Better is the End

Death certainly brings sorrow. It is the end of a thing or person on this earth. But thanks be to God that death in Christ is not without hope. It is not an utter end, but merely a temporary breaking away. For truly, death (when it is of the LORD and in his timing) is actually a planting of something that otherwise would have dwelt alone; but now, in Christ, it can be raised in both newness of life eternal AND multiply and bring forth many others of it’s kind. HALLELUJAH! How unsearchable are his judgments indeed and his ways FAR ABOVE the ways of man! For truly, in Christ Jesus, death SHALL be swallowed up in VICTORY! 

From Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth

We have been in the greater Johannesburg region for the past 5 years, and the LORD has now showed us clearly that it is time to depart. Before we visited the US at the end of 2022, Hannah and I prayed that if it was God’s will indeed for us to move to Port Elizabeth that he would shut all doors in Johannesburg and clearly open the door to Port Elizabeth. Well, suffice it to say, God has clearly answered this prayer by shutting every door here in Johannesburg, (from the property we stay in, to the church we planted, even to Hannah’s doctors telling her that her Medical Aid will no longer cover her for them to deliver our baby girl). And God has opened a clear door in PE through giving us a clear open door into a property, a church down there, ministries in 2 Homeless Shelters, a prison, and into Nelson Mandela University to minister to young college students (along with having a dear family of like-minded believers to serve alongside with). None of this was planned. All of this happened through just obeying the promptings of the Spirit of God and literally we walked into every one of these things with little to no effort on our part. God has clearly answered our prayer and we are currently packing up our home and heading down to PE at the end of March.

Alberton Bible Church

From the time we got back to South Africa in December we could see clearly that Alberton Bible Church would disband. It was just a matter of waiting on the LORD for his timing and being faithful in everything he set before us for that summer season. Truly God has done such wonders for this little flock in Alberton. And God saw to it that before the flock disbanded, my dear brother in Christ (and former ministry partner) Raymond Nagel was able to come and visit from the States. I will tell more of his visit in the next paragraph, but Raymond was truly sent by God to confirm this little flock in the faith of Christ and the love of the brethren. Since then we have seen God show every family where they will be going for the next season! There is a little Baptist Church right around the corner from Andrew and Annaline. They visited 1 Sunday and Andrew’s Mom went with them and they loved it and felt right at home. Andrew’s Mom (that he has been teaching for the past 6 months) said that that would become her home church! The Van Biljon family has been sent forth to do the work of evangelists and there is a local church called Gospel Outreach right near their home that they will be able to plug into and do ministry out of. The Mabena family will plug into a solid local church very close to their home. I have met the pastor of this church and he is a very solid young man (around my age) who is very humble and seeks to be true to the LORD and the scriptures. He and his family were clearly called to minister down there in the underprivileged community of Yeoville. Only 2 individuals (Jonathan and Natasha) are not sure of the next step. But both have perfect peace that God will direct their way forward. And the LORD has confirmed to Natasha that he is calling her to be a missionary to Russia! While it was very sad (and I pondered if I failed) during the last week before our final gathering to consider all that the LORD had done in this local assembly and then to just see it come to a close, God confirmed in SO MANY ways that this was his plan from the beginning. All local churches are temporary, just like homes built by men. Some local churches last centuries, some generations, some 20-30 years; ABC was like a tent, pitched for 20 months in Alberton, and now to be taken down to move forward in the grace of God. (Ironically not one person left in the church even lived in Alberton; so it was never truly a local Alberton church; more like scattered wounded sheep from all around Eastern Gauteng who found grace and quickening in Alberton). We just had our last gathering yesterday, March 26th, and all I can say is the LORD gave all of us such grace and peace and confidence in HIM that this season truly has come to a close and that it is time for all of us to move forward in HIM! It was such a beautiful time together. The LORD has always blessed me with good brothers and sisters in Christ. But I have to say, the fellowship and love and knitting together of our hearts and minds in Christ and unity of purpose and understanding that we have experienced in this little church over the past 20 months is far beyond anything I have experienced on this earth! Truly these people became our family and we will miss them dearly but we also know that this goodbye is only temporary.  We trust that through this local church dying willingly, that the LORD will send out these men and many local churches of similar heart will be brought forth to the glory of God.

Raymond’s Visit

It was so good to have Ray come visit our family and church. Ray preached the first Sunday he was here and we were all so blessed we decided to meet Sunday Night, Monday Night, and Tuesday Night! These sessions were blessed by God and the LORD used our gatherings to take us deeper in Christ’s word, humility, and love. Ray also taught in the FMS Ministry School and the sessions were just marvelous. God has given this brother such a sound understanding in the Scriptures and in the grace of God. He is a true gem and gift to the body of Christ. We then made a short trip with all the men of the church to take Raymond to a lodge for one night at a Game Reserve called Pillansburg. We were able to go on an early morning game drive and see most of the big African animals in their natural habitat. This was an awesome time of fellowship and just rejoicing in the handiwork of our God. At one point we had a giant male elephant square off with our tour truck! But the giant creature just gently walked right past us brushing up against the truck! Then Raymond and I took a 3-day trip to Port Elizabeth to visit my friend Jan and do some evangelism work with him down there. It was on this trip that the LORD opened up the door for the property for us to rent. It was also just nice to be able to take Ray to the beach and let him put his feet in the sand and relax a bit. This was Raymond’s first time ever to an ocean beach and his first real vacation in about 14 years. Ray’s time with us was so special, and we trust he will come back again in due time. 

Our Move

Please just keep us in prayer as we move to Port Elizabeth this week and get settled in. And please keep the members of ABC in prayer for God’s grace, protection, and provision moving forward in Jesus Christ: Andrew & Annaline, Jonathan, Geraldine, & Mecaiah, Larry & family, Schalk & family, Faith, Leon, Thabo. & Hope, Jonathan, & Natasha. Thanks to everyone who labors in prayer for us and has helped support us. Without God, and without the help of his people, truly, we could do nothing. But through him, and with the help of his body by his Spirit, we can do all things he sets before us for his glory and honour! JESUS!!!!!