Ministry News: Reformed Community Church (Belville South, South Africa) (September 2024)

Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:26, “I declare to the world what I have heard from [the Father].” And in v. 28 he said, “I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.”

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ! This communicates the unity that exists within the Godhead. The Son does nothing without the Father and the Spirit does nothing without the Son.

Jesus says in John 5:30, “I can do nothing on my own.” As the Son came to serve the will of the Father, so the Spirit came to serve the will of the Son, which is the will of the Father and the desire of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not speak on his own authority. He does not manufacture new revelations that contradicts the teachings and character of Jesus Christ.

We also see in John 15:15 that Jesus tells his disciples, “All that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” So, in John 16:13, the Spirit does not speak on his own authority, and it is clear that the Son does not speak on his own authority! If this is true of the Son and the Holy Spirit, how much more should this be true of the child of God? How much true should this be of every preacher who stands before God’s people?

This also highlights the importance and the obligation that rests upon the congregation to test what is preached from the pulpit—like the Bereans in Paul’s day, who “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). They were not suspicious of the word preached but received it with eagerness and were considered as more honourable than others, because they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether Paul was preaching the truth.

We dare not preach from our own authority! The only authority we have is the Scripture. From here we command and teach (1 Timothy 4:11). Beloved, preach the word! (2 Timothy 4:2). When you share the gospel with a friend or a family member, stick to the word! That’s why it is so important for you to know the word—to prayerfully and meditate on the word. When you share the word of God with someone, you are speaking with the authority of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit uses his written word (the Bible) in your life and in your mouth to transform the lives of those who hear it. We are filled with the power of the Spirit when we speak the written words of the Spirit.

On the nagging request of Noah and Nathan we adopted into our family a thoroughbred Rottweiler. She was only seven weeks old when we got her. Nathan decided to name her Black Widow (Widow for short). She is a feisty one. During her first week, she was already chasing things around the yard and Noah loved playing with her. By the second week she caught two pigeons, which she ate leaving only the feet behind. Two months have passed and the little energetic puppy is starting to look more like a gentle beast on steroids. She still wants to play with Noah, but now it seems as if Noah feels more like a pigeon being hunted by an over-gymmed beast whose love is too much to handle.

We have finally finished the paperwork and our house is now finally on the market. I felt a bit sad seeing that “For Sale” sign go up. This house was an answer to much prayer. I remember how we, as a church, danced around in the house, praising God for making it possible for us to buy this house after being rejected by all the banks. God gave us this house below market value and now we are selling it, trusting him to give us another house, which we will turn into a home. His grace is sufficient.

I have been very encouraged by Nathan’s growing love for the things of God and stories of missionaries. He is currently reading a biography of Brother Andrew (God’s smuggler) and have been really caught up by how he trusted God with his life and the many things God has rescued him from. He’s a slow reader, but every night I need to sit and listen to him recount the many adventures and dilemmas that Brother Andrew has survived. He has a keen interest in what it must feel like to have God use you. Please continue to pray for his salvation.

My eldest daughter has recently shown more interest in church and Bible study. She even joined us for the evening services at the Sola 5 conference, and Sunday evening she joined us for prayer meeting. I was overjoyed when she asked for prayer that the Lord might save her. She says she has been thinking about this for several days now and can’t even sleep at night. She wants God to save her. Please continue to pray for her that God’s work in her might move her through this valley of decision to the cross of redemption.

Personally, I am feeling the pressure to lead as husband and father being the only elder again. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the challenges of ministry and the responsibilities I have at home. I am grateful for a praying wife whom God uses to speak into my life at times when I need it most. Sometimes I feel discourage by it all and discover my need of looking to Jesus. There are many who say that preparing sermons should not be the pastor’s devotional time, but for the most part it has been my sweetest time of fellowship with the Lord. It has been what has kept me leaning on Jesus and putting one step in front of another. Pray for me.

I have had much help from the Holy Spirit during my sermon preparation and preaching, almost always feeling my preparation had more of the Spirit’s presence than my preaching. However, I have had some moments when I felt greatly helped by the Holy Spirit in the pulpit, despite the response of those in the pews. Oh, what a privilege it is to open my mouth and exalt my Jesus and expound his gospel. These lips should have no other purpose!

The Lord has added to our church, but it seems like there are fewer people coming for the past few Sundays since Thato, my beloved fellow elder left.

As I glance over the church I see more empty seats and fewer new faces, but am happy to see the faithful members of our small congregation eager to hear from the word of the Lord. Seeing the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made me an overseer, I have the conviction that amidst empty seats and trying times that the Lord is busy doing his finest work.

Our prayer meetings are filling up again. Our Bible studies are full of enthusiasm with members eager to learn more about God and his word and the gospel is being preached in homes, work places, on the streets, and wherever our members finds opportunity. I hear of so many testimonies of gospel witnessing to neighbours, Uber drivers, colleagues, addicts, kids, homeless people, etc. God is at work when we feel at our weakest. I need to remind myself that empty chairs do not mean that God is not at work in and through our members—through his local church. But, O, that the Lord would fill these empty chairs with the fruit of our gospel labours! For our labours in Christ is not in vain.

In October 2018, Quinton, Theo, and I went to meet with “Oz” at his house from where he sold drugs. He was a young man in his early twenties and was already making a name for himself as one of the masterminds behind many contract killings. He was also an upcoming big player in the drug trade.

When we entered through the gate, we found it busy inside. Several young men were moving up and down from the gate to the house. On one side of the yard sat an unimpressive, thin looking young man (what seemed to me like a teenager). Theo introduced me, “This is Oz and this is Pastor Mario.” As we shared the gospel with him, he seemed very emotional, all the while his armed men were selling drugs at the gate like it was selling candy on a busy street corner. I was shocked to see how many people came to buy drugs and even more surprised to see not only teenagers, but men and woman well over their fifties coming to buy their daily fix.

We continued to challenge him with the gospel and even threatened him with coming damnation should he die without repenting and turning to Christ.

Through the years, we have had more opportunities to share the gospel with him—most recently in February this year, when he asked me to pray for him after several nights of open air preaching in front of his house. He seemed weak and looked older than his age at the time. He was shot in the arm and leg and stood on crutches as I once again challenged him with the gospel and called him to repentance. This broken-down man that stood before me has killed many, and even more by his command. While I was sharing Christ with this man, my heart was pleading with the Lord for his soul.

Just a few weeks ago, this same man went into Hell’s Kitchen, a territory that he has finally won over through much bloodshed and killings. He went with a few of his gunmen and pointed to what seemed to be random people saying to one of his gunmen, “Shoot that one and that one and that one.” Three people was shot in broad daylight just to prove the point that he is now in charge of Hell’s Kitchen.

He is back in jail, awaiting trial for this public act of violence. However, if no one will testify as an eyewitness, he will probably be released. Please pray that justice will be served and not subverted, as has become the norm. Pray for his salvation or that the Lord would remove him.

Since his imprisonment, our community has had no gun violence and our people can move around freely with less fear.

If memory serves me well, we have had funerals every month since January until now. We have limited our funeral services to only two per month, because this can take a toll on the men leading this ministry and on their families who sacrifice the Saturdays for this.

We are grateful to the Lord for these opportunities, because every funeral translates into gospel preaching to hundreds of people at a time. Pray for fruit to come from this ministry.

On 23 July, I said my last goodbye to my comrade, friend, fellow elder, and partner in the gospel, Thato. I prayed earnestly for the Lord to keep him with me, but the Lord had better plans. His ways are perfect! I will miss my brother… This will be harder without him.

I have accepted that the Lord is sending him away for his own purposes. He might send him back or not. I have accepted that this will be very difficult for me and the church and that I will have to work harder, pray more, and still be a good father and husband and pastor with patience, gentleness, and love. I have accepted that I cannot lead this church without dependence on the one who is Chief Shepherd and Captain of every soul that makes up our little congregation. I have accepted that I will lose it at times and will be humbled and seek daily repentance. I have accepted that this local church is in God’s hands and that I need to watch that I don’t get in the way. I have accepted that I am losing my closest and best partner in the gospel but I’m hopeful for what God will do.

I did not lose his Spirit. He is with me and the church, always!

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15).

On 25 July, one of the greatest influencers in my life, both personal and ministerial, went to be with the Lord after several years of painful struggle with cancer. He had been a great friend and partner in the gospel. My always-joyful and encouraging, never-complaining friend, Japie van Kampen, breathed out his last and made his way to the Celestial City, where his faith has been turned to sight and he will see the Lord face to face whom he has served so faithfully.

I had the privilege of doing the burial of my dear friend. It was heartsore and yet full of joy and the hope we have in Christ as believers. I am so used to the horrors of death where I live, but oh how precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints!

I praise God that Japie’s wife and kids are committed followers of Jesus. The family was encouraged and comforted and unbelievers were challenged with the gospel. It was difficult, but Lord stood by me. Thank you for your prayers and your messages of support.

As was expected, the Imprint weekender was a blessing, filled with logistical challenges, as people showed up without having registered, which meant last-minute accommodation and transport from and to airport needed to be arranged. This was stress on top of the normal stress that comes with running such a conference. The person who felt it the most was my brother and colleague, Tommie. While leading the entire conference and running a tight schedule, he had to preach and still deal with unforeseen eventualities, but the Lord kept him and saw us through a very blessed conference.

In August, we had our eleventh Mission Tea fundraising event. This is an annual event, which started as a prayer meeting / mission’s awareness breakfast to raise funds for church planters and missionaries. The Lord has continued to graciously grow this event over the past eleven years.

It is such a joy to hear the voices of 120 people from different backgrounds and churches pray (while seated around a table) for church planters and missionaries all over the world, and to close the event with a powerful and clear gospel message.

Thank you to all who supported this event and who prayed with us for its success. The Lord heard those prayers. All the proceeds of this fundraiser will go to Akani Hlungwani who is being sent out by Living Hope Church to plant a church amongst the Tsonga people in Limpopo. Here is a video about him for more info. Please support him if you can.

• Praise God for a renewed fervour for prayer and an appetite for Bible study. Praise the Lord for the many testimonies of gospel conversations wherever our members find themselves.
• Pray that our members will continue to strive for holiness and continue to be a witness for Jesus wherever the Lord’s providence leads them.
• Pray for my children, Chané and Nathan, who are clearly under the conviction of God’s word. May the Lord bring them all the way to the Cross of redemption.
• Pray for the salvation or removal of Oz.
• Pray for me.

Thanks for taking the time to prayerfully read through this newsletter.

We continue to be amazed at the Lord’s provision of us through your prayers and support.

Mario F. Maneville
Pastor-teacher
Reformed Community Church