God Loves A Cheerful Giver
At our 25th Anniversary in June we targeted an offering of 25k for refurbishment of buildings and installation of solar systems. We hit usd 45,900 😱 That is some very cheerful giving.
It is amazing how Scripture shows that it’s not the ACT of generosity that God loves, but rather the PERSON who gives with an attitude of joy. God is after the devotion of our hearts not the donation of our money.
As you consider the Gift Day coming up on 11th December, this time targeting 30k, please pray about what you could give with the joy of The Lord in your heart as you make your offering.
God loves you as you shine His character in giving with real joy❤️🌟
Love Scott
Everyone is stepping UP
11-6+7=12^
We had a remarkably special Together Sunday two weeks ago and looked at this exciting equation. We are proposing that of the 11 current elders, 6 step UP-and-off and that 7 step UP-and-on to eldership. The ^ symbol denotes that, through this process, EVERYONE IN THE CHURCH can step up in various ways to live lives of MAKING DISCIPLES. This change to the eldership would significantly re-shape the age and diversity demographics of the leadership of ROL and, simultaneously, open up huge opportunities for greater fulfillment of our vision which is:
TO GLORIFY GOD
BY ADVANCING HIS KINGDOM
THROUGH PLANTING & STRENGTHENING NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES.
Those stepping UP-and-Off eldership would still be part of ROL Eastlea/GP as their base church, but would have more far-reaching influence into other DNa churches and beyond. For example:
- Roy Chimanikire: Finances for ROL and DNa
- Gus Hulley: The Base Church Byo, DNa education
- Stu Knight: Christian Counselling Center
- Derek Landman: Courses across DNa (Alpha, Network, Marriage, Parenting etc)
- Jacob Ngandu: staying on eldership for a transitionary period up to a year, New Creation Church Byo, Kigali church-plant.
- Scott Smith: Hope City Church Byo.
The proposed new elders were all profiled with endorsement and recommendation from the current elders, with whom they have walked for the last 2 years. As they were profiled to the church we have invited further feedback on their character and gifting for eldership – ahead of potential appointment with Dave Holden in Feb 2023. They are:
Kelvin Chamunorwa
Kumbi Dhliwayo
Danny Hillman
Danny Hulley
Leon Rademeyer
Unity Sahke
Blessing Wazara
Around this leadership updraught there will be many opportunities for others to engage with these situations and more. EVERYONE STEPPING UP into greater effectiveness for making disciples of all nations.
I closed Together Sunday’s meeting with a call to all River Of Lifers to please:
- Continue to Pray for all these people, their loved ones, and everyone in leadership within ROL, that we would gain momentum in proclaiming the Gospel as we should.
- Continue to Participate in attending faithfully, giving faithfully, and serving with whatever talents each has in faithfulness to The Lord
- To feedback on these proposed plans via Site Leaders, Small Group Leaders, or to me personally on the proposed changes. We are all in this TOGETHER.
Thank-you for the vibrancy of that Together Sunday and the sense of momentum across the church as so many are running with this. I look forward to all that The Lord has for us in this next phase of the ROL adventure with Him.
Much love
Scott
Newfrontiers Global 2022
Over 80 nations were represented by 150 international leaders at the Newfrontiers Global 2022 in Cyprus last week. Scripture read in Arabic, Albanian, Ukrainian, Russian, Shona, French plus many, many more languages.
The sense of joy in The Lord, delight in one another, and zeal for the gospel was truly awesome. So many highlights and encouragements. Claire and I travelled with next generation leaders in Disciple Nations including Muss & Natsi Maramwidze, Tongai and Joy Mahobele from Zimbabwe and Timóteo & Sara Bila who represented Mozambique.
Baptisms and Growth at ROL
19 amazing people were baptised in water at River of Life Church, Eastlea site last Sunday. We are increasing from 3 Sunday meetings to 4 next month and hopefully 5 by January 2023. Currently 1500 people across all ages, races, languages and walks of life.
It is such a joy to see the church alive in God’s love and shining that love in many diverse ways within some super-stretching circumstances.
Shining Brighter through Giving
Dear River of Life
As we started the third term I felt such joy to preach the message ‘State of River of Life Church’. In a nutshell I believe that we are shining brightly and are called to shine even brighter in our Lifestyles Of Making Disciples❤️🤸🏽♂️
I am so thankful for the broad participation across the church in so many diverse ways, which is what makes the light of Christ radiate so brightly.
In particular, I would like to especially encourage us to faithfulness in finances. We have known real grace in this area, but of late we have real strain – somewhat of a crunch point. Please do pray about this and be free to give as The Lord leads you.
I encouraged irregular givers to move to be regular – Whhooo!
Regular givers to move to regular tithers – whohhooo!!
Regular tithers to move to ministry of giving (over 10% income) – wwhhooohooo!
Not under compulsion but as genuine worship to The Lord.
Thank-you for the response to this, and for the amazing zeal and unity we have.
A reminder of the nine ways you can give, which hopefully can make that step of transaction slightly more easy :
These details will also be circulated as a stand-alone graphic for easy reference.
Let’s continue to press forward in the face off all the challenges and trust The Lord for an even more more radiant, life-giving expression of River of Life as we go towards year-end and 2023.
Huge love and thanks to all,
Scott
DNA Churches in Kaitano
4 churches in Kaitano have grown a flock of 180 goats to 512 over the last year. They have done this through natural birth as well as addition of purchased animals. Their goal is 2000 by end of 2024, to be the largest flock of goats in Zimbabwe.
Africa Alive, an initiative of DNa, continues to catalyse productivity in churches with a view to seeing next generation leaders Communicating Christ, Generating Profit and Demonstrating Character.
Young men and women sang through the night, from 10pm to 530am as we celebrated this initiative in Kaitano. There are new churches joining and a new church-plant taking off just over the border in Mozambique.
The older generation is backing this movement in a wholehearted way, including local headmen.
We awarded prizes for Largest Buck, Largest Female Nursery and Largest Overall Flock.
All the hosting, provision and logistics for 250 people was handled entirely by the local churches – catering done on open fires through the night. Amazing joy, unity and capacity.
Very exciting to see the church leading and blessing the community in this way.
It was a joy to travel with Nicholas Mugurahoko, Tongai Mahobele, Muss Maramwidze and John Mavhura from Dotito as team.
Eternally Secure Investment
Do not store up treasures on earth, instead store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
(Matt 6.19-21)
As you faithfully participate in financial giving you will not be aware of the immense impact and eternal effect that your actions produce. Jesus calls it ‘storing for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust will not destroy.’
The amazing generosity of River of Life is a particularly precious expression of worship in a context of such financial challenge and constraint.
I am thrilled to report that there has been significant updraft in giving in the last months. I am very thankful to everyone for the faithfulness with which people invest of their financial resources in the overall mission of the church.
Here are 7 financial facts I thought you may be interested in :-
- ROL is 100% financed by its local congregations. No external donor funds.
- ROL’s giving has increased in the first 6 months of 2022 from an average of usd36k per month in 2021 to usd49k in 2022. One third up at this stage 🌟
- The 25th Year Anniversary Gift Day yielded USD 45000 on a target of 25k! As a result we are currently upgrading the solar at GP and installing solar at Eastlea BCD, renovations for Youth and meeting areas set to begin, and post-Covid maintenance in full swing.
- ROL gives away 15% of its income each month to church and kingdom advancing initiatives such as Disciple Nations, Michael Project, Christian Counselling Center, Zambezi Holidays, Makomborero, Just Friends and many others. This is having widespread effect into church-planting, church-strengthening, education for most vulnerable, agricultural initiatives, biblical family values, adoption and fostering etc .
- ROL publishes monthly updates on giving and holds an AGM once per year (missed in covid). The ROL PVO which administers the funds of DNa is audited annually.
- a finance committee, accountable to the eldership team, oversees the finances and sets the salaries of the leadership staff.
- we hope to see our monthly giving reach up towards 65k and towards 70k in the coming months and years.
Let us continue to use worldly wealth, amidst inflation and all the difficulties, to store real treasure that can never be taken away.
Much love, blessing and thankfulness,
Scott
Make Disciples of All Nations
This is the first church planted among the Doma tribe, a previously unreached people group on the remote confluence between Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique – River of Life Chiramba.
Initial contact came through the OM Prayer Handbook which specified this area as unreached. Clapperton Muturiki and the River of Life Westgate church has invested 6 years of monthly visits by public transport and various sacrificial service.
Those who have put their faith in Christ in the Kanyemba area have built this structure entirely of their own means and resources.
We had the joy of appointing two elders, from this special Doma tribe – Tirivangani Nyakutepa and Jivas Kamangira. An awesome team from ROL Westgate also brought gifts of clothes and food. OM was represented and we rejoiced together.
The hosting by the local church was phenomenal. The woman cooked sadza in 200 litre drums on open Mopane wood fires, serving the most delicious dishes in spectacular clothing.
There were many rivers to cross and too many stories to tell, but this is just the beginning! The sense of purpose at the moment of appointment was very compelling – Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matt 28.19-20).
What an atmosphere of love, joy and peace
The Marriage Course
The first-term Marriage Course concluded last week after 8 weeks of amazing online input.
The vibrancy across the 100+ people in attendance was outstanding, as was the content of the course which is from the same stable as ALPHA.
We are so thankful to Muss & Natsi and Jacob & Terumi for their leadership investment into those married and single in our church.
Please have a look at these highlights and then look out for when it next runs in the 3rd term.
Much love,
Scott
Local Giving, Regional Impact!
Just as we encourage individuals to generosity with personal income, so we as a church give away 15% of our income on a monthly basis.
When you are part of River of Life you are therefore contributing to the advance of the gospel on diverse fronts including Christian Counselling Centre, Zambezi Holidays, Makomborero, Refuge Trust, The Michael Project and many others.
Our recent Disciple Nations conference was funded in significant part by this generosity. 120 church leaders from across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia gathered in Kadoma for a weekend of vision and equipping. There was massive connection of relationship and massive engagement in joint mission. I believe we are set to see great expansion of effectiveness in church-planting and strengthening as a result of this.
Thank you for your personal generosity that is catalysing this corporate generosity for the benefit of thousands of people and situations beyond our local church.
Much love
Scott