The Msindisi Monthly - November 2007

"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have recieved mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God decietfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God should shine on them." (2 Corinthians 4: 1 - 4)

The latest News

This month has been one of major vehicle trouble where all three vehicles have been in the mechanical doctors and thus evangelism has been stunted. However I have been able to use the time to major on Aletheia fellowship as I have had to do the bulk of bible teaching on Sundays and on Wednesdays. One couple in our church, who have had a child has seen the male partner become a Christian lately. As he has been growing in understanding, they have seen the importance of marraige, thus they arranged it and got married straight away. This is symptomatic of true discipleship in their lives and it has been great to hear about their attempts at evangelising work mates and family. This has been very encouraging for myself as Di and myself will be getting married on 24th of this month. This will mean great changes for the both of us and we have it in our heart for us to build a home together. Dave and Lyn have been to me like a second family. They opened their home and welcomed me in like one of their own. Thus we are looking to see if God would open a way for us to rent a place together, albeit it would be small. There is another option that we could have a place built on the site but away from the communal area. This decision will have to be made in the next few months so please pray. If you feel prompted to support Di and myself in one off or ongoing support I have started to append my banking details at the bottom of my newsletters. If you are outside the UK you may email me. Next month Di and I will be combining our newsletters and so there will be Di's banking details for those who are in New Zealand. On a seperate note, we have three Swedish people at the plot who are helping with numerous things. One of which is to help Dianne reach the people in the local settlement in a project called bethesda. I am involved in doing regular Bible Studies there although recently, due to Dianne being quite ill activity in the settlement has been rather slow. The Swedish people have been helping Dianne with a project that I ran last year of filling shoe boxes with presents and gospel literature. Last year we filled a thousand but this year we are only doing about 40 - 70. The reason for this is because we want it to be more personal, reaching those of greatest need and building relationships with those families. Next year I would like to drop my outreach in Springs town centre altogether and concentrate on this settlement. This way I can evangelise and with those who are open to the Gospel I can do bible studies, as God allows. There is a pastor who preaches the truth in the area, and we would be happy to filter people into the church he pastors or to invite people to the meetings we have at the plot. But at the moment I have been thinking a lot about the wedding, just today I have been phoning and buying at the local market as well as encouraging a dear friend of mine in the Lord. We would also like to wish Marg Godwin, from Moriel Ministries a happy birthday, who is having her birthday on the 24th of this month, the same day as our wedding! We would have loved to have had her attend but we know that it isn't possible.

Evangelism

As I have said before, the evangelism has been stunted this month because of vehicle trouble, but there have been opportunities to witness non the less. I was in a car park waiting for my friend to get his prescription and got speaking to an attendant who was part of the Zionist Congregationalist Church. I asked him if he believed the bible was true to which he answered yes. The trouble is that Zionists pray to ancestral spirits. I wrote a scripture reference for him that condemns such acts. I hope that he read it. I went handing out tracts the other week and I got to speak to quite a few people. One of the Swedish people, a young guy called Jonathan, came to help. His english is not the best so he didn't feel comfortable doing it. He feels it isn't his calling but I believe that whatever you do for the Lord, if you do it in obedience and to the best of your ability, the Lord is able to use it. He has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. But there is no pressure on him and next time I will have him hang around me more and to observe what I say and they way I am with people. In many Christian churches we have seen a mindset of relying on programs and methods to see evangelistic success. Many churches want to do purpose driven or Alpha or many such programs that are not solid or biblical in its explanation of the gospel. We are big on gimmicks but shallow on substance. I think that Os Guiness got it right when he said that, instead of being cultural originators, evangelicals have tended to be cultural imitators. But in the Bible we see God using people individually. In fact the scripture says that the Holy Spirit distributes gifts or graces individually as He wills. A number of people have asked what the leaflets are about and I like to tell people straight about eternity, their souls, the creator, of Jesus. I know it is different here in South Africa than it is in the UK or other countries but I hear the words of Paul resonate in my ears; "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have recieved mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God decietfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God should shine on them." (2 Corinthians 4: 1 - 4) Paul knew what it was like to seem like he wasn't succeeding but it didn't change his conviction about the way he delivered the message. He did identify culturally with the people he was sharing to but he was very bold and open about Jesus and didn't do what Soul Survivor did in 2000, where they advertised the outreach as simply so many nights of great music and then, once they got the people in, listening to lots of music then share 5 minutes of a Gospel message. (On the night I went to anyway). Paul just manifested the truth and even if it put people off he said it was because these people had been blinded. He didn't share the gospel decietfully. He didn't pretend he wasn't talking about Jesus and then sneak it in the back door. He did it by manifestation of truth. So when people ask what the literature is about, I tell them. Some people won't take and others will. I did the same in Manchester recently when I visited the UK and it was surprising at how many people did take. If someone asks what it is about I tell them. 'About your soul, about how to get to heaven, about Jesus, about eternity. etc...' One lady last week acknowledged that she was a sinner but that God would forgive her. People like her know that Jesus died for sins but it doesn't click that Jesus' death on the cross is the basis of their forgiveness but they think that God can just forgive them because they are sorry and ask for it. In a court of law, sorry does not get you off the hook. It doesn't matter how much good in your life you have done, the judge just wants to know if you are guilty. Even if you are sorry there still has to be some kind of sentence because the law has been broken. So repentence alone does not bring forgiveness. There must be a basis for that forgiveness. If there is guilt punishment must be dealt out and so now we can understand why Jesus died on the cross, because He took our punishment, satisfied God's justice so that we might have a true basis for our forgiveness without God closing His eyes and pretending or without Him taking a bribe of our 'good works'. I was able to go to Tsakane this saturday, the first time in a long time and there was a lady called Promise, a Zionist who knew she was a sinner and it seemed to make sense to her when I explained the above. She seemed really interested in knowing more but I will see if she went to Pastor John's church. There was a guy called Zweli who I could smell a strong scent of alcohol. He was so interested in finding out more about the Gospel. Many people took gospel literature donated by a guy called Yorke, from Living Waters in Australia. I look forward to meeting him next month as he visits South Africa. He has promised to bring more. This is great because it means I can give this literature to John in Tsakane so they can evangelise people there. It was great seeing his zeal in witnessing at someone's home, late on saturday.

Other news

I have finished the series that I started on James. It is great to see how the scripture has such a unity in its diversity. Such people who say James' teaching contradicts Paul have scanty understanding of either letter as there are so many contact points of agreement that are strongly linked together. The context that either are written from are different. Paul deals with looking at whether a person can be saved through observing the Mosaic Law or whether it can only be by faith. Paul acknowledges that from this faith comes obedience. However James is looking at the nature of real faith and says that a real faith produces works, as Paul also teaches. I have one more preaching engagement on a sunday when I will look at Psalm 23. As Dave has stepped down as Pastor of Aletheia I want to encourage people to see that it doesn't matter what has happened, God is our shepherd, He is our pastor. This is not to take the burden of the work off me and Morne who are now the elders of this group but it is to say that sometimes we do look to a person rather than acknowledging the supremacy of the Lord. I continue on a wednesday evening to do a series on the ministries of Elijah and Elisha.

I just want to thank those people who has contributed to my personal support. Getting married to a New Zealander means that I will be visiting New Zealand in March, next year, to visit Dianne's friends, family and to help Di sort out some business. Without the support of those people it would not have been possible, and neither would the wedding. Also on an additional note, it was commented that some people thought that my friend Mike was near death because I said he was going through a valley of the shadow of death. This was metaphorical. This experience of the valley of the shadow of death also speaks of a place where there is no light, where we are in a state of confusion. Please pray that God would grant him wisdom, and peace as he seeks God concerning his life and his future.

Prayer Requests

• For Di and myself as we plan our wedding and that we would keep our eyes on the Lord, that He would direct us in our future together. That we would hear His voice and know His will concerning where we are to live and that He would open the right doors.
  
• For Mike.
   
• For our own devotion to Jesus. For that reality to be apparent in our own lives as we attempt to practice what the scripture tells us in love and humility.
   
• For the Royle family and kids at Ebyown and their future.
  
• For our relationship with Pastor John in Tsakane and the door and opportunity for more rigorous evangelism in Tsakane.

 

Contact Details

PO BOX: 10807, Strubenvale 1570
Springs, Gauteng. South Africa

Wesbsite: www.estisi.4t.com  
Email: msindisi@gmail.com
Phone: (+27)11 730 1719
Mobile number: (+27) 728311008

Y'varechecha Adonai