Josef Henning, pastor of the English Lutheran Fellowship (ELF) in Randburg has interviewed one of the most interesting modern missionaries for our weekly Face the Facts programme.
IN THIS ISSUE…
1. Prison Ministry: The Rewards, by Lucas Baloyi
Prison Ministry is hard work, yet completely rewarding. It enriches the quality of life of individuals to achieve a spiritual reawakening and develop a true desire to change his or Her lifestyle and be healed.
Here is the story of a man who has spent half of his life in different prisons around the country.
He called himself BRA for (Brother) Bizza, (not his real name).
Bra Bizza started using and selling drugs in 1964 when he was young. He was a liar and he would rob or steal money just to get drugs. He first went to prison when he was caught shoplifting. He then spent the next 18 months of his life at a prison called Vanrijn. In prison he joined the gang called the "Big Five" and there is where he learned about big crime. At the tender age of 19 he was an alcoholic. In 1969 was arrested for assault and other related charges and was put in Modderbee prison for 5 years. When he was discharged he did not have friends anymore. The only place where he felt comfortable was prison. Then he became a total terror to anyone who crossed his path and he did not care about life whether human or animal. 1977 he was arrested and put into prison for 15 years and from that time he was in and out of different prisons until he ended up in Diepkloof prison in 1994 where he still finds himself.
He now says he is old and he has nothing to live for and he had heard about Jesus. Now he wants to know Him more. He thanked me for the drama he watched of the Prodigal Son. Bra Bizza has now experienced God’s touch. He says he does not want to delay committing his life to Him. He said today God showed him how he had protected him from death all this years. What he is asking from us is a Zulu Bible. Even though he can’t read he will ask his friends to read it to him and that will be the first thing in his life he ever asked.
Please pray that many Christians may become active in Prison Ministry. For information about starting a Prison Ministry in your areas or training opportunities, please call us at 011 792 8440. YOU can make a difference !!
2. Radio Ministry: Amazing Amazon Arnold
When Jesus Christ said to His followers: "sell everything you have and follow me", He was asking them to follow Him around within a geography with which they were familiar.
But the most difficult thing must be to leave the country where you were born and that you call home, the people that you know, and to go into all the world to make disciples of all nations.
Josef Henning, pastor of the English Lutheran Fellowship (ELF) in Randburg has interviewed one of the most interesting modern missionaries for our weekly Face the Facts programme.
The idea of not being able to watch television for a week, not being able to watch the news for a week or our favourite soap operas, is to some a fate nearly as bad as death, then to also have to put up with 30 cm Tarantula spiders, generally reduces the number of volunteers down to one man, and that man is Arnold van der Spuy. We here at LHM-SA, have enjoyed meeting this man of extraordinary courage and conviction, an Amazon Man who was born here in South Africa.
Arnold van der Spuy is a missionary to the Indians living in the Amazon Jungle of Peru. We got to hear some amazing stories of the creatures that he has encountered, and also God’s hand reaching out to these people living in a jungle larger than South Africa.
Arnold’s drive for the Lord is only surpassed by his singing and guitar accompanied worship that he happily, and with great gusto, uses to let his audience get a feel for the music of the South Americans.
Arnold has made it quite clear that God’s work is never done, especially not God’s work in the Amazon Jungle, and so, though he is back in civilised South Africa until somewhere in January, he will be returning to the deepest, the darkest and the most unchartered parts of the Amazon Rain Forest so that he might testify to others of Jesus who saved his life. Arnold, God’s strength, His speed and His Blessing be upon your work.
Arnold gives talks at congregations and youth groups. Contact us at LHM-SA. We’ll put you in touch with him.
Face the Facts is broadcast weekly on CCFM in the Cape Town area at 8pm, Friday evenings.
3. Purpose Driven Churches
After working through the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" of Stephen Covey, "Roadmap to Success" by John Maxwell and "Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, the LHM-SA staff tackled Rick Warren’s book "Purpose Driven Church".
This book was included in the list of the 100 Christian Books that Changed the Century. Over half-million copies in 17 languages have been sold and over 60 000 pastors worldwide subscribe to his weekly e-mail newsletter. Rick Warren passes on principles that he has learned over the past 20 years in planting and pastoring Saddleback Church, one of America’s largest congregations.
During conversations with Lutheran pastors it became clear that many had bought this book and had read it as well. They were promptly invited to our weekly 90 minute discussions.
Purpose builds morale, reduces frustration, provides focus, attracts cooperation and assists evaluation. Rick Warren writes, "Trying to lead a church without a clear defined purpose is like trying to drive a car in the fog. If you can’t see clearly where you’re headed, you are likely to crash". He further asserts that a healthy church is built around five purposes:
WORSHIP FELLOWSHIP DISCIPLESHIP SERVICE OUTREACH - Everybody is very welcome to attend the lively discussions each week at our office on Thursdays at 9h30 am.
4. Appreciation for Volunteers
At LHM-SA we are blessed with a group of dedicated people that believe in our mission of "Bringing Christ to the Nations and the Nations to the Church" and enjoy to be part of the team. They bring with them loads of enthusiasm and love.
Leon Heyl has come alongside LHM-SA for five years now and has manned the switch-board, helped with telephone counselling, putting the booklets into the envelopes, wrote names and addresses on the envelopes andposted them. He has written many Devotions for our www.lhmint.org website, graded our "Real Life" lessons and proofread material before the final print. Leon also holds the devotion each Friday morning.
Rene Thysse has helped us with datacapturing and making new templates for forms. She answered the phone and processed responses.
Shireen graded our "Real Life" BCC lessons and supports our ministry with prayer.
Josef Henning has produced three Face the Facts radio programmes already and has mended broken equipment. He has sown so much into our ministry.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH !!!!!
5. Changing Mindsets
So many changes in the world and it seems that we all have need for a multitude of skills. In the church, (as in our country) the recognition of the need for training is staggering. We are fast discovering as we provide more and more training, it uncovers more need for other training.
Recently LHM-SA facilitated a 2-day workshop with pastors and lay leaders of the LCSA Church Council. We talked about the rapidly changing world and the role of the Church and the pastor/leader in the world. Changing mindsets (ours and that of our fellow Lutherans) featured high on the agenda. We revisited the current reality in the church and the incredible opportunities and potential for ministry in the "new" South Africa. We discussed what it will cost/demand from individuals and the Church Council to be relevant, effective and purpose-driven in sharing the Gospel in an ever-changing South Africa.
LCSA has embarked on an exciting journey to serve its members in better and disciple men and women to be fully functional members of a vibrant and dynamic church. LHM-SA is pleased to partner the Church on this journey.
Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!!
Early on Saturday,1st November, I came into the office to transfer funds from our much depleted savings account into the current account to pay the stop orders that were due. According to my calculations R 7 000 needed to be transferred. When I checked the balance, I noticed that an anonymous donor had deposited R 7,500 on Friday, 31st October !!!
We didn’t need to withdraw from our savings after all… for me this was no co-incidence, but God’s divine provision.