The highlight of our month was a trip to the most rural and impoverished state in South Africa, Limpopo. Limpopo is in the very North East of South Africa bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, it is the home of Eric, Petrus, and Lucas, 3 African church planters that Liam has been working alongside and sharing discipleship with. We travelled there for the wedding of Eric and his fiance Thandi (pronounced Tandy), Liam was the only white guy of the groomsmen and it was a VERY African affair! Liam has 4 costume changes, the wedding lasted 2 days, the wedding rehearsal was meant to start at 7pm and didnt begin til 1AM, lasting until 4AM!!!

During the wedding, we had an encounter with a local demonized man who 3 times tried to put a ‘muti’ (witchdraft) curse on Rachel by rubbing a spit and mud paste on her arm. In the end Liam had to forcibly remove the guy, Of course this was frightening for Rachel but we have reflected on it and prayed about it a lot and felt we have learnt a deep lesson about the authority of God’s kingdom over these things.

Another highlight of being there, was to help Petrus another african guy, Liam has been working with, move home. We were so sad to say goodbye as the main reason Petrus has had to return home was lack of finances, but as we went to his home with him, we realised that God has also orchestrated our timing. We arrived with Petrus, who at first was reserved when he saw his family, which we are learning is quite normal for African families, later when we went inside, Petrus broke down in tears which is unheard of for most african males, explaining in English that his mother doesn’t normally look how she did and she was very ill, he asked if we could pray for her. So we invited through Petrus speaking in Northern Sotho, for her to sit and explain that we would lay hands on her. We don’t know if she was healed, or still will be, but Petrus shared with Rachel who hadn’t been there, how amazing our time was, this was the first time the kingdom of God has been invited into his house to impact his family who are animist (worshipping ancestors). We feel like it was very significant that we were able to ‘take Petrus home’.

We were exhausted by the time we returned to Cape Town, but our eyes have been opened like never before to the good, bad and ugly of rural african culture that so many of those we are seeking to disciple come from.

Videos:

Singing at Eric and Thandi’s Wedding

Spot the white guy dancing in the groomsmen dance!

To put it bluntly it had been a rag tag bunch, many who would even turn up half drunk, but would all read the bible and pray for one another when encouraged. When I left, even though I had coached one of them to gather the others, and how to lead the discovery bible study I honestly had no expectation they would keep meeting. So much so, that when I went to catch up with her, It was about 30mins into the conversation, I asked what she had been up to that weekend; to my amazement she said, “Oh, we had bible study on Sunday” – I was so shocked, I asked “You mean the one we did before I left”. She didn’t seem half as surprised as I was. To finish it all off, before we had left she had asked for prayer for getting a job or starting a small business. I had encouraged her, she should look for a way to start a little business, and helped her overcome a complete lack of self belief. When I got back I saw a little sign outside of her shack, and found out she had started selling pre-pay phone credit and electricity from her shack, and was makes a modest profit every week from it!

The stories and definitions here rely heavily on a book called: Church Planting Movements by David Garrison

Church

In the mid 1990’s a missions organisation was processing its usual paper work of annual reports from the field. These reports normally show a fairly modest growth in numbers relating to how many new believers there were, how many baptized, how many churches began etc. The organisation came across a report from a couple in northern india, known to many as the ‘missionary graveyard’ because of the difficulties it posed in bringing the gospel and the large fallout rate for missionaries who were sent there. David and Jan Watson in their report made an incredible claim, nearly a hundred cities, towns and villages, with new churches, thousands of new believers! Skepticism immediately rose, contacting the Watsons the organisation said “This can’t be, You’ve either mis-understood the question or you’re not telling us the truth” – The Watsons invited them to “come and see”  and an investigative team was sent, and visited the towns and cities to their amazement what he had reported was true! The supervisors admitted their skepticism was wrong as they saw the God really had done an incredible work in one of the hardest places. In the following years, a report from south-east asia gave similar evidence of an eruption of new churches, then missioaries in latin america the same, then two reports from china of the same. These phenomenon began to be known as ‘church planting movements’.

Church planting movements are rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches that sweeps through a people group or population segment. It seems to be something that far exceeds mans ability to create, but something that God is asking us to partner with. As we began to understand church planting movements this was at the fore, everyone we spoke to had said, it is a move of the Holy Spirit, it comes from a place of prayer, it is not human strategy. Yet, there are distinctives in all the movements that have happened, that we can trace back and learn something of God’s heart for reaching the lost, seeing lives, communities and nations changed through discipleship. Although they are “God Movements” God is giving vital roles to us, His people, that have seen Church Planting Movements slow, killed or encouraged. Once we understand some of the values within church planting movements we soon discover why our reliance must be entirely with God as we ask to join him in these moves, and ask how we can join  .

Before we share about church planting movements, I know all of us approach the word ‘church’ and maybe even ‘church planting’ with many preconceptions, it’s helpful for now at least to put those aside, many people who may have had legitimate or illegitimate struggles in their past with ‘the church’ often find it easier to give new language to help them overcome barrier. Terms such as New testament communities, discipleship groups, community of Jesus followers. I can see lots of good reasons to stick with the historically defined term of church and will do throughout explaining it, but if you find it easier to replace the term so that you can understand or re-imagine the task of following Jesus with others, for others than I think you will find something helpful.

So Church planting movements are happening amongst the lost, they are not revivals or spiritual awakenings in the sense that, they don’t ‘revive’ luke warm christians, they reach and plant amonsgt those who are lost, completely apart from saving grace in Jesus. They can include mass evangelism but have a focus on seeing discipleship, spiritual growth and church planting take place after the decision event. Church Planting movements are not church growth movements, they are planting new churches, which plant new churches. Although they may gather in larger groups, and enjoy to do so, the life-blood of discipleship takes place primarily in smaller groups, where people are able to be ‘known’ and ‘know’ others, reading the word, praying for one another, holding each other to obey Jesus, and going to the lost together.

Church

CONTINUED FROM BEFORE: As I continued to think about what he had said, I realized, underneath his feelings of loss, was another sentiment; “I can’t live the same fullness of life that comes from following Jesus with you, without you”.

I’ve asked questions quietly in my mind ever since about how we can give people the tools for this life, without them being reliant on the tool giver. How do we show people to follow Jesus and not to rely on following us. It’s harder than it may seem, because for many of us, the discipleship, teaching, friendship we give as we reach people, is giving them truths and lessons, that we received from God. So if that creates this dependency that we cannot sustain how do we do it?

In the following months I read about the AIDS crisis, giving aid to those in poverty, and studied to try and find things that really worked to see the kingdom of God take place in communities in Africa. As I read these academic authors, one theme continued to stand out; Self-sustainability. As I read case studies on how projects succeeded or failed, the key was, could the people sustain the project without outside influence? If the could, the community was changed, for good, when they couldn’t money was wasted, machinery left to ruin, and bitterness amongst both those who sought to help and those who received grew. So I was convinced that whatever we did in South Africa, after a certain time of showing people how, we had to find a way to ‘give it away’ in order for it to be ‘fruit that remains’ (John 15).

Church

On and off, We have spent the larger parts of both of our lives around church environments, being involved in youth groups, small groups and church services. We’ve been involved in incredible dynamic missions and prayer communities, and we’ve been working 9-5 jobs in places where we were the only believers.

We have experienced so much of the life of Jesus, so much good teaching, so much empowering of the holy spirit, but then sometimes, when we are out, amongst those who are not believers, it seems like it counts for nothing. We feel mute, under confident, and powerless to see things change for the better.

We saw many excellent young people get involved in youth groups and missions bases, have genuine and incredible experiences from Jesus, read his word with discipline, pray with fervor, and then go out to their everyday lives and combust. The more we see this, the more heart breaking it is.

Even in our own lives we get shocked at how full of life and energy for the things of the kingdom we can be and then, 2 days later, feel empty, alone and over run by the tide of secularism and unbelief. I hadn’t recognised this, or at least hadn’t allowed myself too until about a year ago, when I went to South Africa.

We had been dreaming about going to South Africa since before we were married, and finally we were going as a part of our DTS outreach. We were looking with new eyes, this wasn’t a place where I was going for a 2 week cultural experience, our hearts were already invested in this little township. We were full of faith and expectation that God could work in this place, and that we may be part of what he was doing there for the foreseeable future. It wasn’t our first time in Africa, but it was the first time we had come with the tough questions about it at the front of our minds knowing we couldn’t continue on without finding out the answers.

Our first 3 month time was fruitful, we saw people healed, come to faith, be nurtured in corporate prayer, enter community, worship, be known, seek God, be filled with faith for what God could do in the community around them. We worked with a local church, teaching their youth group about following Jesus, and then taking them on to the streets to reach their neighbours, by praying for healing. The change in the youth group was so impactful that the church ended changing their whole mission statement to include a focus of reaching their community.

The after 3 months, we packed up, and got ready to leave. We gathered our african friends who we had poured so much time, friendship and prayer into and said goodbye. Some of the men shared emotionally, and usual things for african men, about how we had been the first true friends they had ever had who were white, others about how they longed to do something like a DTS program that we had done.

Finally one of the africans we had worked closest with said with tears ‘Sometimes I think it would be better if missionaries didn’t come, because its too hard to say goodbye’. It didn’t really hit me at the time, I was fairly well entrenched in my belief that it is better to do a little good than none at all, in fact I still believe that. I understood how hard it was for him to make such close friends and then feel the loss of that. As I continued to think about what he had said, I realized, underneath his feelings of loss, was another sentiment; “I can’t live the same fullness of life that comes from following Jesus with you, without you”.

This statement began me asking different questions, questions for next time…keep reading!

Over the past few months we have become increasingly convinced that the answer to Africa’s problems are it’s people coming to Jesus, following Him with a radical obedience. That is why I have an African hero, not someone who is maybe influential in national politics or business or recorded in history books, yet at least, but one of our friends Sbusiso Jali.

Africa needs it’s men to stand up, it needs them to take hold of the call of God for their lives to see their communities, countries and continent redeemed through the gospel, and we are honoured to know and have as one of our best friends a forerunner of this movement. Sbu has served Jesus with integrity, passion and commitment ever since we have known him. He is a man with a servants heart and we want to commend him to you:

Please read his newsletter below to get a taste of the fruit of what God is doing through him, read below:

Sbu’s Newsletter Lower Quality

If you’d like to keep up to date with Sbu’s newsletters or you can help commit to support him prayerfully or financially, send him an email – JALISBUSISO@YAHOO.COM

Mother

Shortly before, in fact only around a week before arriving here in India, the family we have been living with lost a husband, father, and grandfather. Ever since we have stayed here we have had the pleasure to meet some members of the tibetan family who have emigrated overseas. A buddhist monk who lives in Nepal, A US Airforceman, A lady living in Queens, New York, and the sister who has the status of ‘Lady’ (When married to a Sir (MBE/OBE) in England. Including the family of 5 that live in the building we have been able to share this time with this host of people who came for the 40 day funeral ritual that buddhism requires.

Puja Candles

After someone dies in Buddhism, there follows 40 days of Puja (prayer) using beads, lighting candles, incense, chanting, bashing cymbals, drumming and deep groans, all aimed at adding positive karma or good works to the person allowing them to re-incarnate into a better life.

Because of this belief in re-incarnation, members of the buddhist religion including the family we are staying with, do not allow each other to grieve or be sad because re-incarnation is considered a better thing than to have stayed alive, one more step towards enlightenment.

Friend

Observing this belief system, especially during a time where it had such real implications, was difficult for us. At different times we would have unexpected but divinely planned run-ins to different family members in quiet areas of the large house. We were able to share how we believe each life is precious, and how is was appropriate to feel the loss and pain. 3 seperate times, Rachel and I were able to comfort a member of the family as they were given the space to express their pain and loss in tears.

Puja

At the end of the Puja time of 40 days, a feast is prepared and a stocking of food gifts are prepared for everyone who knew the person who has died. Our family had 300 families they would make food hampers for, and Rachel was able to spend time with them and help pack these hampers. Later that day we were invited to the private family meal that signals the re-incarnation, a sure sign our presence and help had been a blessing. On their 4-storey high rooftop overlooking the mountains they made an awning with an old indian army parachute, we all sat underneath, sharing the meal for a man we had never known, speaking in broken english.

Please pray for our tibetan friends as we seek to display the love of Jesus in action and word.

I recently watched the talk above by Brene Brown which was posted on the TED website. Have you heard of TED, its a great source of brain caffiene, hundreds of 10 – 25 min talks on alsmost every subject to get you thinking.

If you can’t see the version above try the youtube one here:

A few quotes worth mulling over:

“Connection is why we are here, the ability to be connected, it’s neurobiologically how we are wired”

“The thing that absolutely unravels connection is shame”

“The only people who don’t experience shame are those who have no capacity for for empathy and connection”

“The less you talk about [shame] the more you have it”

“Underpinning shame is “Im not good enough”

“In order to allow connection [relationship] to happen we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen”

“People who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe they’re worthy of love and belonging…Thats it, they believe they are worthy”

“The original meaning of the word Courage was  ”to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart”

“The courage is that these people have the courage to be [or acknowledge] imperfect.”

“As it turns our we can’t practice compassion with others, if we can’t treat ourselves kindly.”

“They fully embraced vulnerability…they didn’t talk about vulnerability being comfortable..they talked about it being necessary”

“The willingness to say “I Love you” first, the willingness to do something where there were no guarantees”

“Vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but its also appears that its also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love”

“You can’t numb those hard feelings without numbing the affects, our emotions. You cannot selectively numb. So when we numb those, we numb joy, we numb gratitude, we numb happiness. And then we are miserable, and we are looking for purpose and meaning.”

“Blame is described…a way to discharge pain and discomfort.”

So much of the above are the things that I think we as followers struggle with, sure we narrate the story a little differently, but we are not immune in anyway to the above.

Our acceptance of our need of Jesus is exactly the acceptance of imperfection, but as soon as we have finished with that moment of vulnerability, we create social christian spaces, churches, homegroups etc as places where we must perform, use the right words, look like we have it together. We end up buying into the same thing our society does, numb.

Next time someone opens up about their imperfection, resist the temptation to look down at your toes, hoping this moment of seeing the mirror of our own inner imperfection ends soon and we can believe we ‘have it all together’.

Interesting, isn’t it, that we neuro-biologically wired, by our creator for connection. Why do you think God filled the New Testament with guidance on how to treat other people, why after rightly order behind Loving God, to keep us from straight person-pleasing, God says Love others as yourself.

When we turn that around we also come to the realisation, the oppurtunity to love others, is, in turn, an oppurtunity to love ourselves.

Much of us spend our lives living with our pre-salvation identity of sinner, yes we sin, be we are no longer sinners, we are new creations. God loves us, God likes us, we must begin to love what God loves and like what God likes.

Look for ways to be open, share your brokeness, and thank Jesus he has given us a way to be made new in him, not just by patching up our brokeness.

Be willing to Love others first, knowing they could reject you, but knowing that we are, and will continue to be loved in Jesus.

Afternote: Thanks to Matt Hulst for the video, and to Roger Dell’Erba for turning round the second commandment for me here.