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
Two Fold Response during COVID
I love being part of a church that has its hands dirty, whose heart is towards God and whose hands are extended towards the world. It is thrilling to be part of a church where so many people are participating in so many ways. We are on a great journey together!
Love to all
Scott
Alpha material translated into Shona
It really has been a special joy working with the Alpha Zimbabwe team, and the ROL afternoon service leaders, who have linked up together, to translate the Alpha Course into Shona. I have such an expectation of where this could go, and how people can hear the gospel in the vernacular, as a result of this initiative.
Much love
Scott
Alpha Series Kicks Off
I am very overjoyed to say that we are approaching 700 people in 70 Alpha Small Groups as we approach the launch, this weekend, of our First Term Alpha series.
We have never combined the Sunday service and Small group before, but it is certainly an exciting prospect for this term.
This Sunday 31st Jan 2021 will be our first ever CHURCH-WIDE LIVE ZOOM Sunday. We have four meetings through the day, each covering the same content, and everyone is encouraged to come online via Zoom at the time of their choice – 8:30am, 10am, 4pm or 6pm.
From next Sunday 7th Feb all Sunday service messages will be delivered within the with Alpha Small Group meetings on Sundays. The groups can choose their preferred time and the content will be delivered to the Small Group Leaders for sharing with the Small Group on the Sunday.
Spaces are filling up but there is still time if you have not yet registered on the website and/or signed-up for a Small Group. You can do so HERE.
I am praying for many to come to Christ and many to be strengthened in Christ through this 9 week series. Also for many stronger leaders to become more effective in discipleship and for groups to continue next term aimed primarily at unbelievers.
Thank-you for your participation and engaging in this exciting Alpha adventure with us.
Love to all,
Scott
ALPHA 1st Term 2021 ❤️🎉
Hi River of Life,
I am so pleased to have a workable plan for meaningful connection and real relationship with each other in whatever version of lockdown we may find ourselves in this term.
This plan is based around the Alpha Film Series which is the best production from Holy Trinity Brompton yet. This content is remarkably effective for pre and early believers as well as for stronger believers wanting to more effective in discipling others.
We will be running the Alpha preach on a Sunday via Small Group, so both the Sunday connection and Small Group connection will happen at the same time for the first term.
In lockdown circumstances the Small Group leader will arrange zoom details for everyone and the group will be able to watch & discuss online. In semi-lockdown situation we anticipate meeting in Small Groups home-to-home. And if we are in free-flow…well, let’s not get carried away!
We are hoping to have some local and international ROL groups that run the whole course online too. 🇲🇿 🇿🇦 🇬🇧 🇿🇲 🇲🇼 🇨🇦
The roll-out for this term is as follows :
17.01.21. Vision Sunday – Part 1
24.01.21 Vision Sunday – Part 2
31.01.21. Alpha Launch
All together : Big Zoom
7.02.21. Alpha via Small Groups
In-person or online, as permits
ALPHA all 9 weeks to Easter
4.04.21. Easter Sunday
Please check out our new website at www.riveroflifechurch.co.zw. If you are part of ROL, please register on the site and you will receive notification from there for next steps with Small Group etc.
LET THE NATIONS BE GLAD ❤️ 🌍
Much love,
Scott
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.