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.
We Don’t Live By Bread Alone
Jesus teaches us that our spiritual diet is more important than our physical diet. He describes God’s Word as more vital to us than our basic food, saying ‘Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that passes from the mouth of God’.
As with any super-profitable discipline, we are so often distracted by lessor pretenders: meetings, money, mails and malls…also TV, News, Sport, Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, TikTok and many more. It will take careful and intentional arrangement of daily affairs in order to read God’s Word regularly.
Therefore, as you approach 2022, the very best thing you can prioritise is daily Bible reading.
Please take time before January 1st to:
- PRAY for God’s help to read His Word most effectively in 2022. This is such an exciting step because it is only God who will enable us to read and love His Word.
- Take some time to EVALUATE the various ways in which you could read His Word. Margit Landman has kindly compiled a list of Bible Plans, daily devotionals, Apps etc to help you find what would work best for you. I tend to use McCheyne’s Bible-In-1-Year plan to read 4 passages a day in 20 mins and read through the Bible each year. You can choose whatever approach you most prefer – the best plan for you is whatever will enable you to receive God’s Word daily.
- SET a time and place that you will have as a daily routine for Bible reading and prayer in 2022. For me it is generally first thing in the morning.
As you do this, you will know the joy of living by God’s Word, and River of Life Church will increasingly be founded on this rock – hearing God’s Word and doing it.
Much love,
Scott
Read more about Bible Reading Plan Resources here.
DNa Equip
The vision of ROL is to ‘Glorify God, by Extending His Kingdom, through Planting & Strengthening Churches’.
As a church we had the joy of contributing generously to The Equip Conference in Kadoma with 55 leaders from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique to explore exactly this – the strengthening and replicating of New Testament churches.
Lasting Impressions camp site gave us a crazy-kind price for accommodation and meals. What a special place it is!
We had groups focusing on:
- church-planting
- agriculture
- education
- family
- leadership
We had 50% leaders under 35 years of age, amazing times of worship, prayer, prophecy and action planning.
Your vibrant participation within River of Life contributes in significant measure to the development of initiatives like this…with such phenomenal promise for advance of God’s kingdom and the building of his church.
Thank-you for your partnership on the gospel.
Much love,
Scott
Carols, Christmas and Calendar 22
Dear River of Lifers,
End of 2021 😳🙈
As we approach Christmas, here are three key dates to help you with planning and prayer :
1. CAROL SERVICE
Please join us for our Carols evening this Sunday, 5th Dec: CELEBRATE BETHLEHEM, CELEBRATE JESUS. 6pm to 730pm.
As part of our celebration we will be giving thanks for babies born in recent months 👶❤️
2. CHRISTMAS SERIES
Please tune in each Sunday to our Christmas series called Messiah Foretold, Messiah Found. It will be circulated on the evening before for the 12th, 19th and 25th December. The same theme will run for ROL Kids, leading up to Christmas Day.
This series will be available on Telegram and Whatsapp group platforms as well as shared via Facebook.
3. CALENDAR JAN 2022
The New Year Sundays in January are due to run as follows:
2nd Jan: How to read your Bible effectively. ROL2Home online format…via normal distribution platforms.
9th Jan: How to pray effectively. ROL2Home online format…via normal distribution platforms.
This will be the last ROL2Home electronic service! From now onwards, full in-person meetings!
16th Jan: Celebrate Children, Celebrate Jesus
Full in-person meetings
Big-Screen Movie for kids with pop-corn, hotdogs etc.
8:30am GP, 9:30am Eastlea, 6pm Eastlea.
Pm services TBA.
23rd Jan: VISION SUNDAY 2022
Full in-person meetings at GP and Eastlea.
Big-screen movie for kids with lots of fun. All adults in main meeting.
30th Jan: Letters to Timothy begins
Preaching series to accompany Vision 2022, with full Small Group participation.
Looking forward to some special times over Christmas and New Year, and then to being back in-person together in mid-January ‘22.
Much love,
Scott
ROL RAISING THE NEXT GEN
The joy and privilege of raising and releasing the next generation is a capacity that God has created each of us with.
It is in-built within us to delight in children and to see them nurtured to their full potential.
Jesus exemplified this creation blessing, to ‘be fruitful, increase, multiply and fill the earth’ as he commissioned those he had raised up to ‘go into all the earth and make disciples of all nations’.
We are so thankful, as a church, for the way that Helen and the ROLKids teams have served so faithfully over the years, and especially persevering through these crazy covid months.
Please be praying this holiday season about how you can be actively involved in raising up the next generation. We need men and women, single and married, older and younger, every River-of-Lifer, to be engaged in the place that God has designed for each.
We are coming out of lockdown and are so excited to build on this strength. ❤️🤸🏾♂️❤️☺️
Here are a couple of ways that you will be hearing about in the coming weeks:
– 5th Dec 2021
Carols evening with church-wide pledging for Michael Project 2022 as part of Celebrate Bethlehem, Celebrate Jesus.
– 16th Jan 2022
Celebrate Children, Celebrate Jesus
First full in-person Sunday Service since lockdown – given to profiling children. Sign-ups for various ways of engaging with Rock, Rockets and other contexts with next generation.
– 23rd Jan 2022
VISION SUNDAY
More opportunities for engaging with prayer, serving, teaching etc.
It is truly amazing that Jesus said, ‘What you do for the least of these you have done for me.’
It is truly a privilege and joy to raise and release the next generation – let’s go for it!
Love
Scott
The Red Frogs
Cleaning up vomit at 3am.
Handing out water with a smile.
Answering phone calls at all hours of the night.
Why does Red Frogs do it?
Because young people need a taste of genuine love.
A love that is consistent.
A love that is unconditional
A love that serves without demanding anything in return.
A sweet in the shape of a frog gives the opportunity to build relationship and share this love.
The following teams will be on-board the houseboat called Vundufull from Nov 26-28th :
Girls
Emma Hough
Jen Edwards
Amy Doorman
Aby Davy
Mupiwa Mungoni
Hannah Van Rooyen
Ceanna Ellis
Catarina Duarte-Simoes
Guys
Tyler Rowe
Farai Musimwa
Tsungi Njini
Damian Shaw
Tawana Nyabereka
Tyler Hewitt
Jared Smith
Kadin Eksteen
Please pray for :
- safety in travel and all operations
- wisdom for the teams on every situation
- friendships to form for life-long blessing in the team and with those whom the serve on the lake.
Thanks so much for your support,
Much love,
Scott
