Pastoral Report March 2019
1 Chronicles 29:14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
Indeed, everything comes from Him. The resources and guidance.
2018 was an exciting year for Open Baptist Church. This was the year of building the walls. 2019 is the year of building a people. The building project started in March and we finally moved in the building 6 months later in September.
I was blessed just being part of the building project and seeing the building going up from the foundation to the roof. Although there were some challenges, the process from beginning to the end went quite smooth with no serious issues.
The new building also attracted attention and many new people visited our Church since then. According to last year’s report we were 53 members and since then 6 members have been removed. 3 of the members were active members that moved away, and the other 3 members were removed for non-attendance over a long period of time. 8 members have been added. We currently have 55 members. 4 persons were baptised.
Although I hoped that the numbers were greater, I am assured that the spiritual growth that our members experienced this year is of much greater importance and that God has blessed us beyond what we could ask for.
Our Vision is:
UPWARDS – We believe that God does not share His glory with another and that He created us for His glory. (Isaiah 43:7; Romans 15:6; 1 Corinthians 6:20).
INWARDS – We believe that we are reconciled to God through Christ’s sacrifice, that we live in Him and are changed by the power and transforming work of the Holy Spirit into the His image. (Ephesians 4:13; Romans 12:2)
OUTWARDS – We believe that God has called us to make disciples and teach them to do the same. We desire to serve others that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit will be made visible in the Church and in the community where He has placed us. (Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 4:10)
2018
Creation ministries visited us, we had the discipleship process that took 13 weeks, the Kick camp was a great success with 38 kids including leaders. We had the seminar on depression, the Holiday club in July that varied between 30-40 kids every day attending, the Ladies’ tea, the Men’s breakfast with a cake sold for R5000, the Okasi outreach, the Christmas program, the Summer camp, and our first New Year’s Eve service.
The Bible studies were well attended. We studied Psalm 119, we did the work as worship study, the book of Colossians and currently we are busy with 1 Peter.
The worship ministry has been a great year for us. The congregation is truly engaging and singing and worshiping God.
New deacons and elders were appointed last year, and it has been a great honour for me to work alongside such great men and women of God.
My prayer for our church is that God will take us from strength to strength and that our love for Him and His church will just grow stronger. What a blessing it is to serve together.