In Luke 10:2 Jesus sais, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."
That is why we do Engage Training. Jesus promises that the harvest is ready, all we need to do is to go into the harvest field. Many times we as Christians don't go because of different reasons: fear, lack of training, lack of conviction, personal or external barriers, the list goes on. That is what Engage Training is all about - equipping believers to go into the harvest field, not as a programme or event, but as a lifestyle. Once a person's heart has been cut with the gospel that heart will not be able to remain silent.
During February and March we had two groups attending the Engage Training. One was a campus specific training - equipping a number of students specifically for their environment - and during the other training we had people from 3 of our congregations attending.
It is really incredible to see how people are eager to reach the lost when they themselves encounter the gospel in a fresh way. Christ is our hope, our salvation as well as our motivation. He is the reason we go to the harvest.
As part of the training we also practically go out to engage with people specifically using the GodTest - a tool developed to help us start a conversations that leads to us being able to share the story of Jesus.
In February we launched our newVictory Training course as a city wide church having about 150 people attending over the weekend. The Victory Training is a foundational course that helps us to firstly understand the work Jesus did for us on the cross as well as to keep on walking in the victory and the freedom He purchased for us.
We truly had an incredible weekend filled with testimonies ranging from salvations, baptisms in the Holy Spirit and freedom and victory God brought in areas such as addictions, unforgiveness, broken relationship etc. God truly is faithful to His Word - "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
When we started with Eldoraigne last year Riëtte got a word that God will go out before us, that He will prepare the community, and this is exactly what we are experiencing.
People are being drawn into God's Kingdom from Eldoraigne without us necessarily having anything to do with it. Here are just a couple of testimonies...
I went to rotate my tyres and I met JP - one of the guys who works there. He started talking to me and shared that he recently moved here from Hopetown (Northern Cape) and when he saw my number plate (also Northern Cape) he asked where I am from, how long I've been here, what I do etc. Long story short, he shared that his life is really at a bad place and that he needs help. We met up for a drink and he just continued to open up. He is so hungry and desperate to be discipled. He also shared how he prayed and asked that God would send someone that will help him on the right track. God is truly faithful.
This past Sunday we had a lady from Eldoraigne come to church for the first time and at the end of the service she responded to the Holy Spirit and committed to follow Jesus with her life. Someone who came to church via another friend whom God has drawn in.
We also finally got together with Ruan and Corinne (the couple whom we met at the action cricket). We invited them over for dinner and we had such a great time together, really getting to know each other better. They got engaged over the December holidays and we are using this as an opportunity to speak into their lives, speaking from our own experience in this journey, the fears we faced. They are really open and hungry - in a place of need, even though they don't realize the exact origin of the need yet.
One of the teams at the Action Cricket whom we will be playing against regularly is also mostly from Eldoraigne and we know that God is opening doors for us. I am really excited about where we are currently, with the team as well, to see how they are creating their own opportunities to get involved in the community.
At the end of February we will also be having an Eldoraigne Vision Night where we will invite everyone currently part of the Centurion Congregation who are from the Eldoraigne area to join us. This will be an evening where we cast the vision for Eldoraigne and invite people to become part of it by simply reaching the lost and making disciples. From this the fruit will be a church plant!
Please continue to pray for us and for the community. The harvest is ready...
