Mission: Africa

It has finally arrived, after months of planning, training and fundraising, we are going on missions! I'll be leading a team of fourteen missionaries from GraceLife church, Stellenbosch, to the nation of Zimbabwe, where we will be based in the capital, Harare. After returning to South Africa, a day later, I depart for Mozambique as part of another expedition into the rural interior of Mozambique.

Our trip to Zimbabwe, which takes place from the 28th of June to the 9th of July, will be to primarily support and encourage our sister church Charis Ministries, Harare. Our aim is to effectively disciple members of the community which Charis ministries is already reaching and to help it leaders to effectively train and equip those around them to be effective in sharing the good news of God's unconditional love and grace. The majority of the team we are taking up have never been on a mission

trip of this nature before and so it is going to be a major faith-journey for them. We have been training and preparing them for what to expect, but we understand that it is with the guidance and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit that will ultimately determine the success of our time in Harare.

Having one days rest in Johannesburg we assemble a new team to depart for Vilankulos, Mozambique on the 10th of July. This, GraceLife is doing in conjunction with a group of businessmen in Pretoria, who have collaborated together to send aid to this impoverished part of Africa.In their wisdom these men and women have seen that giving aid is not enough, what people really need is the good news of the gospel; that's where we come in. One part of our team, which consists of students from Pretoria, will be focused on delivering the aid. The other half, made up of ministers from GraceLife, will be focused on

delivering the gospel and effectively discipling people in the areas we will be working into. This brings us to the 19th of July, where the relationships that have been formed and the lives changed will mean that the planning begins for more trips and more local leaders being raised up.

Please pray for our Zim team, for safety on the roads, favour with the local people and wisdom in delivering the gospel. For the Mozam team, much the same, but please also pray for divine relationships being formed and that the gospel of grace will grip the hearts of the people and make them hungry for the Living God!

“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” - Matthew 9:37-38

Honour and it's Implications

Honour is something that is sorely missing in our post-modern, materialistic western culture of today. In our our quest for success we pay very little attention to those around us and the role they play in making it all possible. The same mentality has crept into the church, where we just as quickly shoot someone down for making a mistake as when we don't give them credit when credit is due.

Let's start off with a working definition of honour, from a christian perspective: "Positively responding to the gifts and callings God has placed on another person. So, as to receive the continuous benefits of the different parts of the body of Christ". All honour starts and ends with God. When we look at the heavenly examples of worship as set out in the Revelation 4:8-11, we see that honour is an integral part of worshiping God. How can God get good things to you if you don't open yourself up to receiving, by honouring who He is and what He has done? He can't! God needs to hold an honorary position in our lives in order for us to receive the full benefits of relationship with Him.

God works through people though. This suggests that there are people that are anointed of God in order to do the works of the ministry. If you are born-again, then you are anointed of God, if you have received Jesus into your life then God will use you to bless other people. The problem comes in, when we don't recognise, or honour, the anointing that is on someone elses life, then we can't benefit from the good that comes from it.

In Mark chapter 6, Jesus makes the statement that "a prophet is not without honour except in his own country, among his own relatives and in his own house" What Jesus meant was, that when people feel they are familiar with you, they may not be able to acknowledge the gifts and callings God has placed on your life and thus benefit from them - familiarity breeds contempt.

Honour starts with humility (Proverbs 15:33) and we must give honour where and when it is due (Romans 13:7). God responds to honour, people respond to honour; honour is in fact the outworking of the grace God has freely given you, into the lives of other people. If we respond positively to the gifts and calling on someones life, we can receive from them, similarly, if we respond in grace when they fail, and they will, it is our opportunity to extend grace towards them, so that when they do get it right, and they will, the entire body of Christ can benefit from this. Instead of being judgmental and critical, let's extend grace and be honouring.

Some practical ways to honour those around you: Pay compliments, often. Be on time. Be prepared when asked to be prepared. Don't break people down behind their back. Be willing to help. Be outwardly focused, instead of on yourself the whole time!

Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows

Walking From East to West is without a doubt the best autobiography I have read in many months.

Ravi Zacharias is a humble, deep and passionate man, who's beginnings could never have fortold the impact he would have on so many people world wide, in the years to come!

The book itself is exceptionaly well written, it's honest, brutaly honest at times, leaving very little to the imagination. Ravi illustrates well the importance of the father figure in our lives and how deep rooted their criticism can run. He also draws on how his family overcame the immigrant status when moving to the West; one of the most difficult situations for any family to be in. In areas where some would shy away, Ravi exposes and makes no bones about the fact that he is not perfect - that it is by God's grace alone, that we can do what He calls us to do.

Walking From East to West is the story about a man's journey to follow the call of God upon His life. The challenges he faces and the victories he celebrates. It's about God's willingness to use anyone who is a willing vessel.The reality of life as an international evangelist, the bright lights and the dark moments.

From the dusty streets of India to the jet-setting lifestyle of the world's foremost Christian apologist, the contrasts are great. If you want to be inspired, read this book. If you want to be entertained, read this book. If you want God to stir something of what's on His heart, in your heart, then read this book.

StartLiving rating: 9/10