

Sun, 23 May 2021 05:51:36 GMT

Here is Kent's story and experience with the International Churches of Christ.

Why I left the ICOC and then came back – Ryan Hoke

Sun, 23 May 2021 05:28:48 GMT

Ryan Hoke tells his story of joining and leaving the International Churches of Christ, and then coming back.

Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

Sun, 23 May 2021 05:22:01 GMT

This question is asked by many believers over the centuries and around the world. In this video, we look at two sides of the issue.

For the Joy of Serving

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Wed, 19 May 2021 11:28:01 GMT

Our story: Drs Geoff and Granny "Magran" Setswe

It is normal, as you get older, to start thinking about retirement. But not Drs Geoff and Granny “Magran” Setswe. Like Caleb in the Bible, they are still as “vigorous for battle” in their careers and life as disciples as when they first started out. Geoff is a professor of Health Studies at Unisa, while Granny earned her PhD in 2020. The dynamic duo has been married for 33 years, and they have two daughters (Boipelo and Kitso). The couple became disciples of Jesus 24 years ago. Geoff (59) and Magran (54) and, together with Phillip and Esther Modise, are part of the future planting of the church in Rustenburg (North West Province). They share their spiritual journey thus far:

How did you become members of the church?

Geoff: We visited the church in Pretoria once before I left for the USA to take up a Fulbright Scholarship at Temple University, Philadelphia, from 1996 to 1998, where I completed a Master’s degree in Public Health. My wife stayed behind in South Africa and started studying the Bible with the neighbour who’d invited us to church, and she became a disciple in October 1996. She visited me from December to January, and we went to her new church in Philadelphia. I liked it, and after she returned to South Africa, I studied the Bible with the lead evangelist for Philadelphia at the time (James Campbell) over a period of three days and was baptised that week.

Granny: My husband and I were looking for a church after we moved to Pretoria. I studied the Bible for three months after my first visit. God’s timing is always perfect; and the rest is history. My relationship with God grew through discipling and impactful sermons.

What are some highlights for you during the last 24 years?

When I (Geoff) returned home in 1998, we became Bible Talk leaders in the north of Pretoria, and led the Soshanguve ministry in 2002; we also served in various capacities in the Marrieds and Youth & Family ministries. We introduced premarital counselling for couples, monthly devotionals and marriage retreats. We also helped develop the Youth and Family Ministry in Pretoria around 2014.

How did the fellowship in Rustenburg come about?

Both of us originate from the Royal Bafokeng community in Rustenburg and our plan was to return home on retirement. Vision 2020 identified North West, Mpumalanga, Free State and Northern Cape as provinces that needed a church planting. We bought a farm in Koster near Rustenburg in 2015 in preparation for the mission work. The leaders of the Tshwane church, Themba and Zamalinda Xulu, asked us to consider going on a mission. We accepted the Rustenburg mission challenge in 2019, and the Modise family joined us. Granny and Esther are currently studying the Bible with two women from the area.

The team involved with the work in Rustenburg (above) and one of the services they hosted (below).

What are your spiritual dreams?

To build an interracial and vibrant Church of Christ in Rustenburg and to build leaders who make disciples of all nations in the North West province. To also build strong Youth, Family, Singles and Marrieds ministries in Rustenburg.

What scriptures do you cling to when times are tough?

Geoff: At my baptism, I asked James to read Psalm 128. It remains my favourite scripture.

Granny: The book of Psalms is where I draw strength from when times are tough specifically Psalm 46. This psalm gives me hope and strength because God is my refuge and always ready to help me in times of trouble.

What is your encouragement to disciples struggling in their faith right now?

Geoff: Psalm 128:1: Blessed are those fear the Lord, who walk in His ways (NIV).

The fear of the Lord and a relationship with God is supreme – it is above man-made challenges.

Granny: God is omnipresent. Psalm 16:8. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. (NLT). God is present everywhere for everyone who seek Him in truth.

Please continue praying for open doors in making God known in Rustenburg.

How a 'kingdom kid' found her way back to God

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Mon, 10 May 2021 19:42:56 GMT

She grew up in the church and, after tasting what the world offers, found her way back home. Candice Butler shares her story:

Candice in the US with the twins and her friend Heather (top left)

“ My story with God began as a 'kingdom kid' in the East Region of the Johannesburg Church of Christ . I loved being there. I have the fondest memories of Monja Delport who invested in me, and loved me. She made me feel seen and safe, even though I was an awkward little girl. I loved being the flower girl at her wedding. When I was nine, my family left the church, but I stayed connected through my Uncle Paul and Aunt Jacqui Smith. I spent my holidays with them, doing family devotionals, or accompanying them as they fulfilled their church-related responsibilities. Watching how they lived created a desire in me to also be in the ministry one day.

A fruitless search

As time went on, I silenced those desires. The world became my oyster. At 15, clubbing, smoking hub, and marijuana, became rituals that fuelled destructive behaviour. I felt lonely, angry, and utterly broken. I gave myself to the world, but the more I gave, the emptier I felt. I looked for my belonging in men to fill the gaping hole in my heart. But it left me feeling void of purpose. I prayed to God, hoping that he could fill it, but knew that I was separated from Him because of the way I chose to live. I realised if I continued on that journey, I’d ultimately destroy myself.

Getting back to God

I decided to go back to church, and when I saw Monja again, I still felt loved, and seen, even though many years had passed. We started studying the Bible. It was exceptional how her love for me made such a massive contribution in me finding God. She loved me in such a beautiful way, but I still battled with the idea that I could be worthy of God’s love.

The night before my baptism, I was at a church family camp. In my tent, under a tree, I poured my heart out to God with loud cries, begging him for a sign that He loved, and wouldn’t abandon me as I chose to give my life to him. As my tears dried, I opened my eyes, and there was a street light shining over the tent in the shape of a perfect heart. It stretched out and covered the entire tent. I knew then that I could trust a God that planted a tree and moulded every branch and leaf to comfort me at that moment. I was baptised on 18 October 2015 at the age of 18.

The power of community

I wish I could say that I never questioned His love after that, but the next three years were filled with hills and valleys, beautiful highs, and awful lows. I’m so thankful that I was in the East Region of the Joburg church. Inspiring and spiritual women surrounded, loved, and helped me grasp God’s love, notably Nekecia Van Niekerk and Lesego Parkies.

Another person who inspired the next stage in my life was Emma Bouah (a member of the Cape Town church ), who went to the US through an au pair agency. I caught a glimpse of the independence she established and how she flourished. I always wanted to travel and deepen my identity as she did.

Spreading my wings

So I applied to become an au pair (a live-in nanny) in the US. One fantastic tool was the church locator on the Disciples Today website. I only interviewed families close to a church, and shared my convictions with them. God generously gave me a host family with beautiful twin girls. My host family supported my beliefs and devotion to the church. My host mom, Allison, welcomed me with so much warmth and love. She was intentional and considerate, making my room feel like a home away from home, and supported me in many different ways. This family was an incredible blessing to me.

I became more involved in the Metro Region in Boston . For the first time, no one could make me attend church or serve, it was all my choice, and I found freedom in emotionally stepping out of the shadow of being a kingdom kid. I became independent spiritually, in my own identity. My friendships deepened and I wanted this life as a disciple more than ever. My love for the ministry grew. I was involved in many Bible studies and baptised my best friend Heather Benoit, led a small group, and became a member of SCUAD (Social, cultural, unity, and diversity team) in my region.

Grasping my dream

In 2021, my incredible spiritual mentor, Carrie Travis, asked me if I’d ever felt called to the ministry. It has always been my dream, but I’m plagued with a constant wrestle with self-worth; I am a massively guilty soul. I said I would pray about it, and then shared my dream with my ministry leader Scarlette Van Auken, who encouraged and supported this dream. She was such an incredible cheerleader and, in many ways, still helps me before I even ask.

I applied for the 15-month international internship with the Beam Missions Foundation's “Chance of a Lifetime ” programme. With great joy and excitement, I was accepted into the programme that partners with Camp Hope for Kids in Philadelphia. I will spend three months at camp, nine months training in Boston, and then intern on an overseas mission team for three months.

God has taken me on a remarkable journey to grapple with my insecurities. He’s shown me through His many blessings that He’s holding my hand through it all. My application has come with its challenges; even writing this is difficult, and it feels frightening as I am in the process of finalising the changes of my new visa status. Please pray for me to see how faithful God is even in the midst of uncertainty."

Introducing Dr Granny "Magran" Setswe

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Mon, 03 May 2021 10:13:57 GMT

It took a year before Magran could celebrate with family and friends.

She had to wait almost a year before she could celebrate with family and friends, but on 17 April, Granny “Magran” Setswe, celebrated becoming a Doctor of Education in Curriculum Studies. The celebration of thanksgiving took place in Koster, North-West Province, where family, friends, colleagues and brothers and sisters from Tshwane, Soweto, Soshanguve and Rustenburg, gathered to encourage her.

On 25 May 2020, the University of South Africa hosted a virtual graduation ceremony for Magran and others to mark the occasion, but while she collected great memories, it just wasn’t the same as having her friends and loved ones with her.

Her doctoral degree is a specialised study in Curriculum Studies focussing on Instructional Design component. Her study was on the Use of Mobile Learning Technologies for the Professional Development of Academics at a University of Technology. “It took me six years to complete this qualification on a part-time basis,” Magran shares.

“God sustained me through this long journey that reached a successful conclusion. My supervisor and co-supervisor guided me throughout the process. My husband, Geoffrey Setswe, played a role as a coach and lover-mentor. My daughters Boipelo and Kitso kept encouraging and challenging me to strive on, even when I felt tired and sick. I also received support of continuous prayers from our spiritual family in Tshwane and Soshanguve.

All these motivated me to be more determined to continue this journey with hope. I’d say perseverance and determination on my part played a big role in this journey,” she adds.

An Answered Prayer – Marissa's Story

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:18:35 GMT

Marissa Rossouw shares her story

“My name is Marissa Rossouw. I live in Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha), where I teach children with special needs who are partially hearing and have speech delays. I was baptised on 9 January 1992.

I was born and raised in Cape Town, but moved to Port Elizabeth (PE) in 1990 and attended a traditional church where I taught Sunday school. In November 1991, I became aware of God’s incredible goodness and kindness towards me and prayed that He would lead me to a church or an organisation where I could serve Him.

In December of that year, I visited my family in Cape Town. A friend who’d been working in London where he had become a Christian, invited me to a party. One sister asked me to study the Bible that night. I said yes and was baptised about two weeks later. During that fortnight, I joined the group in sharing their faith and in other spiritual activities. I saw a group of people who were serious about the Bible and imitating Jesus, and knew that I wanted to be a part of them. I was also amazed at what I was learning from the Bible. Years later, I realised that this was God’s answer to my prayer the year before.

I returned to PE where church comprised a group of seven members who listened to sermon tapes–sent from Cape Town and Johannesburg–at a sister’s home on Sundays. That was because there was no evangelist or brothers who could preach in PE at the time. Through God’s grace, the membership grew and the Port Elizabeth church was established.

In 1999, the church became involved with a local children’s home. There, I met my beautiful, adopted daughter, Masindi, who was only two years old at that time. This was God’s divine plan because I did not intend to be a single mother. But I loved her at first sight and had a burning desire to be her mom. That was how I knew it was from God. He even took care of the entire adoption process. She is now a 23-year-old baptised disciple and part of the singles ministry. She also teaches the toddler class on Sundays. More than that, she serves on the worship team on Sundays. I had a lot of help from God and disciples in raising her, and I’m so grateful for all the help I received.

At church, I’m very involved in the children’s ministry, and I’m part of the Golden Girls Ministry. This group comprises women who are divorced, some who have husbands who are not part of the church, or are mature single sisters. My best friend and discipling partner, Mercia Larkin, leads this outstanding group of women.

I am grateful and privileged to be a disciple of Jesus, and I pray God will continue to use me in His Kingdom, and that I will remain faithful to Him until the day I die.”

Meet Juju and Judia, leaders of the church in Angola

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 15:11:32 GMT

Meet Araujo (Juju) and Judia Rodrigues, who lead the church in Angola. The group started 2020 with 97 members and grew to 125 by the end of the year. The challenges they face are unemployment, and a loss of connection between disciples, as not all members have access to cell phones, computers or Internet connectivity. This makes it a challenge to strengthen and encourage everyone.

How were you met?

Juju: I grew up in a very religious family and considered myself a Christian even though I was not living like one; I was so sure that I was a good person and a good Christian. In 1994, I left Angola to avoid conscription into the army, and because I was looking for a better life–I wanted to be rich. So, Johannesburg (South Africa) was the country of choice. I did not know that it was God pulling me out of Angola because He had a plan and a purpose for life. In 1995, a very persistent friend kept inviting me to church. I went to visit, and I’ve not seen anything like it: the diversity of people, race and colour, and most of all, the love I felt from people. I didn’t think twice, but studied the Bible and was baptised in the Lord.

Judia: I was baptised at 16. This was around August 2002. Three different people invited me to church four times, at different times and places, before I accepted an invitation to visit the church. I will forever be grateful, because I see God arrived at the right time. Although I grew up very religious, I was at a stage in my life where I was slipping into the world. My first contact with the church was “wow!” So much attention, warmth, that made me consider going back to visit, I studied the Bible in two weeks. It was an enormous challenge for me to admit I wasn’t a Christian and was in the darkness, because I’d been baptised before. I considered myself a weak Christian, but still a Christian. The studies that won my heart were the sin and cross study. Beside my pride and defensiveness, those studies made me realise I needed God. I wanted to go back to him better. With him is where I belonged, and by God’s grace, his word, and this great family, I am still persevering 19 years later. My aim is to win the prize that is waiting for me in heaven. Each day, I am filled with gratitude for what God has done in my life and for arriving at just the right time.

Which Bible verse is your go-to scripture when you need encouragement?

Juju: I love Ephesians 4:2 “ Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love .”

Judia: I have a few, but love Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus .” and Lamentations 3:37 that says, “ Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it ?”

If you could go on a trip with any character in the Bible, who would that be, and why?

Juju: The apostle Paul: He understood how the Christian life should be lived; he knew about what he had become, and the purpose that God had for his life.

Judia: Moses, because I admire his encounter with God, his capability of leading so many people in the wilderness, and to still be known as a humble man.

What three words would you use to describe your family?

Judia: Fun, hospitable and noisy! We love spending time together, get on each other's nerves often, and we love receiving people at home.

Manna or locusts–which food described in the Bible would your family like to try?

Juju: Manna.

A Christmas like no Other

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 12:42:00 GMT

Trusting God amid the pandemic, Part Three

Dr Shiru Muhoho-Minni is in her 60s, and part of the singles ministry in the Windhoek International Church of Christ in Namibia. She describes her encounter with the COVID-19 virus:

“COVID who?” I asked my friend Bacy in confusion, as my mature sisters and I were lying on top of a huge rock and enjoyed one of the most beautiful sunsets I’d seen in a long time. Watching a play of colours behind the amazing Namibian sun dunes, a marvel of God’s creation; I immersed myself in a daydream, a feeling of a surreal world devoid of virus and such other calamities. My friend Bacy had asked me something about COVID-19, but in the world, I was in at that moment, COVID-19 did not exist. I was not even sure I had heard of the word before.

Fast forward to Christmas Day 2020. I was sitting at the furthest end of the garden with a plate of food served from the beautifully laid out Christmas lunch table where my daughter and niece were enjoying the sumptuous meal. They had specially prepared it to cheer me up. Although was separated from the lunch party table which I would’ve loved to be part of, spiritually I refused to be bowed down by the separation. Courtesy of COVID-19, I ended up alone in my little corner of the garden on Christmas Day. COVID-19, was the virus that in my previous self-opinionated life was a disease that affected others, not me.

It started as a little dry cough, headache and fever. Nothing to worry about, I told myself. After all, I had gone through major colds and flus before. On Day 3 of the “little flu”, I started experiencing a foggy feeling under the crown of my head. I went to the pharmacist who gave me medication for my symptoms. It then dawned on me I might have contracted COVID, but then it was a Friday afternoon–the day my doctor worked half-day. I started wearing masks and gloves; I locked myself in the bedroom for the entire weekend and sanitized myself until I started smelling like a medicine cabinet.

On the Monday, I went to see my doctor, who said that I might or might not have COVID, but I did not need a test. Instead, I should just continue with the medication that I got from the pharmacist, after all even if I tested COVID, they’d advise me to take the same medication. All I needed was to self-isolate. He further added that he was not afraid of contracting the virus after all. Everyone would get it; it was just a matter of when. His casual attitude surprised me. I went home and continued to self-isolate. I felt much better, but as luck would have it, I got a call from my doctor’s practice informing me that he had confirmed COVID positive and I should self-isolate and go for testing after three days, which I did with my niece and my daughter. Twenty-four hours later, while happily working out on a treadmill, feeling almost recovered from my little flu, the doctor’s practice called again with the results that my daughter and niece were negative but I was positive.

My emotions went on a roller coaster, I broke down crying, not because I was positive, but at the realisation of God’s mighty hand at play in this situation. I had been walking around with the deadly virus and I didn’t pass it on to my family. What a mighty God I have. I cried in thanksgiving for his protection and grace.

The COVID centre called me two days later to give me COVID survival instructions. I had to self-isolate for 14 days. By now I was an expert in self-isolation. Self-isolation became my buzz word for December 2020. As I sat, slept, read and ate in my bedroom and exercised in the garden (sometimes in the dead of the night); I went through different emotions:

Self-pity and worry–how could this happen to me? Why me? Where did I pick it from? What if it was just me and my daughter in the house, how would she have coped looking after me and herself? Had I updated my will? What if I died, who would look after her?

Weird self-diagnosis–For reasons that until now I cannot decipher, I decided that the virus was inhabiting under my fingernails, so I cut them almost to the roots, and I would check them every day to ensure that they were not growing back. I would scrub my fingers red, to ensure that I did not contaminate the rest of my body with the virus by depositing whatever my fingers were carrying. As if the virus was not already living in the same body that held my fingers in place. My nails become my number-one enemy.

Claustrophobia–Although I have burglar-proof doors and windows, which I left open day and night, I knew I could get out of the room whenever I got claustrophobic, but that did not stop me from hyperventilating every time; I remembered I was in self-isolating.

The crying–Out of nowhere, and for no apparent reason, I found and still find myself on the verge of tears. Something that rarely happened to me before COVID. I wonder what this means or what causes it.

Self-isolation had its advantages: it was time to for self-reflection on my relationship with my family, friends and others. I reflected on my contribution to the community I live in. Am I a good person? Do I give the needy from the goodness of my heart or because I want to pat myself on the back?

Most of all, I reflected on my spirituality and my relationship with God. I vowed to be a better person and count my blessings every day, whatever the situation. My love of God and appreciation of friends, family and others increased. I vowed to glorify God not only in prayer and worship, but also in action. I take count of my actions every evening before I sleep.

Am I a better person today? Yes, in some areas; in others it is a work in process; but I believe with the Holy spirit by my side I will succeed. The same God who saw me and my family through COVID-19 will take care of my future.

My encounter with the deadly virus was a humbling experience and a reminder that a little dry cough, a little headache and a little fever could kill you, your family and others you might never know. Be responsible! And God will take care of the rest.

To God be the glory!”

'Drenched in Support' – a sister in Botswana's experience

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 11:56:17 GMT

Trusting God amid the Covid-19 Pandemic, Part Two

"My name is Merrelrash Seema. I’ve been a disciple of Jesus Christ for seven years here in Gaborone, the capital city, where I enjoy fellowship with the Botswana International Church of Christ.

I’m a professional and mother of two adult children. My eldest, a daughter, has two sons aged eight and six, and we live in one household as a close-knit, happy family. W e all got the virus and still experience lingering side-effects.

Covid-19 has affected my finances, and I now have to take care of both my children and two grandchildren. My daughter worked in South Africa. She returned home last December as her company couldn’t continue operating with their full complement of staff.

At a macro-level here in Botswana, there is no salary increment this year because of the pandemic. Living costs are higher than ever before.

I became closer to God than ever before. He worked wonders when I thought everything shut down on me during our quarantine period as a family. We had the full support of fellow members of the church. We lacked nothing. Our recovery was swift because of the psycho-social, emotional and spiritual support they drenched us in. God showed us He is the greatest healer. In Him there is no fear at all. His word encouraged me; it showed that I can conquer everything if I depend and rely on Him. His grace is sufficient and we never go to bed hungry.

The past year has shown me that God is in control. He can bring the entire world to a standstill. It was a year like none before. It showed me that “life is meaningless” as Ecclesiastes 2:11. We toil so much and yet we can’t even control the air we breathe. The biggest lesson is that I can only survive if I include God in my life–if I depend on and surrender all to Him."

How God takes care of us – a sister's experience in Bulawayo

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 11:34:37 GMT

Trusting God amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Part One

Cabangani Ndlovu

How have disciples coped since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic? We find out in the first of three stories about sisters in our Southern African region of churches.

Cabangani Ndlovu is a single mother, and member of the Bulawayo International Church of Christ, in Zimbabwe. She has an 18-year-old daughter who is also a disciple of Jesus.

Cabangani has been a disciple for 16 years. She shares her story:

"The Covid-19 pandemic brought fear and uncertainty into my life. During the first lockdown, I spent most of my time watching the news on TV and saw so many people losing their lives. Fear, and loss of faith, was the order of the day.

I am thankful that l did not lose my job. I’m a teacher at a private school, so teaching continued online. That was challenging at first, but now I’m used to it.

God’s hand, his grace and faithfulness have been so clear in my life. I fell ill at the start of the first lockdown in March last year, and thought I had contracted the virus, but I recovered quickly. As I have a chronic illness, I thank God for keeping me and my family members safe from Covid-19. In fact, Psalm 121 encourages me—it teaches me to trust God and to know that he will take care of me even during the pandemic.

In this Covid-19 era, I’ve learnt that God is in charge. He’s in control and takes care of me and my loved ones. I use public transport to move around, and God protects me every single time. Deuteronomy 31:6 inspires me. It says, ' Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.' Another passage that encourages me is Revelation 3:10, ' Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. '

My greatest lesson during this time is to pray a lot and submit my requests, worries, and anxieties to God. I pray for every little thing l can think of. Philippians 4: 6-7 says: ' Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus .'

When I am worried or anxious, I pray and trust that God is in control."

Profile in Perseverance: Ba Mayo

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 13:52:04 GMT

“ But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul faced many challenges and pain in his ministry, but he persevered and pressed on to the spiritual finish line.

In Lusaka, Zambia, Peace Mwitwa, known as Ba Mayo—translated as “our mother”—is someone who presses on and perseveres through the painful challenges of life. She’s such an inspiration. Ba Mayo has endured pain for most of her life. But when you meet her, you wouldn’t know that. She has the most welcoming smile and the warmest heart.

At 78, she’s been a disciple of Jesus for over 20 years. Way back in 1978, at 36, she suffered a massive heart attack coupled with a stroke that paralyzed her. She spent considerable time in hospital–unable to sit, talk, eat or do anything for herself. That lasted almost a year, with her children often left alone at home.

Ten years later, she suffered another massive heart attack and stroke. It weakened her even further. Meanwhile, because of her sickness and stay in hospital, her marriage suffered, and so did her kids. Ba Mayo was in pain and unable to do much for herself.

She lost her first five children while they were babies. It was a big blow. Ba Mayo had five more children who became adults. Along the way, she lost one child to a heart attack. Another succumbed to a terminal illness, while one other disappeared on campus. She currently lives with a grandson who has a medical condition caused by a bout of cerebral malaria.

She’s been on medication for over 40 years. Most nights, she’s unable to sleep because of pain. She can’t even attend church because any vigorous activity causes attacks.

Last year, she lost her husband in a road accident. Talk about pain. She has seen and felt so much.

Yet, when you talk to her, she’s so encouraging. She’s not bitter towards God. Instead, she has a positive outlook on life. Whenever anyone visits her they end up leaving encouraged and uplifted.

How is she still standing despite all that she’s gone through? This is her advice: “You must know whose you are. You belong to God, and His presence and influence will help you stand in times of suffering.

“You must learn to encourage yourself during times of pain and struggle. Fix your thoughts on Jesus and not on the problem. Because He is the problem solver. If you are connected to God, no matter what you go through, his presence swallows it up,” she adds.

Ba Mayo is pressing on towards the finish line. She has learnt to await with eagerness the crown of righteousness kept for her by the Lord. She has words of encouragement for you. “Focus on God because He will turn your pain into gain and your scars into stars. So regroup, refocus, and resolve to press on.”

So I ask you, how are you doing? Are you bitter about the pain and challenges you’ve gone through? Or are you pressing on to the finish line, forgetting what’s behind and straining towards what is ahead?

Ba Mayo is a living example of what it means to persevere through pain and suffering.

Meet Rapula and Kedi – church leaders in Gaborone, Botswana

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 10:59:58 GMT

Rapula Malejane has been in the full-time ministry since 2016, while his wife Kedibonye (Kedi) works for HOPEww while overseeing the women’s ministry in the church in Gaborone, Botswana. It is a challenge to ensure all the members of the church are taken care of during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain fellowship amidst the restrictions in place. The country’s vaccination programme will only kick off at the end of March.

How and when did you become part of the church?

Rapula: I was living on campus at the University of Botswana in 1996 and longed to find God and a church that truly obeys Him. I used to visit a church where there had been physical fights, and I felt they were not serious about obeying God. One weekend, I went shopping at a mall in Gaborone, where a member of the Botswana International Church of Christ invited me to a midweek service close to there. But I didn’t go because it was outside campus. Weeks later, I accompanied a relative to a store in town, and went to the music section while I waited. Just then, another brother invited me to a Bible talk on campus. I found that convenient enough, so I went. I started studying the Bible shortly afterwards and was baptised in June 1996.

Kedi: My sister Miracle became a disciple while studying in London. She reached out to me by doing a crash Bible study in 1992 when she returned to Botswana for my brother’s funeral. A few months later, when I had just started studying at the University of Botswana, she and the late Joshua Diane took me through the conversion Bible studies. When I compared what I learnt to my lifestyle, I was very ashamed, even though I had thought all along that I was living out a Christian life. Every Bible study brought a new challenge, it was as if I was reading the Bible for the first time. They baptised me in April 1993.

What Bible verse convicted you the most during your Bible studies?

Rapula: There wasn’t any specific Bible verse. Rather, one thing that convicted me was the way the members of the church lived out what they were learning from the Bible. My favourite Bible verse for years now has been John 12:24 “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Kedi: There wasn’t a particular scripture, but it was the Light & Darkness study. It was sobering to realise that I’d been lying to myself, thinking I was on the right path.

If you could ask a question from any character in the Bible, who would that be and what would be your question?

Rapula: One of my favourite people is Joshua, son of Nun. I would ask him to describe the journey under the leadership of Moses. Then I’d ask him to describe the leadership transition from Moses to him and beyond that.

Kedi: David. I would ask how he kept it real with God, and why he thinks God considered him a man after His own heart.

What three words would you use to describe the church in Gaborone?

Rapula: Searching for truth.

Kedi: Resilient. Passionate. Family.

What is your favourite family activity?

Rapula: Traveling together.

Kedi: Traveling to unknown places or just being on vacation, collecting memories together.

Meet the leaders in Harare—Edwin and Christine Shumba

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 09:26:04 GMT

Edwin and Christine Shumba went into the full-time ministry in August 2015 and started leading the church in Harare in August 2018. Last year, God blessed the church with 18 baptisms and three restorations, and they now have 245 members. Currently, like the rest of the population, the brothers and sisters are affected by the country’s unstable economy and high rate of unemployment, limited Internet connectivity, erratic electricity supply and a shortage of water in some areas.

How were you met?

Edwin: Barnabus Chukwueke invited me to church one Saturday morning during my last year of high school in 1989. I was queuing to make a phone call at a public booth. Barnabus had come to Zimbabwe on the mission team while he was still studying the Bible. I was doubtful about attending but did so, and was blown away by the interracial gathering I saw. I struggled with honesty and insecurity during the studies, but was baptised in 1990. The rest is history.

Christine: A sister called Linda invited me to a Bible discussion in 1989. I was a working single at 19 years. The sisters lived in a household in my neighbourhood and built a friendship with me. Their warmth and love drew me to the church. Although I had grown up in a religious family, I didn’t know my Bible. I was quick to respond to the scriptures because I was amazed that no one had taught me these things before. The two aspects of my conversion which were the most difficult for me to change were to share my faith with strangers because I was very timid, and I had to forgive somebody in my past. It took me a while to change these aspects as I battled to think, feel and be like Jesus in these areas. Once I got over this hump, by God’s grace, I was happy to become a true follower of Christ and was baptised on 17 January 1990.

What is your favourite scripture?

Edwin : My favourite scriptures are in five chapters (38-42) of the book of Job.

Christine: I have many, but I’ll quote Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV) that says, “ But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit .”

If you could invite anyone in the Bible over for dinner, who would you invite and why?

Edwin: It would have to be Joshua, so I could learn about obedience and humility from him. I’d love to know how he humbly walked under the mentorship of Moses while almost obscure the entire time. I wonder how he kept himself humble despite experiencing the wonders he witnessed when Moses spent time with God. These encounters shaped his character, and it would be great to learn all that from him. Joshua was a man of great obedience and he followed through God’s instructions right up to the end. His discipline and great fear of God is something that I’d love to learn.

Christine: I’d love to serve dinner to Simon Peter. I’ve always admired his resilience, and that he was so thick skinned. Jesus said in his presence, ‘Get behind me Satan.’ The Bible doesn’t even indicate he had an attitude with Jesus… what a pure heart. Plus, Jesus told him he’d betray him when the rooster crowed and Peter did exactly that. But then he was there at Pentecost ready to serve in the Kingdom. I’d ask him about another exciting event: walking on water. That must’ve been an amazing experience, until he started sinking and Jesus had to rescue him. I wonder how he felt, and what he thought in all these situations. Peter is like a rubber ball–always bouncing back. In my Christian journey sometimes I’ve not been spiritually okay, and experienced many challenges in working with people because we are all so different. I’d like to imitate Peter’s heart and keep bouncing back and move forward with a godly heart.

What’s the Harare church’s biggest strength?

Edwin: Resilience.

What is your family motto?

Christine: “Togetherness”, broken down as doing things together as a family with our daughters Rumbidzai Kelly, Lisa and Laura.

Meet David and Barbra Gondongwe

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:41:42 GMT

Spotlight on the leaders of the church in Bulawayo

This year, we’ll take time to get to know some of our leaders in the Southern African region of churches. First up are David and Barbra Gondongwe, who lead the church in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. David and Barbra entered the full-time ministry in 2008 and led the church in the capital, Harare, for 10 years. They moved back to Bulawayo in 2018. Life in the city is tough and characterised by high unemployment, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Poverty is rife, and the population is battling to make ends meet. Most people survive by "hustling"—buying and selling whatever they can lay their hands on. Generally, it is common to see a woman sitting on the side of the street, and trying to sell a heap of very small, shriveled lemons. Some gather wild fruits from surrounding bushes, or collect Mopane worms which they try to sell to passers-by. Men beg to clean your vehicle for a small fee. Despite all the economic hardship and death of loved ones, in 2020 the church in Bulawayo grew to 78 members–with 10 baptisms and one restoration. The church is very grateful for the benevolence funds they received from sister churches and praise God for his loving faithfulness towards them.

Where were you met?

David: In 1990, a colleague and I stopped by a supermarket in Avondale, Harare. I was pushing a large trolley that fell over and spilled its contents. For one long, embarrassing moment, the other shoppers gave us their complete attention. Then, as if by magic, a giant white man and his wife appeared (Kevin and Andee Finnerty who are now elders in NYCC) to help us. They invited us to church, but I bluntly told them, “I don’t do church.” They also gave me an invitation card to church, which I accepted because I didn’t want to seem ungrateful. At that time I was in the army but on attachment at the biochemistry department of the Public Health Laboratories as part of my Medical Laboratory Technology training. For a whole month, twice a week, we received phone calls from Kevin and Andee inviting us to midweek and Sunday service. Eventually I said to my colleague, “let us just go once then tell them we did not like it,” because they kept saying, ‘just come and see. You don’t have to come back if you don’t like it.’

One Sunday morning we went to church. I was still single then. I don’t remember the sermon title, but I vividly remember the point the preacher man made: that any sex outside of marriage is a sin. What convicted me was that I saw in his eyes that he believed it was possible for single people to abstain till marriage. That was a very noble idea. The challenge was that I was still single with no steady girlfriend, meaning if I committed myself I would need to stay pure for many years. I'm always one for taking up a good challenge, so I studied the Bible and a month later, on 30 November 1990 I was baptised.

Barbra: I was met on campus, at The University of Zimbabwe, in 1990. I was at the lowest point of my life. The previous college break, I had just survived what I now understand was severe depression. I had just collapsed, while I was at my parents’ home, and knew that I was dying, even though I didn’t know why. I had just come out of a seriously confusing time. In my first year on campus, I’d been involved in a lot of sin; it killed something inside of me and I was just a shell of the happy, bubbly me.

A college mate invited me to a games afternoon. I told her I wasn’t interested. I was quite antisocial at that time and really didn’t like people. I was a loner. That afternoon, I went for my usual lonely walks. By default, my road passed by the house where the games were taking place. I could hear lots of laughter, and so I just peered in through the gate. Of course disciples quickly invited me in and totally embraced me. Somehow, I loosened up, and ended up being the happiest, loudest girl at that party. At the end of the day, they asked me if I would like to study the Bible. I agreed, but I was religiously proud and believed I knew the Bible more than most people. But by the time we had looked at the first few scriptures of the word study, I was totally humbled. I loved the studies and studied almost every day. I spoke about the mess of my life, cried my heart out and felt the burden of sin fall off. I was restored to my old happy self. Within that same month, I was baptised. I have never looked back. I continue to be humbled by God’s love and goodness to me.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

David: My favourite verse is Ephesians 4:2 “ Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ”

Barbra : For me, it’s Jeremiah 29.11 “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future .” It kept me sane, those many years ago, when I broke up with my American boyfriend. He was an exchange programme student from Michigan, who after the mess of my first year, had just accepted me as I was and loved me. He went back to the States and bought a ticket for me to follow. But, about two or three weeks before my flight, I started studying the Bible. At the end of my studies, I had to make a decision to pursue my relationship with my boyfriend, or to seriously pursue and hold on to my relationship with God. I chose the latter, and have never looked back. Now, 28 years later, married to a hunky, handsome guy who loves God more than he loves me, my cup overflows.

If you could witness any great event in the Bible, which one would it be, and why?

David: For me, it would be the crossing of the Red Sea, and the total annihilation of the mighty Egyptian army. I love and feel inspired by a good fight, especially one in which the underdog triumphs. Inspired as I already am, to see it live would boost my faith for eternity.

Barbra: The angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary to tell her she would conceive and be the mother to a son, Emmanuel. The simplicity of her faith, and her acceptance of God’s wish, amazes me. I think that conversation is just so beautiful.

Which person in the Bible would you like to have in your church, and why?

David: I’d be thrilled to have Barnabas, the son of encouragement. The church would benefit a lot from his character traits, and I’d learn from him in relating better with others.

Barbra: That would be Abigail. She would inspire so many of us (the sisters). Her wisdom, as a godly woman, married to an ungodly man, her managing her household; her experience as a widow, and her wisdom as one of the wives of King David. There is so much wealth there.

Describe your own family in a few words.

David: Adventurous, Fun-loving.

Barbra : A gift; fun, deep/strong.

Devoted to Prayer—Chandra and Meenu's Story

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 10:05:47 GMT

If you are wondering how you can contribute to God’s kingdom, then you will find inspiration from two young-at-heart disciples in Pretoria, South Africa. Uncle Chandra (76) and Aunty Meenu (67) Gopalan are devoting themselves to the ministry of prayer. They spend time every day praying for the church in Southern Africa, the government, and also offer up individual requests.

Both previously practised Hinduism, but became disciples in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA) in 2009 when they visited their son Raj; they were impacted by the sacrificial love of Jesus on the cross and the hope of resurrection. After their baptisms, the couple served the church in Doha, Qatar, where Chandra was working at the time. They now live in Pretoria, South Africa, where Raj serves as campus minister and teacher in the Tshwane church.

The retired couple explain how they embraced the ministry of prayer.

What made you decide to take up this ministry?

Servitude was instilled in me (Chandra) from a young age. I had to serve my family in a variety of ways due to forced circumstances, and Meenu supported me very ably, and it continued later in my life as a disciple. Normally, when someone retires, they would go back to the country familiar to them. But God had a different plan and brought us to South Africa. As Christians, we live in a community of believers. We feel at home, and want to serve our wonderful biological and spiritual families. As a retired person with limited resources, I was at a loss as to how we could serve our spiritual family in a new country. I use a Bible app for my quiet times, and one day I read that I could stay at home and pray as a way to serve. Instead of feeling helpless, God opened a door for us to serve his kingdom. Around the same time, there was an opportunity for us to pray for one of the brothers. We added his prayer request to our daily prayer for our biological family. A week or two later the brother came back joyful and shared that God had indeed answered our prayers.

How do you get prayer requests?

We talked to our church leaders, Themba and Zama Xulu, about our desire to pray for our spiritual family. They made a prayer box that we used to bring to church every Sunday for people to drop in their requests. Because the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to in-person services, we switched to a social messaging service.

When do you pray?

We start early in the morning after our quiet times in the Bible. We usually complete the whole prayer in one sitting, or break it up into two or three segments if there are unavoidable disruptions.

What do you pray about?

We pray for our biological family, our spiritual family in general, the country and the government, the world at large, our local and international family of churches; protection and healing from COVID; a return to normalcy of life all over the world, and individual requests.

Do you get feedback about answered prayers?

Yes and no. Some brothers and sisters are very prompt in getting back to us immediately, and our response is to praise and thank God for his grace, mercy and generosity. Yet, in other instances, we contact people for feedback. Oftentimes, we don’t know who we are praying for as there’s no name attached.

What is your approach to prayer?

We believe that when we pray for others, we should pray with the same concentration and zeal as if we’re praying for ourselves. We are pouring our hearts out to our Almighty God. It is a privilege, and we believe that we need to be diligent. We must remember to thank God for answering our prayers. It’s essential to express our gratitude.

What encourages you most about being able to pray for others?

It is simple. To anyone who desires to offer something of great value with the least physical effort and without much resources, prayer is the best way forward. It’s a great way to fellowship with our Father in heaven. We serve a loving, merciful, generous, compassionate, gracious, glorious God, and it’s a privilege to commune with him.

What’s your encouragement to those who may feel that they don’t have much to offer God’s kingdom?

In 1 Corinthians. 4:16, the Apostle Paul says, “So I urge you to imitate me” (NLT). Even if we don’t imitate the Apostle Paul in what he’s done or gone through, we can pray for others. We don’t need to travel far, we can do it wherever we are. All we need is a desire and heart to pray.

What are some of your favourite scriptures about praying for others?

There are too many to mention. But, one that comes to mind is the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, it is a community prayer; Colossians 1:9 says, “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you” (NIV).

Finally, 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (NIV).

Keydogo Good News Minute 3

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 18:01:33 GMT

God worked powerfully over the last year in Mexico and Cuba! Over 400 baptisms and restorations in Mexico and an inspiring, fruitful house church in Cuba are two of the highlights!

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 20:05:47 GMT

Baptism in Mauritius

Helping a family member become a follower of Jesus is super special, even if it is from a distance. Sweta Balloo is a member of the church in East London (UK), and she had to be content with watching her mother Manoo Narroo’s baptism in Mauritius via Zoom.

God is not limited by time or space and, thanks to technology, nor are his children. Sweta’s mother studied the Bible over a period of three months. The disciples in London, Johannesburg (South Africa), Mauritius, and Bangalore (India) all helped. This team effort took place over Zoom, and Manoo impressed everyone with her humility and desire to know Jesus.

“December 6 was the most wonderful day of my life–seeing my mum baptised. I was anxious beforehand (with all the planning). But when everything was ready, I was overjoyed with happiness. Up until now, I was the only one saved in my family, so this means a lot to me,” Sweta shared.

This story about love and unity started in March when the global Covid-19 pandemic restricted in-person meetings. There are only five disciples in Mauritius. So a small group of brothers and sisters in South Africa, England and Australia decided to form a virtual mission team to encourage them.

Coordinating a Bible discussion over five different time zones was no mean feat. But, the team managed to hold virtual Bible discussions twice a week–one at lunchtime and the second after dinnertime in Mauritius. Manoo faithfully attended both.

The Bible studies also presented a challenge. The sisters had to conduct the studies in English, have Manoo read the scriptures in French, and had translations in Creole (the home language in Mauritius). She also came from a Hindu background, and that’s where Teacher Raghu Katharga assisted from Bangalore.

“My mum appreciated the meetings and the teachings, and the chance to know the true living God better. She’s had to work hard and dig deep into the Bible to know more about him,” Sweta explained.

The day of the baptism finally arrived. Organising a baptism remotely took prayer, faith and fasting to make sure everyone was able to meet up and followed the Covid-19 regulations in Mauritius. Such was the enthusiasm that one sister, Marie-Therese, arranged for a taxi to pick up the disciples from their various homes across the island. At eighty years old, another sister, Mala, then helped to baptise Manoo.

From her home in London, Sweta, watched with pride, along with the rest of the virtual mission team, as her mother made Jesus Lord of her life.

“I’d like to thank all the sisters and the virtual team for all their hard work these past months. I also want to encourage everyone to find time to pray for their family members. God will do the rest,” Sweta said.

Learning To Love God Again After Suffering Abuse

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 14:08:34 GMT

Annemarie Botes – a sister in the Johannesburg Church of Christ (South Africa) – experienced verbal, emotional and financial abuse at the hands of her husband. She shares her journey of learning to love God all over again when she made Jesus Lord of her life:

“I grew up in a Christian home but never really knew or had a meaningful relationship with God. On the other hand, I had a wonderful relationship with my father and three brothers.

I met and fell in love with Mark. We got married and joined a denominational church. I attended a few Christian retreats and courses where I became very aware of God’s grace and mercy.

A miraculous escape

But, early in our marriage, my husband became addicted to all kind of substances such as prescription medication, cough mixture, painkillers, and alcohol. Then the abuse started. Over the span of 10 years I suffered financial, emotional, and verbal abuse. He said terrible things to me and threatened to kill me many times. Mark was admitted to several rehab centres, but he was never strong enough to win the battle over addiction.

The day before my youngest daughter was born we, with our two children, went to buy food. A man walked in and greeted everyone in general. I responded politely. When we got back into the car my husband exploded and shouted that he now had proof that my unborn baby was not his, and that the father was the man who I greeted in the café. He screamed that I’d arranged to meet the man there to give him some sign or message. He said, ‘Now I’m going to kill you!’ He drove to a graveyard which was very dark and scary. He stopped the car and said, ‘Say goodbye to each other, I’m going to kill you now.’

I prayed and asked God to save us. A car pulled up behind us and a man got out and asked: ‘Are you okay? Do you need help?’

I screamed, ‘Help! My husband is going to kill us!’ I can’t remember if the man spoke another word. But, in the next moment, Mark suddenly calmed down and said we were going home. I never saw the man or the car leave, but I believe that God had answered my prayers and sent an angel to save us. We were all traumatised. I decided there and then that I would fight any way I could to save myself and my children. We survived but the trauma and emotional scars remained.

Without help

I asked the doctors and therapists at the various rehab centres to help Mark deal with his childhood trauma and not only to prescribe medication. They shrugged me off as the ‘rude, unfaithful wife who wanted to get rid of her husband’ and continued to prescribe up to 10 different tablets for Mark which inflamed the situation. Dealing with the justice system was a nightmare. It was my word against his. I was labelled a liar because I didn’t have any physical scars to proof abuse. They believed only physical abuse equalled ‘real’ abuse.

I then decided that only I could save myself and my children. So I fought my husband tooth and nail, and became abusive towards him in return. My love for my husband turned into intense hatred. I came up with a sneaky plan to secretly divorce him and succeeded. He ended up living all alone in a caravan park in a different town.

I suffered the consequences of my plan. Mark became even more abusive. He’d turn up at my house and screamed terrible vulgarities and threats at me. At night, he called me constantly and left chilling messages of how he was going to kill me. This continued for two years. Then he passed away due to complications of substance abuse. I was free! I thought I could just continue to live as I’d been living, but God had other plans for me.

A new hope

My son JQ started university. One day he informed me that he’d be attending a church in Joburg. I asked questions that he could not answer and became frantic, worried that he’d be brainwashed and abducted. He was determined to go and I decided to go along to ‘protect’ him.

After about a year of just attending church, a sister, Natasha, asked me to attend her Bible talk. I said no as I had no intention of making friends or joining anything. JQ got baptised and I could see how he had changed and displayed true commitment to God. So I accepted Natasha’s invitation.

That Monday night, I went to the gym and arrived at the Bible discussion looking none too fresh and smelling of chlorine. I hoped this would put them all off. Once again, God was in control. He arranged for me to sit next to Quinnette who raised three boys and the smell of chlorine or my appearance did not put her off. I loved her from the first minute. As the evening wrapped up she asked me to study the Bible with her. Without any hesitation I answered ‘yes’, not realising how God executed His plan for me through these amazing women.

Getting to know God

I was a self-proclaimed rebel and studying the Bible was challenging. I decided that no-one would change me. I questioned a lot of things — about God being male and His treatment of women. I was adamant that a man wouldn’t bully me again. I perceived the guidelines in the Bible as ways to control me, and projected my human husband’s shortcomings onto God. I demanded to see evidence that God loved women as I didn’t believe in unconditional love between a man and a women.

I was, as always, on a quest to prove women are strong, courageous and equal to men. We can look after ourselves; we don’t need God. God is also a man and I for one, could survive without a man! I had to raise my kids alone. I projected my resentment for my late husband unto God. ‘Where were you, God when I was alone, terrified, traumatised and desperate? Nowhere — I had to save myself!’

I was very negative about God (as a male) and stopped the studies. I was confused, scared, tired and unconvinced. I had to take a break.

Amazing grace

But, something amazing happened. God showed me how much He loved and valued me! He showed me that He had chosen me 10 years ago to make a difference in someone’s life and He trusted me to fulfil the task He’d given me. He used a long-winded tale and three women to demonstrate His love for me. I was blown away to realise that God loves me. I wanted to be baptised there and then! I realised that I had closed my heart to God and became convinced that I couldn’t allow any human to love me. Neither could I reciprocate that love, even if that man was God! Studying the scriptures made me realise that God loves women so much that He chose us to do the most amazing work for His Kingdom. I started falling in love with God. My heart opened to see God’s kind words of grace, mercy and compassion. I realised I was the one that had to change. I needed to break down that fortress around my heart and allow God to be my stronghold.

I realised that I needed to forgive myself for turning into a bully who enjoyed making my late husband’s life unbearable. I had to forgive myself for the choices I’d made, evicting Mark from our home and our lives, and making my children miss out on growing up with their father in their lives. I had to forgive myself for the hatred and judgement I bestowed onto males and God. That was a hard but very rewarding process. Forgiving yourself is tough because you have to acknowledge your own wrongdoing and shortcomings.

Then I had to ask God’s forgiveness. That was easier because God loves unconditionally and He was just waiting for me to open my heart to Him to welcome me in His embrace. That was one of the most wonderful and exhilarating moment when I realised God will look after me and my heart. I am now truly free to live and love wholeheartedly.

Reach out

If you are in an abusive situation, I want to encourage you to reach out to someone and tell them the truth. Don’t try and save yourself. We need help, and there are many people willing to help. I now know that God was with me every second. Although I felt totally alone, God was right beside me, protecting and giving me the strength to continue.

Never measure your worth against how someone treats you. Look in the scriptures and discover your worth before God who loves you unconditionally. We abuse ourselves when we don’t allow ourselves to live life wholeheartedly and happy in God’s presence and care. God is love. Nothing can take God’s love from us. I am the perfect example.

God loves me so much and still has plans and tasks for me to complete. He sends people my way daily so I can make a difference in someone else’s life, just as He has made in mine, and is still changing my life daily.

Put your dreams before God and see what He can do!”

In Search of Treasure

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 10:45:11 GMT

Ehllené Bekker went halfway around the world to find a treasure worth more than gold.

Ehllené Bekker, a sister in the Johannesburg church, went all the way to the United States to find her way back to God. She shares her conversion story :

“I had grown up with our dad urging his children to “Maak jou saak reg met God, en laat jou doop!” (Get your case right with God, and get yourself baptised!”) I had received religious instruction, including instruction on false doctrine, from a young age. We were not allowed to visit certain churches because they were not doing things in a biblical manner. So I knew I was lost spiritually, but I needed to walk my own journey first, and not do things based on my dad’s faith.

And then the world called, and I answered. As a teenager on the Cape Flats (in Cape Town, South Africa), I got into a lot of sin, from drinking to seriously contemplating murder. One time, I actually stood with a butcher’s knife in my hand. Fortunately, I could foresee the consequences for my own future, and put the knife down.

In 1996, Henry and I got married shortly after my 21 ^st birthday, before I moved to Johannesburg to join him. Less than a year later, in 1997, we bought our home, which we still live in, in Roodepoort (Gauteng).

Then, in 1998, we packed a suitcase each, left our home behind and moved to the USA… in pursuit of money, a good career opportunity for Henry and a life of leisure for me! James 4:13 comes to mind.

But before we left, I told an old friend that when we got to the USA, I wanted to find a church. I knew I needed a community of believers if I was to “get right with God!”

Two weeks after arriving in Los Angeles, CA, whilst walking home from a salon on a hot summer’s day, I was approached by two young Hispanic men who invited me to church. They offered to give my number to a South African sister in the church when they knew where I was from. Eugenie called me soon afterwards. We met her and her husband Ken and we soon became friends. Henry and I visited the church and started to study the Bible. But although we attended every meeting that we were invited to, including all the fun activities, we were not ready to commit. Part of it was because we had heard rumours from back home, but mostly it was because of our own hearts were not ready.

As I did not have a work permit, and we did not have any children yet, I had a lot of free time. I only knew a few church members and one other South African couple, so naturally I spent a lot of time with Eugenie.

One afternoon, we were cooking together in our apartment, when completely out of context, I heard Eugenie say, “Uncle Winnie”. I responded by asking, “Uncle Winnie Pienaar?” and she said “Yes!” We were both perplexed and tried to figure out the connection. After further discussions and a phone call home, we pieced the puzzle together. My mom’s reaction on hearing that I am friends with Eugenie: “Oh my word! Eugenie! I have not seen her since she was two years old!” It turned out that, when my late grandmother’s home burnt down, my mom’s younger sister (who married “Uncle Winnie” years later) was taken in and temporarily raised by Eugenie’s parents.

God is amazing! He cared enough about me, to plan every detail of my journey back to Him. He started to put the broken pieces of my life back together, long before I was even born.

On 2 January 1999, we left a relatively warm Los Angeles, to move to a chilly Memphis, TN. We had a phone number, and Kenneth and Rosa Carter, who led the church there, were expecting our call. We delayed deliberately. We wanted to check out some other churches first. It only took one chaotic experience for us to both say, “Let's make the call!” Memphis was like arriving home for me. For the first time ever, I felt like I truly belonged. I quickly made many friends outside the church, but the Memphis church became my family. The one thing I felt from every single member was love. Admittedly, the church was much smaller than the LA Church, and it was easy to get to know everyone and to form deep bonds with them. The unity, the deep love, the true friendships were obvious!

We continued with the Bible studies and God’s love (John 3:16), Jesus’s sacrifice (Isaiah 53:3-7) and the fellowship of the believers (Acts 2:42), which I could see being lived out, made me realise that I had finally arrived home spiritually as well. In May 1999, we decided to make Jesus Lord of our lives, and we were baptised into Christ. The time spent with our brothers and sisters in the Memphis Church, from worship services to baseball games and pizza nights, are some of my dearest memories.

Our situation changed a few months later, and we had to return to South Africa. We did not come back with loads of money as we had hoped, but we had found a treasure far greater – a treasure God took us halfway around the world to find."

Family Without Borders: Kelvin and Rose Tore's story

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:09:41 GMT

Family Without Borders: Kelvin and Rose Tore's story

Family Without Borders : When Kelvin Tore looked for a church on the Internet, he found more than he expected: he also found a spiritual family that transcends the borders between South Africa and Zimbabwe. He and his wife, Rose, share how the members of their family group in the Johannesburg church helped them prepare for their white wedding back home in Zimbabwe, and how the disciples in Harare helped to make the day special... As a true family would. Listen to their story in their own words:

#SAICOC #JoburgCOC

God Sets the Lonely in Families – JB and Pascasie's Story

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 16:29:50 GMT

How JB and Pascasie Gatsinzi found their spiritual tribe

JB and Pascasie welcomed Frank and Beth Radcliff to their house during the couple's visit to Southern Africa

Jean-Baptiste (JB) and his wife Pascasie Gatsinzi lost a number of their family members over the years. God comforted them by giving them an even bigger family as Psalm 68:6a says, “God sets the lonely in families”. But, it did take the couple a while to find their spiritual tribe.

Soon after their marriage in 1991 JB and Pascasie left Rwanda ((East Africa) for Belgium (Europe) to study, with a clear plan to return once their studies were complete. Their son Roger was born a year later. Sadly, just as they were preparing to go back to their country, the 1994 genocide in Rwanda halted their plans. So, in 1995 JB took his young family to Germany instead, where their second son, William, was born the following year. In 1997, the Gatsinzi family moved to Botswana, in Southern Africa, where JB started working as a mathematics professor at the University of Botswana.

While shopping for groceries one Saturday with their boys in tow, René Diane, a member of the church in Gaborone then, approached the Gatsinzis. She had a toddler with her of about the same age as theirs.

“René invited us to church and the next day we attended,” Pascasie shares. “We felt a warm welcome and our children loved the classes in kids’ kingdom.”

From then on they occasionally visited church, mostly at the insistence of their children. “Some sisters who also worked at the university kept encouraging us to attend whenever we met them on campus,” Pascasie remembers. The Gatsinzis started studying the Bible in 2000 and three months later they both got baptised. They developed close friendships in the church and felt that their children grew up in the kids’ kingdom.

“By the time we moved to Botswana in 1997 we had lost some of our family members to the genocide, including our fathers, and could not even attend their funerals due to the distance and fear of the unrest. While in Botswana, and soon after becoming disciples, my mother passed on, together with many other siblings and relatives. But we were comforted by God and friends from our new family during those difficult times of mourning,” Pascasie shares.

In 2012 the Gatsinzis relocated when the University of Namibia offered JB a post, and they joined the Windhoek Church of Christ. While there, some of their major highlights included both their children becoming disciples, and having opportunities to serve in different ministries.

“We learned so much in the Windhoek church and built great relationships and friendships that helped our spiritual growth,” the Gatsinzis fondly remember. Their son Roger was baptised on campus in 2012. Their second son William also became a disciple five months later, still in Windhoek.

God soon showed the Gatsinzis that he had even greater plans for them. In 2017, JB got another job in Botswana. This time with the newly-established Botswana University of Science and Technology, based in Palapye, about 300km (186 miles) from the capital Gaborone, where the church is located.

After some days of prayer and fasting, and with the help of a sister, Segopotso Sebakile, who visited them from Gaborone, they all stepped out on faith to invite their neighbours to a house church service. “The attendance was very encouraging, but we still travelled between Palapye and Gaborone to be with the bigger group every fortnight. That was until we realised that some neighbours would come to our house for service and find no-one home. We then committed to holding a house church every Sunday,” Pascasie continues.

Some members of Gaborone church started making regular visits to Palapye to encourage the house church and assist with Bible studies. As a result, a lady called Keatlaretse Ogotseng (better-known as Mmabotho) got baptised. Later on, Pascasie’s niece, Consolatrice, was restored back into the fellowship when she rejoined the Gatsinzis in Palapye. The Gatsinzis had cared for her from the age of 12, and she lived with them for six years and got baptised before she moved back to Rwanda. There, she lost touch with the local church as she stayed far from disciples.

“We give glory to God for moving powerfully in our community and we pray for a growing faith to continue sharing the gospel with more people,” JB and Pascasie add that this is their earnest prayer.

The Gatsinzi family has had their fair share of challenges, but God has proved to be faithful in taking care of them throughout it all. Both their sons are strong disciples in their countries of birth in Europe, and the older one, Roger, is now dating steady in the kingdom.

National Junior Karate Coach is Baptised in Botswana

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 13:07:04 GMT

Moses Jones wants to share about God's amazing grace

Moses buckles the belt of truth around his waist

Moses Jones is the coach for the karate junior national team. He had been searching for a spiritual home for a while, and visited a number of churches, but was unable to find one that met his spiritual needs.

One day, he remembered that Francinah Eyman always talked about God and her church and decided to chat to her. Francinah Eyman (or Fran as she's known), works as a Sport Development Administration Officer at the Botswana National Sports Commission. She is also the current captain for the national netball team. More importantly, Fran has been a disciple of Christ and member of the Botswana International Church of Christ since her own days on campus. As part of her portfolio at work, Fran takes care of karate, amongst other sports. That's how she shared her faith with Moses and invited him to church.

Upon his maiden visit Moses loved the warm reception he got from people he did not even know and felt connected. He approached the leader of the church Rapula Malejane and asked about learning more about God. Not long after that, Aobakwe Daniel and Goitseone Tlale studied the Bible with him and Moses got baptised on 4 August, almost a year after first setting foot in church. All Covid-19 protocols were observed and the rest of the congregation witnessed the baptism virtually.

When asked what prompted him to be baptised during COVID-19 Lockdown, Moses said, "What God has decided, no man can change. It was time. I had to get under water. Lockdown or no lockdown."

The proud father of two boys is looking forward to sharing the good news of God with all his coaches and students. He knows the road ahead will be easier with the Holy Spirit leading the way.

“Because I always see the amazing hand of God in my life, I feel compelled to share about his amazing grace with my friends, colleagues and fellow athletes. I always imagine that we all need his grace, and what better way to sensitise others about his mercies than to declare the wonderful things he does for me."

Fran is overjoyed that sharing her faith bore fruit. "One scripture that comes to mind when I see Moses being baptised is 1 Timothy 4:16. Perseverance in watching one’s life and doctrine does save you and your hearers,” she said.

Teen Views on the Pandemic

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 19:06:39 GMT

Top row : Unathi, Jordan and Keren. Bottom row : Zanele and Tinotenda

We live in unprecedented times and the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people of all ages. We chat to five teens from Harare, Zimbabwe, and Johannesburg, South Africa, about the “new normal”. Zanele, Jordan, Keren, Tinotenda and Unathi share their views.

How has the pandemic changed the way you live – positively and negatively?

Zanele: It has forced to me to build a strong relationship with my family and helped me realise that they’re the only family I have. It’s also made me more antisocial because I don't interact with other people outside of home as much as I used to.

Jordan: I've been able to see which friends matter to me and which friends have just been there to keep me company. This has allowed me to focus on the relationships that are healthy and helpful.

Keren: “I got to spend more time with my family. I’ve learnt a lot about each one of them and my sisters and I have definitely grown closer! I’ve also realised how much of a procrastinator I am!

Tinotenda: I can’t hang out with my friends in person, but it has also allowed me to spend more time with my family.

Unathi: It has paved way for me to move steadily in reading and studying the Bible. It’s helped me explore different social media platforms and opened my eyes to God’s blessings. But, it has also dented how I communicate with friends because I don’t own an electronic device.

What has helped you cope?

Zanele : I think talking a lot more about how I'm feeling emotion-wise, and a lot of prayer and meditation has helped me cope.

Jordan: I've turned to my good friends to talk and share how the pandemic has affected us, as well as to catch up every now and then. I’ve also turned to music and meetings on Zoom with my Bibletalk.

Keren : Calling friends.

Tinotenda: My family.

Unathi: My faith, and knowing there are better days to come. School is also a good distraction.

What is the message of encouragement you'd give to yourself and other teens during this time?

Zanele: Put all your hope in God, because like he said in Jeremiah 29:11 he has plans for you and he knows them very well; he will never put anything on your table that he knows you can’t handle.

Jordan : Dig deep within yourself; keep your chin up and your eyes up.

Keren : Don’t lose hope. Although this pandemic sucks and we don’t get to see our friends, it will be over sooner or later (hopefully sooner). All we can do it go with the flow because it is what it is and we can’t change that.

Tinotenda : Tough times never last, only tough people do.

Unathi: God loves you. He always has and always will. We don’t have to do anything to deserve it. He calls us to always come back to him, no matter how bad you think you are or how many times you’ve wronged him.

Thriving Despite the Pandemic

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 16:23:03 GMT

How our churches are coping with the new normal

As we nudge closer to the 150-day mark in various stages of lockdown due to COVID-19, we look at how the family of God has fared in Southern Africa. We have witnessed baptisms and restorations, a wedding, and many events online through a prism of tears of joy and sadness.

What is heart-warming is that God is still hard at work in changing people’s lives throughout the 12 countries in our region – family members, close friends, campus students, single moms and teens have made Jesus the Lord of their lives during this testing period. In Zimbabwe, God added 27 souls since the start of 2020. The churches there recorded 23 baptisms and one restoration since the lockdown started in March.

Some baptisms were extra-special for a few of the church leaders. In Lusaka, Zambia, John and Jane Maleya baptised their son Jayson; in Harare, Zimbabwe, Edwin and Christine Shumba baptised their daughter Rumbidzai, and in Cape Town, South Africa, Werner and Lize Vos baptised their daughter Micayla.

Love finds a way

In Mozambique, Victor tied the knot with Yolanda during the month of May. While only the couple who counselled them could attend, the rest of the church in Maputo witnessed the wedding online.

Going digital

Speaking of online activities, in these days of online sermons, Bible discussions, devotionals and discipling, the start of lockdown created lots of anxiety as some disciples don’t have smartphones or access to Wi-Fi, and data costs are prohibitive. But, God has shown himself to be faithful as always and proved that where there is a will, there is a way. So much so, that the North-west Region of the Joburg church, in collaboration with Mpho Khalo from the Soweto Region, bought entry-level smartphones for the elderly disciples in Soweto to make sure they don’t miss out.

So, not only were members able to tune in to online services hosted by the local churches or combined efforts with sister churches overseas, but also online events. These events ranged from a regional singles devotional, a series of parenting classes hosted by Frank and Beth Radcliff, webinars on purity by Dave and Robin Weidner, grief and anxiety and mental health workshops, and even women’s day functions. Not to be outdone, the teens participated in local and international devotionals (despite sometimes hectic time differences) and fun nights. Even the Missions Training Academy continued to teach impactful classes in virtual space.

Serving those in need

The coronavirus has impacted our lives in many different ways – on an economic, social and medical front. A number of disciples are still working on the frontline of the pandemic; many disciples have been infected and affected and have lost family members and friends who succumbed to the virus. A number of church members lost their jobs, and all the churches have stepped it up to make sure everyone has food to eat by providing emergency food parcels to those in needs. The work in community projects in the region has also continued with the help of Hope worldwide who work with various partners to alleviate the plight of those less fortunate.

In 2 Chronicles 16:9 , the Bible says “ For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him ”.

While no one knows when this pandemic will end, we fix our eyes on our Father who continues to take care of us all.

Attracted to Christ by Melodious Singing of the Church in Gaborone

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 17:42:32 GMT

Joyce Chindu is a wife, mother of three, and now a disciple of Jesus as she was baptised in Gaborone, Botswana, on Sunday (2 August). The lockdown challenges posed by COVID-19 did not deter her nor the members of the Gaborone North family group. Those who could attend wore masks and observed all the health protocols during the ceremony, while others joined the celebrations online.

It all started some time back, when Joyce (who is an English teacher) accompanied her husband to a meeting in Gaborone North. On their way home, they passed the venue where the Botswana International Church of Christ was meeting. Joyce says she heard melodious singing, and asked her husband if they could go and see where the singing was coming from. When they got to the church, they found a genuinely welcoming group of people whose company they enjoyed.

That maiden visit to satisfy their curiosity quickly turned into regular visits to enjoy the singing and the congregation’s bonhomie. Joyce and her family quickly felt at home in the company of the members of the church.

In June this year, Joyce agreed to study the Bible with Peggy Mudimu, Norah Mawoko and Kedi Malejane. “Studying the Bible with Joyce was fascinating, as for the first time in our lives, we had to observe COVID-19 protocols such as sanitising as and when we got in and out of each other’s homes, wearing masks, social distancing, and keeping the meetings under two hours. When physical meetings were not possible, we used WhatsApp calls,” Norah shares.

And while Peggy expressed her excitement at being instrumental in helping Joyce develop and grow in her relationship with God, the new spiritual baby was elated.

“I feel excited, relieved, safe, comfortable and confident in the Lord,” Joyce gushed immediately after her baptism. Now she looks forward to growing in her walk with God and her character.

The harvest is plentiful. Joyce was “invited by the singing” of the church, and the Lord did the rest. So let’s remember to give our best in whatever we do for the Lord –you never know what His plan is!

Keydogo Good News Minute 2

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 19:19:09 GMT

The world is a very chaotic place right now - here's some news that's sure to encourage you!

Offering more than only medical help – Dr Elijah Nkosi's story

vidalisik@gmail.com (Vida Li Sik) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 15:11:25 GMT

In South Africa, a country that has yet to reach the peak of COVID-19 infections, and with a population that has HIV, diabetes and other chronic illnesses to factor in, people sometimes need more than just medical help. Ministering to his patients in a holistic way, is something that this Johannesburg doctor has learned early on in his walk as a disciple of Jesus. This is his story:

My name is Elijah Nkosi. I am 59 years old, a medical doctor in private practice and a member of the Johannesburg Church of Christ (JCOC). My wife Valerie and I have been married since 1992, and we’ve been blessed with three lovely children. We have two other children from previous relationships that I had before we got married.

We were met by Jack Ingle, then a member of the church in Johannesburg, on my wife Valerie’s birthday in December 2004. We were visiting a wine farm while on holiday in Cape Town, when Jack invited us to church, and on our return to Johannesburg, we went and enjoyed the message and the fellowship. I studied the Bible with Dr Mark Ottenweller (during his time in South Africa) and Valerie and I joined his family group. We were subsequently baptized a few months later in 2005. We are very thankful to the late Baba Eugene Malao and his wife Tshidi, who were instrumental in our conversion.

In our family group meetings and my study sessions with Dr Mark, he shared about the period when he was still practising medicine, and how he would counsel patients psychologically and spiritually after he had diagnosed their medical ailment. He said that in a number of instances he would then write two scripts for these patients. One would be for the medicine that they required. The second one would be Bible verses that he shared with them to read at home. He said that seemed to make a difference in how these patients responded to him and they showed appreciation for the spiritual counsel.

I qualified as a medical doctor in 1986 and have been in private practice in Soweto, Johannesburg, since 1990. As part of my training as a General Practitioner, I treat people who have general illnesses, that sometimes include mental challenges. These individuals might also be anxious and depressed. In some instances, they need medication to treat their ailment. But, what I realized, and it has worked quite favorably for me and these patients, is that they also need counseling. This could be psychological and/or spiritual.

This has led to occasions where I would share scriptures such as Philippians 4: 6–7 “ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God ”; and Matthew 11: 28–29 “ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls ”; and Matthew 6: 21–34 that deals with where your treasure is.

During those discussions and sharing, I would see the mood of these individuals change. Some would smile and open up about their challenges, and show appreciation for the biblical message that I'd be haring. I would then write these scriptures on a piece of paper and give it to them together with their prescription for medicine.

These experiences have made me realize that we can serve God in many different ways. It shows that many people are hurting and require spiritual support; and that we can reach out to them. Most of my patients know that I am a Christian and at times they would come to me and ask for scriptures and spiritual guidance. I thank God for putting me in this position that allows me to serve Him in this particular way. To God be the glory. Amen!

Keydogo Good News Minute

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 12:57:37 GMT

Some great news from around the world

In the midst of a global pandemic God's churches continue to thrive and grow.

"God, my desperate hope" - A testimony from a sister in Cape Town, South Africa

Sun, 31 May 2020 05:59:03 GMT

We're living through some unusual times right now. Perhaps a time in our lives when the need for hope has never been greater. Gaby Beaumont-Van der Merwe has experienced numerous tragedies in her life and has lost a number of family members in brutal and painful ways. She is familiar with pain from a very young age, but has managed to take refuge in God. He is her fortress and deliverer. She shares her story in her own words:

Psalm 18:2 : "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

It is wonderful that God can be our stronghold, deliverer and fortress. But, he is also so much more than that! In my walk with God this is what hope in Him had become to me – He was my desperate hope. Let me tell you why.

My formative years aligned with the Zimbabwean war of independence. Wartime meant a fragile childhood wrought with great uncertainty. We travelled in convoys. Adults peppered their conversations with talk of attacks and tragedies. Each night my brother and I were put to bed underneath my parents' steel-framed bed, so that we might live if we came under attack.

My father was gunned down when I was seven years old. Beyond the devastation of losing him, I remember hoping, believing from that tender age that perhaps someone made up the story of his death. I hoped that when I got older, I would find him or that he'd find me.

By the time I reached third grade, sexual abuse became a reality for me. I hoped it would stop. I hoped the person abusing me would die. The shame of such a violation was greater than I knew how to handle. Growing up, so much fear and anxiety surrounded my thoughts. Everything was like shifting sand and I became terribly afraid that something would happen to my mom. What would happen if she died? I had hope for many things. Then the pendulum would swing and I'd would be afraid to hope – the disappointment of that unfulfilled hope became too painful to bear.

When I was in high school, my brother had an accident that left him quadriplegic. Have you experienced a life-altering event like this? Maybe it happened to you, to a family member or someone you know well. If you've been there, you'll know it involves a huge adjustment. Initially, there are lots of prayers, love, and messages of hope coming at you from all sides. Lots of cheering you on to not lose heart, to believe, to have faith, to not give up... And then, as the dust settles and the bleak reality of the permanence of the situation hits home, along come truckloads of disappointment trundling in to deposit their hopelessness in the backyard of your heart. At this point in my life, I figured I must've had my quota of bad things. Surely it was time for the scales of fairness to swing the other way and life would now be on the up?

For a while, things went really well. I met and married my first husband. We were invited to church; passed through the waters of baptism and became part of this wonderful Kingdom of God. We gave birth to a beautiful, perfect baby boy. It seemed that all the things I'd hoped and prayed for were coming to pass.

Then, in 2000, my mom was brutally murdered. I can't begin to describe to you the devastation of that loss. It crushed me. The desperate hopelessness that grew within me was like tendrils of poison curling around my heart. All the hope and security that I had in my mom, her strength, courage, and convictions –reduced to ashes. The safe space called home – that she represented – was gone. All the things we'd hoped for together smouldered out as the ashes of her cremation cooled.

After her death, I transferred that hope-in-relationship to my brother. We'd always had a close relationship. We spoke weekly, were each other's confidantes and safe spaces. Three years later, he died after a simple operation.

That was the 'nail in the coffin' for me (no pun intended) and I hit an emotional breakdown shortly after his death. I spent 10 weeks in hospital recovering. During that time, a wonderful team of medical staff and therapists gently and lovingly cheered me on the road to recovery. I don't think I would be here today without their support. God gives each of us talents and strengths and their combined effort pulled me through one of the blackest times of my life. A time when hope was so deferred I didn't have the will to still keep breathing.

A month and a half after I was discharged, my husband was killed in an accident. By that stage, I just became resigned. Resigned to death. Resigned to that there was too much beyond my control. Resigned that life is not fair.

Looking back through the years, I've not only hoped for, but also put my hope in many things - financial security; my salary; my husband's salary; creating a home and safe spaces around me; friendships; my husband and marriage. I believed my solutions lay in doctors, therapists and medication.

Common sense should tell us these things have a limited shelf life. As they 'bottomed out' on me one by one, I resolved to put my hope in nothing but myself. The irony was that I myself was unable to sustain my own hope.

So how, through these tragedies, can I share about hope? Where was the turnaround? I wish I could give it to you in a quick five-point plan. But, it's all been a journey; a process that God has very gently, patiently and purposefully worked out in my life. He is the originator of dot-to-dot pictures and is still outlining His plan in my life.

If I had to narrow it down, it was a period when we were going through a very desperate time with my youngest son. He was going through some really awful challenges at about six years old. We'd tried every intervention we knew of. I transferred my in helping him from one thing to the next. Eventually, as each option failed, I reached the bottom of the barrel. There was no more rope hang onto. I'd run out of hope to help my child.

But something very special happened at the bottom of that barrel. It was here that I got a front-row seat to see how God can take very broken circumstances and create something beautiful out of it.

Romans 8:28 : "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

I'd hoped for many things over the years. I'd been disappointed repeatedly. But this was the first time I took very baby steps to put my whole hope in God. Since I was all out of options, there was no back-up plan if things didn't work out. It was a very cautious, tentative hand that I reached out. I remember the tears pouring down my face in my brokenness and whispering, 'God, if you're there, I wish you'd show me. God if you care, I need you to really know me. I hope you don't mind me asking the questions, but I figure you're big enough..."

Even when I felt I was all out of hope, there was still that tiny flicker of one last hope.

Do you know that no matter how small your hope may be today, He can work with it if you will just reach out your hand and let Him take the driver's seat?

Isaiah 42:3 : A bruised reed He will not break, and a smouldering wick He will not snuff out."

Of course, God had been there all along - had been reaching for me again and again. He'd never left me. When I reached out from my end, He was standing ready to take my hand. There was no flash of lightning, no rumbles of thunder and burning bushes. He took me as a very broken, fragile child and with baby steps, one by one, revealed His trustworthiness. His care. He was so patient and loving. Through persistence, patience and love God worked with me to build my trust and hope in Him.

Reflecting back, I see how He's taken very broken, tragic circumstances and carved something beautiful out of it. I have first-hand experience of His transforming, revolutionary power and that is what enables me to now look forward with hope. God hasn't broken a single of His promises in His word, and as I journey on, I trust Him completely that as the Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11.

He has never let me down since I reached out. Not once.

So have I figured it all out and now my life is rosy with rainbows? Not really. I'm a working mom raising two boys. My second husband passed away after an extremely difficult and extended illness that affected every area of our lives. I'm in the daily grind of being the breadwinner and seeing to my family's needs. But through this, I stand on His word.

Psalm 25:3 : "No-one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame."

I do have hope for many things, but my ultimate hope for them is rooted in God. If none of these things materialise, then it's okay. My world will not collapse and just as He has worked out the details of trashy circumstances for my good in the past, I'm confident enough to know that He's got it all in hand. It's gonna be okay, no matter what the outcome. It's all under control and I am exactly where I'm meant to be. When I'm surrendered to His will and plan for my life, then I'm actually in that calm space in the centre of the storm. The space where hope can float without being buffeted by the elements around it.

In closing, I leave you with a thought to reflect in your own life. Where does your hope lie? How secure is that hope?

My prayer for you is echoed in Paul's words in Romans 15:13 : "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Frank and Beth Radcliff – A modern-day Aquila and Priscilla

justin.renton@icloud.com (Justin Renton) — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 19:09:21 GMT

Frank and Beth Radcliff have been happily married for over 40 years. And, like a modern-day Aquila and Priscilla, this amazing couple has travelled throughout southern Africa to spend time with different churches and to strengthen and encourage the disciples there. We caught up with them in Johannesburg, South Africa, halfway through their trip, to chat about their experience so far:

How many churches have you visited in southern Africa and what has been the longest period of time you spent with one congregation?

My (Frank's) personal highlight was a parenting workshop we conducted in Tsabong, Botswana, in the Kalahari Desert about eight hours from the capital, Gaborone. One couple from the church in Gaborone moved there a few years back because of a job transfer and has remained faithful despite the distance from other disciples. They had over 20 of their friends at the midweek service, and several visitors to the workshop told them if they "started a church" they would love to attend. Most inspiring was seeing the renewal of the couple's faith and dream for their small town.

There are no church elders in southern Africa yet. What is your encouragement to those aspiring to become shepherds of God's people?

Just before Beth and I (Frank) were married more than 40 years ago, one of the elders at the church where we were converted encouraged me to "live my life according to the Biblical qualifications for the eldership" and, if it was God's will, he could see me serving in that role someday. Shepherding God's church begins with shepherding our families and diligently fulfilling whatever roles we are given in the local church. My (Frank's) encouragement is to first continually deepen your relationship with God, love and lead your family, and serve your church in whatever ways you've been, and then trust that God will reveal His will.

About the Radcliffs:

Frank and Beth both were both baptized in 1972 at the Crossroads Church in Gainesville, Fl. They met while college students at the University of Florida and were married in Gainesville in 1979. In their 40-year journey together, they have lived in the United States in Connecticut, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina, before beginning their travels through southern Africa in June 2019. They have three daughters who are disciples, and eight grandchildren. They have practiced servant leadership throughout their years as disciples. While in SC, Frank coordinated the Bereavement ministry and served on the committee promoting racial diversity and unity within the church. He also represented the Columbia Church on the Africa Missions Association board of directors. Frank has previously served as both a church deacon (Columbia) and as an elder (Charlotte).

Marriage and Parenting Workshop in Johannesburg

justin.renton@icloud.com (Justin Renton) — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:09:20 GMT

Marriage and parenting can be challenging.That is why couples and parents in Johannesburg, South Africa, recently welcomed the chance to learn from Jeff and Jennifer Rorabaugh and Frank and Beth Radcliff, who visited from the USA.

Both couples had a wealth of experience to share with their eager-to-learn audiences. The Radcliffs taught the younger marrieds and parents with younger children, while the Rorabaughs taught the older marrieds and those who have teens and older children. The couples used the scriptures and shared extensively from their own lives to make the lessons come alive with many practical examples.

Here are some of the responses from those who attended the class taught by the Frank and Beth Radcliff:

Rose: "Two key things stood out from the lesson - to have Christ-centred lives and to have Godly priorities. If l love God first, it will make a difference in how l love my partner. The other takeaway I got, was the need to have eternity-minded marriages. And that our marriages should display the gospel of God. All men should know that we are disciples by the love in our marriages."

Palesa: "In the marriage class, what really stood out for me is how what I do as a spouse is preparing me for my union with Christ in heaven (Revelation 19:6-9), and that I'm called to have a marriage that displays the gospel of God."

In their classes, Jeff and Jennifer Rorabaugh asked the question: Are you motivated by fear or faith? before launching into their teaching.

How God's patience impacted one sister's family in Botswana, Southern Africa

justin.renton@icloud.com (Justin Renton) — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 19:09:20 GMT

If you are wondering if God is working through you to impact the lives of others, then the conversion story of Goabaone "Frog" Kgosisejo will inspire you to persevere in your evangelism. This story is from the Botswana International Church of Christ, Southern Africa.

In 1998, Goabaone or "Frog" as she's best-known, was a young and enterprising 17-year-old, who in her wildest dreams never thought going to church or surrendering her life to serve God, was on the cards.

So did Frog become a disciple? Not immediately. In fact, in her quest for the exciting things that life offers, she quickly lost touch with Mama Dinnie. She was not ready to continue the Bible studies or to become a church girl. She wanted to "experience" life.

Many years later, while working as a teacher in a village called Mahalapye, about 200 km (124 miles) from Gaborone, she read A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, and it challenged her to find a church where she could worship God. She yearned for the atmosphere she experienced at a young age at Mama Dinnie's church. She remembered how she was attracted by the way the worship was orderly and the welcoming, friendly people she had met.

So Frog searched through her documents for a contact of anyone connected to the Botswana ICOC, to no avail. And then she remembered that one of her former university classmates might be able to help.

"I felt strongly that it was my time to get saved so I asked this woman for some contacts and she gave me two", Frog says.

She drove 200 km (124 miles) to Gaborone to attend church and started studying the Bible immediately. But the road to her conversion was quite rocky as she had a lot to give up. One Sunday morning shortly after her baptism, she felt ready to quit her new life. She could not go on. She phoned her discipling partner and informed her of her decision, but Seadimano Oefile patiently walked her through her fears and encouraged her to hold on to the cross.

How one brother cycled for change

justin.renton@icloud.com (Justin Renton) — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 12:45:48 GMT

I thought about the work that HOPE worldwide SA does to help children in disadvantaged areas such as Zandspruit and Diepsloot (informal settlements in Joburg), and felt compelled to 'lend my legs' to help raise funds for HOPE. I considered that I have a number of family members, friends and colleagues who'd be willing to donate money and all I needed to do was create a reason and a platform for them to donate.

I never imagined myself going at 60km/hr (37m/hr) on a bicycle, however, I've since been flying on the downhills. The uphills are still a mission but they're good for my leg strength and help me to be patient. After all, 'what goes up must come down!' [chuckles]

It's been fulfilling to be able to raise funds for HOPE worldwide SA's Early Childhood Development Programme over the past three years, and the support of my family, friends and colleagues has been incredible.

My best time in the race was last year, 3hrs 42 min, and I hoped to improve on that this year. While I prepared well and trained with Team HOPE, I had a slight knock on my hamstrings and had to be careful on race day. I decided to prioritize finishing the race over chasing a time target. It was quite wonderful morning on race day; the amount of people that take part is incredible and the atmosphere is exciting. The support on the streets of Joburg is amazing with diverse groups of people cheering us on, and it encouraged us to keep peddling.

I did not ride as fast as I would've wanted to, however I kept telling myself that I needed to finish the race for the sake of the children. The first half of the race was slow for me as I battled up the hills but I managed to get on a peloton on the freeway, which helped me catch up on my revised target. Unfortunately, my hamstring started 'shouting' at me, so I had to slow down a bit. At one of the water points, I found my physiotherapist friend who helped with some relief on the hamstring. I eventually crossed the finish line in 3 hrs 55 min, and I was so excited.

Better yet, I managed to raise quite a bit of money towards HOPE worldwide SA's ECD Programme.

I'd like to encourage more people (health-permitting) to join Team HOPE, whether you are physically fit or not, whether you can ride a bike a not! You can learn how to ride and find a bicycle of your own. Cycling is good for improving one's health and it's a great opportunity to form new friendships. More importantly, cycling for Team HOPE makes a great difference toward the future of the less fortunate children of the country."

HOPE worldwide South Africa serves and supports over 20,000 children every month. If you would like to support their Early Childhood Development work, go to hopeworldwidesa.org .

For more information on their work, visit hopeworldwidesa.org or follow them on Facebook .