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 2014 UBF Cape Town year review

PREACH THE WORD WITH COMPLETE PATIENCE

2 Tim. 4:1-2 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son to become a man, to die for sinners and make a way for salvation into your eternal kingdom through his death and resurrection. Lord, thank you for your grace in 2014, holding us up throughout the year. This time help me to reflect on the past year and look forward to the new year. In Jesus Amen.

This year we studied John’s Gospel. From the start of the year a number of students came to our Sunday worship service. The previous year Shep. Annie studied 1-1 bible with the brothers on UWC campus. But in 2014 we decided that I needed to start playing a more leading role in meeting with the brothers. So I decided to have group Bible study on Sundays after worship service. At our group Bible study one new brother attended. He said he felt confused and worried about his future. He was a final year in Information System. However, he received a word from John 1, where Jesus met his first disciples, asking them, ‘What do you want?’ then inviting them, ‘Come and you will see’ So this brother was encouraged to come and see who Jesus was. He then came faithfully to Sunday worship service every week. He attended until he got a job in Johannesburg and then left.

Moreover, in April we had our Easter Bible Academy. The title was ‘Heavenly Father’s love’. Our prayer topic was to learn our heavenly Father’s love through the prodigal son and Jesus’ prayer on the cross, ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’. We were amazed the first day of the academy: many new faces arrived. At the end 18 people attended, including Msn Daniel and Miso Rhee from Pretoria. Because of academic studies it was a great struggle for our leaders to prepare drama and testimonies in advanced but they all tried. God blessed our Easter Bible Academy. We enjoyed and it was graceful.

However, in a way our Easter Bible Academy became a turning point in our ministry. We realized students cannot only be passengers, enjoying the ride, getting first class service on the way. At the end of the first semester Shep. Annie and I were thoroughly tired and burnt out. We had a sense that we needed to change our approach in the 2nd semester. There were 5 brothers and 1 sister. The two of us were struggling to prepare Sunday worship service, serve students on Sunday and do 1:1 bible study. It became too much. So we realized for 2nd semester we need to continue to preach the word however with greater patience. We don’t have to make disciples of all our students in 1 year. We needed a long term perspective. We decided to encourage them to participate, contribute and take responsibility for the ministry.

So, in the second semester we changed our approach. I gave the brothers responsibility to preside and to be prayer servants on Sundays. Also, we made it clear that those who do 1:1 bible study, they need to prepare questions in advance. We made a policy: “no preparation then no 1:1 Bible study”. Through this approach it became clear who were hanging in the crowd and who were sincere disciples of Jesus. There were only two students who responded positively. Sister Melva and brother Mondli. Brother Mondli, in spite of his engineering studies and busy schedule, prepared Bible questions. I asked him to lead our 1:1 Bible study so that he could grow as Bible teacher. Indeed through his struggle he could grow spiritually.

Furthermore, for the last 2 years our ministry at UWC was a brothers ministry. In the beginning of 2014 God sent us 1 sister so we had hope for the sister’s ministry to grow. Shep. Annie prayed for more sisters to attend. One Sunday morning as I arrived at the worship service venue, there was a sister with earphones, doing academically studies. She looked at me with curiosity. I told her we were going to have Sunday worship service and she was welcome to join us. Normally students would get up and leave. But to my surprise she accepted. Since then she came faithfully and Shep. Annie started 1:1 bible study with her. Now 2 sisters were coming every Sunday. We thank God for growing the sister’s ministry in 2014.

Lastly, looking back on 2014 what I learnt as a shepherd is that it is not difficult to burn out. It is not difficult to be spiritually busy. In 2014 we were busy spiritually to the point of almost collapsing. But the question is: were we effective? Did our students grow in faith? Did we plant God’s word or did we only operate as a well organized society? Through 2014 I could learn the necessity of deep prayer and word of God in my own life. How can I follow Jesus and make disciples if I myself am not growing in holiness? So I could recognize a danger. It is easy to focus externally on making disciples while my own internal spiritual life becomes shallow, empty and powerless. I sometimes wonder if my focus does not need adjustment. My overall direction is to follow Jesus and make disciples but instead of focusing on making disciples, rather focus on growing in holiness and worship God from a deep and sincere heart. My own spiritual struggle and sincere devotion to God then can be a powerful and effective witness of God’s grace.

Finally, thanks giving and prayer topics

1. We thank God for blessing our John’s Gospel study in 2014
2. We thank God for starting sisters ministry with 2 sisters now coming faithfully
3. We pray God may bless our Romans study in 2015
4. We pray for brother Mondli. He will start his work life in 2015. We pray for him to receive calling and clear direction for his life     

One word: preach the word with complete patience