In Argentina ... in the glory!

Folks, from tomorrow, 1November, I will be in Argentina until  12 November. We will be ministering the gospel of grace to many people with legalistic, religious backgrounds and expecting God to move mightily to set people free from bondage. We are trusting Him for salvations, healings, revelation and other miracles that MUST follow where the gospel is preached.

There may be sporadic blog updates, but please don't expect any fireworks until we return and bring back a good report!

In my absence, please check out my blog archives for previous posts and interesting articles. You can use the search option at the top of the page to search topics or key words, quickly and easily. Also, remember to subscribe to the RSS feed from this site, on the right of your page.This will allow you to receive automatic updates to your web-browser, without you having to come onto the sight!

I am still raising funds to cover this mission (even though I am leaving tomorrow) until April, so if God lays it on your heart to support me, then please hit the DONATE button also located on your right, in order to make  a Paypal donation towards world missions!

¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent?  Romans 10

Adios amigos!

#2: Discipleship Under Grace: An Outline

This is the second part in a series on Discipleship Under Grace: An outline. The previous post was an introduction to the idea of discipleship through love and grace. In this post we define a disciple and see where the confusion has come in over the years in the church, between disciples and converts and the effects of this. Enjoy!

What is a disciple?

For us to fully grasp what Jesus was saying (in Matthew 28:19), it is important to understand and settle on, what a disciple really is:

The King James version of Matthew 28:19 says: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations …”, the word 'teach’ here, is the Greek word ‘matheteuo’, which literally means to be a disciple of or to follow precepts and instructions. Other synonyms could be to instruct or to lead by example, as found in more modern bible translations.

In other areas in the New Testament, the word used for disciple in the Greek, is 'matetes' (noun), which literally means to be a learner or pupil. It is derived from the root word 'manthano' (verb), which means to learn by use and practice or to increase ones knowledge.

Thus, by implication, in a holistic sense means that, we are to make disciples of all nations (tribe and tongue) by teaching them in the ways they should go and they should in turn put those teaching to use and increase in knowledge and maturity.

Note: Think in terms of a learner at school. A teacher would not expect a year-one student to be able to read whole books and also expect them to be able to teach others to do the same, in the first class of the year. Instead the teacher would conscientiously teach the child the building blocks of the ABC, then teach the child to build words and from that, show them sentence structure and how to build sentences. Similarly, spiritual maturity can only be obtained by laying core foundations of salvation, grace, righteousness and faith; helping the convert to mature in these areas until they are at a point where they can construct their own sentences and lead other people into similar spiritual growth.

What a disciple is not:

The key concept here is, that there is a definite growth and maturing process involved with being and making a disciple. This is quite clear. A disciple is, therefore, not a recent convert or someone who has prayed the sinner’s prayer in a mass crusade. The church today has often made synonymous the concepts of conversion and discipleship, this is, however, not biblical.

Due to this misconception, we sit with a group of believers who are still immature. They struggle to become a strong and growing body of believers, who are able to reproduce and replicate their faith in other believers, because they have never been taught how to. They have never gained their own revelation and insight of foundational biblical concepts, in order to feel compelled enough to share this good news with others.

Immaturity is a cancer that has the ability to render the church useless in a world that needs a vibrant influential body of believers. Discipleship is the vehicle of change, the antidote to this sickness and a vital cog in the grace revolution.



He gives grace to the humble! (James 4:6)



"Water Under the Bridge"

In English we have a saying: "That's water under the bridge". It is used when referring to an event or series of events that occurred sometime in the past, but now consequences of these events have no influence on you.

God is referred to as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, He knows the beginning from the end. This is clear in the bible (Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13). If you believe the bible and how it represents God, it would stand to reason that when Jesus died on the cross and rose again, 2000 years ago, that God knew what we were going to get up to in the year 2010. He saw the mistakes we were going to make, He knew where we would fall short, He knew because He has already been here, now!

Hebrews 10:10 says that " by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Our sins are forgiven: Past, Present and Future, if we put our faith in Jesus. We shouldn't feel hung up about our sins; the revelation of grace and righteousness, under the new covenant compels me to admonish you that:

   IT IS WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE!

#1: Discipleship Under Grace: An Outline

I have been working on an extended study regarding how the principle of discipleship changes, when taught through a revelation of God's grace. Having been exposed to discipleship for a long time, I thought it necessary to expound on some of the sound and not-so-sound teachings, and executions of a principle which is sorely missed in the body of Christ! I hope you find it informative. This is the first post in a series of six.

Introduction

It is part of the great commission of Jesus, that nearly every believer is aware of, in Matthew 28:29, where it says to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (NIV).

Many of us, sitting in an average church today, have heard this taught to a certain extent and have probably been part of different initiatives over the years, in order to achieve the goals as set out in the so called great commission. It may be that you have been on a mission with your church or it may be that you have attended or even facilitated discipleship programs in your church or in your mid-week groups, in an attempt fulfill this challenge.

Any local denominational or non-denominational church with any measure of gospel revelation will have, somewhere along the line, tried to implement strategies in order to achieve the goals as set out in the Great Commission. However, without the revelation of grace and applying its principles to making disciples, the efforts of any disciple-making program will fall flat over the hurdle of legalism and ensuing guilt.

Jesus lived the great commission and yet He said that we would do greater works, than He ever did, once He ascended up to heaven. If He didn’t go up to heaven, we would never have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to be able to carry out such an enormous task.

In 2 Timothy 2:3, Paul says to “commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”. This is a New Testament, church age example of the great commission in action. As Paul was admonishing Timothy, his own disciple, to replicate what he had taught him, into the lives of other people. Adding to the admonishing of Jesus, Paul not only knew that making disciples was the only way of changing the world, but He also knew that discipling them into grace, would form a strong back-bone for church growth in the future. The books of Romans, Galatians and Hebrews, forming the foundation of his doctrines on grace and righteousness and therefore the same principles we should be implementing today.

The following is a broad outline of how making disciples of all nations (ethnic group), can be a reality in our present generation, without turning the gospel into a circus of legalistic hoops, that we force people to jump through, in order for them to pass the gauntlet of discipleship. With love as the ultimate motivator, fuelled by a deep revelation of grace, it will compel even the most introverted believer to spread the message that they have on their heart, because it really is nearly too good to be true.

The focus is not on results, under the guise of bearing fruit, but rather the focus is on a transformation of the heart of the individual. Once the heart is transformed and your mind is renewed (Romans 12:2), then the faith which it produces, will automatically turn into actions (James 2:17) and not the other way around!

Discipleship is ultimately the vessel into which, a more mature believer can help a lesser mature believer, attain a deeper revelation of the gospels and ultimately Jesus and His message of grace: “For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 NKJV). Mentoring people unto yourself is not the goal, that’s pride, it is helping them overcome the obstacles you once faced in order that they might come into an intimate relationship with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Look out for the second post on "What is a Disciple?"

John Mayer vs The Message Bible

Some fun courtesy of www.stuffchristianslike.net . See if you know which lines are from John Mayer songs or from the message bible.

1. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?


Then they get in all their shopping sprees. At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep,

2. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

Belief is a beautiful armor, but makes for the heaviest sword

3. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

Now we see everything that’s going wrong, with the world and those who lead it

4. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

I dare to believe that the luckless will get lucky someday.

5. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

She takes you in with your crying eyes, then all at once you have to say goodbye

6. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes, it brought me back to life

7. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

I’m tired of all this—so tired. My bed has been floating … on the flood of my tears.

8. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

Take all your wasted honor, every little past frustration, take all of your so called problems, better put them in quotations.

9. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

She says the bible is all that she reads and prefers that I not use profanity

10. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

And I will walk outside on my own into the light, the kind of clarity that only comes to me on Sunday’s shine, Sunday’s shine

11. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms— I’m celebrating your rescue.

12. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

He comes up empty. A string of zeros.

13. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

Someday I’ll fly, someday I’ll soar

14. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

Nightly he strolls in our garden, delighting in the flowers, until dawn breathes its light and night slips away

15. Is this passage John Mayer or the Message Bible?

You tell me where to go and though I might leave to find it, I’ll never let your head hit the bed without my hand behind it

See the answers here. I got 10 out of 15, see if you can beat me!

Confession of My Righteousness

I put this little confession together last year, when God was really imprinting righteousness on my heart. It is just Word, so it can be very effective when spoken over your life. I spoke it over myself for over a year and it worked wonders to make real, the revelation of my righteousness, by faith in the finished work of the cross! Print it out and do the same! Send me an e-mail for the PDF version!

Confession of My Righteousness

But now there is a righteousness of God, apart from the law, that has been made known to all who believe (Rom3:21) .This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Rom 3:22). My faith is credited to me as righteousness (Rom 4:5). It is imputed unto me because I believe in the One who raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Rom4:23). I don’t have to work for it (Rom 4:6). But through one mans righteous act the free gift came to all men (Rom 5:18), for He made him who had no sin to be sin on my behalf that I might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor5:21). Because of this, sin no longer has dominion over me because I am no longer under law but under grace (Rom 6:14) and so having been set free from sin I am now a slave to righteousness (Rom 6:18) for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom 10:4). Thus I don’t set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vein (Gal 2:21) so I don’t seek to establish my own righteousness, but rather submit to the righteousness from God (Rom 10:3). I now put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24) so through the Spirit I eagerly accept the hope of this righteousness by faith (Gal 5:5) the righteousness which is from God by faith (Phil 3:9) not by the works of righteousness which I have done, but according to His mercy (Tit 3:5). I am in Christ, so I am a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come (2 Cor5:17) By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect (1 Cor15:10).So nothing in all creation will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38).

Grooving Your Ministry

These two clips are from Arthur Meintjies,an extraordinary teacher at CBC, who is fast becoming one of the favorites at the school. The first clip is of the first 15 minutes of the class and the second clip is of the last 15 minute, with 20 minutes of rest for my hand! So, enjoy and check out his website at http://www.kingdomlifeministry.com/. He is of South African persuasion, so enjoy the best accent in the world!

My hope through these videos, is to expose some of you to the great teaching that is out there and thus stimulate you to dig deeper into God's word and challenge the staus quo. We don't all see things the same way, but we have a God who does and He can unite even the most divided of people. So may these videos unite some of you in thought and in heart ...

Mission Overview for Argentina

Our mission trip to Argentina is well and truly in motion now. We are the first of 14 teams, from our second year class, to go on a mission and throughout this year teams will be going out to destinations all over the world! It's exciting to set the precedent, but what's even more exciting is the number of people who's lives are going to be impacted by us presenting them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We will be achieving our goals through a number of different mediums. We will be involved with street evangelism, sharing in bible studies, giving testimonies and preaching in church services, ministering in schools and working with children in orphanages.

Buenos Aires , like any modern city today, has the vast separation between the haves and the have nots. There are thousands of people who have fallen through the gaps in society and who have never felt the love of God before. Our aim is to minister God's love to them and to show them that their lives are valuable and worth living!

I am still trying to raise money for my part in this mission trip. CBC has pledged to match every dollar we raise with a dollar from their side. So if you feel like God is laying on your heart to give and sow directly into hearts and lives being transformed, then please click on the DONATE button on the right of screen. Please send me an e-mail or a comment with a prayer request, so that I know who you are and so that we can pray for you!

We are leaving on 1 November, so there will be many more posts on the mission before we head off!

PS: My Spanish is getting pretty good, a little bit every day goes a long way!!

Final thoughts on the Ministers Conference and other stuff ...

Without going into too much detail on the content of the final few days of the ministers conference, I will share with you some quotes that I picked up. Some food for thought and further study maybe ...

"A vision alone is not enough, it must develop into a cause ... you have a vision, but a cause has you!" - Ps Bob Nichols

He was speaking about the burning passion that God has put in each one of us and spoken deeply in our hearts. This passion is conceived by vision, but bought to fruition by turning it into a cause, a life cause.

"The only people that will ever let you down are the people you lean on" - Andrew Wommack
"Nobody can get inside of your mind without your help" - Andrew Wommack

In his final few teachings, he was speaking on how, when you are a disciple, you will experience disappointments. Disappointments often come in the form of people letting you down or false accusations at that which you are standing for. But, the secret is to not meditate on such things, to not let these incidents get inside your mind and start dominating your thoughts.

Below are some incredible resources that have blessed me. I have bought, but not finished reading both these books and have heard Charlie and Jill's music live. So if you're looking for solid stuff, this could just be it ...

(the pictures aren't seeming to load, so I will just post the links)

Andrew Wommack's book, entitled Effortless Change
Bob Yandian's book, entitled God's Word to Pastors
Charlie and Jill Leblanc's new CD Beautiful Hope

If you haven't seen this video already, it's quite powerful:

A taste of CBC classes

Herewith a taste of CBC during class, for everyone who want to know exactly what I'm getting up to! The second video's visuals aren't as good, but the sound quality is excellent. So enjoy and let me know what you think. Praise the Lord for this opportunity to be here and be exposed to this awesomeness!

PS: You are welcome to share link with others, but please no duplication or sales of video content. Thanks!

Ministers Conference thus far

The annual Andrew Wommack Ministers Conference has been on the go this week, hence me being quiet on the blogging front! But here are a few tit-bits before I give the full synopsis later this week:

Pastor Bob Nichols had a strong time of ministry this evening, his message to everyone in attendance, who are in ministry, was this: GOD IS NOT DONE WITH YOU YET! This comes in the wake of many of the ministers at the conference being battered by the tough path of ministry and some on the verge of giving up. This simple yet powerful word started a powerful healing process and many ministries were rescued from the brink of despair! Maybe you need to hear this too, GOD IS NOT DONE WITH YOU YET, he still has a plan for you even though it seems hopeless, his love is still there to lift you up as long as you still have breath to breathe!

Pastor Bob Yandian has been speaking on the ministry of the Holy Spirit and today focused on dreams and visions. His message was also simple. Visions and dreams are the same thing, except one occurs when you should be awake, but are knocked out, and the other occurs in your sleep. ALLOW GOD INTO YOUR DREAMS, to speak to you and to impart vision, direction and wisdom. Remember the prophesy in Joel, which Peter quoted in Acts ...

Andrew has been speaking on the value of discipleship out of 2 Timothy 2, using the examples of the soldier and the athlete. Saying that Christians are extremely weak today and that we need to toughen up, we let our emotions control us too much, when we should just be controlled by our convictions!

Here is a link to a short bio of the conference speakers. Check them out, for great teachings and materials.

CBC Saturday picnic and rugby in the USA

Saturday was the designated day for the first CBC picnic of the year. It was a good chance to meet people from the other year groups and get to speak to people outside of the school environment. It also happened to be my birthday, so it turned out to be an extra fun day!

The fields next to the picnic spot were being used by rugby clubs for their weekly matches. We got speaking to some of the guys and it turns out that rugby has quite a strong following, especially in Colorado!

Here are some very random pics from the day, none of my housemates were there, but there will be many photos of them to come in future posts, for those interested people  ... 

Kick-off!

The guys were going at each other pretty hard - it was good to see!

John (left) and Jacob (right), CBC classmates teaching me how to play 'ball' - as if I didn't know!

It takes 3 people and a dog to get a frisbee out of the tree!

HILIGHTS and INSIGHTS of the week that was

Calling, Character and Separation:

"Be committed to what God calls you to do": Many people think that reaching their potential will be easy once they have found what God has called them to do, but this is not so. So often people fall by the wayside, who have not reached their full potentials, due to a loss of passion or too many distractions.

The fact is, that once you have found that which you are passionate about and are willing to do, if you could choose anything in the world to do, it is only the beginning. Most people never get started, but even many of those that do get started, into the things God had destined them to do, end up as negative statistics. Why is that?

One of the main reasons is character, or lack thereof. A calling without character is likened to an athlete who doesn't train. Training allows the athlete to discipline himself in order to reach certain goals, so that when the day of the race is at hand, he is fully prepared (2 Timothy2:3-5). Similarly, our callings need to be strengthened and cultivated by setting goals and being faithful, without compromise, in order to achieve them.

An athlete ,who is serious about doing well in the race, will not skip a weeks worth of training and then try and make that week up in one day. Or he won't wait for a week before the race and then only start training in order to win the gold in the Olympics 5000m. No, rather he will build up slowly, running further and further and faster and faster until he has reached the peak of his fitness, when race day nears. The same can be said for our spiritual lives and therefore our callings. We must be faithful everyday with that which we have, serve where there is opportunity and get into God's presence regularly.

 If you are going to reach your potential it is going to cost you. Time, money, certain friends and even previous dreams. But by being faithful everyday, when the day of the race comes for you to take the next step into your calling, you are well prepared.

Remember, "...the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29), so it doesn't matter how long it takes you to get there, nor how difficult the journey may seem, His gifts and calling will still be on you, because he will not take them away!

The calling on your life is totally by grace. Nothing you can do or have done can change the pre-determined plan and purpose, which he has for you. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you ..." (Jeremiah 1:4-10). However, there comes a time when you must acknowledge this calling and do whatever is necessary to position yourself to walk fully into it. This is the time of separation. Your calling will never be fulfilled accidentally, you must be deliberate about going after it. It will be revealed to you step by step and God's timing is always right!

"Separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them" - Acts 13:2
It is interesting here that the word 'called' is in the past tense. This denotes that God had already called them for this good work, but that now they needed to be separated in order to accomplish it. Separation might take on different forms in different contexts, but there will always be a definite time and place, regardless of the nature of the calling!

I hope this speaks to someone as it has spoken to me. Many thanks to Andrew Wommack and his course "Makings of a Minister", for some valuable insight. Look out for links to videos of some of the lectures, that will be posted on the blog as well!