FITNESS: Behaviours to get you closer to your goals
TESTIMONY: My battle with depression
PROPHETIC: The roar of victory
BISA: CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
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The Christian Lifestyle Magazine welcomes manuscripts for articles, but only after the author has first consulted with the editor via email with a short description and article brief. We will contact you if we are interested in the article. WeServe Media Group retains the right to publish articles as per our selection process. Writer’s guidelines are available upon request. The views expressed in articles and letters are the responsibility of the respective authors and not necessarily the views of WeServe Media and The Christian Lifestyle.
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CONTRIBUTORS
Meet some of our magazine’s amazing volunteer contributors! Want to write for us? Email info@tclmag.org.za and we will send you our writer’s guidelines.
Contributors: Claudene Sebolai, Juanita Fortuin, Reinhardt Van Der Westhuizen, Traci Townsend, Michelle Naude, Rita Mare, Candice Linevee, Fabian Manuel, Sebastian Petersen, Monique Peregrino, Luzuko Tafeni, Natasja Solomon, Peet Vermeulen, Monique Kotze, Iman Africa, Rev. Wlliam Japhta, Latessa & Anthony Storm, Jonathan & Jeneen Kleinhans, Fabian Manuel, Iman’ Africa, Prof. NM Nieuwoudt.
MICHELLE NAUDE
Michelle Naude trained at the Bible Institute of South Africa where she developed a love for biblical Greek. She and her husband Graham served as missionaries in Africa for all of their working lives. Now retired, Michelle runs a weekly Bible Study where she often shares Greek words with her students.
RITA MARE
Dr. Rita Mare has served in ministry full-time for the past 28 years. The Body of Christ has to be equipped, taught, mobilised, and activated across many nations. Hineni - here am I send me Lord! Wise people are builders. Through skillful and godly wisdom a life, a home, a family, businesses & communities are built. Godly strategy is necessary to wage spiritual war and with many astute advisers you’ll see the path to victory more clearly (Prov 24).
CANDICE LINEVEE
Candice Linevee’s characteristics include being hardworking, committed, self-disciplined, Godfearing, loyal, and honest. Retreat, South Africa, is where I was born and reared. The second eldest daughter of 3 kids. My immediate family consists of my teenage daughter and my husband. I am 33 years old and was ordained into the pastoral office 3 years ago alongside my husband, Byron Linevee. Among other things, I enjoy singing, dancing, and swimming.
SEBASTIAN PETERSEN
Dr Sebastian Petersen is the founder of a local radio station in Cape Town, AfriKaap Radio. He served as a deputy director in the department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Department of Correctional Services from 2011 up until 2020. He served in parliament from 1999 up until 2011 on various portfolios including in the office of the Chief Whip in Parliament, Stone Sizane (current Ambassador in Germany). He was handpicked by the then president Jacob Zuma to serve in various portfolios. I love traveling and I had the privilege to visit over 17 countries. My passion is sports and my favorite teams are Manchester United, Springboks, and Cape Town Spurs. I use to be a lifeguard and I also use to be a surfer. I am a musician and still perform at various jazz concerts.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
“Strength and honour are their clothing; they are confident about the future.”
This issue is unique in a lot of different ways. Its underpinning theme is “authenticity”. Every member of the staff was aware of the adversary’s attempt to thwart this mission. We knew we had to push through, no matter what, because God’s plans for us is to prosper and not harm us. In spite of everything, including the fact that it appeared there was no chance of success, we continued to believe the promise and expected God to keep it. We took God at his word, and as a result, we deliver this baby to you.
The testimonies, encouragements, and other items contained in this issue come from a sincere place; they represent a theology that comes from the heart. While we celebrate the centennial year of BISA, we are also holding space for those who share their struggles with mental health issues. While Tafeni Luzuko struggles with the meaning of the phrase “Kingdom of God,” we sit and listen intently as Fabian Manuel unpacks the parable of the Good Samaritan. Together with the Storms, we rejoice in the joys of marriage, and with the Kleinhans, a pastoral couple, we dive headfirst into the work of ministry. This issue, which includes helpful advice on both fashion and physical fitness, is an absolute must-read that will bless your heart. From the bottom of our hearts to the top of yours, peace be with you!
Claudene Sebolai Managing Editor
PRAYER OF SALVATION
The Bible teaches us in Rom 10:9-10 that “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the death, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved”. In other words it is an open confession of our belief in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover this confession is the activity of the heart spilling over through the mouth. This is what the Apostle Paul means when he said “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” Romans 1:16. Jesus Himself says in Revelation 3:20 “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Maybe you are paging through this magazine because someone invited you to check it out or you just stumbled upon it as you surfed the internet. I do believe it is not a co-incidence. If something in this publication resonates with your spirit and inspires you do not hesitate to invite Jesus into your world as he knocks on the door of your heart. There is nothing more amazing than to fellowship with the King of kings. Below is an example of a prayer to except Jesus’ invitation to a relationship with God. You can also pray by yourself using your own words. There is no special formula as long as you pray from your heart.
Prayer:
Dear Lord
I believe that you died on the cross for me to save me. You did for me what I could not do for myself. From this day forward, help me to live every day for you and in a way that pleases you. Thank you for not giving up on me when I gave up on myself. Thank you that You know the plans You have for me, to prosper me and not to harm me. Instruct me and teach me in the way that I should go. Counsel me and watch over me.
In Jesus Name Amen
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LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
In a world where darkness is a strong force. God placed us therein to be the light.
As we journey through our born-again walk, may we be mindful of those who suffered any form of abuse in and through the hands of a loved one or not; to be considerate, cautious and kind in our responses and reactions.
May we be a people of love, for love covers a multitude, and God loved first, so we follow suit.
And when the enemy seeks to rob, kill, or destroy our love. Let us stand firm in our Saviour Jesus Christ.
May your love and light shine through the darkness and damages of this world.
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
Sending love and light, Juanita Fortuin
THE REVIVAL IS SPREADING TO OTHER COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND GOD IS FLIPPING THE SCRIPT!
ASBURY REVIVAL
The recent revival that is taking place in Asbury, Kentucky, has generated a lot of attention on the internet. The following is something that Brandon Baumgarten posted on his social media account: “I don’t know much about God. But it looks like the Devil is winning.”
I came across this statement the other night when someone was commenting on Sam Smith’s Grammy Performance of his song Unholy. I didn’t watch the Grammys this year, but what the world saw was the singer dressed up as the devil and his dancing crew playing along. The performance involved devil worshipping and blatantly glorifying Satan. This is a calculated attempt to create a rise in people and sell more music through the controversy. Hence the comment I mentioned above. The rest of the night and for the next couple of days, the news was talking about the performance. It was stealing headlines, and social media statuses, and dominating lots of conversation. Some might have thought the Devil was winning. The narrative had been set, the mood had been made, and the script had already been written.
But just a couple of days later. The Script was about to be Flipped.
Suddenly, we are hearing reports of an extended chapel service happening on a college campus called Asbury University. Some are sceptical, and some wonder if it is truly authentic or just another meeting. Some are just naturally curious.
But it continued. Soon, reports of salvation decisions start coming through. The genuine outpouring of God’s presence becomes known. I saw one post about the revival saying, “The altar had never once been empty since the beginning.” Praise the Lord for this report! May it be the beginning of another Great Awakening.
Now the revival is spreading to other college campuses and God is flipping the script! My prayer is that the sincere desire for revival spreads to our homes and families where parents commit to disciple their kids. Where kids commit to honouring their parents. Where the appetite of the church longs for more than a meal at a restaurant after church, but for an even greater interaction with the Holy Spirit.
Isn’t this storyline familiar? Everyone thought that the devil had stolen the show on Calvary, but just a couple of days later. My friends, just a couple of days later! JESUS AROSE FROM THE DEAD AND GOD FLIPPED THE SCRIPT!
Jesus is still reviving hearts today. Asbury is evidence of that. But remember, you don’t have to be in Kentucky to experience the flipping of your life’s script. You don’t have to attend Asbury to experience revival. Tonight, I encourage you to bend your knee, bow your head, and cry out to God for a deeper interaction with His presence in your life. God still rekindles, He still revives, and He still resurrects life today. Let the Revival Begin In You in Jesus’ Name and Let Him Flip Your Script!
Even when the world thinks the Devil is winning, just remember: God has already WON!
“But we, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed from one degree of glory to another.”
By: Michelle Naude
Do you remember those magazine articles (decades ago) when a girl who looked really dowdy with poor make-up and an unflattering hairstyle was given a “remake” and afterwards she looked really pretty? A woman looking at the “before and after” photos might have said: “What a transformation!”. Yes, perhaps. But a few months later what would that girl look like without a make-up artist and a hairstylist? Perhaps much the same as before the makeover. Not much of a permanent change at all. However, when the New Testament speaks about us being transformed the concept is very different. The Greek word is “meta-morpho-oo”. And you will almost certainly recognise it as the word that is used in English for a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. Its literal meaning is “to change shape or form”. meta = change; morphee = shape.
The word only occurs three times in the New Testament – once in the gospels and twice in letters written by the Apostle Paul. I wonder if you can work out which event in the life of Jesus it refers to in the Gospels? Answer: The Transfiguration. Matthew 17:2 says that Jesus was “transfigured” before them – an excellent translation of this Greek word. But not something that can really apply to us in this life. Now for a short grammar lesson (sorry, but it is helpful). When Paul uses the word, it is in the passive voice. It is not something we do. It is something that is done to us by God and done for us as we allow Him to work in us. Both occurrences are in the present continuous tense. That means it is an ongoing process.
In Romans 12:2 we read that we should not be conformed to this world – the Greek word means to take the same shape. The Philips translation is often quoted: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould” –an excellent paraphrase. Then the verse goes
on to say that instead of letting the world shape us, we should keep on being transformed by the renewing of our minds (my translation).. The implication seems to be that the more we allow God to make our minds new by His Spirit and His Word, the more we will be changed.
The second occurrence is in 2 Corinthians 3:18. It says “But we, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed from one degree of glory to another.” You could sum up this verse in just four words: “Changed by beholding Him”. What is it that leads to this transformation? Beholding the glory of the Lord. The Greek verb can also be translated “reflecting” (it’s complicated). But in order to reflect something you first have to behold it. And the idea behind the word “behold” is long, serious, thoughtful, meditative contemplation.
And where do we see the glory of God most clearly? In the face of Jesus Christ. Just a few verses later Paul says that God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
This transformation is a life-long, gradual process that we will be working at until the day we die. To change the Greek word only slightly, Romans 8:29 tells us that God’s plan is that we should be “conformed to the image of His Son”.
The Greek word literally means “take the same shape as”. God wants us to become as much like Jesus as is possible for a human being in this life. And that is most definitely a life-long process.
So here’s the challenge for each one of us: How am I doing at allowing God to transform me to make me more like Jesus? May each one of us never be content with mediocrity. May we constantly be seeking to be transformed by the renewing of our minds from one degree of glory to another.
WITH THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Interviewed by Rev. William
Japhta
As BISA prepares to reach its centennial year in September 2023, we are delighted to have the opportunity to speak with the organisation. Along with them, we rejoice at this momentous occasion, and we invite you to celebrate with us while gaining insight from the experience and expertise of the Bible Institute of South Africa.
THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA WILL BE CELEBRATING A CENTURY IN SEPTEMBER 2023, PLEASE TELL US: WHAT IS THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA?
The Bible Institute of South Africa is a proudly South African Bible college with distinctives: we are a non-denominational, international theological college in Cape Town offering accredited undergrad and post-grad degrees as well as informal bible training, full or part-time, on and off-campus and by distance learning.
WHAT GAVE BIRTH TO REALISE SUCH A BIG DREAM?
One hundred years ago theological education in South Africa was only available at universities. In the 1920s, three evangelical ministers were concerned with the loose commitment to the gospel found in theological departments of the day. They collaborated to create training of high quality that would provide the church in South Africa with men and women who could meet the challenges of the time. In 1923 they founded the Bible Institute of South Africa.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FORMATIVE YEARS?
The first classes were held at the Manor House, Mowbray in Cape Town, where the male students were housed. Female students were at the nearby YWCA. The Principal, Rev LA Daintree was also the rector of St. Peter‘s Church. Others who assisted included the Methodist ministers, Rev WM Douglas (biographer of Andrew Murray) and Rev Joseph Ward. Rev Dr JLR Kingon and Rev E Baker completed the team.
One of the first students described those days: “The Institute began with a two-year course of daytime classes on April 9th, 1923. I arrived in the second term and found two men and three lady students besides myself. We men students lived Manor House on the main road in Mowbray with Mr. Cecil Rose-Innes as our Warden. The women students were housed in Blairmore, the YWCA next door. Our grounds ran along the back of the Rectory of Mowbray, where the Principal lived. Behind the Rectory, the Manor House, and Blairmore was Marsh Hall (originally a garage or stables) where our lectures were held. The hall was named after TE Marsh, by whose generous financial aid our Institute was made possible. A gate was built into the fence that divided the residences to enable the men to cross over to Marsh Hall.
“WE SEE OURSELVES IN THE FUTURE AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST: TRAINING STUDENTS FOR MINISTRY”
BISA 1930
September 1923 Journal
MA Bible Translation Graduation
Our Principal was a Cambridge graduate who had studied at Ridley Hall under Dr. Moule, afterward Bishop of Durham. Mr. Daintree‘s lectures, like his addresses at various conferences, were models of scholarly precision, conciseness, and deep spiritual insight. Then there was our admired Vice-Principal, Rev Ernest Baker, minister of the Observatory Baptist Church, known throughout South Africa as a preacher to overflowing congregations; He was the biographer of Frederick Stanley Arnot, missionary to Central Africa. The Rev JRL Kingon, minister of Observatory Congregational Church, lectured on the Old Testament and won our hearts with his sunny smile and sympathetic nature. Rev JA Penaliggon, a Welshman and minister of the Gardens Congregational Church, made Church History come alive for us. Rev DSB Joubert of the Groote Kerk in Adderley Street made us aware of the call of Jewish missions. Finally, the Rev Charles Garratt of the Cape Town Baptist Church gave lectures on Homiletics, which we appreciated the more because we knew he had studied at Spurgeon‘s College and to such good effect that he filled his own church to the doors every Sunday. Our afternoons were given partly to practical work which for us men meant gardening and keeping up the grounds of Manor House. Once or twice a week we went to the Cape Town Technical College for woodwork instruction under Mr. AJ Rowland, who lived to be nearly one hundred and two.
at the Bible Institute and entered the Presbyterian ministry, where he is still doing good work. May the work thus modestly begun at Mowbray, and since so wonderfully developed at Kalk Bay, continue to prosper under the goodness of God throughout the years ahead!”
(Written by Dr. Basil Holt)
WHAT WERE YOUR CHALLENGES DURING THAT TIME (FIVE YEARS AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR WHICH HAD DIRE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES)? THEN THERE WAS THE GREAT DEPRESSION: 1929-1933. IT MUST HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING TO REMAIN AFLOAT, BRAVING THE THEN ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AS AN ENTITY DEPENDING ON DONATIONS.
Though there were challenges after WWI and later the Great Depression, BISA set a high standard of Biblical scholarship. Although they were few in number, the students displayed a devotional and evangelistic spirit. To cover costs, outside boarders were accommodated on campus. For several years the training of students for the Africa Evangelistic Band was held together with the Bible Institute. These were years of consolidation when foundations were thoroughly laid and good men and women were trained for Christian service. BISA has never chased the dollar as income, preferring to make our needs known to friends and supporters, being reliant on the generosity of those who value theological education in Africa.
During weekends we engaged in Christian work wherever we could; at the Reformatory at Tokai, at Mr. Williamson‘s Cape Mission open-air services on Strand Street next to the old railway station, at the Railway Mission rooms in the same station, and at the Woodstock & Salt River Railway Mission. I still have my Weymouth‘s New Testament presented to me from the Railway Mission because I had taught Sunday School class there. Cyril Hawton, a member of that class, afterward became a student
From Day One BISA has been training ministers for many South African denominations such as the Assemblies of God, the Baptist and the Brethren churches, the Church of England and the Church of the Province of South Africa, the Dutch Reformed Church, the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Congregational Church, and other African Churches. Over the century, an uncounted number of missionaries have left college to serve in foreign fields. From small beginnings, BISA has developed into the present extensive campus and in 2023 our programs enjoy
local and international academic recognition at the degree level. The original intention of the founders has therefore been fulfilled.
GIVE US A BRIEF OF YOUR: MISSION STATEMENT WITH PRIMARY AND ANCILLARY OBJECTIVES
We exist to serve Christ and His Church by training students in biblical truth and ministry expertise. BISA holds to the inspiration, inerrant and full authority of the Bible and we emphasise the importance of having a passion for the Kingdom of God, together with exemplary Christian character. We are committed to the development of personal spirituality and practical
skills for faithful effective ministry. We seek to pursue excellence in all aspects of life, in the college and in the community to the glory of God.
THE VISION OF BISA
To faithfully equip men and women for a lifetime of fruitful service through accessible and affordable bible-based training and discipleship in Africa and beyond.
IN A CHANGING WORLD WHERE THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION HAD BEEN CHALLENGED: HOW HAVE YOU DELIVERED ON THESE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST CENTRED BIBLE TRAINING WHERE SOME CIRCLES PROCLAIM ALL RELIGIONS ARE EQUAL? HOW DOES BISA
BISA Balcony 2022
2019 Graduation
PROCLAIM OR IMPLEMENT CHRISTCENTEREDNESS?
As a Bible college we believe that Jesus is the only way for salvation. Jesus Himself stated this very clearly, saying “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. We dare not proclaim all religions as equally leading to God when Jesus taught otherwise.
We believe that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, inerrant Word of God, our only rule for faith and practice. The Gospel calls all people to repent of their sins and come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. The gospel must be preached to every person throughout the world, which includes those who are in other religions. In our centenary, by holding on to these tenets, BISA is still implementing Christcenteredness.
HOW DOES BISA REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE SCRIPTURE, IN A SOCIETY THAT PROLIFERATES DARWINISM AND OTHER EVOLUTIVE THEORIES TO DISCREDIT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES?
Discrediting God’s word is certainly not new; it began in the Garden of Eden! Faith in the author of scripture as well as His Word is a good starting point for remaining on track. For the past 100 years, BISA has consistently applied a rigorous, consistent, and well-researched hermeneutic, teaching the Bible as the inspired, authoritative, inerrant Word of God. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can remain faithful to the Gospel message.
LEARNING CONTENT OF THE MATERIAL AND ITS ACCREDITATION?
The learning content, as itemized in our prospectus, is completely bible-based and includes scores of courses that explain Doctrine as well as Application.
The following programmes are unaccredited: Christian Foundations Gap Year and the Christian Leadership Programme The following programmes are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and are registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Act: BTh contact mode, BTh distance learning and Bachelor of Theology (Hons)
THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF EACH INDIVIDUAL AND THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF THE MINISTRY
Spiritual growth is of utmost importance to BISA. It is in the weekly chapel meetings, fellowship groups, personal mentoring, prayer times, and student devotions where the student is encouraged to grow spiritually.
The practical side of study includes the teaching of ministry skills and the supervised use of these skills within and beyond the curriculum, preparing the student for hands-on ministry. THE ABSENCE OF PRAYER AND SCRIPTURE READING IN MANY INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT?
Because BISA is committed to teaching the Bible as the inspired, authoritative, inerrant Word of God we believe in the importance of prayer and the public reading of Scripture.
BISA offers two sessions per week where students and staff worship, sing, pray, and learn from God’s Word together. Students are given opportunities to lead, read Scripture, play music, and sing in these chapel services.
HOW DID THE VARIOUS CHANGES WITHIN THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AFFECT BISA’S EXISTENCE AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES (HAVING SURVIVED THROUGH THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA, THE NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT OF 1948, THE SUBSEQUENT GROUP AREAS ACT AND OTHER LAWS OF SEGREGATION, AND THE CHANGING SINCE 1990 UNTIL NOW)?
The Bible Institute of South Africa experienced much growth during the early 1960’s until the early 1980’s when BISA was able to train men and women from all ethnic backgrounds. Since our democracy, BISA continues
Campus Library
to receive daily applications from all areas of society including students from across Africa. AS THE LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO CHANGE AND THE FAITH OF CHRISTIANITY IS CONTINUALLY CHALLENGED, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO THE CRL: HOW DOES BISA ASSIST MINISTERS AND INDEPENDENT CHURCHES WITH REGARD TO COMPLIANCE OR DOES THAT NOT FALL WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION?
Assisting ministers and independent churches with compliance regarding the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities does not fall within our jurisdiction. A CENTURY OF EXISTENCE IS A MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT. HOW DOES BISA SEE ITSELF POSITIONED IN THE FUTURE AND WHAT NEW PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS ARE ENVISAGED?
AS A BIBLE COLLEGE WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY FOR SALVATION. JESUS HIMSELF STATED THIS VERY CLEARLY, SAYING “I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME”.
By God’s grace we see ourselves in the future as we have seen in the past: training students for ministry. We are aware of being relevant to society with an unchanging message and have plans to rework our distance learning courses as well as introduce shorter standalone courses in Theology. We also have plans to accredit the Christian Leadership Programme with the CHE and the Department of Education. We are working towards offering an MA degree in Bible Translation, accredited by CHE and the Department of Higher Education and Training. These projects will be accomplished as we grow our faculty and expand partnerships with churches and other Christian organisations.
BISA from Boyes Drive
2021 Hike
By: Peet Vermeulen
The inspiration to write this came during quiet time early one morning after I woke up from a very vivid dream. This is aimed at the ordinary man in the street seeking truth and peace on earth. It equally applies to me at the age of 77 years.
In my dream, I was returning home alone after a late-night event when I was suddenly gripped so tightly by an unseen force that I was rendered unable to yell or even utter a sound. When I finally opened my eyes, I was relieved to find that it had all been a dream. I just finished hearing a sermon based on Acts 2:14–21. Verse 16: “...this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: Verse 17: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people. … Your old men will dream dreams.”
Though I lack a formal theological education, I have learned as a layman via my own Bible study, the school of hard knocks, and God’s grace and mercy. On earth, we have two kingdoms, the World and God`s Kingdom. We have a choice. It is only one or the other. Truth, serenity, and eternal life can be found in God’s Kingdom through a path that is so straightforward that the world overlooks it. Accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour and then living a Christlike life is the only way (Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 3:36 We do not deserve God`s salvation, it is by Grace only (Ephesians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Bible promises the Lord’s love, but not a life without obstacles or difficulties. It is difficult to reconcile the Lord’s love with the reality of such difficulties. This is a difficult problem. In my opinion, we can find some reference to this matter in the Bible. James 1 verse 2:” Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
By: Charlene Ainslie
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…” and character.
In this regard, I am urged to quote hereunder in part from “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran, although an Eastern and not a Christian, as follows: “When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him. Though his voice may shatter your dreams…For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you…Like sheaves of corn, he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked… He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God`s sacred feast.”
Thus far, we’ve discussed the sole means to eternal life without emphasizing its crucial necessity. The life we largely worry about on Earth is simply a spec in comparison to eternity. The essence of the Gospel is that the Lord intends for us to enter the splendor of eternal life because of His love for us. We must heed the warnings about eternal life. The following scriptures attest to that: 1 Timothy 6:7; 2 Timothy 3:1; Romans 8:18; Luke 21:29.
The effects of global warming are becoming apparent. As a result, we are able to see the changes in the weather. The only thing that can’t be predicted with absolute certainty is the timing of either death or the second coming of Jesus. Are we ready for the journey to eternity? Do we have everything we need packed?
The End.
A classrooM FOR KIDS of K2
From public spaces to their own colourful space
Thanks to the Solon Foundation, individual donors and a Cape Town builder wth a heart for seeing young children thrive, a group of children in K2 now have their very own classroom. K2 Section, on the outskirts of Khayelitsha, is one of the township’s newer neighbourhoods. Approximately 46% of the working age population are unemployed and 89% of households are foodinsecure. The area has little infrastructure and few playgroups, and for many of the pre-schoolers living here, attending a preschool is only a dream.
Sikhula Sonke is a community-led organisation offering early childhood development training and support to the parents, caregivers and preschool teachers of young children in Khayelitsha. In an effort to help little people become primary school-ready, its teams run Emthonjeni playgroup outreaches in the informal settlements using public spaces, typically near water points, and set up gazebos where they run weekly learning programmes.
“We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop to their full potential, and that starts with reaching early childhood development milestones,” says Mdebuka Mthwazi, Executive Director of Sikhula Sonke.
When the organisation was gifted with R30,000 towards education, its team sat down with builder Greg Haslam of Scottie Dog Enterprises and came up with a design for a raised classroom structure that could serve the needs of both a preschool and the local community: a building that made the most of natural light, was insulated, secure and watertight against the coming winter rains.
Local building companies provided discounted lumber and supplies, reclaimed windows and doors were sourced to help keep costs down, and individuals jumped in to cover the rest. Solon Foundation donated tables, chairs and supplies and Greg’s neighbours collected additional stationery and toys.
The classroom, which sits on a strip of land not far from Yomelela Primary, was built by Greg’s team and local parents in just a week. And in April 2022, Sikhula Sonke’s qualified teachers moved their lessons from the open land into the classroom.
Today, this K2 Section preschool educates and provides a daily meal to 30 children and assists their families with social grant applications, child healthcare and referrals as well as psychosocial support. And thanks to Sikhula Sonke’s Emthonjeni programme, attendance at the school is free.
It takes a village to raise a child – and build a classroom
If you’d like to donate towards the construction of Sikhula Sonke’s next two classrooms in the informal settlements of UT Gardens and Khunqu Section, please get in touch today by emailing info@sikhulasonke.org.za.
Sikhula Sonke’s programmes include coaching, training and mentoring ECD teachers; family and community support through workshops, psychosocial support and more; a Toy Library that provides resources to preschools and families; playgroup outreach to children not in school and their caregivers using public spaces; and a Fatherhood Network supporting young fathers to play an active role in their children’s lives.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
A recent Lifeway Research study on the Greatest Needs of Pastors considered some of the mental challenges pastors face in ministry. While nearly half of the pastors say discouragement (48%) and distractions (48%) are challenges they face, stress (63%) emerges as the number one challenge for pastors. Pastors Jonathan and Jeneen, who both work full-time jobs in addition to their pastoral responsibilities, talk about the experiences they’ve had in the ministry. Have a seat, get yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and join the conversation.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, WERE YOU BROUGHT UP IN THE MINISTRY?
We were raised in the church and are now co-pastors at Faith Community Church (FCC) in Melkhoutfontein/Still Bay. Jeneen is a Pentecostal from Worcester. She is an entrepreneur in her private role as a hairdresser, operating out of her house, which has become a platform to minister to broken women. Since undergoing a life-altering encounter at a Pentecostal denomination (AFM church) on 05/01/2005, Jonathan has been involved in youth ministry and municipal community development. He works full-time
as the IT manager for Hessequa Municipality. We have been married for ten years and have two children: Joshua, a son (6 years old), and Faith, a daughter (9 years old).
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DAILY SPIRITUAL PRACTICES?
• Prayer
• Ad-hoc Fasting
• Communication with management structures of the church
• Family prayer time + bible study Everything of the above is subject to our agreed-upon weekly schedule; currently, our church services are limited to Sundays only due to Covid. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH CONFLICT?
Interviewed by: Claudene Sebolai
We learned the phrase “investigative listening,” which demands one to listen carefully and be attentive to the emotions transmitted. It is sometimes necessary to recognize that words have “unspoken words” behind them. Conflict is “onlosmaakbaar” in the environment in which we operate, whether at home, at work, or in ministry. Communication is essential and consists of a process that includes spiritual guidance, wisdom, and understanding, as well as the need to consult with others: “contact a friend/ mentor/coach...”
HOW DO KEEP YOURSELF MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY?
This is challenging, but we have surrounded ourselves with support structures and people who check in on us on a regular basis. We attended a number of seminars in this regard, which provided us with practical tools to assist us deal with the demands of ministry as well as our secular
commitments. As a family, we strive to stick to a weekly schedule that we agree on before the week begins. This include but is not limited to:
• Family game night
• Walk around the block
• Family discussions about daily encounters
• Praying together
• Constant communion as a family WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY?
Seeing how God’s grace and love transform a person’s life in a matter of days and hearing the subsequent testimony. It justifies every sacrifice made in ministry, whether in terms of resources, time, or effort, whether in season or out of season.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE BIBLE PASSAGES?
• 1 Corinthians 2:1 – 5
• John 15:15
• Revelation 21:1 - 3
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST PRESSING ISSUE FACING THE CHURCH TODAY?
We have lost our identity, and I feel we must return to the fundamentals in order to ensure that we execute the mandate of the Kingdom effectively and efficiently. We do not own our space; instead, creation eagerly awaits the sons and daughters who will proclaim the Kingdom by ruling and subduing the kingdom of darkness.
YOU ARE PASTORING A VIBRANT AND HEALTHY CHURCH IN MELKHOUTFONTEIN.
HOW HAS THE CHURCH TRANSFORMED FROM WHERE YOU STARTED TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
We began with five people, including ourselves. LOL. By God’s mercy, we currently number approximately 50 congregants. Our continual prayer is that ABBA will
“AS EACH HAS RECEIVED A GIFT, USE IT TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER, AS GOOD STEWARDS OF GOD’S VARIED GRACE.”
only bring in as many people as we can accommodate. We continually re-evaluate our organizational structure to support congregants in accordance with 2 Timothy 2:2 – people who buy into the vision and have the necessary skills for their given responsibilities.
TELL US, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH AND AVOID BURNOUT?
It’s important to take care of your health and give yourself time to rest. We sometimes push ourselves as young ministers, which is good, but we need to know and understand our limits. If you have the Holy Spirit inside of you, you have an advantage. He will always help those who are willing to listen. Here, we need to pay close attention, especially where people’s needs have grown. The world’s economies are still getting back on their feet. People lost their jobs, which hurt households in many ways. In our case, we have secular jobs and do ministry part-time, but the expectation of people remains full-time. One of our mentors taught us that when we’re tired, we should “REST.”
HOW DID THE PANDEMIC INFLUENCE CHURCH AND CONGREGANTS? WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE NAVIGATING A CHURCH THROUGH A PANDEMIC?
During the pandemic, the church grew more active and relevant and was able to reach more people than before. Via
food packages, street ministry, and other outside programs. Even as a new church still expanding, we were able to provide financial support to other ministries with full-time ministers whose doors were closed at the time. We were fortunate to suffer no losses due to the pandemic.
HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE MINISTERS THAT ARE EXHAUSTED AND FEEL LIKE THROWING IN THE TOWEL?
We are all human, and we tend to become the people we surround ourselves with. We all need a table of support/safety -net/support structure or network, people who can positively impact our life. For example, but not limited to:
• Coach/Spiritual Father
• Mentor
• Inner Circle
• Family These people must be able to speak to what makes you a human being: spiritual, emotional, physical, social, intellectual, and environmental needs. People who can unapologetically keep us accountable, motivate and challenge you to advance into your mission, vision and calling.
At WOW (Walking On Water) Outreach
We believe: The gospel will bring hope to those in poverty, those who feel rejected and forgotten. Helping people renew their mind/ thought patterns through the Word of God and Kingdom principles, we aim to bring them out of bad vices and moral decay, helping them to become prosperous in their souls, which will eventually lead to prosperity in relationships, health and finances.
“You will be called Repairer of broken walls, Restorer of Streets with dwellings.” Isaiah 58 v 12
Robert Pollard is not only the founder of WOW, a missions pastor at Lewende Woord Westerlig, and an evangelist to the nations, but also the the author of the Sons of Glory books. If you would like to know more, or invite him as a speaker to your church, you can email him at Robert@lewendewoord.co.za or alternatively contact him on 0832349232
is never selfish.
just as important as physical health.
So, what precisely does “mental health” imply? Mental health is more than simply mental illnesses or disorders; it is also only one component of a wider picture. Mental health should always be considered as a sliding scale; we are all on it for a variety of reasons, including biology and upbringing, as well as life experiences that move us up and down.
We have disorders such as anxiety and depression on one end of the scale, and positive states of mental health when we are thriving, pleased and fulfilled on the other. Anxiety and depression are examples of disorders on the negative end of the spectrum.
The goal of excellent mental health is to assist everyone in moving up the scale so that they can reach their greatest potential and live satisfying lives. This means that we should all be able to cope with regular life challenges, work efficiently, contribute to our community, be resilient, feel in control, be confident, deal with our emotions in a healthy
manner, and maintain good relationships with those around us.
At some moment or another, it is normal to experience stress, worry, anxiety, grief, fear, and anger. These are all valid emotions. When these feelings begin to interfere with our ability to function normally and continue to do so over time, they have the potential to become a mental health problem, and if they are not treated, they can become chronic. The good news is that assistance is accessible, as are ways for dealing with challenging situations more effectively.
However, the vast majority of us do not seek professional help because of the stigma associated with mental illness, our lack of understanding regarding treatment options, our uncertainty, and our fear of being exposed. Because maintaining good mental health is of the utmost significance, this is the pattern that we as a society need to work to eradicate.
Personal experience has shown that the following factors can help in dealing with and keeping excellent mental health:
Focus on the positive aspects of your life, such as family, friends, and support networks. Practice gratitude by keeping a daily journal in which you record the things for which you are grateful.
Connect with people, church, and fellowship; this helps with self-esteem by allowing you to be a part of something good; it creates meaningful relationships with yourself, those around you, your spiritual life, and your natural life; it fosters a positive attitude and leads to personal growth; and it creates a connection with nature.
Maintain your physical health and fitness, eat healthy or at least try to, and exercise every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes. All of these things are very important, and you will feel better if you get enough sleep.
Develop effective coping techniques that are specific to your requirements, and explore how you respond positively to negative emotions such as stress, criticism, worry, and sadness.
Writing about unpleasant experiences and how they affected you is a form of self-reflection. Seek the help of a trained practitioner when necessary; this will help you identify the signs and symptoms that serve as early warning indicators. If you believe you are unable to handle the problem on your own, it is always preferable to seek help as soon as possible rather than later; yet, doing so demands courage. Finally, be gentle with yourself; putting all of this into practice may take some time because everyone is different, but you will eventually find the strategy that works for you.
YOUR CHURCH & MINISTRY PARTNER
Sharing the lifegiving Word of God
Millions of people do not have access to the Word of God. At Christian Media Publishing, our vision is to make Bibles and children’s Bibles Affordable, Available, Attractive and Accessible to transform the lives of Christian communities globally.
How Christian Media Publishing supports churches and ministries:
z As a Biblica (previously known as the International Bible Society) partner, we publish and distribute a wide range of Bibles in Southern African languages.
z We develop quality children’s publications, which are ideal for schools and outreach programs,
focusing on faith building and educational development.
z We provide project- and print management services, tailored to our partners’ needs.
z Our client-centred approach ensures that our publications remain affordable for our partners.
z Our team of experts provides dedicated logistical support to deliver publications when and where they are needed.
Christian Media Publishing is honoured to be the exclusive authorised licensee of the Methodist Publishing House publications for the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
Ndebele Chichewa
French English Portuguese Kiswahili
Shona
"IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME "
By: Dr. Sebastian Petersen
I recently received an email from a Facebook follower thanking me for my post, which provided him with comfort and hope. He was on the edge of committing suicide. A few months ago, I could have been in that position. It is a terrible thought because it could have been me, yet I am still alive. And now that I understand the severity and complexity of depression, I feel compelled to share my story.
I said it out loud: “I have suicidal thoughts. I need help.”
In the mornings, as soon as I open my eyes, I assign a new number to myself. A scale, from 1 to 10. The Depression Scale, if you will. The rest of my day will be heavily influenced by how I am initially feeling and how I score my current mood.
What I mostly felt when I experienced depression was:
Feelings of worthlessness: “I’m not worth anything”
Total loss of self-esteem: “I’m bad at everything and useless.”
Self-destructive thoughts: “It’s better for all that I’m not here. I’m just a burden”.
Loss of ability to feel joy and pleasure: Someone said that you’re depressed when all things are good in your life but you are totally numb to the world. I agree with that.
Concentration problems, slowness, trouble of remembering things: In other words, your brain doesn’t function properly. You’re spending all your mental reserves just trying to keep your composure.
Self-harm is a scaled-down form of this. Any addiction is a form of self-harm. I’ve known addiction, I’ve known self-harm, and in 2021, a year after I “left” politics (I never truly left, and that was one of the great difficulties), I inflicted on myself one of my worst instances of physical selfharm. That same year, I was also going through a divorce. Everything was taken from me.
I believe I was decompressing. I had been under strain for more than a decade that, according to my therapist, most individuals would not tolerate for a day or a week, let alone a year or a decade. I had gone from having a clear and comprehensive professional purpose to having an empty diary and the frantic sense that I had to start all over again. It was unsustainable. Something had to give. So something happened, and I exploded.
It generally begins as soon as I wake up. My head seems a little heavier than usual, and I want to sleep again but can’t. I stare at the ceiling, and to my left, about 1-2 metres away, I perceive a dark
grey cloud, oval in shape, about 5 times the size of a rugby ball, which fills me with dread. It has a colour, a texture, and a feel, a pretty horrible kind of jelly vibe. “Please, no, go away,” I could say to it.
There is now a smile on this cloud in my mind’s eye, and it is moving in, and I am trying to drive it away, but I can’t. Its grin is widening as it realises I’m ready to give up the fight and let it in. “Come on then, let’s get it over with,” I reply reluctantly, and then it’s within me, and it feels like a thick liquid is being poured through my veins, and my body begins to join my thoughts in feeling heavy. The cloud has vanished, but its smile remains, and it says, “Gotcha... again… You thought you’d gotten rid of me... No way... “I’m back, and this time I’m not leaving.”
I used to live with that feeling, get up, move on, and pretend I was fine. Now I immediately inform a friend. “What triggered it?” she always asks, knowing what my answer will be, and I always say, “I don’t know.” During this time I’ve learned how to cope with depression...
• Stay in touch. Don’t withdraw from life.
• Be more active. Take up some form of exercise.
• Face your fears. Don’t avoid the things you find difficult.
• Don’t drink alcohol. For some people, alcohol can become a problem.
• Try to eat a healthy diet. Have a routine.
Though what I’m saying contains a lot of pain and grief, I hope you also find hope. Cancer was once considered untouchable. The capital C. As a culture, we have established language so that we may comprehend, support, and sympathise with one another. We must now do the same for depression. The church must be involved in this process. My depression is not going away easily. That’s something I’ve come to terms with. I still have suicide thoughts and sad days, but I can recognise them now, feel them coming on, and deal with them better than I used to.
Then one of the twenty-four elders said to me: Stop weeping! Look closely, the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome and conquered! He is worthy and the One who can open the scroll and break its seven seals (Rev 5:5).
THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH IS ROARING OVER THE NATIONS WITH THE UTMOST FIERCENESS AND AUTHORITY!
The Lion of the tribe of Judah is roaring over the nations with the utmost fierceness and authority! Every principality and power shakes when He roars because they know their residency and power over the nations has come to an end! His roar silences every other noise and demands attention and response. For the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people (Gen 49:10).
Yeshua is holding the sovereign staff of God Himself, releasing spiritual oppression and setting the captives free through God’s Holy Spirit.
Consider from the standpoint of faith that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! For even the whole creation and all nature waits eagerly for the children of God to be revealed. Yes, the entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!
His roar in us - is a roar of freedom and carries the weight of authority of the Lion of the tribe of Judah! Judah Yehudah comes from the root YDH—yadah which means to thank. Creation is waiting for the reverberating sound of freedom that answers and echoes the roar of The Lion of Judah. The sound that conquers all darkness, shatter all strongholds, demolish all towers of lies.
Our worship and thanksgiving will drone out the groaning for the glorious mature sons and daughters who are ARISING! We carry the first fruits of the Spirit a joyful indication of the blessings to come - in the midst of the shaking- even if we groan inwardly, we wait eagerly for the signs of the adoption as sons—the redemption and transformation of resurrection. The first-fruits of the Spirit include His indwelling presence, His gifts, His wisdom, and His transforming power. Can you imagine what the full harvest of the Spirit will bring to us? There is an awakening of the Spirit and it comes as a ROAR of victory! (Rom 8:23)
THE GOOD SAMARITAN:
By: Fabian Manuel
In 2019, my nephew Kyle left the shores of Cape Town to teach in Kwangju, a city in the southwest corner of South Korea. On his arrival the first day, he went to one of the local shops to get some milk. To his astonishment, the fridge in the dairy isle was filled to the brim with litres and litres of milk. He called his mother the evening and told her jokingly about his ordeal in the shop. He said, he only saw milk beyond the labels but unfortunately, he could not read the labels to see what kind of milk it was because it was in the Hangul language and he subsequently needed the assistance of the shop owner to translate the labels for him. Dear friends, for us labels provide identity, characteristics, social status, and kin/relations. We engage and meet people on a daily basis and attach our own labels to them based on how we physically see or perceive them to be, sometimes even without talking to them. Kyle saw bottles of milk. What did the Samaritan see? What prompted him to respond to the injured man? In a world where people argue that we should look after ourselves first, we are challenged through the parable to rethink our attitude towards those who are overlooked, or the “have-nots” and those we label as “other”, to look beyond the labels of race, sexuality, creed or colour and to recognise the need of a fellow human being and demonstrate true compassion devoid of prejudice, much like the Samaritan. Hence my topic
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is extremely counter-cultural and goes against the expectations of his Jewish audience and even the reader of the text. Jesus provides the ideal parable, to expose true neighbourliness, what it means to care for others, and how to demonstrate agape love but it also serves as a moral compass for humanity and disturbs our comfort zone.
Let us now unpack the story however it is important to understand the context and location of Luke’s parable. The parable is located within a discussion between Jesus and a lawyer regarding a question about what is required in order to inherit eternal life. Thereafter the conversation between the two moves to a contentious point of Jewish Law: who is to be considered a neighbour. The parable also forms part of the Lukan travel narrative in which Jesus is on his way with his followers from Galilee setting his focus towards Jerusalem, which will ultimately end with his triumphal entry and crucifixion. The Samaritans and the Jews viewed each other with suspicion at the best of times and hostility at the worst of times - No love lost. A large portion of Luke’s perspective is the dissipation of boundaries caused by legacy and the division between Jew and Gentile that was so rife.
The story opens with Luke describing how a ‘certain lawyer’, an expert in the Mosaic Law, from nowhere stood up
“Labels of love”
to test Jesus. He asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The fact that Luke says that the lawyer wanted to “test” Jesus indicates that he is being deceitful – ultimately, he wants to trap Jesus. To the lawyer, this question was one of theory, not practical interest or even a matter of deep personal concern. Its foundation was that eternal life was a reward of merit, of works, and what these works involved. But the real question is not what the law says, but its interpretation. The lawyer quotes the double commandment of love composed of lines from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
So, lurking beneath the lawyer’s question is another impossible question, “who is my neighbour?”. The lawyer in this instance is expecting Jesus to explain that his neighbour is his fellow Jew and his family. “All cultures, modern and ancient, draw boundaries between themselves and others, whether it is a matter of defending turf or building iron curtains. The temptation to draw the line, to dare someone to step across it, seems to be a universal human phenomenon.” (Scott 1990:189). To ask,” who is my neighbour?” presupposes that one can define “who is, and who is not, one’s neighbour. Who is in and who is out of the circle of neighbours.
By definition, we do so by attaching certain labels to these persons according to matching criteria or even as a result of our own stereotypes. As I mentioned before, we categorise people, and put a tag on them based on how we physically see or perceive them to be. We weight the scales on whether they are deserving of our compassion, embrace, and love. We love with terms and conditions – with “strings attached”
Now here is where the plot thickens in the second part of the narrative, where the parable is sprinkled with all sorts of theological conundrums and details but with a definite twist in the tale. This story goes against everything his Jewish audience believed or
understood about Samaritans. As a masterful storyteller, Jesus tells the remarkable tale of an unnamed man, with no defined religious or cultural background who went down from Jerusalem on the dangerous road to Jericho. A gang of thieves assaulted him, stripped him of his clothes, and left him half-dead. So, we know that he is half-dead, possibly in an unconscious state, nearing death, and mistaken as a dead man.
The lawyer must have been wondering where the story was leading. But then Jesus introduces the next two characters in the drama: two travellers. These are officials with whom the lawyer was very familiar –a priest and Levite. Was the lawyer expecting to hear that the priest and Levite came to the rescue of the injured man? Probably; but instead, in this parable, the priest notices the injured man and walks on the ‘other side’. The Levite does the same.
Jesus calls us to replace the labels of xenophobia, homophobia, religious intolerance and hatred with labels of genuine love for one another. Jesus also calls us to shift our own needs and priorities aside and to recognise the needs of others above our own needs – a radical transformation. The priest and Levite, when they saw the injured man thought “What will happen to us, if we help him?”. When the Samaritan saw the injured man, he thought “What will happen to him, if I don’t help him?”. One could say that the Samaritan treated the Jew with a sense of Ubuntu – “I am because you are”. We should continue to cultivate this deep and profound social truth that has the ability to weave our common humanity and heritage together as a rainbow nation.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us valuable life lessons. It caused social distancing, separated us from our families and friends and taught us how to do things differently. However, as people were struggling to make ends meet, losing their jobs or salaries that were cut while trying to keep
the lights on and putting food on the table amidst the havoc the virus were causing, soup kitchens were popping up in our communities, food parcels were being distributed, hope was inspired and the dignity of our people were being restored. No one was shunned because they looked or dressed different but the genuine needs of our people were identified and seen to.
Many of these soup kitchens are still in operation today feeding the hungry. This was obviously not just a once-off endeavour but a longterm commitment. The Samaritan’s final actions understand him as providing not one-time aid, but longterm care. Thus, the sense of loving neighbour means continual action, not something to check off the to-do list. It means keep going at it. The Samaritan’s offering to the innkeeper which amounts to a blank check fits within Jesus’s overall concern for generosity and the need for a more compassionate world. Once our stereotypes are shattered, we can begin to look at people as individuals rather than as social roles. We begin to look at people and label them through and with love. Jesus asks the lawyer who was a neighbour to the wounded man, and rather evasively, he responds “the one who showed mercy”. Jesus then says “Go and do likewise”.
For the expert in the law, the wounded man was a subject to discuss.
To the robbers, the wounded man was someone to use and exploit.
To the religious men, the wounded man was a problem to be avoided.
To the innkeeper, the wounded man was a customer to serve for a fee.
To the Samaritan, the wounded man was a human being worth being cared for and loved.”
Confronting the needs of others brings out various attitudes in us.
Jesus used the story of the good but despised Samaritan to make clear what attitude and label was acceptable to him – that of love and compassion.
New Chapter
IN YOUR LIFE
NPC: 2021/952089/08
RECTOR: WoGS
PROF. NM NIEUWOUDT
Word of God Seminary launched this opportunity for denominations, students and graduates to grow their knowledge in the “Word of God”.
We as WOGS are committed into a long-standing Spiritual relation in becoming part of this “New chapter in your life” through passionate people who has a calling for the glory of God.
We are a formal training institution, registered as an NPC in South Africa, which were founded and established by myself, Prof. Nicolaas Martin Nieuwoudt and the Registrar Dr. Aubrey William Burger. Our board of directors exists of five (5) passionate well-experienced Christian leaders and academics with a vision to train God’s children.
Through our VISION we are committed to deliver value driven, theory, practical and personally transformative training to God’s children seeking knowledge of the Word of God. Our courses are specifically designed to meet all the ministry, evangelism, theology and counseling related requirements of individuals with a vision to change society, through proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord.
Our MISSION is to deliver the highest quality training to all students enrolled and believe that the teaching of sound knowledge, ethical and moral values will make a significant contribution to the sustainability of society. An objective of WoGS is that a student learns, not about the Bible, but learns the Bible. The intent is that each student learns Biblical truths.
We are committed to removing the fear factor from the desire to earn a Biblical qualification. The Bible is our textbook. Each course uses the Bible, plus a prescribed manual for the various subjects.
Word of God Seminary has full accreditation with the following bodies:
International Accreditation Accrediting Commission for Biblical Higher Education Houston, Texas, United States of America www.acbhe.org/members/
International Accreditation Quality Assurance in Higher Education 11923 NE Sumner Street STE 737530, Portland, Oregon, 97220 USA; www.qahe.org
ISO 9001:2015 QMS Certificate Number: 0909048
Furthermore, we are a “non-Denominational” institute where all qualifications and post graduate studies done through “WoGS” are a “Word of Knowledge” qualification and not “Academic”. All Seminary accolades of degrees are “Earned Degrees”.
Word of God Seminary recognizes and honors individuals of extraordinary achievement in various fields as set out in our Prospectus on our webpage: www.wogs.co.za
We aim to promoted professional and social interaction to help others to access the education you’ve attained, and in that way, continuing to live the WoGS ethos of giving back to the community.
CONCERNING THE PHRASE “KINGDOM OF GOD/HEAVEN”
Bibliography
Dearest Bishop
I hope everything is going well and that your faith is growing. I want to talk about the phrase “Kingdom of God/heaven” in the Old Testament and pre-Christian contexts. After what you said about the “kingdom of God” at the service on Saturday morning, I wanted to have a conversation about what I’ve learned since then. I’d like you to read this letter with me as we look at old records that help us understand what “Kingdom of God” meant in these various contexts. There have been numerous sermons, teachings, and doctrines provided about the concept of the Kingdom of God, but the critical topic of the concept’s origin has not been addressed with due diligence.
Although the phrase “Kingdom of God/ heaven” does not appear in the Old Testament (only in later Jewish writings and the New Testament), it is still necessary to study the Old Testament for context. It’s also worth noting that when John the Baptist and Jesus called the people of Israel to repentance for the coming Kingdom, the people’s immediate response suggests that they were already familiar with the concept and were anticipating it (Matt. 3:3; 4:17).
God’s revealed kingship over Israel was questioned during a time when Israel was falling apart and many other kingdoms were planning to overthrow it. The prophets said that God’s kingdom would show up in the future, so an expectation was set (Isaiah 40; Zach. 14:16-17). Even though this hoped-for future was nationalistic and based on earthly limitations, there were hints of a completely new international last judgment and a global future in which God would rule all of God’s people. Through the prophet Daniel, when earthly monarchs assumed divine reign, God proved that He is the Sovereign and that He will transfer His dominion to the “Son of Man.”
The content of the Psalms about God’s
kingdom also bears witness to the impending divine reign, and while the Psalms largely allude to historical events, they point to the final revelation of God’s kingship and the messianic destiny (Psalms 47, 96). Thus, the expectation of a coming Kingdom with global Divine Kingship and justice existed in the Old Testament.
There was hope for God’s divine manifestation and a messianic future of peace and justice. Simply put, the crowds that flocked to John the Baptist and later to Jesus from all Jewish regions (Galilee, Judea, and so on) were responding to a proclamation that seemed to fulfill the prophetic, historical-soteriological expectation of the coming kingdom.
To get back to what I was talking about at the beginning, my Bishop, it is clear that the most important parts of the idea of the Kingdom of Heaven are deeply rooted in Old Testament beliefs and ideas. Even though the word “Kingdom of Heaven” isn’t in the Old Testament, it’s needed to understand what “Kingdom of the Heavens” means. Even though there are many different ideas, points of view, and qualities in pre-Christian Jewish texts about the Kingdom of Heavens, they all support the term’s dual meaning as the divine expression of God’s kingdom and the future of the Messiah. In light of these we should understand what “Kingdom of God” means by looking at parallels in the gospels and the Old Testament. Your sermon encouraged me to dig deeper into the concept, and although I am still grappling with the idea I wanted to share my thoughts on what I have discovered so far, May this letter generate greater investigation and conversation regarding the expression “Kingdom of God/Heaven” and its relevance for the church today.
Your son Luzuko Tafeni.
Ridderbos, H.N., 1962. The Coming of the Kingdom. Michigan. WB Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. The Bible: New International Version. 1990. South Africa. B.B. KIRKBRIDE BIBLE COMPANY, INC.
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
By: Claudene Sebolai
Text: John 11:21-26
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.” “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her. Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha believed, but her faith and expectation were placed in the future. She missed the faith found in Hebrews 11. Jesus met her where she was in her understanding and gently nudged her to the present. Jesus tells her and us who read that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. As a result, the power of the resurrection is a present-tense force. The resurrection is a person, Christ, the hope of our glory. He asks Martha a straightforward question: do you believe this? If you are in a difficult situation that appears to be impossible, the Lord is asking you today: do you believe this? Don’t set a time limit on your expectations; if God can accomplish it once, He can do it again! Take that date from your breakthrough, that date from your healing, and that date from your financial situation! Accept by faith what is rightly yours as God’s heir, daughter, or son! The earth and the fullness thereof belong to your Daddy, and He has given you everything you need to live and to serve Him according to Ephesians 1.
You have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Expect the unexpected, right here right now! I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE! DO YOU BELIEVE IT? The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Rom 8:11). What is impossible for you, is possible for God. Now is the time to realize that the Resurrection and Life are in you, and you are in Him. Imagine that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and changed his human body into a glorified body lives in you. The same power resides within you! Yes, you who have come from a place of brokenness! Indeed, you, the black sheep, who was labeled as worthless and stupid, He is in you! Do you believe this? Col 2: 9-10 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
The goal of the Christian life is to know Christ and to be like Him. Martha knew Jesus, she didn’t just know about Him. She knew him that’s why she could say that if He was there her brother wouldn’t have died. Paul expresses his desire to know Christ in his letter to the Philippians: I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead (Phil 3: 10-11). How can someone you have never heard of be called upon? How can someone you know nothing about be trusted? How can you love someone you know nothing about? We must have knowledge of Christ, and Paul desired knowledge of Christ.
Eph 1: 18-21 I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Amen!
JESUS TELLS HER AND US WHO READ THAT HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER. AS A RESULT, THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION IS A PRESENT-TENSE FORCE. THE RESURRECTION IS A PERSON, CHRIST, THE HOPE OF OUR GLORY.
By Natashja Solomon
We all want to be perfect parents on our parenting journey, no matter who says otherwise. What we as parents forget is that there is no such “thing” as flawless parenting. I believe that as parents, we put pressure on ourselves to be the best we can be for our children, even though we are developing alongside them in our parenting roles. Over the years, we as parents have imported the behaviours of our own parents into our own parenting journey, which can have both a detrimental and positive impact on our children. Having said that, I want to use this article to speak to parents who are always berating themselves for being horrible parents.
With the demands of work, building a career, and educating children in today’s world, being a parent comes with a lot of trauma that we don’t always feel safe talking about. I want to tell parents not to be so hard on themselves because there is no one right way to raise kids. The Bible is clear on how it will come together for the good. For example Romans 8 verse 28 it says: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God” so then what is the insecurity about not being a good parent whilst the word reminds us it will come together.
Over the years of working with many parents, I’ve heard how parents say they want to leave a legacy, but they’re so messed up right now that they’re still suffering with prior parenting damage from their own parents’ inability to parent positively. I’d want to point out that none of our parents knew how to parent when we were kids, and the only way they knew how was through those who came before them. Our parents were not as exposed to parenting tools, internet materials, trainings, seminars, and the like, and their only knowledge of parenting came from their own lived experiences. It’s a clear indication that there is a significant gap in self-transformation when it comes to parenting, as well as our realisation that traditional parenting methods are not particularly practical for today’s youngsters.
Our children are growing up in a time when their voice and opinion are very important, and this is causing the parentchild relationship to become antagonistic rather than a secure environment for children to discuss. Many times, youngsters believe they are unable to communicate with their parents and hence seek knowledge from other sources. As parents, we are the composed mirror in our children’s lives, and they will always reflect it as such. As a parent, I’ve become more conscious of how I react to situations beyond my control, especially in the company of my children.
If we continue to beat ourselves up for always wanting to be better parents, then it is time to unlearn some of those old parenting principles. One major transformation that we must make is to begin thinking of our children as people rather than as children. Little individuals with huge emotions who don’t always know how to deal with the various daily problems they face at school as well as family interactions. We were not encouraged to speak our truth; in fact, we were taught that children should be seen rather than heard. As parents, we owe it to ourselves to pause and reflect on our upbringing, the pain we experienced as children, and then to stand up and show up more intentionally for our children.
In conclusion, as parents, we may unlearn some of the parenting habits we’re not proud of and re-parent ourselves to be more present in our children’s daily lives. Our children need to know that someone is listening and that they can talk to their parents first about anything. I believe that children only need one positive, present, life-giving, consistent voice in their lives—a parent— to become successful and significant adults in society. This is feasible for all children no matter what is going on around us, therefore it’s time for parents to work on themselves first and then breathe and be reborn.
PRACTICAL STEPS TO BEGIN ANEW:
• Wake up before your children, prepare yourself first
• Mornings are a special time to prepare a good day for everyone
• Make meals times important and treat them as such
• Spend individual time with each child they are all different
• Think before you react and think about the little eyes that are watching you
• Be gentle with yourself we are on a journey of understanding parenting
• Make sure you see to your emotional wellbeing
• Instead of asking how was day…Ask what did you enjoy most today
• Watch your tone of voice when responding to your children
• Try not to allow outside voices in the lives of your children
MIRRE & KANEEL
ESSENTIAL & A NOINTING
“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. ‘honour your father and mother.’ This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honour your father and mother, ‘Things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.’ (Ephesians 6:1-3)
YOUR FATHER & MOTHER
By: Claudene Sebolai
Paul cites the fifth commandment to the Ephesians, which states, “honour your father and your mother, that it may go well with you and that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). Both the Old and New Testaments contain multiple occurrences of this commandment as well as the blessing that is associated with it. So, what exactly does it mean to “respect one’s father and mother”? The definition of honour in the Oxford English Dictionary is “to regard with great respect or high esteem.” In addition to this, it defines honour as “something regarded to be a rare opportunity that brings pride and pleasure; a privilege.” Both of these expressions capture the essence of what it means to respect one’s parents.
This must be very significant to God if he not only included it in the ten commandments given to Moses, but it is also highly valued by Jesus: “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments… honour your father and mother and love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 19:17,19). He also said in Matthew 15:4, “For God commanded, ‘honour your father
and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles his father or mother must surely die.”
When a person has children of their own, they have a newfound appreciation for the role that parenting plays in society. We make a lot of mistakes trying to be the best parents we can be for our children, and we often end up bleeding because life happens to us. Sometimes, in our attempts to heal, we bleed on our children, causing them to experience pain as a result of our actions. If you feel that your parents do not deserve honour because of the severe pain they have caused you, it is my most fervent desire that the love of God will find its way to that place of suffering, heal it, and make it possible for you to forgive them. It is customary in South Africa to extend gratitude on Mother’s Day (May 14th) not just to one’s own mother but also to one’s grandmother and other female relatives who play a role analogous to that of a mother. Likewise, Father’s Day (June 18th) is a holiday of honouring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society.
Create a memorable Mother’s Day or Father’s Day celebration for your parents this year and the years that follow. Give the flowers to them while they are still alive. Share your love with them and let them know how vitally essential they are to you. May we exemplify the value that God places on parenting, and may we ourselves grow to become parents who are valuable to society.
To my dear parents, I want to express my gratitude for all of the hard work, love, and affection that you have freely bestowed onto my siblings and myself throughout our lives. You did the best you could with the resources you had available. It’s possible that we don’t always communicate how we feel to you, but please know that we love you more than anybody else in the world because you are the most incredible parents.
Word of God Seminary is a formal training institution that is registered as a NPC in South Africa (Reg: 2021/952089/08.) This seminary was specifically established to train everybody who is hungry to learn more about the Word of God in South Africa, Africa and globally.
WoGS offers distance learning programs as well as training through satellite learning centers. You can study online or be part of teaching groups that meet at training facilities all over South Africa under the guidance of qualified facilitators. All assessments are marked at the WoGS offices and verified by the registrar.
All learners will receive their certificates, diplomas or degree after the successful completion of the course programs and written exams, at our yearly graduation seremonies in the following available WoGS courses: Ministry, Theology, Counseling, Evangelism and Pastoral, cost and course levels @ www.wogs.co.za
We are accredited internationally with the following accreditation bodies:
1. Accrediting Commission for Biblical Higher Education (ACBHE) www.acbhe.org/members/
2. International Association for Quality Assurance in Pre-tertiary and Higher Education (QAHE), registration ID: 120562 www.qahe.org
3. We have achieved ISO 9001:2015 accreditation with:
Has the Lord called you as a teacher to teach the Word? Word of God Seminary can also assist you in this regard, just contact us to find out if you fulfil the criteria to register a Satellite Bible School under the Word of God Seminary banner and accreditation. Contact Details: Vice-Rector/Registrar: Dr. Aubrey W Burger
Interviewed by Claudene Sebolai
Happily ever after? This idea from fairy tales can often lead couples to have expectations that are not realistic, particularly given the fact that the blending of two worlds involves effort, attention, commitment, etc. on all sides of the relationship. It is a pleasure for us to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Storm about their journey through marriage. HOW DID YOU MEET?
We were both enrolled in the same class at Voorbrug High School in 1995, which is how we first became acquainted.
HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS! WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EACH OTHER?
We had no romantic interest in one another, but I asked the Lord one night as I was doing a Christmas concert why He couldn’t bless me with someone like Anthony. Little did
I know that Anthony had asked the same thing of God earlier that evening as I entered the church wearing a white dress.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON?
Yeah, without a doubt. We have a love for God, for music, and for exploring new places.
CAN YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID ON YOUR FIRST DATE?
It had a romantic feel about it, haha. We got together for a game of pool. Anthony then went to the Jukebox and played the song by Lionel Richie “Your once twice three times a lady and I love you”
Anthony is quite the romantic. I’m curious to know how he popped the question.
We enjoyed a romantic supper together, during which the topic of our
future plans was brought up... Then Anthony just asked, “Would you marry me?” and I questioned, “Where’s the ring?” He responded by saying that you will receive one on the day of your wedding, which is scheduled for the following month.
WOW! IF “SHOOT YOUR SHOT” WAS A PERSON, GO ANTHONY! WHAT DID YOU CHERISH MOST ABOUT YOUR BIG DAY?
We invited fifty guests, and a total of one hundred people, including seven pastors, came to show their support for our union. That warmed our hearts. Our spiritual leaders Bishop Raymond Olckers and the Late Lady Rosetta Olckers, gave us two honeymoon gifts. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH CONFLICT IN YOUR MARRIAGE?
Typically, we discuss the things that we want and the things that we don’t
want... When we have a disagreement that causes our feelings to intensify, one of us will leave the room, and when we are both ready to discuss, we will check in with one another to see if we are both ready to talk. Following that, we engage in conversation. EVEN STRONG RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRE REGULAR CARE AND ATTENTION TO FLOURISH, HOW DO YOU KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE?
Understanding each other’s “love language” is crucial since it helps improve communication and reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings occurring. Hence, we maintain the flame by speaking each other’s love language in order to keep the fire going. Love is what love does! ANY MARRIAGE MYTHS YOU WANT TO BUST?
Never let yourselves stop growing as a unit. Avoid being complacent, and always be open to making adjustments as a couple within the context of the marriage. WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR JUST-MARRIED SELF?
Improve your ability to make sensible financial decisions. Never judge yourself or your accomplishments based on the accomplishments of others. WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF RELATIONSHIP ADVICE YOU WERE GIVEN, AND BY WHOM?
It’s important to forgive quickly. Consider the importance of the covenant you made with and before God. Every day should be a time to rejoice and exhibit affection, and you shouldn’t be embarrassed to do so. Bishop Raymond Olckers and the Late Rosetta Olckers.
WHAT PRACTICAL THINGS SHOULD COUPLES BE PREPARED FOR IN MARRIAGE?
Attending church together as a couple. The agreement to make sacrifices collectively.
HOW DO YOU THINK COUPLES SHOULD HANDLE THEIR FINANCES?
Discussions, followed by collective decision-making. Maintain complete honesty and transparency regarding any and all financial matters.
THE FIRST AVENGER
Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America was the first of Marvel Comics’ group of heroes called “The Avengers”. He was known to stand for freedom and justice. He would stand up for anyone needing a hero. He was a weak young man that the army didn’t want until he became a part of a secret experiment called “Project: Rebirth” which made him a strong super soldier in World War II. Of course, we know Captain America was not a real man. There is a real Avenger or Redeemer like we talked about earlier this week. His name is Jesus. He is fully God and came to earth as fully man so that we could be rescued from death caused by sin. He is ready to save anyone willing to admit we need a hero…a Savior. Only Jesus can rescue us and give us eternal life. Yes, it is God’s “Project: Rebirth”. Jesus made a way for us to be born again as He says in the Gospel of John chapter 3!
LOOK IT UP
In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, Jesus talks to Nicodemus about being born again. Turn there and read the chapter; you will recognize verse 16 right away, but did you know that Jesus was talking to Nicodemus?
Jesus is the ultimate hero and He is REAL! He came to earth born as a man, lived a perfect life and never sinned, died on the cross paying for our sin, and was raised to life so that He can give His eternal life to us.! When we turn to Him admitting we need Him to rescue us because we are sinners (we have rebelled against God), He saves us and becomes our Lord…our Captain. We follow Him and let Him lead us into victory and into life!
THINK ABOUT
REMEMBER
God is for you! Jesus is our ONLY hero and desires to lead us each and every day as our Captain. We can trust Him with our life now and our life forever!
PRAYER
If you already have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord (Captain), thank Him for saving you! Pledge your allegiance to Him; tell Him you want to live for Him and serve Him everyday from now on!
If you have not asked Jesus to rescue you and be your Savior (Redeemer/Avenger), you can ask Him right now! Let a leader know if you need help. But if you don’t feel that “tug” on your heart yet, ask God to lead you to Him. Keep seeking after Him. God promises that if we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. He knows you and wants you to know Him!
Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord & Savior? If so, what are some ways He is changing you to make you more like Him? Are you different than before? For more of these lessons go to www.creativebiblestudy.com/kids-Bible-lessons-heroes.html
A Burning Desire to
As a young Muslim student, Hanafi often wore all white or, occasionally, all black clothing. He wore the two colours to signify his Islamic identity and devotion, blending in with other devout Muslim students.
Today he wears vibrant clothing, colourful silicone wristbands and a large
wooden cross around his neck.
Hanafi, now 29, admits that he’s trying to attract attention, but only for a higher purpose. He wears the eye-catching colours as a bold, visible declaration that he is one of the few Christians in Niger, a majority-Muslim nation.
“When you see me, you will know
my identity,” he said. “If you are not a Christian, your heart will hopefully tell you something, and maybe you will talk to me.”
Those who talk to Hanafi don’t leave without hearing his testimony.
A Personal Message
As a teenager, Hanafi studied the Quran in hope of one day inheriting his father’s position as the village imam. His father had sent him to neighbouring Nigeria to further his Islamic studies for two years, and while there he had a dream about Jesus.
When Hanafi told his imam about the dream, the imam urged him not to tell anyone else. But later, after Hanafi had finished his studies and returned home, he had the same dream again. This time he told his father.
“Don’t share this story even with your brothers,” his father said. “Remember what happened to Joseph when he dreamed and he told his brothers?”
In 2011, Hanafi’s father sent him to another village to attend a secular school. Hanafi met a girl there who was
“The more you are persecuted, the stronger you’ll be in Jesus.”
planning to marry a pastor and, annoyed by the Christian girl’s plans, made it his goal to convert her to Islam. Instead of converting her, however, Hanafi found himself being invited to a church service, where he could observe Christianity for himself.
The next Sunday, Hanafi visited a church near his house, thinking it was where the girl attended. After discovering that he was at the wrong church, he decided to stay anyway. He wanted to see if the church really had a time of dancing, something he had heard Christians do and that he considered wicked. While he didn’t see any dancing, he was nonetheless shocked by what he heard: The pastor shared a message about how Jesus can appear to people in dreams.
“I felt like somebody came and told the pastor my dream,” he said.
Unnerved by the experience, Hanafi vowed to never attend church again. But, still feeling confused and conflicted the following Sunday, Hanafi decided to return. As the weeks passed, he became ever more intrigued by Jesus Christ. And a year later, 18-yearold Hanafi decided to return home and tell his father that he had become a Christian.
Cut from the Family
Hanafi’s father was incensed by the news that his son had become a Christian. He quickly called Hanafi’s 15 siblings and other family members to a meeting and told them, “Hanafi is no longer a part of the family.”
Glaring at Hanafi, he said, “From today on, don’t ever consider me as your father.” Hanafi said his father’s words were very painful but not surprising. “My pastor prepared me,” he said. “He told me many people will persecute me, and I asked him, ‘Even my dad?’ He said, ‘Even him; get ready. It can happen.’”
Hanafi’s pastor also shared Matt. 10:33 with him, which says, “Whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”
“At that time,” Hanafi said, “I felt whatever could happen should happen, but I cannot deny Jesus.”
When Hanafi’s father realized that his son would not renounce his faith in Christ, he made plans to send him to
Nigeria again. Hanafi, worried about what might happen to him there, asked God to rescue him from his circumstances.
The night before Hanafi was supposed to leave for Nigeria, his father locked him in a room. Around 4am, Hanafi awoke in a panic. After praying once more, he realized he could probably bust open the locked door to his room. So Hanafi charged toward the door with all his might, broke it open and fled into the night.
The following afternoon, he reached a neighbouring village and met with his pastor, but he still didn’t feel safe. “These people can follow me and find me wherever I am,” he told the pastor.
A Passion for Evangelism
The pastor helped Hanafi move to another city, where he enrolled in a Bible school and graduated in three years.
Nine months later, after learning that his father had died, Hanafi returned home to mourn with his family. While there, he discovered that his father hadn’t left him an inheritance. Hurt but trusting God to provide, Hanafi returned to his village and his church.
Hanafi eventually enrolled in a trade school and studied to become a mechanic. At the same time, however, he was being discipled by a mentor, and his passion for evangelism was growing. “God put in my heart that fire of sharing the Gospel everywhere I go,” he said. “When I meet a Muslim, I have to tell him I am a Christian and share the Gospel with him.”
Though Islamists attack Christians with increasing frequency in Niger, Christ's followers boldly obey his commands to proclaim the gospel and baptize new Believers.
Proclaiming the Gospel isn’t easy in Niger. Islamists regularly attack Christians in the country’s border regions, and Muslim villagers persecute those who leave Islam to follow Christ. Determined to reach Muslims with the truth of God’s Word, Hanafi started thinking of creative approaches, such as using drama and radio. He felt called to disciple as many young Believers as he could.
“I am very sure I will not die until I will see many Muslims coming to the Lord,” he said. And as he continues to share the Gospel with Muslims, Hanafi has no fear of persecution. “For me, persecution is part of growth,” he said. “The more you are persecuted, the stronger you’ll be in Jesus.”
Hanafi said he wants to do more for God than just attend church. He wants to be used by him to reach Muslims. He asks for prayers that the Gospel will continue to spread throughout Niger and that he will be able to help persecuted Christians there.
“Also, pray that the fire that is burning in my life for evangelism, that God will continue to strengthen me no matter what,” he said, “even if I lose my life because of it. I want the Gospel to be preached everywhere, even if I become a martyr.”
WHY THE FOUNDATION PHASE OF LEARNING IS ESSENTIAL TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Prof. Rika Joubert – Edutel Higher Education
South Africa has a particular problem of teacher supply in the Foundation Phase (Sayed and McDonald, 2017). Given the poor academic performance in many schools and the inequality in learning outcomes, there is an urgent need to improve teaching and learning in South African schools. Most children in South Africa attend no-fee schools, which dramatically affects their life chances. According to Spaull (2019), the average South African child’s life chances are still determined by ‘the colour of their skin, the province of their birth, and the wealth of their parents’. Coetzee (2014) poignantly explained: ‘The school choice of many black parents living in poor neighbourhoods is limited to the lowquality schools available to them by virtue of the area in which they live’.
According to Taylor (2019), the South African schooling system (in which initial teacher education plays a vital role) has the task of ‘raising quality across the board’.
For children to excel in their educational journey, a solid foundation in the foundational phase of their schooling, Grade R - 3, is crucial. It is a child’s first step on their educational journey, where their teachers introduce them to vital cognitive, emotional and social skills. Value-based teaching are the foundational skills children will continue to build on, not only in their schooling but throughout life.
Children are naturally curious, and they develop their learning styles during the foundation phase, which prepares them for secondary schooling and the ability to grasp challenging concepts. It is also, at this
time, where teachers can identify and address any learning concerns and teach basic values. Addressing these issues can prevent a gap in learning and future learning problems. And in the long run, it can save parents money on extra lessons and tuition because the basic abilities and foundational values are lacking.
Teachers’ influence on their learners at this early stage is immense. It’s at this stage where children continue to expand their skills as they progress through each grade. And it is this development and growth that impacts how they will view education throughout their life. Without these foundational skills, children as learners will face challenges later in life.
A quality foundation education can help children thrive and unlock their full potential. The foundation phase is where they learn and develop valuable life skills that will help them in the real world, including,
• Social and emotional coping skills
• Collaboration
• Cooperation
• Problem-solving.
Without the basic principles firmly in place, children struggle with some of the basic concepts later on, especially in mathematics.
Foundation Phase programmes must include teaching skills that cover the overall well-being of the child such as personal, social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and cultural skills. The Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3) is all about the basics in educational knowledge. It is important to remember that children have never been exposed to these educational concepts. They need to learn them
and learn how to apply them. They need to be assisted at home to build a strong foundational knowledge that will assist them through school and later lead them to becoming independent learners.
The teacher’s role is to introduce and practise new concepts at school.
The role of parents and caregivers are to practise these at home, and to bring to the teacher’s attention if there are any concepts that their child cannot grasp. The teacher cannot do this individually and relies on parents to be involved in a child’s education.
The status of Foundation Phase teachers and the state of Foundation Phase education in South Africa are a matter of concern. The Foundation Phase teacher is generally seen as the lowliest in the hierarchy of teachers in black schools. Becoming a Foundation Phase teacher is the least likely professional choice for the majority of high achieving school leavers. One way to raise the quality of education in South Africa is by ensuring that newly qualified teachers are ‘sufficiently knowledgeable, skilled and prepared’ to teach in South African schools (Taylor , 2019). Because teaching is about guiding and supporting the learning of others, good teaching presupposes a thorough understanding of how learning happens and how to guide and support learning in any school context.
In high functioning education systems, such as in Finland and Singapore, great emphasis is placed on the early foundation of children’s learning, accompanied by a firm commitment to excellent childhood teacher education and research. These examples hold important
lessons for South Africa, particularly for the way in which we think about primary school educational provision. At the heart of this is the fact that Foundation Phase teachers are a key to improving educational outcomes for children at all levels of the educational system and that special attention should be paid to the education of the teachers in the early grades.
In many schools, poor academic performance can be attributed to a range of factors. According to the DBE (2015), these factors include inadequate school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate curriculum coverage and delivery and lack of resources and support materials. Learners’ poor academic performance can also be attributed to what is (and isn’t) happening in classrooms. Hoadley (2012) reviewed classroom-based studies to determine what is happening in terms of teaching and learning in South African primary schools. Given the poor academic performance and inequality in learning outcomes, there is an urgent need to improve teaching and learning in South African schools (Metcalfe & Witten (2019); Taylor, (2008, 2019).
One way the quality of education (and learning outcomes) can be raised is by ensuring that newly qualified teachers who teach in the primary school can guide and support learning in varying schools in South Africa. It goes without saying that ‘improving what teachers do in their classrooms is the key to improved learning’ (Taylor 2008)). This is also the view of Marais (2019), who argued that teacher competence is one of the most critical factors affecting educational quality.
In Foundation Phase teaching, curriculum implementation is unique, but emphasis on teacher training is essential as it influences teachers’ efficacy in promoting holistically developed children.
Edutel Higher Education offers a cost-effective Bachelor of Education degree that equips students to become qualified Foundation Phase teachers (Grade R to 3). This qualification aims to support students who meet the admission requirements to study form home and become fully qualified Foundation Phase teachers.
This BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching degree is delivered through blended, distance learning, allowing students who live in areas in South Africa where they do not have easy access to contact institutions to study fulltime or part-time, to become fully qualified teachers. The degree is presented at the NQF Exit Level 7, with minimum total credits of 500, earned over a minimum of four years. The qualification is approved by DHET placed the qualification on REQV 14. The programme has been accredited by the Council on Higher Education. Students who previously obtained a Diploma in Grade R Teaching at any institution and register for the BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching, may be exempted for a maximum of 180 credits obtained in the Diploma Grade R
Teaching. This means that such students can complete the BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching in three years of study.
One of the keys defining aspects of a profession is that it has a specialised knowledge base that enables the professionals to perform their work. From an ethical perspective, the profession owes it to society to ensure that its members have the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes. Professional practice is ideally informed by specialised knowledge. Professional knowledge can be described as comprising four elements: disciplinary knowledge, subject knowledge for teaching, curriculum knowledge, and classroom competence. Classroom competence includes acceptable forms of conduct that is mirrored by the norms and values of what a good society would be.
Edutel Higher Education aims to offer values-driven education in all its teacher education programmes. Valuebased education is an approach to teaching that works with values. It creates a strong learning environment that enhances academic achievement and develops learners’ social and relationship skills that last throughout their lives. A positive learning environment is achieved through the positive values modelled by staff throughout the school. It quickly liberates teachers and learners from the stress of confrontational relationships, which frees up substantial teaching and learning time. It also provides social ability to learners, equipping them with social and relationship skills, intelligences and attitudes to succeed at school and throughout their lives. Just like we build strong foundations for our homes to make them last for decades; the same approach should be followed for building a strong learning foundation for children. Early foundational learning is critical for a child’s later learning. In fact, a strong early learning foundation is the ladder to ensure a future where they can adapt and thrive.
Interviewed by: Claudene Sebolai
Join us as we chat to Ps. Candice Linevee as she shares her spiritual dancing journey with us.
WHERE DOES YOUR PASSION FOR SPIRITUAL DANCE COME FROM?
From a young age, I accompanied my parents to church services, where I observed young women minister during praise and worship — free worship — through the medium of spiritual dance, also known as liturgical dance. I was blown away, I felt such a strong bond, and I knew at that moment that I was meant to be a member of this group, so I joined up right away. It was or is the colors the extensions of the hands /arms and mainly the leather shoes that I just could not get enough of.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO DEVELOP YOUR SKILL AS A DANCER?
A dancer’s skill requires a lot of sacrifice, devotion, exercise, keeping a healthy lifestyle, and a lot of “I CAN” attitude. In addition to the foregoing, spiritual dance requires that one stay prayerful and continuously in the word, as here is where we gain revelation, confirmation, and creativity to move or how to move. Other dance groups’ support is also a way and means to grow one’s skill, talent, or gift, as we learn from one another - my weakness may be another’s strength, and vice versa.
“AS I DANCED, MY BODY BECAME A PROPHECY, AND A PRAYER, AND A WEAPON.” (FRAGRANCEARISE.COM)
DO YOU FEEL CLOSE TO THE SPIRIT WHEN YOU DANCE AND HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE GOD THROUGH DANCING?
I trust the Holy Spirit to move on my behalf whenever I move with or on a particular song- I am merely a vessel for God. I will always say, “Trust God to lead and guide you to ensure that you are in sync with him for a specific NOW!” There are times when the Spirit takes over and all you can do is let Him do His thing. I encounter God through various emotions in which I literally submit and give it all back. Speaking in the divine tongue is an experience I will never forget when ministering; it is in that moment that I feel comfortable and accepted, because nothing is or was done by oneself, but was all Spirit directed and confirmed.
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAITS OF A SPIRITUAL DANCER?
Excellent balance, physical strength, physical dexterity, and spiritual maturity are key attributes for me. In order to succeed in life, one must be adaptable and have an I CAN attitude. The Bible states, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH,” so why not put that strength to use? Why not provide excellent service? Another sacrifice of prayer and fasting would be made... offering a sacrifice, desiring more of God, and trusting the Holy Spirit to disclose future steps, reveal where to proceed. It is crucial to give God control. God comes first, then us.
DO YOU DANCE SPONTANEOUSLY WHEN YOU ARE AT HOME?
All of the choreography originates at home. When you spend time alone with God, your creativity flows. Because I believe practice makes perfect. My entire family understands that when a song is on repeat, here is where I am being set free. My personal dance group, Chosen Movement, is sponsored by our church, House of Destiny Community Church, which is located in Seawinds, Lavender Hill. Prior to this, I was the leader of a group called Soul Winners. This is my heart, my passion, and my joy.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO HAS A DESIRE TO DO SPIRITUAL DANCING?
If you want to do spiritual dancing, be sure you understand the distinction between a gift and a talent and as well as the difference between ministry and performance. Maintain a relationship with your Creator, who is the author and finisher of your faith, as this only improves the movement and feelings. Maintain your fitness, and enthusiasm, and concentrate on the end goal. Make sure you know why you’re doing it, what you’re doing it for, and ultimately, be yourself and enjoy every moment, every step, every degree of growth, and be sure to be present in every moment so you don’t miss what God wants to do in that very SUDDENLY!
THE GREAT RECIPE
Sugar, spice, and everything nice?
That will definitely not break the ice
The Word is given
But it should be a given
Authenticity
Is a necessity.
And I will give you the recipe.
Store it in a book,
Store it in your mind
So you can cleverly rewind
Just for your peace of mind.
A heart directed after God's own heart
Is a great place where you could start
Pray pray pray
Every day
Is what will keep the enemy away
And what will keep your mind at bay.
Then the next necessary step, I'll give you a clue
We will have to dive deep in the Hebrew Avad, is the Word translated
No need to be frustrated
Service, service, service
Is what we should do
An overflowing of the cup that's already full
An outward expression of all that in you!
Finally, add a full measure of obedience
That will surely fulfill the ingredients.
Read the WORD every day
That will then make you stay.
This combined with a indebted heart
Is the recipe for an authentic start
HELLO PEACE, HELLO JOY, HELLO LOVE:
Music has the ability to bring us joy and comfort, motivate us, and help us relax. It has the power to transport us back in time, calm our worried minds or boost our moods. Music improves your health and well-being. Music stimulates the brain which in turn helps with pain relief, reducing stress and memory. A study from Harvard has shown that relaxing music may lower blood pressure and heart rate after physical exertion.
When we are at our lowest and have no words to pray, there is always that one song that articulates our situation and pulls us out of whatever pit we find ourselves in. Fear is not my future, by Maverick City and Kirk Franklin, is the one song for me, my 2023 declaration. Brandon Lake originally released “Fear Is Not My Future” with Chandler Moore as the eighth track on his third studio album, Help!, on May 13, 2022. Lake shared the story behind the song, saying:
“What a declaration and amazing thing to sing. Fear is not my future, sickness is not my story. There are so many things in our life that we’re like this is what I’ve been given and I have to deal with it. I felt like this would be a powerful opportunity to break that agreement and say no. Goodbye fear, goodbye pain, goodbye to the grave that you feel like you’re standing in. Let’s do the opposite and let’s prophecy hello peace, hello joy, hello love.” – Brandon Lake
Sarah Balcerak testifies of the impact this song had on her saying the following:
“As a Christian of 25+ years, I’ve been struggling with depression for the better part of 10 years. It’s been so debilitating and I’ve struggled to break free. The first time I heard this, I felt that “wake up wake up wake up!” all the way down in my soul. God was saying, get up and worship, wake up and see the new day I’ve given you and claim deliverance. I’m believing I will have a breakthrough in Jesus’ name! I will step into my new season of joy and my new horizon in Jesus’ name!” And so, does George Louis-Jean, amongst others:
“The past two years have been very tough with back-toback deaths around my family. I was mentally in a dark place but my spirit still had Faith to make it out. This song has been my hope song every morning. The Bible mentioned “Do not be afraid” 365 times and this song and will be replayed for 365 days out of the year. 2023 I’m ready for whatever God has in store for me and my family.”
May your heart be blessed as well.
By: Monique Kotze, Owner of Ethereal.
We live in a colourful world, and now is the moment to live boldly and display that colour. Life may have been a little dull for a while, but now is the time to fully awaken to what God has placed in our souls and spirit. There is a rainbow of colour in you and it is time to sparkle and shine that colour to the world in how you express and carry yourself.
It’s time to be bold. Bold in both faith and fashion. Walk into the person God made you to be. He gave you your own colourful personality, and He wants you to own it! You can confidently express and move in your identity. The world is full of colour, and you add to the light spectrum. The rainbow represents a promise, and God always fulfils his promises. It’s time to keep these promises, and wearing bright rainbow colours is a terrific approach to remind ourselves of the promises we know but frequently fail to keep. Some of the ideas for the Ethereal Made for This Retro design came from this. It is a bold claim that God knows what He is doing and that we can rely on Him. He knew just when and where to put you, as well as what type of personality to give you. You provide the world with a very special colour that it requires at this time, and if you dilute or hide it, the world will miss out on something that only you can provide. It is time to express this freely in your own style.
Full of colour
There are simple methods to add a splash of colour to your outfit, including using something you already have. If this seems intimidating, start with one bold hue (your favourite hue) and add it to your otherwise subdued, comfortable go-to wardrobe. One of the most straightforward ways to begin is with an accessory. It can be something as easy as a scrunchie or scarf or as little as earrings. It can even be something as daring as a blazer in electric pink or cargo pants in green. Perhaps you’ve desired to wear a crimson dress or high heels but felt they were too eccentric for you.
Feel free to experiment and express your creative side. You are creative because the most creative Being created you. The most important aspect of all of this is to not compare yourself to others or be concerned about what they think.
Because it is a growth exercise, it should be painful and out of the ordinary, but also wildly and strangely exhilarating. God is pleased when we exalt Him by artistically expressing what He has placed in our hearts. It is about expressing love rather than seeking affection, acceptance, or popularity.
I challenge you to take a fresh look at the products in the shops around you this coming season. Examine the colours, styles, and feel of the material. Identify that one item you adore but don’t think you’d wear; that thing you always claim is for someone else, not you. Put it on. Then, if you like how you look and feel in it, treat yourself. This is a joyful experience, and we encourage you to include Jesus because He is interested in every element of your life, even what you wear. In prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to protect your heart from thoughts of comparison and to reveal to you the object that is meant for you. He is aware of your financial situation and knows how to bless you. Allow His love and serenity to guide you rather than the present quo. If you’re puzzled on what colour and style works best for your body type and skin tone, there are some fantastic Jesus-loving women out there who provide amazing suggestions and information about it. Ladies like Alette Winckler, Nicqie Robinson, Thalia de Villiers, and many others that you may follow on Facebook and Instagram for soul, spirit, and style inspiration.
We salute and applaud those of you who already walk comfortably and boldly in their colour. We also urge that you encourage and cheer for people around you who are still unclear how to take space and shine in their one manner. Push and motivate each other in faith to shine in your own colour because their colour enriches the depth and brilliance of your own colour.
By Traci Townsend
“BEHAVIOURS THAT WILL GET YOU CLOSER TO YOUR FITNESS GOALS”
You’ve probably set a fitness goal before.
Many of us set fitness goals that sound similar to something like this:
• I want to lose 20 pounds/kg.
• I want to get my first push-up.
• I want to drink more water. In fact, you may have one of those exact goals now or have had them in the past. You may also have been successful at reaching them - or maybe not.
Here’s a strategy that you may find helpful when it comes to reaching your fitness goals - put the focus on your behaviours that will get you closer to that outcome goal.
So, let’s take a look at the fitness goals above:
• If your outcome goal is to lose 20 pounds/kg, then your behaviour to focus on could be to sit at the table and eat all of your meals with the television and cell phone off. Why? This is undistracted eating and makes you more aware of when you are satisfied and no longer hungry so that you eat less.
• If your outcome goal is to get your first push-up, then you might increase the number of upper body “pushing” exercises in your workout program. Why? This will help your chest, shoulder, and tricep (back of your arms) muscles get stronger, the same muscles you use to do push-ups.
• If your outcome goal is to drink more water, then you may change your behaviour by adding an 8-ounce/ 1 cup of water every morning before your coffee. Why? You will have increased your water intake by 56 ounces at the end of one weekthat’s 56 ounces more than you would have drunk.
Here’s the bonus → behaviour goals can be monitored.
You can keep a calendar and mark off each day that you eat your meals without distraction or each day that you drink a cup of water before your coffee. Or you can keep a spreadsheet to track which upper body lifts you do and how much you lift.
KEEP IT SIMPLE.
When you monitor your behaviour, you can see your progress. The more consistent you are with your behaviour, the closer you’ll get to your fitness outcome. Of course, if you need help with setting your goals and determining which behaviours will help you reach them, check out my F3 ZONE one-to-one coaching for women over 50.
Traci is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach working with women 50 and over to help them reach their fitness goals. Fitness is for everyone. You are never too busy, too out of shape, or too old to become a healthier, more active version of who you are now. At Fitness With Traci, you will increase your movement, become more active and fit, and get stronger through strength training.
You can check out what she offers at www.fitnesswithtraci.com
WHO WE ARE
Learn How To Build Wealth Over Time
Iman’ Africa Investment Academy is a global redemptive financial education business based in South Africa. We are a family run business founded on the principles of faith and good values. As a family in business, the mandate God gave us is to provide our clients with actionable knowledge which will help them make the best personal and business decisions to grow their hard-earned money. Building wealth is a long-term process that requires dedication, discipline, and the right strategies. This means setting aside a portion of your income each month for savings and investments. Investing in stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments can help you accelerate the growth of your wealth over time. Additionally, it’s important to practice good financial habits such as budgeting and using credit responsibly. By following the steps we outline in our financial literacy tutorials, you too can build wealth over time and reach your financial goals. As Iman’ Africa Investment Academy, we have found that many Christians do not fully understand how to marry their faith and the promises of God. Even fewer understand that God has a number of wealth plans which we share in our premium community members.
The key areas we teach our clients about are:
• learning: how to create income streams and how to turn your salary into several income streams
• budgeting
• repaying debt and understanding credit
• savings and investments
Iman' Africa Investment Academy is a redemptive financial education business.
• income protection
• planning for retirement
Whether you are in debt, or want to learn about investing or you’re planning to retire, we walk you through the process until you achieve your financial goals. We are deeply committed to help our clients to build their wealth over time. Our robust frameworks combined with our unique teaching methods, make the personal finance journey easy and fun for our clients. While personal finance is always a serious matter, Iman’ Africa delivers education in a way which makes our clients feel lighthearted and to believe in themselves and what is possible. You can predictably build wealth if you practice consistency and discipline to achieve your financial goals. Let us teach you how.
We teach families and business owners how to manage money better and build wealth over time.
Did you know your salary can be the seed for several income streams? The key areas we educate our clients in are:
Iman’ Africa Investment Academy was founded by Pastor Gugu Dlamini. She is the Managing Director and runs the company with her oldest child, Lebu Moloi, who is the COO. Pastor Gugu Dlamini is the former CEO of Umgeni Water, Drake and Scull and she has also served on several corporate boards. She is also a published author. She recently launched her book, Young and Busy Shaking the World in 2021.
The book is meant to inspire young people and their families to actively change the world. It is a book for people who want a personal adventure that results in a human story, which manifests into the creation of a better world. This book for doers, nor talkers. In 2022, we hosted the inaugural Young and Busy Shaking the World Marketplace Conference. The event brought together the youth, their parents, the private sector and the public sector to discuss
employment and business opportunities. The purpose of the annual event is to unify the youth, their families, the government and the private sector to implement sustainable solutions for solving South Africa’s socio-economic problems. We are hosting this year’s Young and Busy Shaking the World Marketplace Conference in Krugersdorp on 18 March 2023.
OUR BELIEF SYSTEM
Our company is on a mission to teach all those who will choose to be part of our adventure with God to build real and lasting wealth for our clients. God says he will give us our desires, our desire is that our company can become a channel through which individuals and groups can chart a new future for our country. Our desire is to contribute to the creation of economic justice across the world especially in places where individuals or groups of people have been deprived of access to opportunities that could potentially unlock a life of abundance for them. It is our desire for Iman’ Africa Investment Academy to become a global commercial force for good in the financial services industry. We also strive to provide exceptionally good customer service whenever we engage with our clients. If you have been wondering if there is an alternative plan to the current difficult economic situation we face in South Africa, or in the world for that matter – we can assist you with our various solutions.
OUR PRODUCTS
Book: Young and Busy Shaking the World
OUR PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY
PACKAGES
GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER
The first stage is to assist you with putting in place a family wealth plan. We also help you assess where your finances are right now compared to where you would like to be. Regardless of where you are financially at the moment, you must protect your assets and know how much your death would cost your
family. We offer a cost of death calculator and will services to help you through the process to align with the Word of God.
CRADLE
At this stage, we help you formulate an action plan on how to achieve your financial goals. If you’re in debt, we help you create a debt repayment plan. If you’re ready to start saving and investing, we help you create a savings and investments plan.
GROWTH
At this stage, we assist clients to grow from one income stream to many and we show how a salary can give you the seed for 5+ income streams if you know what to do.
MATURITY
Here we teach you about diversifying your investments. Afterwhich, we link you to our strategic partners who can help you implement the options which suit you best.
LEGACY
At this stage, we help you create a generational wealth plan for your family. Did you know that 50% of inherited wealth is gone by the 2nd generation? We help you to create a wealth plan for several generations so your family remains out of poverty for good. Premium members of our community enjoy discounts for events, VIP access to new business opportunities and other freebies, in addition to the actionable content we have created to help you manage your money successfully.
Learn How To Build Wealth Over Time
We teach families and business owners how to manage money better and build wealth over time.
Did you know your salary can be the seed for several income streams? The key areas we educate our clients in are:
Ps. Gugu Dlamini is the founder of Iman' Africa Investment Academy.
She is also the former CEO of Umgeni Water as well as Drake & Scull.
FAITH-BASED FILMS TO INSPIRE
Viewing motivational films is a great way to relax and get inspired at the same time. You can learn how to handle difficult situations in the future by observing how other individuals have dealt with similar circumstances. Check out our recommended movies that are sure to leave you feeling inspired and empowered.
COME OUT IN JESUS NAME
Following a startling chain of events, the most controversial pastor in America, Greg Locke, took a 180-degree turn from his mainstream religious traditions and led his church into legitimate revival. He and a diverse group of unconventional preachers then began to spark the most important awakening in the history of the Christian Churchthrough the most unlikely means - by casting out demons. This fiery film documents the beginnings of their journey. "Come Out In Jesus Name" will be followed by a live simulcast event where Pastor Locke and his fellow demon slayers will lead a supernatural mass deliverance... in Jesus name. A Locke Media Film. A Global Vision Bible Church Production. —Wayne Caparas
JESUS REVOLUTION
BREAKTHROUGH
Tells the story of a young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) being raised by his struggling mother, Charlene (Kimberly WilliamsPaisley) in the 1970s. Laurie and a sea of young people descend on sunny Southern California to redefine truth through all means of liberation. Inadvertently, Laurie meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie street preacher, and Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) who have thrown open the doors of Smith's languishing church to a stream of wandering youth. What unfolds becomes the greatest spiritual awakening in American history. Rock and roll, newfound love, and a twist of faith lead to a JESUS REVOLUTION that turns one counterculture movement into a revival that changes the world. —Lionsgate
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
A gripping reminder of the power of forgiveness, ‘I Can Only Imagine’ beautifully illustrates that no one is ever too far from God’s love—or from an eternal home in Heaven. The inspiring and unknown true story behind Mercy Me’s beloved, charttopping song that brings ultimate hope to so many is a gripping reminder of the power of true forgiveness.
When Joyce Smith’s (Chrissy Metz) adopted son John (Marcel Ruiz) falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope seems lost as John lies lifeless. In the face of every bleak medical case history and dire scientific prediction, Joyce’s unwavering belief inspires her community to pray for John’s recovery. Based on the incredible true story, Breakthrough is an enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle.
GBV: A Lamentation
By: Claudene Sebolai
Bitterly she weeps at night, Tears roll down her cheeks. Cry, our beloved country, Mourn and be in bitter anguish! Your streets are filled with the dead bodies of women and children, Your fields are cemeteries of shallow graves. Raped, butchered, burned beyond recognition. Weep!
Young and old lie together in the street, slaughtered without pity. All the inhabitants of our continent, Let your grieve-stricken cries sound the alarm!
Let your tears flow like a river, day and night, Give yourself no rest.
Let your hearts cry out to the Lord! Pour out your hearts like water in the presence of the Lord for the precious daughters of Africa. Father, in Jesus’ name we pray. Remember Your daughters this day.
BOOK REVIEWS
DON’T HOLD BACK: LEAVING BEHIND THE AMERICAN GOSPEL TO FOLLOW JESUS FULLY
By: David Platt
The New York Times bestselling author of Radical challenges Christians to trade in an American gospel that prostitutes the words of Jesus for the sake of comfort, politics, and prosperity and return to a biblical gospel that exalts God above everything in this world. From his viewpoint in the capital of the United States, Pastor David Platt believes it’s time for disillusioned, discouraged, and divided Christians to follow Jesus into a different future. In Don’t Hold Back, Platt calls believers to take necessary risks and find the ultimate reward as we: Work for—not against—each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when we disagree on personal convictions. Turn the tide on centuries of racial division in the church. Trust all of God’s Word with conviction while loving everyone around us with compassion. Do justice with kindness, and experience the good life according to God. Play our part in spreading the gospel to all the nations of the world. Seek God alone for the supreme satisfaction our souls’ desire. With biblical insights that speak to the everyday lives of contemporary Christians, Platt shows that we can experience the awe-filled wonder of Jesus and otherworldly beauty of his church here and now. But in order to do so, some things need to be different. Starting not in “those people,” but in each one of us.
MENTAL HEALTH AND YOUR CHURCH: A HANDBOOK FOR BIBLICAL CARE
By: Dr. Steve Midgley, Helen Thorne
Many people are struggling with mental-health conditions, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and life in our imageconscious culture. Statistics tell us that, worldwide, one in six of us will have experienced a mental-health struggle in the past week, and serious depression is the second-leading cause of disability (Mental Health Foundation).
That means there are brothers and sisters in our church families battling with thoughts, feelings, impulses and even voices that distract, drag down and nudge them towards despair.
But when it comes to helping, it can be tricky to know where to begin,
especially if we have very little knowledge of mental illnesses and are afraid of making things worse by saying and doing the wrong things. This wise, compassionate and practical book is written by Steve Midgley, who worked in psychiatry and then as a pastor and is now Executive Director of Biblical Counselling UK, and Helen Thorne, Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK. It will help readers understand and respond with biblical wisdom to people who are struggling with their mental health. While acknowledging the importance of liaising responsibly with medics and counsellors, this book focuses on equipping readers to play their part in making churches places
THE AWE OF GOD: THE ASTOUNDING WAY A HEALTHY FEAR OF GOD
By: John Bevere
where those who struggle with mental-health conditions are welcomed, understood, nurtured and supported: a foretaste of the new creation.
This is a useful book for anyone who cares for others pastorally: pastors, elders, small-group leaders and congregation members.
TRANSFORMS YOUR LIFE
Do you long for an intimate relationship with your Creator, but He seems elusive? Perhaps it is because something utterly essential is missing—the fear of the Lord. Don’t let this frighten you. Fearing God is very different than being afraid of God. It’s the key to everything. Holy Fear is not a topic you’ll hear much about these days. But if you want to build a faith that stands strong through troubled times, you cannot afford to ignore this book.
In The Awe of God, John Bevere invites you to take a fresh look at what it means to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. This healthy, holy, and largely forgotten virtue is the uncommon path to a more fulfilled and fruitful life. In this book you will see why godly fear is the foundation of:
• Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge
• Foresight, clarity, and divine direction
• Maturity and conformity to the image of Jesus Christ
• Building an eternal legacy
• Confidence, fearlessness, and security
• Freedom from the fear of man as all lesser fears are eclipsed
• If you look at the men and women in Scripture, the ones who lived and finish well all have one thing in common: they are marked by holy fear. The Awe of God was designed to be read slowly and intentionally. At the end of each of the 42 chapters are five tools to help you deepen your understanding and apply what the Spirit of God is teaching you. Experience the intimate relationship with God that you have always longed for by unlocking this countercultural message.
BEYOND ASBURY: OFF THE MAP REVIVALS
While everyone's attention is focused on the miraculous move of God that has been taking place in Wilmore, Kentucky, a new wave of revival is sweeping across the world. Jason Mandryk asks the following question: “Does revival need to happen on a well-lit stage, live-streamed on social media, with people flying in from around the world to attend, and have thousands of articles written about it to count as such?” No, when God truly moves, it not only reaches the highest mountain but also flows to the lowest valley. Mandryk further states, “No, the places where revival seems to be happening with the greatest frequency are the places where believers have no recourse to anything but God breaking in. They are poor, powerless, harried, and under pressure. They gather to pray and fast, to worship, to hear God’s word, to confess and forgive, to share all they have, and to be healed by God’s power precisely because they have nothing else they can do and nowhere else to turn.” The following places are also touched by the current revival happening: Iran, Thailand, Algeria, India, Myanmar, and Africa. Michael W Smith, who was recently in Vietnam performing at the Spring Love Festival, said he also sees signs of spiritual resurgence unfolding across the globe. Smith believes that something profound is happening: “God is on the move, I’m so grateful that I’m alive to get to see it. I think what we’ve prayed for so long is actually happening. … There’s this resurgence of faith.”
MASS DELIVERANCE BREAKS OUT IN THEATRES ACROSS THE US AFTER THE MOVIE ‘COME
OUT IN JESUS’ NAME ’ DEBUT
After seeing the new film "Come Out in Jesus’ Name," moviegoers all over the United States reportedly experienced mass deliverances, and videos of the events quickly spread across social media. "Come Out in Jesus’ Name" debuted in theatres nationwide Monday and follows Pastor Greg Locke who rallied together well-known deliverance ministers Alexander Pagani, YouTube preachers Isaiah Saldivar, Pastor Mike Signorelli, Vladimir Savchuck and Daniel Adams as they model Jesus’ ministry of deliverance as described in the New Testament. At the end of the film, Locke held a live mass deliverance alter call that was streamed at nearly 2,000 theatres. “I just wanted to go for it and I thought it would probably be the biggest thing I could ask for the movie theatre industry to allow me to do, and when they said, 'Yeah, we don't know anything about it. But let's go,' I knew that was an open door,” Locke told The Christian Post. Kelly Medina of Most High King Ministries watched from a theatre in Austin, Texas, and received deliverance herself: “It was interesting to see different preachers talk about their experiences with deliverance and encounters with demonic entities in the church,” the former atheist explained. “What surprised me the most was seeing first-hand deliverances in the movie theatre and people helping people be set free at the end after the credits rolled and the preacher came back on the screen instructing all those sitting to stand up and repeat after him,” Medina added.
CYCLONE FREDDY: OVER 300 DEAD IN MALAWI, MOZAMBIQUE
The number of people who have died as a result of Cyclone Freddy continues to rise, despite the fact that hundreds of people are still missing and residents are frustrated by the lack of rescue services and relief supplies. After making its initial landfall in late February, the storm made a second pass through Southern Africa, wreaking havoc as it went. It is one of the tropical cyclones that has been recorded to have lasted the longest and has been one of the deadliest in Africa in recent years. The storm caused severe flooding, which swept away roads and farms, leaving bodies and houses buried in mud.
Gracious God, we pray for everyone who is suffering as a result of the ravages caused by cyclone Freddy. Grant them encouragement, strength, fortitude, patience, and insight as they struggle with their many losses — material, physical, emotional, and personal — and begin to pick up the pieces and create a new future for themselves, their families, and their community. Be for them a beacon of unwavering hope and confidence that there can and will be a better day. Surround them with your love and the love and compassion of others so that they might be sustained in this time of trouble. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.
AMEN.
M41 CAR PILE-UP HORROR
On March 6, 2023, images surfaced on social media depicting a multiple-car accident on the M41 that was caused by a truck. The accident occurred as drivers were heading from Gateway mall into Durban City. There were a number of people hurt, but there were thankfully no fatalities. Phakama Banti, who was driving from Ballito to the Durban CBD, told the Daily News that she saw the truck near Millennium Way as she was driving. “As I was driving, I heard a sound. I looked in my mirror and saw this truck just swerving and hitting cars and hitting mine, going down towards the M4. I slowed down and signaled to the woman driving by my side. We all slowed down. I saw my life flashing before my eyes,” she said. The events unfolded very quickly, according to Kreegan Chendriah, who was taking his wife to her job in Durban North at the time. Chendriah reported that his vehicle could be driven, but he planned to have it inspected anyway. The collision did not cause any injuries to the couple, and he expressed his gratitude that there were no fatalities as a result of the incident.
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• International College of Bible and Missions (ICBM)
• Kareleine Tours
• Mirre & Kaneel
• Revival City College
• Sikhula Sonke
• The Bible Institute of South Africa (Gold Sponsor)
• The Christian Lifestyle Shop
• The Voice of the Martyrs South Africa (Gold Sponsor)
