“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
(Romans 8:32)
Greetings, brothers and sisters,
Please find herewith an update from Vaal Reformed Baptist Church (VRBC) in Vereeniging, South Africa.
Personal life and family
The Lord has been good to me and my wife, in growing together and in seeking to display the marvellous wonder of the marriage between Christ and the church. We are growing through family devotions and better communication. She has been a great support especially to my own spiritual growth as a Christian. I praise the Lord for this gift in my life.
By God’s grace, my wife has also found a job at a high school nearby since she is a teacher by profession. This has brought some breathing to us as a family financially. This is because she had resigned last year when we got married because she had to relocate and that brought strain on our finances. We praise the Lord for this grace to add for us another source of income as a family.
I have also enrolled this year for my Bachelor of Theology. Albeit I am taking very few modules at a time because my ministry to the church is primary. Last semester, I took two modules and, by God’s grace, passed them both. I will take two again this semester and trust the Lord that I will not only pass but learn and grow so as to help God’s flock better.
Vaal Reformed Baptist Church
Truly the sovereign grace of God is being displayed in our midst. In this year alone, we have had about two families coming to us regularly, and as I speak to them, it is clear they are here to stay. A few weeks back we had one lady come, who had looked us up on the HeartCry website because her daughter in Canada wanted her to find a healthy church in South Africa. She has not stopped coming ever since, expressing joy and gratitude now and then again for finding God’s people who honour Christ as Lord.
We also praise the Lord even for the fellowship amongst the saints in our church. We recently celebrated the birth of Erik to the van Staden family in our church. In fact, as you see below, we have grown in the number of young people in the church. We have also opened up more and more spaces for men to participate in church, including service leading, Bible study facilitating, and, soon, even preaching. This is the goal: to train men to serve. As I am still the only elder, this gives me great hope for the future. Also, we will be meeting soon as church to discuss the church starting to pay a salary for me so that, in due time, HeartCry support may not be needed, indeed that it may serve someone else in the work of Christ.
Orange Farm Reformed Baptist Church
It has been amazing in the past few months to witness the application of the many truths we have persisted to share in this church plant. Particularly about finances and love for one another. One of the ladies who was with us for a number of months recently got a job in another town far from us. To our surprise, she reached out and wanted to give to the church’s needs; in fact, she has continued to do so. We have taught now and then again about stewardship and it was amazing to see someone who gets it. Also, in the area of love for one another, I have been going through 1 John in the past few months and labouring as John does in this epistle the centrality of the love for the brethren in the Christian life.
It has been extremely encouraging to hear about members who are sick from other members who had visited them without me even knowing. Although we are a poor community, there is no need to also be poor of love. Even some of the poorest I have seen initiate visits to others just to find out how they are. A beautiful display indeed to see the love of the Saviour manifested in love for one another. We do still pray for more qualified men to come alongside to help in this work although we do not have the finances to support them.
Prayer items
- Praise for my lovely wife getting a job.
- Praise for the families the Lord has sent our way.
- Wisdom and unity in the meeting of VRBC regarding salary.
- Praise for members in ORBC responding well to truth.
- More men to be raised or sent to the ORBC church plant.
Athi Mgqibelo,
Pastor-teacher
Three Rivers Baptist Church