Pretoria Chapter 1UBF 2015 Review, Africa
- Two Conferences and December Discipleship Camp.
My year key verse was Philippians 3:10a, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection…” I had the desire and prayer to know who Jesus is for the year 2015. I believe that God worked in me according to this prayer topic no matter how unstable I was in following Jesus.
We had the conference from the 13th to the 15th of March. The theme was, “You Will Be a Blessing,” based on Genesis 12. The messengers were Thapelo, Billy, Christiaan and Mark Kim. As a messenger, Sh. Thapelo repented of his unbelief that God could provide for his future security. By God’s grace he obtained his university degree and worked in a decent company, but he still sought solid security with his own efforts. As he was preparing the message on Genesis 13:14–15 which reads, “…lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you…” he was moved and made the decision to leave his doubt and double life.
On September 25–27, we held the spring conference. We studied John 2, 3 and 21. Billy revealed the blessing for those who obey Jesus’ words based John chapter 2. Above all, Anele sincerely prepared and delivered a message based on John chapter 21. He was moved by Jesus’ unchanging love, shown when he helped them after failing to catch fish and invited them to have breakfast. Jesus did not give up hope for Peter, and told him, “Feed my sheep!” Through the conference, we learned that Jesus is the Messiah and that the command he commissioned us is priority.
There was a discipleship camp on December 3–6. Sh. Christiaan and Sarah served this event and nine leaders participated. They read the five books of Moses, and wrote what they learned from each book. Most of them realized that God has given them laws in life, the standard of living, and that they are distinctively blessed people because God gave them the words of God.
We have leaders meeting every Saturday afternoon. The attending members are Billy, Anele, Frederick, Ignitious and Thula. Justice and Sepeke will join the meeting next year. Through this meeting, they can learn the word of God and encourage each other as brothers in the sprinkled blood of Jesus. They can keep the truth of Jesus in life and win over all the temptations that surrounds them. They are on the road to become leaders for many youths on campus and in society in the future.
- Bible Study
In 2015 we studied Genesis until May and are now studying John’s gospel. During this year, Mark, James, Theo and Christiaan delivered Sunday messages in turns. Together we could deepen the passages of Genesis and John through studying as a group every Wednesday. Through this, the four of us are seeking to co-work well together for God’s ministry after dividing the chapter in two.
- House Church for Mozambique Mission.
When we had the conference in March, Sh. Sara Neusa visited us from Portugal UBF and shared her life testimony before our members. She is a faithful shepherd for Portugal UBF, and she has been praying to be a missionary to one of the Portuguese countries in Africa. When she realized that Sh. Thapelo also had the vision to pioneer the Mozambique campus, she agreed to marry Sh. Thapelo.
On the 13th of June, Sara Neusa and Thapelo got married at the Bible House. Msn. Daniel Rhee officiated the marriage for them to become a house church. Three brothers came from Mozambique to congratulate them and they enjoyed the blessing and vision of God for the campuses of Mozambique. The family is now staying in Portugal and Thapelo is learning Portuguese. God is working in Portugal UBF. Thank God for answering our prayer for the last five years.
- Full-Time Shepherd
God called Sh. Christiaan and appointed him as a full-time shepherd. We prayed for him to serve full-time for two years. He started the spiritual duty from June 1 this year. We thank God that He gave him the desire to serve full-time and carry the one-to-one ministry on campus. His wife, Sarah Coestee, is a faithful servant of God. In July, a junior came from Minze UBF, Germany, and Sarah took care of her and helped her through Bible study during her visit.
- Personal Prayer Topics
In 2015, I studied a few books of the Old Testament and letters from the New Testament. But in general, it was a shallow study. I also could read twelve Minor Prophets. In the coming year, I want to be serious in personal Bible study. Then I may become useful as a qualified Bible teacher to students. When the year started, I planned to study the Bible at 5am to 7am every morning this year. But it was not worked well. I slept late and woke up late.
Msn. Daniel Rhee helped ministry a lot this past year, and we were able to establish a good foundation for the future ministry. He had heart surgery and we pray for him to completely recover. We thank God for the sharing of his spiritual experience here in our mission.
In the coming year 2016, I want to be devoted to sincere prayer. My key verse is Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might nor by power, but my Spirit.” Our prayer topics are: 1) to study Leviticus, 2) to raise 12 disciples, 3) to pioneer 54 Africa nations.