Newsletter #36

Dear friends

Paul's letter to the Romans has as one of its main points the following:

"I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." - Romans 1:14-16

Paul's thrust is the power in the gospel for salvation and how his, and our, obligation is to preach it to everyone, everywhere. He writes how he is under obligation, a strong term to tie yourself to the gospel, and how he doesn't prefer a particular group of people but rather is obligated to all men and women, of every education, race and background, for the gospel is that all people may be reconciled to God through Jesus.

As I have relooked at these verses (and I will expound them in greater detail on Sunday the 22nd of July), and as we have been praying for a magnified voice into our city and the regions beyond, I am acutely aware of our responsibility to see, and take hold of, the opportunities around us.

This past week, Jaci had the privilege of being interviewed on parenting in the 'Dr Mol show' studio and this interview will be screened on Friday the 6th July to a viewership of 1 million people. As we have walked this journey, God has seen it appropriate to hold a microphone to Jacs' voice and to extend its reach as she represents Him, and those of us who live according to His ways. Let's pray as a community for salvation to sweep through the homes of the viewers, even though they will listen to talking on parenting.

Friends, I urge you to be under obligation to all men, to preach the gospel, and as we do this, our prayer is that our Father would magnify our voices into the lives of those around us.

Please pray for Jacs and me as we spend this week with Dylan and Tessa Jahnig and Linc Church in Ballito.

Much love

Rich

Newsletter #35

Hi friends

I often find it encouraging hearing others' views of different experiences and after reading Mark's letter to the community group leaders, I thought it would be encouraging to take an excerpt out of it and let you read it yourselves:

"Another week, another outpouring of God's grace and blessing on us at Southcity. I find it fascinating that God regularly tells the people of Israel to set up monuments so as to remember what God had done. He sets up wonderful celebrations and festivities to remember but he is always taking them forward. I believe this weekend was one of those monuments with Craig and Colette returning to minister to us but in doing so spurring us on to keep our eyes ahead of us.

Aside from the personal joy of dedicating Caleb and being ordained onto eldership, I regard this weekend as a monumental moment in our history as Southcity Church. We have been encouraged to maintain a holy discontent with the status quo by living with a "joyful but not satisfied" spirit. We have been encouraged to remember (for those who were here) and to know (for the rest of us who have joined) the history and the trajectory of Southcity. We who have joined are like tributaries merging with the main stream of a river that has forged a path from its source and is heading to its mouth. Everything we bring is who we are but we are no longer our own streams, we are part of a mighty river that is strengthened as its volume grows. Having the ministry of a couple like Craig and Colette this weekend has opened me to seeing this more greatly and helped me understand that what we have stepped into has a mighty story so much greater than our own personal stories."

What an incredible privilege to be part of something that is here today because of an incredibly faithful, kind and generous God, as well as faithful, kind, and generous people who contended for the future which we get to live in the blessing of. May we always spur one another on to contend for the gospel and for each other and for the generations to come, giving up our preferences, our resources and our time, in order that Jesus' name may continue to reach all nations now and until the end of time.

One of Craig's words to us as a church was that our voice would grow louder and reach further. With this in mind would you pray for Jaci as she has the opportunity to speak on a national television show about parenting. A journey started a few months ago writing parenting tips for a few young moms, and this has grown in influence to the point of a book being released this Monday past on amazon.com, and the hard copy being released this coming Thursday as she speaks in front of a national audience. May God's name continue to be lifted high.

Church, we are an ancient-future people. A people who have a history, but a people who are moving towards our future. Do not get stuck around the wells and monuments of the past, as good as they were, but keep moving forward in God on this journey he has each of us on.

May you know God's peace, love, and mercy.

Much love

Richard

Newsletter #34

Dear Friends

Today, as I sit and write this in my study, and as I look forward, taking stock of what has gone before and the trajectory that the elders, both past and present, have directed us on following God's lead, I can boast in no one but our heavenly Father for His overwhelming kindness toward us.

We believe what Scripture teaches us, both by faith and experience, when we are taught: "Where there is no vision, the people perish" ~ Proverbs 29:18. Our Father is acutely aware of our need to be directed, even in this day of Western thinking with the dominance of thought teaching 'each man to and for himself'. And it is this I have in mind, as I look how our Father continues to raise men amongst us who desire to take up the mantle and responsibility of being under-shepherds under Christ.

This coming Sunday, as a believing community, we have the incredible privilege of witnessing two men take up the responsibility of doing just this. We are taught a reasonable amount from Scripture as to why we need elders, and who qualifies, so let me just include a few verses to refresh us on this matter:

Paul, after listing qualifications for elders, ends his point with this: "I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in Gods household, which is the church of the living God." ~ 1 Tim 3:14

"The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town as I directed you." ~ Titus 1:5

"If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task." ~ 1 Tim 3:1

"The Elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour especially those whose work is preaching and teaching." ~ 1 Tim 5:17 

Again, as I sit here, I am very grateful that God has taught us the way to conduct ourselves as a believing community, and that there are men who desire to fill the role of an elder amongst us.

When God releases gifts into action, the body benefits, and we are going to be the beneficiaries of the gifts being released on Sunday. So I ask you friends, to make every effort to be with us on Sunday, as our lives and futures as members of the family of God are intricately involved with each others and our leaders.

Let's be there in full support as Mark Russell and Johan Schoeman have hands laid upon them by a past leader of Southcity Church Craig Meyer, who will also be ministering on Sunday. I love what God is doing here; using an elder from the past to lay hands on two elders for our future.

What a great occasion to look forward to.

Much love to you all.

Rich