In Matthew 6 Jesus says, “Do not be anxious about your life.” The Holy Spirit writes through the pen of the apostle Paul, “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). The Apostle Peter says that the reason we can do this—“not be anxious about anything”—is that God cares for us.

What an incredible reality: God cares for you! Not from afar or just in theory, but personally, constantly, and deeply. He invites you to bring every care, every fear, and every burden to him. When we choose to trust God with our anxieties, it allows us to act with faith and freedom. This shows God’s sufficiency and our confidence in his care for us.

For us to hold on to our burdens is to show contempt for what God has done for us in Christ. It reveals a deficiency of faith in God’s genuine concern for our well-being. Ironically, our pride often keeps us burdened, as we refuse to trust others—even God—with our problems.

The duty of the follower of Jesus is to cast all anxieties, all cares, all burdens on the Lord, having full confidence in his care for us. It is our duty to live with such a practical dependence upon Christ that we refuse to hold any ownership or title deeds to burdens and anxieties that God, through his wise providence, has brought our way. We must cast it where it belongs: on God!

We can be confident that God, who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will with him graciously give us all things (Romans 8:32).

With the certainty that God cares for us, we can be assured that life is not out to destroy us, but is under the superintendence of God who is committed to mould us into the image of his Son, and with such an assurance we can endure any trial knowing that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

On Good Friday, my son (Tyran) called upon the name of the Lord and was wonderfully saved. Hallelujah! The Sunday before Good Friday, while our family was sitting around the dinner table, discussing the evidence of genuine conversion, he explained that true conversion was not simply a decision, but a supernatural change in one’s desires for Christ and against your own sin, and that he knows that when the Lord saves someone that person is a new person altogether. Praise the Lord! That’s what our gracious Saviour has done for him.

The dynamics in our house have changed dramatically. My kids are talking about the Lord all the time. During our family devotions, Chané and Tyran are engaged asking pointed questions and during prayer time they pray for the salvation of the rest of their siblings and for the Lord to use them as a gospel witness at work.

I hear theological discussions and testimonies of gospel opportunities with friends and colleagues as I walk through the kitchen. I hear discussions about the books I gave them to read and passages in the Bible that challenged them. Oh, praise the Lord! I can’t wait to see how the Lord will change Nathan and Devin and little Noah!

My wife is finishing a degree in social development at age 54. Tyran started a new job after being unemployed. Chané got promoted at work. Nathan got 100% in a math project and scored his first try after joining the school rugby team a few weeks ago, and we were there to witness this historic event. Noah has finally realised that he is able to tackle his dad to the ground when he is not watching. The Lord has truly been gracious to us.

The first time I had the privilege of visiting Scotland was in 2017 for a Weekender organised by Church in Hard Places. At that time, it would have been impossible for an African to invade the schemes of Scotland. We stood out like a sore thumb. We were three brothers from Africa and probably the only people of colour. That has changed dramatically over the past eight years.

Theo and I were afforded the opportunity to visit our partner church, Niddrie Community Church. My main objective for going was to thank the congregation of Niddrie Community Church for their partnership with our church, and to tell them of the huge gospel impact their pastor, and the team that has been coming to our church for the past five years have had on our church and our community.

We had a truly blessed time of ministry in a context where the locals are not as open to the gospel as here in Bellville South. This was a great ministry experience for Theo, who, for the first time, experienced ministry outside of the African continent. Different place, different people, same powerful gospel!

Theo had the opportunity to share the gospel on the streets of Scotland’s schemes, and I was given a chance to share some lessons I’ve learned in church planting with the students of Ragged School of Theology.

Theo also shared his testimony and the gospel to a group of recovering addicts, with one person making a profession of faith after the meeting. Several of them attended the church services that Sunday morning. Most of who have not been in church for the past five years.

I had the privilege of preaching the Sunday morning service at Niddrie Community Church and the following Sunday at Hope Church Bingham.

We had several opportunities to share the gospel in Glasgow and walked the streets of Govan, which is one of the poorest and most violent areas in Glasgow. My most treasured moments were praying with Sam, who is planting a church in Gorgie and praying with David, a 64-year-old church planter in Govan. Then my highlight must be spending time with Andy and his family and realising that my kids are not the only crazy ones.

My brother Quinton, whom the Lord has used in the initial planting of Reformed Faith Mission has resigned from the church. The decision was obviously not an easy one for him and his family, and we pray the Lord will lead them to a church where they can grow and be of service to the Lord and his people. I am grateful for the impact that Quinton and his wife had on our church throughout the years and the gospel influence they still have in our community. May the Lord grant him clear guidance and discernment on this new chapter in his life. We mourn this loss as a church, but our hope is set on God’s sovereign providence and the grace that accompany such tough realities.

In the midst of all this, the Lord has been gracious to add to our church those who have been saved through the ministry of this local church. Last September, my daughter professed faith in Christ; in April, Michelle (the daughter of one of our members) and Tyran my son, made professions of faith; last month, Elmarie, a woman who has been visiting our church for a few months made a profession of faith after being pursued with the gospel by Theo’s wife. We’ve also had five university students, who have been visiting us for more than a year, apply for membership; and for the past two months, a family started visiting our church who have been conducting Bible study at home for the past two years because they could not find a church where the Bible is preached. The Lord is at work even when we as a church seem to go through some turbulence.

Last month, I received heart-breaking news. Some of you would remember about the man who got killed on our church property a month after we moved into our building in April 2021. He was brutally murdered trying to get his nephew out of a gang fight. There were many witnesses who saw the three guys who stabbed him to death. We know these guys. These murderers were set free after none of the witnesses came forward. The case was thrown out.

The family is devastated! The man who was killed was one of the “good” guys in our community. He was not involved in gangs or drugs. He was known for helping people, especially the elderly. He used to fix their broken appliances and help with issues around their homes. He was hailed as one of the good guys.

Theo and I had the opportunity to mourn with his mother over the injustice of what happened, but were also able to point her to one who was truly good and truly innocent, who also suffered injustice, and who gave his life in order to save us. These men got away with murder, but they did not get away from God, just like we will not get away unless we repent and trust Jesus to save us.

Please keep this family in prayer and pray that the Lord will grant us wisdom as we seek to counsel them through this. Pray that Christ’s gospel will break through their grief and shine forth the hope that is only found in Jesus.

I have said it many times and I will continue to say it: The biggest problem in Bellville South is not gangs or drugs. It is not prostitution or domestic violence. It is not crime and the senseless killing of young people. These are the woes of a community filled with churches empty of the gospel! Our biggest problem is a lack of gospel preaching! Our biggest curse is a pulpit void of gospel preaching!

The gospel is the only solution to our spiritual and social evils. When the gospel comes to a murderer, a prostitute, a drug addict, or an upstanding moral lost sinner in word, and in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, that sinner becomes a new creation and the social evils that were perpetrated by that person also comes to an end. The gospel changes everything! That’s why we are committed to continue to preach Jesus on the streets of Bellville South.

These are all great motivations for going out and sharing the gospel and, like Paul says, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:11). But our overarching motivation, which reaches beyond the manifest evils of our society, is our compelling conviction that Jesus is worthy! “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12). The Lamb will receive the reward of his suffering, and we get to be in on that mission.

Continue to pray for Theo and Bronwen as they go out daily to share Christ in our community. Also trust the Lord with us for our addiction recovery program. It has been difficult to get people committed to this. One week, we might have five people and other weeks only one or two. We are thinking through different strategies for this program and need lots of prayer for guidance and discernment. We are grateful for the assistance and wisdom we are receiving from Andy Constable, pastor at Niddrie Community Church.

Here is how you can pray for us.

1. Trusting in God’s care. Pray for our church community to fully cast their anxieties on the Lord, trusting in his constant and personal care.
2. Spiritual growth in families. Give thanks for Chané and Tyran’s salvation and pray for continued spiritual growth in the Maneville family, especially for Nathan, Devin, and Noah to come to faith.
3. Ministry in Scotland. Pray for the churches in Scotland, for their ongoing gospel outreach, and for lasting fruit from our time there.
4. Guidance for Quinton and his family. Ask the Lord to lead Quinton and his family to a church where they can continue to grow and serve.
5. New believers and church growth. Pray for Michelle, Elmarie, Tyran, and others who have recently come to faith, as well as new families joining the church.
6. Comfort for the bereaved family. Lift up the family of the man killed in Bellville South, praying for justice, healing, and gospel hope.
7. Bold gospel proclamation. Ask God to strengthen our church’s commitment to preaching Christ in Bellville South and beyond.
8. Addiction recovery program. Pray for wisdom in shaping effective outreach and for consistency among attendees.
9. Continued ministry support. Pray for Theo and Bronwen as they share Christ daily in our community.

May the Lord sustain and guide the ministry of our church and bless you as you continue to partner with us for his glory.