Kirsty and I have completed the first phase of our trip, having spent four nights in New York City! We stayed in a room in a beautiful old house, owned by a ministry organization called Hepzibah House. They provide affordable accommodation to those in Manhattan for ministry related purposes.

The staff are wonderful, extremely friendly, helpful and even praying for their guests during their daily staff meeting. We were staying near Central Park on the Upper West Side, a beautiful part of Manhattan. As you can see below, we went jogging and enjoyed not only the stunning natural beauty of the garden but also the skyline of downtown Manhattan!

Times Square was hard to take in: a total sensory overload! Advertising – both in print and multimedia, audio and visual, assails the senses! The energy of it is palpable, and it seemed to be constantly busy! No matter when we visited Times Square, it was always heaving with people.

We also were able to visit (and go to the top of!) Rockefeller centre. This is an amazing building with a fascinating story surrounding its construction.

We also visited the 9/11 memorial site, an intense experience. It’s remarkable to be at the site where the twin towers used to be, and extremely sad to reflect on the many deaths that occurred on 9/11. What really struck us is how many of those who died were men: fathers, husbands – heads of families. Yet the tone of the memorial is an enduring hope in the face of that tragedy, and that hope is seen in the fact that the World Trade Center site is being rebuilt, which is why you see construction behind the memorial in the photo below. Several new buildings, including what is to become the tallest in the US, are being presently constructed. The infinity pools are a set of two waterfalls of 30 feet. A beautiful site to behold. 

Below is a view of Manhattan from the top of Rockefeller centre at night. To the right you can see the top of Times Square! It’s really hard to capture the enormity of the city – even this photo does not do it justice. The buildings of Manhattan – both the modern giants as well as the older beauties – were uppermost amongst my favorite things in the city. Cities really are incredible phenomena!

We also had a wonderful time at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We got the chance to attend a service on the Sunday evening just after arriving, and we also had the privilege of meeting with Judy Cha – Redeemer’s Director of Counseling Services. I will write a post just on that meeting, with the insights gleaned from it. Kirsty and I were enormously encouraged by Redeemer’s ministry in Manhattan, and praise God for it. We look forward to continuing to learn from them in the years ahead. 

Of course, this is just a small sample of the photo’s we took. When we are back, we’ll put together a more thorough inventory for those who want. But, all in all, we had a fantastic time in Manhattan. Not only did we get to see a lot, but the importance of cities was once again impressed upon us. Cities are where people converge, where ideas take off, where culture and values are shaped. If we want to make a positive impact on our world, we need to be engaging our cities wisely, creatively and biblically.

We are now in another American city – Omaha! We arrived yesterday and I (Kyle) had the privilege of attending Corum Deo’s graduation dinner for their Porterbrook year two students. It was massively encouraging to see how theology had made such a powerful impact on these men’s lives, a real sign that God is at work. We look forward to learning much from the Corum Deo leadership and community, and will update you with regular posts about it all. Our good friends JD and Michele Senkbile are graciously hosting us for a few days. Then – and this is remarkable – another couple, who are leaving town for a few days, are letting us stay in their house! The generosity of the Corum Deo community has already amazed us. We look forward to getting to know this community better as we stay here for another 11 nights.

In the next couple of days, I will write again about our meeting with Judy Cha, and update you on our time in Omaha. Thanks for all the prayers, they are much appreciated! Stay tuned!

Yesterday, the return tickets to Heathrow were booked! We leave Cape Town on Saturday evening the 11th of May, and will return Sunday morning on the 12th of August!

We will fly to New York via Heathrow, aiming to land in New York on Sunday the 13th of May. After the US component of the trip, we are hoping to spend about 12 days or so in the UK with family. This will be a great time to rest after the busy ministry schedule in the USA (as well as provide some time for me to do some post-session studying!)

It’s amazing to see things one has prayed for unfold before one’s eyes, we’re so grateful.

A while ago, I would have definitely answered this question negatively.

But since studying 1 Corinthians 12-14 in more detail, my position has changed somewhat.

Paul says that the various gifts are given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7) and that whilst love is the highest pursuit, we should also earnestly pursue spiritual gifts “especially that you may prophesy” because the one who prophesies “speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation” thus the prophecy “edifies the church” (1 Corinthians 14:1, 3-4). Clearly, Paul is not thinking of Old Testament prophecy (which functioned as the very words of God), but New Testament prophecy. New Testament prophecy could be defined as “speaking merely human words to report something God brings to mind” (Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy, 2000:51). New Testament prophecy is thus fallible but can be (and often is) used by God to edify His church.

Indeed, interpreted tongues also can edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:5). In this way, interpreted tongues have a similar effect to prophecy (though they are inherently different, cf. Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1994:1070-1083).

Counseling (amongst other things) aims to edify, exhort and console Christians. Prophecy and interpreted tongues help directly facilitate this goal.

Therefore, counseling ministries within churches should pursue the spiritual gifts – especially gifts of prophecy.

Exploring this question further and thinking through the methodological implications for counseling could yield much fruit because it could result in much edification for the church. It is definitely a question worth exploring further.

Thoughts or comments?

It’s been over four months since Kirsty and I joined Jubilee Community Church in Observatory. How has it been?

In one word: vivifying. What!? Translation: Vivify is an old English word meaning to ‘enliven’. It refers to something that becomes more and more alive, or animated. So we say that people are vivacious when they are animated, excited, and exuberant.

Being at Jubilee Community Church has been like that for us. We have found ourselves in a spiritual family. We are enjoying wonderful relationships with some beautiful people and, best of all, our own love for God has grown. The reality and glory and beauty of God has become more real to our hearts because we are surrounded by people are pursuing Him. And we’re getting caught up in that pursuit.

Also, the work we are doing in the realm of pastoral care has been fruitful. So we are enjoying not only growing in our love for God, but we are also humbled that He would enable us to be serving Him.

Of course, no earthly church is perfect but we are so grateful that God has brought us to this community. We look forward to the coming months and years in this community as we seek to know God better, and reflect His character to others.

In these blog posts, I have been explaining why Kirsty & I have chosen to connect with Jubilee Community Church. Today, the final reason is given – Service: where can we be most fruitful?

In John 15:16 Jesus said to His disciples, “You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Of course, those words were directly fulfilled in the lives and ministries of the apostles, the original audience Jesus was talking to. Jesus used them to lead the church in its infancy, to write the New Testament, and to plant the first churches – and they handed down the leadership mantle to the successive generations. And so there is a sense in which those words apply to all of Jesus’ followers – He has chosen us, appointed us, that we might bear fruit for Him. Jesus wants his followers to be fruitful.

Fruitfulness is the biblical language for productivity and effectiveness. Jesus wants his followers to proclaim His rescuing love, to serve the poor, to foster community. In short, Jesus wants His followers to love & serve God and love & serve people. He wants them to be productive in this, to be effective at it. He wants them to bear fruit.

Unsurprisingly, this was something St Paul prayed for the churches: in 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Paul prayed that God would enable the Thessalonians to live in a way that was worthy of their calling and that He would “fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith”. Similarly, he prayed that the Colossians would bear fruit “in every good work” (Colossians 1:10).

It’s clear, then, that God wants His people to be fruitful. He wants them to use their lives well in loving Him and loving others. Our lives are about serving God and serving people – therefore, service was a large factor in our decision when looking for a church. Where could we be effective servants? Where could we bear fruit for Christ?

Jubilee Community Church is a place where there are myriad opportunities to serve. Particularly in the area where I am most useful – the area of Word ministry. Gospel counseling, Bible teaching and training/equipping others. Jubilee is a place where I can be useful. Additionally, we know it is a place where Kirsty and I can serve together, as a family.

Because our desire is to be fruitful servants, service opportunities played a large role in helping Kirsty and I decide on where to move. We are excited to serve and be fruitful for Christ at Jubilee Community Church.

This is the second installment of a 3-part series that aims to explain why Kirsty and I have connected with Jubilee Community Church. In the first installment, I explained that Jubilee has a leadership team worth imitating. In this post, you’ll see that Jubilee is a church whose theology is based solely on the Scriptures and therefore a great church to be a part of. Note: this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but just highlight some of the key areas.

Theology – what theological distinctives should mark a church?

• Bible-based. The Scriptures need to govern all of our thinking and living. They are determinative and authoritative for all of life and ministry. Submitting to what the Scriptures teach is what John Calvin described as our “highest wisdom”. Therefore, Kirsty and I sought to belong to a church that loved the Scriptures, taught the Scriptures, and obeyed the Scriptures in all of life and ministry. Jubilee Community Church is a church that is based on the Bible. It is run on biblical convictions and is therefore a church we are glad to be a part of.

• Gospel-centered. The Gospel is not just the gate to salvation, it is the pathway of sanctification. The Gospel saves us and sanctifies us. The Gospel needs, therefore, to be central to our lives, central to our affections, central in our thoughts and central to ministry. We cannot assume people will make Gospel connections in life – because the default of the human heart is self-righteousness. Therefore, it is not enough to simply exhort people with biblical principles – we need to show them that the only way to rightly obey those biblical principles is with a heart soaked in God’s grace. Biblical principles without a Gospel foundation and framework can easily lead to moralism.

• Spirit-empowered. The Gospel message presented in the book of Acts could be summarized as this: Jesus Christ fulfilling the Old Testament Law and Prophets, being crucified and resurrected in history, for our sins which we stand before God guilty of, but through faith in Jesus we can experience forgiveness, freedom and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thus, when we become Christians we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who enables us to love God and pursue righteousness. He distributes gifts to His Church and empowers us to be Jesus’ witnesses. He is active in the Church today, enabling God’s people to fulfill the Great Commission and obey the Great Commandment. Jubilee Community Church is a church in which the Spirit of God is at work in the people of God, empowering them to participate in the mission of God.

• Ethnic-diversity. In Christ, God is building “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15), a new humanity which is both diverse and united. This diverse community, united by the Gospel, authenticates the Gospel. How so? Why does God want to see ethnic diversity in His Church? Ephesians 3:10 tells us that God has included the nations in His plan of salvation “so that through the church the manifold (literally: multi-colored) wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places”. It has nothing to do with being politically correct – it has everything to do with the multi-colored wisdom of God displayed in His diverse-yet-united church. Jubilee Community Church is a church that pursues this ethnic diversity because of its biblical convictions. Historically, churches have been segregated in South Africa – Kirsty and I are excited to be a part of an ethnically diverse yet spiritually united community.

• Social justice. In Galatians 6:10 St Paul says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those who are of the household of faith.” Jubilee Community Church has extensive social justice involvements. They seek to do good to everyone, as they have opportunity. They are a church that offers good news to the poor. Poverty and social issues are of such significance in South Africa, that Kirsty and I are glad to be a part of a Church that tackles these issues head on.

• Multiplication. Finally, any healthy church seeks to multiply itself. Kirsty and I are hopeful that being at Jubilee will provide many opportunities to serve in the future. Jubilee has been a church-planting church, and we know that they seek to remain a church planting church. We will seek to contribute in any way we can to extending God’s Kingdom through multiplying ministry – whether it is through the growth of Jubilee or the planting of new churches.

Central Importance of Good Leadership

These posts (of which this is the first) will explain why Kirsty & I chose to connect with Jubilee Community Church. In this post, the first of 3, we explain that our choice was based on their excellent leadership.

Leadership that is Imitatable (yes, I made that word up!)

In God’s unsearchable wisdom, He has put His church in the hands of men. Ordinary, fallible men lead God’s church. Now, it must be said that He leads, protects, equips and sanctifies these men for the task but here is one inescapable (and biblically supported) conclusion: Leadership determines the health of the Church. When it comes to the health and effectiveness of the church – it’s up to the leaders. As the leaders of the Church preach the Gospel and adorn its doctrine with their lives (cf. Titus 2:10), so their teaching and example will – by the power of the Holy Spirit – shape the members. As goes the leaders – in their teaching and living – so goes the members. That’s why Paul says to Titus, “show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works” (Titus 2:7). Titus is to be imitatable – a model others can copy.

Leadership is, therefore, an enormous responsibility. Hence Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). This accords with what he says in 1 Timothy to his young prodigy – “an overseer must be above reproach” (3:2), “train yourself for godliness” (4:7), “let no one despise you for your youth but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (4:12), “keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (4:16). That last statement is arresting: godly teaching and living will mean salvation for both speaker and hearers. Godly leadership will mean salvation for the members, and healthy, multiplying ministry. Leadership is an enormous responsibility.

Therefore, searching for godly leaders was extremely important for Kirsty and I. As we have gotten to know some of the leaders at Jubilee over the last few years, we have been struck by their authentic and biblical spirituality. These men are men who love God, and love God’s people. If I had to describe the leaders at Jubilee Community Church, I would describe them as men who take God at His Word. They take God at His Word. That is, they seek to know and obey God. Therefore, they are men who are trustworthy, men who are imitatable. And that is one of the main reasons we have chosen to connect with Jubilee.

Hey guys,

I know many of you will have questions surrounding the closure of VOX City Church. To help provide some clarity, I written some brief documents that explain. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks!

VOX.Shorter

This second document is a brief recommendation from VOX’s founding pastor, JD Senkbile

JD recommendation