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
Huge Generosity from Disciple Nations Churches. So much to be thankful for!
Disciple Nations churches in Zim, Zam and Moz took up a combined offering over the last weeks and have remitted USD10,000 to add to the other Newfrontiers spheres totalling over 200k at present. Many homes have been opened among the churches in Europe and the UK.
The believers within the churches that we have close links with in Eastern Ukraine and Kyiv have managed to evacuate or survive the invasions, although with significant loss.
The latest update from Dave Devenish does mention, with deep concern, that there may be some who have been taken by Russian troops and potentially extracted to Russia.
Four key things to pray for would be:
- the recovery of any abducted believers back to Ukraine
- the sustaining of individuals and families who have either evacuated or remained
- wisdom and effectiveness for the church leaders in delivering aid and witnessing Christ.
- a ceasefire and end to war
Thank-you so much for your generosity and motivation to participate as a global family of churches across the continents. Please do keep praying for Russia, Ukraine and all affected by the conflict.
Much love,
Scott
Responding from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia to the Ukraine/Russia conflict
The unfolding events of the past 10-days, as the Russian/Ukrainian conflict has escalated, have been massively costly for those on the frontlines and are very significant for the world as a whole. Perhaps on the scale of 911 or greater.
We have many friends and churches within the wider Newfrontiers family on both sides of the border and all three soils; Separatist Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk), Ukraine (Kiev and the rest of the country) and Russia. This warfare has immediate significance for those on the ground as many face extreme conflicts of interest. Some of these include forced conscription, war against family/friends and the need to flee homes and livelihoods. Personal friends of Claire and mine have lost their home for the second time as they have fled Kiev and moved West within Ukraine, trying to serve churches whilst staying alive.
The ripple effects of this conflict are also increasingly affecting Europe as a whole and potentially every nation on earth with the possibility of scaled-up war.
How do we respond in such a situation? I believe we can follow Jesus in responding with Prayer and Generosity:
1) 1 Tim 2.2
Pray for those in authority that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness. Pray for President Putin, President Zelenskyy, all those wielding power and decision-making capacity.
2) Matthew 6.9
Pray for God’s Kingdom to come and will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Through all the conflict and chaos for many to receive Christ, churches to be strengthened and the purpose of God to prevail.
3) John 3.16
God gave His Son. Give of ourselves to communicate love and to alleviate pain. We will put together an offering from River of Life Church to send to churches in both Ukraine and Russia. Anyone in ROL or any DNa church is welcome to add to this fund in the first 2 weeks of March.
We will aim to send the offering as a love gift to churches in the Ukraine and Russia by 15th March. Please feel free to send any offering from individuals or churches to these bank details provided.
Any queries please contact Dave Hobbs on 078 391 0799.
We are living in days that will count for eternity.
Much love,
Scott
ROL 25th Anniversary 🌟
River of Life Church was planted in February 1997.
A group of believers gathered by PJ Smyth began meeting in a midweek home-group setting with a view to starting Sunday meetings.
The first Sunday meeting was held at St John’s Prep School Hall. We put out 50 chairs and then needed another 100 before the meeting could begin. The church grew steadily and moved to St John’s College Hall for extra space, and then to Mount Pleasant School Hall where we had our first multi-meetings.
At 1000 strong ROL planted 5 ways : (1) City congregation with Roy Chim, Taps and Flora Chizana, Tavonga Goto, the Ngandus, Makories, Mutangaras and others, (2) Byo plant with Mbonisi Malaba and others, (3) Westgate plant with Alan Norton and others, (4) Eastlea with the Smyths, Landmans, Mathiesons, Vans, Chikonzos and others , (5) Mount Pleasant with the Sibandas, Edwards, Wests and many others.
Many more adventures ensured and one of them involved the merging of ROL Eastlea with Greystone Park Fellowship in 2015. This led to a multi-site, multi-meeting format with around 1350 in attendance on Sundays, until covid hit in March 2020. Both Westgate and Bulawayo had been well established and also planted other churches by 2020.
Today, in Feb 2022, we are coming out of lockdown with some very exciting signs of life as we orientate towards the years ahead and the adventures The Lord has for us in the future.
We are all part of the most exciting story that has ever been written – the story of Christ’s victorious redemption of his people through a chaotic and broken world, to the praise of his glory for all eternity!
We will celebrate our 25 year anniversary as a church around mid-year – watch this space! But the greatest celebration will still await in heaven as we continue to run the full course in what The Lord has for River of Life Church.
Let’s keep rollin’ 🤸🏾♂️❤️🤸🏾♂️❤️
A church that cares for orphans. Oh Wow!
Amazing results and responses for The Michael Project.
Here are a few of my top joys as I’ve tracked with progress over the last weeks:
- Reunification – 6 children were reunited with their families from Shalom in December.
- Adoption – 7 month old baby about to be adopted from Shalom. 4 babies adopted last year, 2021. Aiming to surpass that this year.
- Pledges – 100 new people pledged monthly support this year, adding to existing base – USD$2500.00 per month
- Place of Safety – 13 new people signing up for Place of Safely/Adoption
- Practical Skills – 18 people offering practical skills of varied kinds including weekly teaching and homework assistance.
- Power Corporate – 4 new corporates looking to give USD500.00+ per month
- Personal Visits – 16 people volunteering to take children on visits this year.
THANK-YOU for your joy and delight in partnering together in this.
Blessings,
Scott
SEVEN – A LIFESTYLE OF MAKING DISCIPLES
Being a disciple is simply about following and influencing.
It is a lifestyle of intentionally following Jesus in all we do and intentionally influencing others to do the same.
If you are able to take some time this week, please read Acts 2:41-47 and reflect on your participation in these SEVEN areas that the early church saw such fruitfulness in :
In the Building
1. Small Group
2. Large Group
3. Generosity
In the World
4. Family
5. Workplace
6. Beyond Comfort Zone
In the Heart
7. Word & Prayer
Looking forward to opening this up as we jump into Timothy 1&2 this week, starting Sunday 30th Jan.
Blessings,
Scott
SEVEN
For absolute sure, there is coming a day when all value will be re-calibrated before our eyes.
On that day the USD, the RTGS, the Bitcoin, the Land, the Gold, the Car, the Louis Vuitton suitcase, will all reduce to zero and be utterly worthless to us.
Whether you believe in Jesus or not, all value will be absolutely redenominated as we breath our last breath.
If the Gospel is true, the revelation of real value in that moment will be astounding. In a burning flash there will be the sudden revaluation of relationship over any resource. What will count for all eternity is your love for Jesus and his people.
In that moment, every act of faithfulness to God and others will be of infinite and eternal worth.
It is for this reason that Jesus commissioned his disciples to ‘go and make disciples…’. The greatest long-term investment of our lives would be to follow Jesus in this very call – for the glory of God and the good of his people.
See you for SEVEN this week as we explore the exciting adventure of following Jesus in the real eternal purpose of our fading temporary lives.