Hearts of the Fathers to their Children
I don’t know if the future Queen of England has been tuning into our 1st Love series?😱🤣
However, I think Kate is 100% on target with us in believing that an understanding of the absolute importance of early childhood development is the ‘social equivalent to climate change‘.
As reported by Sky News over the weekend, Kate wants to raise awareness of the importance of the first five years of life to future development.
She is responding to research showing the first five years of childhood fundamentally shape adulthood, and challenges adults face such as addiction, violence, family breakdown and mental health have their roots in the earliest years of life.
To this end she has launched The Royal Foundation for Early Childhood Development, saying:
“Working closely with others, the centre hopes to raise awareness of why the first five years of life are just so important for our future life outcomes, and what we can do as a society to embrace this golden opportunity to create a happier, more mentally healthy, more nurturing society.
“By working together, my hope is that we can change the way we think about early childhood, and transform lives for generations to come. Because I truly believe big change starts small.”
River of Life is on a mission to nurture the next generation in our midst, and to equip the Body of Christ to love their youngest neighbours as they love themselves.
This will be an increasingly important and significant issue as our continental population explodes and the family fabric continues to crumble. There is a huge need for the church to demonstrate ‘the hearts of the fathers towards their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers’ (Malachi 4.6)
What an exciting journey we are on to see the Nations Glad through God’s love demonstrated through His People!
Image Credit: Sky News
Church-Plants and Changing Communities
Tongai Mahobele (ROL Eastlea) teamed up with Nick Mugurahoko and Faro Chehore (ROL Dz), as well as Prince Bikausi (ROL Westgate) to visit the Disciple Nations churches in Dotito and Kaitano last weekend.
The diversity of this traveling team and the vibrancy of their reports are such great demonstrations of biblical values such as partnership, mission, love and gospel advance. My top 8 highlights from hearing their news yesterday are:
- 2 new church-plants. The River of Life Churches in Kaitano have planted two new churches into neighbouring Mtasa and Nyamapureti in the last few months.
- Baptisms. 32 people were baptised in these church-plants over the Easter holiday.
- 4am journey on Sundays. The Kaitano leaders travel by foot from 4am to 9am to reach Nyamapureti (on the Moz border) on a Sunday to assist in strengthening the church. Then travel home by foot from 2pm to 630pm. I am so thrilled to hear of this commitment.
- Africa Alive with GOATS. The Kaitano area is not well suited to poultry, so the church has decided to do business with goats and it is taking off.
- Together Sunday. Tariro Community Churches in Dotito gathered four congregations for Sunday celebration, especially rejoicing after Covid related challenges.
- Bibles. There is a hunger for God’s Word and we are acting with more intentionality to arrange for Bibles and other teaching resources into these areas.
- New leaders and elders. Leaders from Harare and Dotito are helping to develop new elders in Kaitano as the work is growing. So exciting to see this urban and rural partnership in the gospel.
- Learning, Encouraging & Equipping. Tongai, Nick and Faro were able to learn soooo much…and also encourage, bless, strengthen, pray for and equip all those on the frontlines of these rural church situations. Lord, may many come to you through these churches.
I am praying for multiplied effectiveness like this as we continue to ‘go into all the world and make disciples of all nations’.
🤸🏽♂️🌟🤸🏽♂️🌟🇲🇿 🇿🇼 🇲🇼 🇿🇲 🇹🇿
The Power of Community
Our Small Group yesterday was rich. I’ll give you my top 10 highlights:
1). The Wedding. I had the joy of meeting 8 River of Lifers at a wedding I officiated at Darwendale on Saturday. I was able to invite two who were looking for a Small Group and they joined us the next day💫🤸🏽♂️
2). The New People. One of our members invited her sister, and she was such a boost and blessing to the group🌟💫
3). The Growth. Although Claire was away visiting her Mum in SA and although we missed 5 others who were away for various reasons, we had a total of 9 people – so cool. Our total group is now around 15, and we need to think about multiplying soon. 🥳
4). The Intro. Barry’s encouragement that Jesus operated on Small Groups all the time. Fish Braai, communion, Zachias etc. What an inspiring intro that was. 🌟🌟
5). The Worship. That homegrown SOONNGGGG! Oh wow. Zola and the worship team just blew me away. The content of words, mix of language, quality of harmony and instrumentation, smoothness of sound & visual…amazing. And above all, the genuine worship from the heart seen on the faces of each person on the screen. ❤️🌟
6). The Updates. By Natsi and Charlotte on ladies hike and GP Youth 💫🚀
7). The KKIIDDSSS. – Early Zoom beam-in and then fun materials. Top quality input to kids. 👏🏽💨
8). The Preaching. Very clear from Sian, biblically sound and eminently practical. Phenomenal letter of Scripture read by Beck. 🧨 💥
9). Discussion group. What a JOYYYY. With both tears and laughter we delighted to hear from each other, treating each with honour and trusting one another with vulnerability. ❤️❤️🌟🌟
10). Snacks. One of our grandparent couples treated us to eclairs, Chelsea buns and scones with teas and coffees. ☕ ☕ 🍰
Can’t wait for next week!
There are so many moving parts to this and I rejoice in the combined energy of River of Life. This River is flowing stronger and stronger that the Nations May Be Glad,
Much love and joy,
Scott
‘Imitate their Faith’
Leaders are an amazing gift in a church. ‘Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith’ (Heb 13.7)
Derek & Margit oversee Small Groups at River of Life.
On Wednesday last week, while training leaders online, they received the news that their son, Ryan, had rolled over on his ankle whilst playing rugby at university – and was being rushed to emergency rooms for care.
Undaunted, Derek and Margit seemlessly and courageously handled the training whilst shooting off WhatsApp’s on the side – medical aid number etc. Nobody knew anything of what they were going through and the training was outstanding, with some great input from them and others.
As the dust is settling on this and Ryan’s ankle is slowly returning from butternut size to grapefruit size, I reflect on the amazing blessing that our leaders are in River of Life Church. And how leaders have to carry the challenges of ordinary (and extraordinary!) life as they serve others. Godly leadership involves sacrifice – my cost for your benefit. Perfectly modeled by Christ.
Thank-you Derek and Margit for your example to us – and for ALL the Small Group Leaders, Cluster Leaders, Assistant Leaders, Worship Leaders, Rock Leaders, and EVERYONE involved in the many areas of influence in River of Life Church.
Isn’t it awesome that this Scripture calls us not to imitate Derek and Margit themselves, but to imitate their FAITH. The faith we each have in Christ will lead us to lay our lives down in sacrificial service of Christ and His Body is many and varied ways.
What a blessing leaders are in the church!
Much love and blessing,
Scott
The Next Generation.
Africa Alive is an initiative in line with our 2020/21 vision to Let The Nations Be Glad.
As a family of churches, Disciple Nations aims to raise 2400 next generation church leaders, between 18 and 28 yrs old, over the next 5 years – called Africa Alive Champions. Each one able to :-
- communicate Christ from personal revelation relationship
- generate profit and enable their community to do the same
- demonstrate character especially in the areas of money, sex and power.
Alan Norton, Muss Maramwidze, Andrew Ellis, Tongai Mahobele, Charllote Ngandu, Ruvi Mubika are just a few of the River of Lifers who are actively involved in leading and discipling this movement which spans all Provinces of Zimbabwe…and is taking shape in Zambia and Mozambique as well.
We have around 100 prospective Champions in place – Mondhoro, Chihota, Chiweshe, Domboshava, Nkayi, Ntabazinduna, and other locations….currently placing in the region of 10000 chickens per week and generating around US$25k per week in revenue.
We will keep updating River of Life on these developments and hoping for more opportunities for people to get directly involved in nurturing this exciting next generation.
Blessings and love
Scott
Ps – this is a pic of our latest camp held at the beautiful Zambesi Holidays venue with 38 next generation potential leaders.
Bibles for Zimbabwe
River of Life Church, in association with Biblica Zimbabwe, did our first distribution of 300 Bibles in Chiweshe, Mashonaland, in April. The Bibles are superbly printed and in vernacular Shona – MuChiShona Chanhasi. We are expecting a delivery of Ndebele Bibles in June for distribution in Matebeleland next.
ROL has paid a donation of US$5.00 per Bible (US$ 1500.00 for 300) and is recovering an average of US$ 4.00 each, as the people receiving the Bibles delight to pay a contribution to be rolled forward for the benefit of the next recipients. I am hoping we will be able to grow a revolving fund, underpinned and strengthened by us as a church, that is able to finance more and more Bibles each year.
We are currently moving towards a target of 1000 per month being distributed throughout our Disciple Nations network and Africa Alive relational links. Perhaps 10000 Bibles per year would be a good target for 2021 and maybe we could aim for higher than that in 2022. We are also pursuing leads to distribute within Prisons on a special dispensation basis.
I would so value your prayers that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ (Col 4.3).
Thank-you for your partnership in the gospel and for the generosity of heart in River of Life that has made this possible.
Love and blessings to you,
Scott
The power of discipleship
Dear River of Life,
The power of discipleship.
The Goto family, and extended family, have been a special part of our church for many years.
I heard of the sad passing of Gogo Kucherera, maternal Grandmother to Tavonga Goto and Tendai Mhlanga, this last week but rejoice with the family in her faith in Christ.
Furthermore, I rejoice in her legacy of more offspring than any person I have ever known. 13 children, 63 grandchildren, 96 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great grandchildren. 187 in total. With spouses included, the clan around this matriarch at the time of her passing must be in the region of 300+ people. From one marriage, a multitude.
What an amazing life and testimony.
The power of replication in discipleship is phenomenal. Where a group of 12 (or in Ambuya’s case, 13) are able to make more who will follow in the same pattern, the compounding effects become dizzying.
Let’s keep going, making true disciples, who will make true disciples, who will make true disciples….of all nations!
Thank-you, Lord, for this family and for every family represented in our church. 
Easter Camp
Dear River of Life,
ROL had the joy of being a significant part of Easter Camp Online over the weekend. So many ROL-ers in the frontlines of organisation and execution. Top 5 highlights for me were :
1). Seeing such a diversity of skills working together to pull off an event, blessing so many people.
2). Receiving people from such a diverse geographical spread – Southern Africa, West Africa, Europe, USA. Some connections representing 50+, 100+ people listening in….I heard of one sleepover of 30+ after the Saturday evening talk.
3). Having diverse hosts with different languages, and the powerful interpretation options available on Zoom.
4). The content of Terry Virgo’s four messages. Dynamite 🧨. Listen and listen again. So, so strengthening and helpful.
5). The sense of joy in the LORD, sharing communion, delighting in God’s Word and Spirit, worshipping together with different churches and languages, different colours of attire….and the shout at the end.
I am grateful to River of Life for all the participation in so many ways and for the zeal we have for blessing the church body widely that the nation’s may be GLAD!
Love and blessings and thanks,
Scott
Easter Camp coming up
Easter Camp Online is a moment to grow in our understanding of who God is and to delight in all He is.
Terry Virgo’s teaching on The Cross and The Trinity is a distillation of some of the clearest and most comprehensive theology you will hear, presented in some of the most accessible language and heart-warming emotion.
I cannot recommend these sessions more highly.
Terry ends with the statement ‘The more you know God, the more you will look like God.’ Let’s draw close to The Lord and be changed by his Word and Spirit.
This conference is a DEVOTIONAL conference. We gather at Jesus’ feet, more like Mary than Martha, to gaze upon who He IS as a fundamental priority over any action.
Please do all you can to join us on Zoom on Good Friday evening at 630pm and then for the two session on Saturday (10am and 615pm) and then on Easter Sunday morning (10am).
I look forward to seeing you there!
Loads of love,
Scott
PS : You can now watch the sessions from Easter Camp by clicking here
Let the Nations be Glad
For all the challenges of 2020 there have been three very positive highlights which place us in exceptionally good standing for 2021:
1) The outstanding 14-Week Reconciled Series
2) The outstanding Financial Giving
3) The outstanding Small Groups direction
The Reconciled Series was an extraordinary proclamation of the gospel and shaking up of mindsets which has led to a healthy shift in the culture of the church. The level of engagement from people was high and the participation of over 35 individuals on the panels, all from within River of Life, was striking. I am so thankful for the Christ-centered approach that was maintained across the series and the maturity of the church in dealing with these issues, many of which are only handled with aggression and discord in the world around us. It is hard to express the joy that I feel seeing the delight we have in relationships within ROL that traverse political, racial, tribal and gender lines. We need to develop and display this more and more for that the world may know we are his disciples by the love we have one for another.
Throughout the lockdown period, and with it the immense financial challenges, the core of River of Life has remained solid as ever in their financial commitment. This is phenomenal when you consider the multi-currency logistics that we have navigated over the last 9 months as well as the economic impact of COVID-19 and within the pre-existing challenges of our situation. I rejoice in your faithfulness to The Lord and am so thankful for the sustaining generosity that has enabled us to be in such a position of strength as we head into 2021.
Lastly, the lockdown has really highlighted to us the priority importance of DISCIPLESHIP and the absolutely imperative need for a Small Group structure that enables real and vibrant interaction amongst us as a church – leading to growth in real relationship with God, real relationship with each other, and real influence for Christ in the world. To this end we have had the joy of seeing Derek and Margit Landman take oversight of this whole area and they are developing some great plans for 2021.
I would like to end by commending River of Life for your commitment to Christ through all the thrills-and-spills of 2020. Thank-you for your faithfulness and participation that has been expressed in the Sermon Series, the Financial Giving and the direction for Small Groups. I am truly excited for 2021 and seeing River of Life ever more used by God to LET THE NATIONS BE GLAD.