Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Report April 2008

GOD IS WORKING.

Above shows Jonas Maseka on Chariot 2. This Chariot has finished gospel meetings in the Cape, Namibia and is now finishing off a month in Zambia. This week it crosses over into Tanzania. There were 20 souls baptised in Zambia this month. Jonas is from Rundu. When not on the Chariot he works with the new congregations in the region. The brother with the red shirt is brother Tobias who helps in Rundu. There were 4 souls baptized this last month in Rundu. The Fredericksburg Church of Christ will be campaigning in Rundu in August when the Chariot gets back. We have managed to get a piece of land in Rundu for a building. Mike Knappier and I have just returned from the region.

Encouraging the young

Above shows Chariot 1 working in the Orange Free State. That is the region between Johannesburg and Cape Town. We have started a number of congregations in this area. The Chariot worked in Bloemfontein, Bultfontien, Thabanchu and surrounding communities and schools. As you can see bottom right, all school students were instructed to stand and hear the Word of God. This is wonderful. What we do is approach a school headmaster and give all teachers and staff a free Bible. We then get to preach to the whole school. If it is a high school we will give all students a correspondence lesson. There were 5 baptisms in the Free State. This Chariot then headed for Burgersfort where we worked with the congregation for 3 weeks. There were 3 souls baptized there. We then picked up an air leak on the truck. This is now being repaired and should be back on the road before the weekend.

Baptisms into Christ


Above shows some of the baptisms in the last month. It is wonderful to see God working. There have been baptisms in Namibia, Windhoek, Rundu, Zambia, Free State, Gauteng, Durban and the Eastern Cape. God is working through GCM.

Bibles printed

Above shows the printing of our 25000 Bibles. It was wonderful to walk through the factory and actually see the printing taking place. The most interesting has to be the binding, stitching and finishing touches. These Bibles have quality finishes. We could have just printed paperback Bibles for a couple cents cheaper, but we chose the hardcover. They say a paperback lasts one year in Africa compared to a hardcover lasting 5 years and more. As you open the cover of the Bible it has our Gospel Chariot Missions name and under that a list of all the World Bible School offices in Africa. So any student getting a Bible will have the address of offices near him or her. At the back of the Bible there is over 100 pages of study helps. Topical index of the Bible complete with maps and other helps on how in enter the Church and establish a Church. We need to thank Mike Knappier who has helped us in this regard. To all our supporters BIG THANK YOU.

3 Weeks with Mike Knappier

Above shows some photos of my travels with Mike Knappier. He accompanied me to the African lectureships and onto Namibia and all the offices. It was fantastic. Please read his report. You will find it on the right in the blog Archive.

In Him.

George Funk

Friday, April 18, 2008

FUNK FAMILY

Above shows the Funk family. We have been blessed. From the left you see Quinton, Wayne, Chantal and Hilton. They are our 4 children. Then in the middle you have our lovely daughters- inlaw, Vicki with Jemmica and Nicole, Wayne's wife. In front you got Ria and I. As you can see we too are getting older. We are all in the Lord and we need to thank you brethren in the USA for sending missionaries this way. Tex Williams taught the man who taught me. Amen.

Quinton, Vicki and Jemmica

Above is Quinton, Vicki and our little Jemmica. Quinton and Vicki work with us at GCM. They are wonderful co-workers and have helped us take this work to where it is today. They both met at the Bible School in South Africa. Quinton then went on to study at Sunset and returned to marry Vicki. Today they have blessed us with our first little grandbaby. Vicki heads up the World Bible School program. She also works with all the offices and the grading that takes place there. This all culminates into one BIG DATA BASE with thousands of student names. She then sends out invitations for the different seminars in different areas.

Wayne and Nicole

Above shows Wayne and Nicole. As you can see Wayne is trying to show us something. Yes its our next grand baby due early June. Wayne studied Bible in South Africa and then went onto Sunset. He then did some mission work in Estonia. After that he returned and worked with GCM for two years. After that he returned to the USA and studied business and finance. He returned to South Africa and is working as an accountant in Cape Town. Wayne met Nicole at the Bellville Church of Christ. They got married in 2006 and still live in Cape Town. They are a lovely couple full of joy and laughter. We cannot wait for the baby. Amen

Chantal and Hilton with mom and dad

Above shows our younger children. Chantal and Hilton. Chantal is finishing her masters degree in psychology in December. She would love to continue studying for a PHD, but would have to find a scholarship. Hilton is studying business and should finish December 2009. He plays on the golf team at the University. His dream is to play golf one day. This photo was taken in December when they came home to be with us. We are a close family and love each other very much. We really miss our children and cannot wait for the day when we can all be together again.

In Him

George Funk

Friday, April 11, 2008

On the Road with George - Mike Knappier, Outreach minister, Northside Church of Christ


It was my privilege to spend three weeks on the road with George Funk and GCM encouraging, evangelizing, and dreaming. Although I have been working with George and GCM for many years I was overwhelmed with the scope of the work and I didn't even see all of it.



After I flew in from Little Rock to Johannesburg we drove to the African Lectureship in Witbank, South Africa. There must have been three or four thousands attending. It was a joy to watch men from all over South Africa come up to George and talk about the role GCM is playing in their work. They were so excited to have the Chariot coming to their area.



From there we went onto Windhoek, Namibia and worked with the Wanaheda Church of Christ. The Wanaheda congregation was planted through a GCM campaign and is doing great.


Then it was a quick trip to Rundu, Namibia to join Jonas and the chariot. George and I preached and eventually saw Jonas and the Chariot off into Zambia. Jonas was converted through the work in Wanaheda and has planted two congregations in Rundu. He is also now one of the Chariot drivers. We received good news while in Rundu. We learned that the lot where the Chariot was being set up could be purchased for a church building and it is a great location next to one of the outdoor markets and only a few minutes from where Jonas lives.

We then drove back to Windhoek and flew to Johannesburg where Quinton Funk joined us and drove us to Pretoria. While there we visited the GCM office. We had an early morning devotional with the short term school and I was really impressed with the teachers and students. The men are given fourteen weeks of intensive doctrinal and practical studies. It appeared to me that the the church in Pretoria is doing great. Not only is there a vibrant congregation that meets at the GCM office but there are also several other congregations in the area that trace their existence to George and the GCM work that are rapidly growing.
Our next stop was Venda to visit the GCM office and the Venda Church of Christ where a facility for a short term school is being built. The church there is very mature and has elders. Hundreds assemble there each Sunday. They use the chariot to great affect in their area and literally hundreds of new Christians and leaders will go through this school over the next few years. One of the things I love about GCM and the Funks is that they are continually pioneering in some areas and networking in others. As George says, "Dream work is teamwork!"
Quinton then drove us to Durban and we visited the GCM office in downtown Durban. It is at a great location and thousands of people walk by every day. Not only that, Bible studies, short terms schools, Bible Course grading, and Saturday seminars are constantly going on there. It is also a place where unity is being built among the area churches as brothers from throughout the area come to the office for study, planning, and fellowship. For example, while I was there, I met a brother who uses the office as headquarters for a prison ministry.


How did George's Granddaughter show up here?

It was time to be "on the road again" and we drove to Port St John and visited with Alfred and talked, prayed, and dreamed about establishing new congregations throughout the Eastern Cape.

Finally we drove many hours back to Plattenburg Bay, where the Funks handle thousands of Bible Courses (not counting the ones that are graded at the other GCM offices) and also administer GCM. It really is as George says, "Not just about a country but a continent."

On Sunday I was honored to preach at the congregation that George and Ria established in Plattenburg. It is a thriving congregation and Harrison and the church are reaching out to the whole area. A side note, their singing is spectacular.

On Thursday we made the long drive to Cape Town to check with the printers who are printing our 25,0000 GCM New Testaments. They honored me with the first copy. Thousands of souls will come to know Jesus and His church as a result of this printing. It is a wonderful New Testament with great helps at the back.


Then it was back to Plattenburg where we are working on a blog for GCM and other administration items and visiting congregations. George and GCM have had success in reaching out to independent churches who love the word of God and teaching them to be Christians only.


This Sunday we will be preacing in Plattenburg Bay and the Grags where a new congregation is being planted. From his office in Platt George, GCM, and the Hillview Church of Christ are working on planting dozens of congregations over the next few years. On Monday I fly back to Benton Arkansas more impressed than ever with GCM. As the song says, "Roll the Gospel Chariot along."
To all of you who support Gospel Chariot Mission I commend you. Without seeing it firsthand I am not sure you can fully realize the extent of the work that God has been doing through your support of the Funks and GCM in Africa. How thrilling it is to see first hand the Great Commission in action. Through the travels of the chariots, the BCC, short term schools, the gate way city offices, and the networking with existing congregations the Great Commission is at work in Africa.


The Word of God is powerful and His Grace is amazing. To God be the Glory.

Mike Knappier