The nations are our inheritance

We believe at Life Changers that when Jesus said "Go and make disciples of all nations" in Matthew.28:19 He ws not just making some metaphorical point, nor just an inspiring charge to those within earshot or in close proximity. We are firm and unwavering in our belief that God's original and ongoing intent is for the nations to be OUR inheritance.

With that being said, God is opening doors for us as a local body to partner more and more with God's great story of redemption here in Cape Town in winning our city as all of us embrace our call as modern missionaries, as well as in an ever increasing capacity translocally (just a fancy way of saying into other nations) through permanent relocations (Gavin and Ang Benjafield to Amsterdam; Ben Gerber to Bangalore) alongside various short-term trips.

Over the next fort-night or so, I will be heading into Windhoek in Namibia to an influential church called All Nations before taking a team into Harare in Zimbabwe where we will be with The Base church, and coupling it with a youth conference hosted by the non-profit organisation Dare2Serve. Although only a few of us are able to go in on this occasion, we are being sent in faith from our local community and base and therefore this is something we all partner in and all reap the rewards from.

The nations are our corporate inheritance!

How can you partner with us and begin to lay claim to what is rightfully your inheritance? Let me suggest three ways:

1.       Pray for us

-Pray for safety, opportunities and open hearts as we preach the Gospel, build and strengthen relationships and learn.

-send any prophetic words to gabe@lifechangers.org.za

2.       Join us on one of our next trips

-Get a passport, start saving, plan your leave around one of the trips, start reading up on the history and contexts of the countries we go to

3.       Sponsor someone else to go

 

       -Speak to an elder about the who and the how

We are a pilgrim people, and whether at home or in foreign lands, let's keep our hearts inextricably tied with the mission of the Gospel....to seek and save that which is lost!

Your roots Are Showing (Part Two)

This last fortnight’s series, “Your Roots Are Showing”, has been an incredible journey and defining period for us as a community of faith as we have dug down a little deeper into the very root system of who we are. Beginning with God’s original intent of intimacy, influence and inheritance found in our primary texts of Genesis 1 and 2, we then finished week one in chapter 3 of the book  of beginnings where our devine DNA and desires was distorted by the second preacher to become weaker and yet still controlling passions for sex, sleep and success.

Week two saw us launch into Acts 2 as we rapidly glanced at how this thing we call church was birthed. Contrary to popular belief, the church was not launched after much deliberation by grey haired men in stuffy windowless rooms surrounded by piles and piles of doctrine and creeds.

No, the church that the gates of hell will not prevail against, was birthed in fire and drunkenness that took weak, fearful men and women out of hiding in a second story room and onto the streets of Jerusalem with utmost courage.

We also see from this passage that the Holy Spirit was poured out not for feel good, bless me club meetings but for the mission! To give weak, cowardly people like us a boldness and power that is not of our own but that would be used also not for our own fame but the fame of another. Which brought us to our landing point: The church was birthed for Jesus.

What began in Genesis.2:7 with a kiss will culminate in a wedding. Jesus is coming back for a bride, His bride! We believe that this whole thing called humanity and creation was a glorious setup for Christ to be glorified. And as John Piper writes, “God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him”. Or as the ancient creed says, “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.”

These are our roots. And as we said often over the last couple of weeks, our roots determine our routes. What began with Christ will end with Christ.

He is our proclamation.

He is our preoccupation.

Our roots are showing more and more, and our routes have never looked more exciting!

http://www.lifechangers.org.za/sermons/your-roots-are-showing/

Church Planting Tips

Tim Williams, a Cape Town local, who has taken over a church in the heart of France, gave these helpful practical tips and thoughts for all those who have even the inkling of a desire to church-plant, support a church-plant or to just go to the nations for the Gospel. Hope you find them as useful food for thought as I did.

1. The King and his Kingdom must be the treasure of your heart
2. Get a biblical understanding of God's plan for the nations
3. Seek God's face for a region or a nation
4. Start learning the language
5. But don't use language as an excuse not to go
6. Communicate your heart to the elders of your local church
7. Put your feet on foreign soil
8. Start saving your money for a trip
9. Consider a short term trip
10. Consider going with a team
11. Go to serve rather than be served
12. consider going for a season
13. Go to be a blessing not a burden
14. Your homegroup can adopt a nation/ church-plant to pray for, bless with finance, letters etc
15. Develop a heart for the lost now (don't live in the "when I get there" future)
16. Support those who are going to the nations
17. If you go, be ready to count the cost
18. ...but it's not about the cost! (he is faithful and our very great reward!)
19. Consider all these things when you choose a spouse
20. Be faithful to what God has called you to now

Romans.10:9-15