Saturday, August 27, 2011

REACH, TEACH AND CELEBRATE

July and August has been good. With the Gospel Chariots working in Tanzania, Malawi, Venda and Swaziland. This winter has been much colder than usual. Short term Bible Schools are all in and Pretoria and Venda had the graduation of last years students. The Downtown Church of Christ in Pretoria had their 10 year celebration. There were over 1200 people in attendance. Fantastic. Well done DOWNTOWN. You are a shining light.


Above shows the lecturers and students at the graduation in Pretoria. Year after year, more and more people are studying through the GCM short term schools. May God bless them as they study His word.

What you see, is God working through His children. It is pictures like these, that motivate us to continue serving Him.


This is another short term school. The one in Venda. On the right is brother Malindi. He is a good man and great leader in South Africa.


Students attending the Pretoria graduation.


Above is brother Tebogo. He is awarding sister Mamsie her diploma. Mams works at our GCM office and school in Pretoria. Both Tebogo and Mams are amazing Christians. They have blessed this ministry in more ways than one.

PLETT


Above shows our Hillview Church of Christ in Plett. This is my and Ria's home congregation. We have been here now for 5 years. We have come a long way. There was no church. Then we started a church in a shack and moved to a second shack. Then we bought a shack and built a building. We are a lovely church family in a small township. We have our own short term Bible school as well. All the Chariots come home here, every year for repairs. Then they head out.


Above shows our Sunday school kids visiting and eating with us at home one Friday night when my daughter Chantal and son in law Rob where visiting with us. It was great. Ron and Chantal both spoke and encouraged them on how important it is to study hard and go onto University.


Having some food after they sang some songs for us. They are so special.


This is them on Sunday morning. They are so cool. Our goal is to just love them and direct them.


Ria works with the older ones. Once again, directing them and teaching them that they can become anything they want, if they set their minds to it. Many families live in shacks. It is so sad.

This is Ria, my wife, working with her children in the Church. She is so good to them. We really are a family. Last year she bought them all bibles and made them bible covers. This year she is dressing them. Its a mission, but she is getting there. Every month a little. Chantal my daughter was so touched when she visited, that she left some financial assistance.


Above is our short term school in Plett. This is our second semester this year. Zonge, Gladman and myself teach.


DOWNTOWN PRETORIA. 10 YEAR CELEBRATION.


Can you believe it. The Downtown Church of Christ is 10 years old. It feels like yesterday when we planted this congregation. God has blessed them. They have the most vibrant leadership. Many university graduates who have now settled in the city. WELL DONE BRETHREN. GOD IS SO PROUD OF YOU ALL. KEEP IT UP AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.


Above shows a certificate of Appreciation I received from them. I appreciated that and have it in my study. We work so well with them and they work so well with us. Dimpo who teaches at our school in Pretoria and heads up the GCM office with Lazarus is now one of the preachers of the this congregation.



I believe there were 1200 people at the celebration. Pretoria is a big city and surrounding congregations all came together for this function.



What you can see is God at work. The Church of Christ is alive and well in Pretoria Tshwane.




Above show the 2 preachers being officially appointed. One being our one and only Dimpo Motimela on the right. The other is brother Stanley Netshiya. Great men. On the right is Dimpos wife Kagisho. They have a son Morena. During the service he walked around there as if he owned the place. Running off to Sunday school and just feeling so at home with church. Who would have thought Dimpo will be converted, marry in the Church, start a family and become the preacher of the vibrant Downtown Church. Well done Dimpo, your GCM family is proud of you. We all praying for you and Stanley. Keep up the great work.


ATTERIDGVILLE.


Our 2011 goal. Allmost completed. We are hoping to complete this building for a studyroom at the Atteridgville Church of Christ. It will attract many people in the community. The elders of the congregation, with brother Tebogo and Machona, will oversee this work. All we are doing, is helping them get ready for some radical evangelism. They are 600 members now and could be 1000 in the near future. They, the Downtown Church and Gospel Chariot Missions, work fantastically together.


This is one of the areas that will house literature and attract people from the community. Literature plays a big part in evangelism. It helps us duplicate ourselves. The more we get people reading, the more God will work in people's lives. There is too much junk out there for people to read. This will be our brotherhood literature house. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LEADERS.


TALKING ON THE RADIO


Above shows Dimpo and Bongani preaching on the local gospel radio station. GCM evangelists from myself down, have taught ourselves to multitask. Not easy for guys. Ha Ha, but we do. We travel on the Chariots or to the Chariots. When home, we are teaching at the short term Bible schools. We are all preachers at our local congregations. We are all working with 1 to 4 other newly planted congregations in our regions. It is WBS follow up, it is admin. It is FUN. Bottom line. Well done guys. There is so much happening. Amen.


Above shows Bongani helping Atteridgeville with a feeding scheme at a school in Pretoria.


Above shows the local congregations helping with clothing and bedding in the winter.


This as well shows local congregations using the Gospel Chariot to distribute clothes.


Chariot 2 working in Tanzania and is now on its way to Mozambique


The Word being preached. There have been 39 baptisms in Tanzania


Chariot 1 finished off in Venda and is now in Swaziland.


Above shows Lazarus loading up for Swaziland. Laz, Bongani and Dimpo have been with me for ever. They are my Peter, James and John. These are my spiritual sons who mean so much to me. We are a family. As they say. The christian walk is a FAMILY AFFAIR.


Above shows a bible study taking place outside of the tent.


Some of the souls being baptised during the winter. More than 300 were baptised in the the winter. Most being in Malawi and Venda. We give God the glory for all the happenings. AMEN