Ministry News: Grace Baptist Church (Daveyton) (September 2026)

Dear friends and partners,

There are challenges, but there are also many reasons to thank God. As we look at what is happening in our home, our church, our community, and beyond, we can see that the Lord continues to build his church.

Pastor’s Home: Pastoring through Sickness

You probably have heard that my wife has not been feeling well. In the previous letters, I explained that her health has been a challenge. Through many visits to doctors, we have eventually found out what the problem was.

Happy has been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called scleroderma. We are told that this is a disease where the body attacks itself. We don’t understand how that happens. But living in a fallen world, we know that our bodies are wasting away.

Our hope is in the promise of the Lord that there is a coming world where we will not have to deal with sickness. However, while we are here on earth, we continue to deal with various trials, as James tells us.

After hearing about her condition, we also noticed that our daughter’s hands were unusual. Fearing that there may be something wrong, we went to consult a GP. The doctor said that her hands is unusual, and it could be that she is also suffering from the same disease that my wife is going through.

We are still waiting to book an appointment with a specialist so that we may find out. In the meantime, we are praying and trusting the Lord to grant us grace.

Although this seems to be bad news, our hope is not based on how we are feeling. It is based on the perfect work of Christ.

Our greatest desire is that our children will embrace the faith that we have embraced. Through family devotions, our daughter seems to have developed more interest in how to be saved and how she can know for sure that she is a Christian.

Recently, she asked me what happens if one dies before being baptised. We can see that the Lord seems to be working in her heart. Our prayer is that our children will come to know the Lord.

Grace for Our Church

It has been months since we disciplined one of our elders. When we heard the news that he had disqualified himself, we did not know how we would deal with his situation. We have done church discipline before, but it was our first time disciplining an elder. We consulted older pastors for counsel. They were very helpful. They reminded us to be firm and patient.

It was through much counsel that we practised this discipline in a way that we gained our brother rather than losing him. They are both still in the church.

He has responded very well to the church’s corrective discipline. The church also remained firm. They trusted their leaders. But above all, they trusted the word of the Lord. The Lord has been growing his church deeper through learning to respond in a godly and God-honouring way, even in tough situations.

Grace for Our Community

When our Lord Jesus saw people being harassed, he was moved with compassion. He instructed his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers.

In our community, when we see children being neglected by their parents, it moves our hearts with compassion. We decided to do a holiday Bible club, not for our church kids, but for the kids in the community.

We took our own children and went into the community to invite kids. We also had a team from Grace Community Church that joined us.

The Lord has blessed our efforts. Some 170 kids came. We did not have enough food to feed them, but our members contributed. All the kids were able to eat during the four days they were with us.

But the greater blessing was that they learned about God’s beautiful creation. They were taught that everything was created by God, but sin has ruined everything. However, God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for those who believe, so that those who believe will be restored to God. After the week, we decided as a church to continue meeting with these kids on Fridays. There are about thirty kids who are faithfully coming.

We are teaching them through a book, Leading the Little Ones to Christ. Some of the kids have also asked us to assist them with their schoolwork. The majority of them live with parents who are not educated, and some of our members have volunteered to assist these kids.

We are trusting in the Lord that these children will be raised hearing the gospel. For some of them, this is the first time they have been at church or heard the gospel.

They are surprised when our children answer Bible questions. But it is our desire that what we teach our children, these children may also be taught. Please consider partnering with us in seeking to reach the lost in our community.

Grace to the Nations

The Lord has brought a family to us from Kenya. They joined our church and have served with us for six years. For four years, the husband served as one of our elders.

During this time, he enrolled at the Shepherd’s Seminary to be prepared to serve the church well. He finished his studies last year. The Lord has given him a desire to go back home and plant a church in a place called Athi River. They have visited this place. After praying and discussing with other pastors who have planted churches beyond their countries, we were encouraged. Although we as a church still have some needs, the Lord continues to build his church. Therefore, our desire is to send them back home in 2027.

In the meantime, we will continue to raise support for them. We will also engage with likeminded pastors to partner with us in advancing the gospel.

Pray With Us

Pray for my family. Pray that the Lord will strengthen us during these times of trials, grow our faith, and continue to provide for us.
Pray for Extension 46 in Daveyton. We have started reaching into this community. Pray that the children who come will be saved. Pray also that their parents will be saved or drawn to the church through what God is doing in the lives of their children.
Pray for the Kendagor family. Pray that God will provide for them so that we will be able to send them to Kenya.
Pray for me. Pray that I will remain faithful in serving the Lord.

Thank you for your prayers and partnership in the gospel.

In Christ,

Chris Mnguni
Pastor-teacher
Grace Baptist Church
Daveyton, South Africa