Adventures In Lesotho! Week 2 With LXP and AFM Butha Buthe!

Everyone wants pics after the LXP after school program at St. Phillips School.

Saturday March 15th

We started our day by meeting with Pastor Alex, a friend that we met last time that we visited here in the fall. Alex runs the Royal Beauty Salon and a spice shop in the same plaza.  He has a real heart for people who have been ‘expelled’ from their churches.  He welcomes the broken and disillusioned to his church.  They simply show love and grace and reach into the hearts of those who come.  The theme for his church is 2 Chronicles 7:14.  After a time of visiting and sharing, Addi and Sharon got their nails done and along with Bryn and Carla, they found some great dresses at a shop nearby.

We hiked up Sebothoane in the afternoon and packed a lunch for our trip.  It was hot and a very challenging walk in the heat of the day as we started from a lower point.  We met up with a young man who we gave a Canadian name, Elijah!  He led us up the mountain and it was there we met up with a group of children returning from school.  They sang to the girls and it was a great moment for them.  We had lunch at the top, drank our Stoney’s and the kids had Mountain Dew of course!  At the end of our walk we blessed Elijah with some pay, a soccer ball and uniform and he was thrilled. 

In the late afternoon we made our way back into Hlotse to play with the children that we had met up with earlier in the week and played and had snacks together.  Once again our girls were met by some very forward young men who were making marriage proposals with us.  They were turned down to their dismay.

Sunday March 16^th

Church @AFM Butha Buthe

This morning we packed up and loaded our van complete with our mattresses and blankets and gear and made our way to BB.  We arrived early at the church and the worship music began shortly after.  It was loud and passionate just as we remembered complete with whistling.  It was a mix of Sesotho and English.  A challenge was presented on giving and then Pastor James called Sharon to come forward and introduce our family.  I was asked to preach and so I spoke on Mark 1:9-15 on identity, desert and power.  I also took time to speak on the word for time in this passage and spoke on ‘kairos’ moments and shared about our story.  We then had prayer ministry for healing and then for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  It was moving as children, young adults and adults all came forward.   Well the service was shorter today, only 3hrs long.   We then made our way to Pastor James’ home which will become our home as well for the next two weeks.  We visited and had a late lunch  prepared by ladies from AFM.  We had lamb, beef, papa,rice and bean salad.  We laughed, shared and just relaxed.  We then watched the sunset from the office/ sun room upstairs.  We settled in and then had a late evening soup full of vegetables, potatoes and ground beef.

Monday March 17^th

Today we got off to a late start as PJ had to go into BB to pick up construction materials. As the rest of us waited we met a young man Jeremiah, who had euros but no way to exchange his funds. So, we did it there on the spot for him and blessed him.  He showed me his work as he worked in a warehouse that sold used clothing from all over the world.  We also had a surprise meeting from Pastor David, the dancing pastor from our last visit.  He came to our van and just preached his convictions about the Lord and it was great.  He then took time to pray for us.  So, at around 11:30am we arrived at the Lerobane foster home where we unloaded the roofing supplies for the piggery.  The girls and I went down to the river with some of the workers and dug out the gravel and loaded it on the shore.  It would be used to mix with the cement for the floor of the piggery.   We worked until later that afternoon and came back to PJ’s home.  I travelled with PJ to the Khapung village where he led a Bible study in the home of a family there.  We then arrived home around 7:30pm and were greeted by a great feast as Sharon had splurged on a bucket of KFC!  M’e and Sharon had also made beet, potato and bean salad along with rice.   We then introduced Tsepo and Clonie to ‘screaming dice’ in the evening and then presented the fund that Sharon had raised to bless PJ and M’e Matsepo for their home.  It had come to $8000R.  They were humbled and so thankful.

Tuesday March 18^th

This morning Jordan and Rylan joined me in the river as we went back to the Lerobane foster home.  We continued to dig out gravel from the riverbed and loaded up the ‘bakkie’ for more mix for the cement.  We also joined some of the men back at the site who were breaking away a large rock in front of the entrance.  So, Jordan and I joined in with the pick axe and sledge and burned some testerone with them.  At around 12:30pm we made our way back into town where we caught up with Sharon and the girls who were doing a grocery run with M’e.  We got home to eat tuna sandwiches, cheese and crackers and then it was off with LXP to St. Phillips school to join in with their after-school program.  They did ice-breakers with the kids, ‘go bananas’ along with a teaching focus on values.  The students were broken into groups as Carla and our kids led the groups.  The focus was on Matthew 12 and a tree being known for it’s fruit.  We talked about the roots of the tree that led to what is displayed on the tree.

After we returned, Rylan was quite keen on playing soccer in the field by PJ’s house and so I went with him.   We played soccer and then soon were joined by the Maoeng village team.  I took shots and eventually got the nod to play with them.  Rylan pretty much led his own tribe of followers with the GoPro video. I played with the team right till dusk.  We returned home where Sharon and M’e had made a cabbage lasagna and their efforts were slowed down by a loss of power so supper was later but still amazing as always.

Wednesday March 19^th

This day began by doing laundry together.  We also took time to do family devos as we were challenged by reading from the book, ‘Beyond Four Walls’ and the call of the church to be missional from Matthew 28:19,20.  We talked about the people of the AFM church and how they were such a great example of living this out.  We were then off to do work with LXP but that didn’t happen as we were stopped by the police on a road check.  It turned out that license, ‘disc sticker’ expired on Feb 28^th.  I started to scramble and they allowed me to get my phone to make a phone call as they were ready to fine me $1100R and take the van to the police station.  We were able to walk back to the house and I called Pastor James who took time to speak with the officers.  Thankfully he bailed me out and there was no fine, just return the van back home and get a new vehicle sticker for the van. Well, easier said than done, but PJ had friends just over the border in Clarence, SA.  

Sharon and I along with M’e and PJ made the trip to visit Matt and Sheila Silcock.  We had a great visit with them as they have an amazing ranch and ministry there with the Cave Church, right in a cave.  They were a real godsend as Sheila was able to share with Sharon about the Zoe Zoe ministry they have which will be an excellent resource for what we are stepping into at the Manor when we return to Canada.  The showed us the cave, how the acoustics work in there along with the etching of images from the 1600s in the wall from cavemen of course!  Matt hooked us up with his Toyota 7 seater and we were back on track.  However, it was too late for us to work with LXP so our kids had an off day to work on homework.  

Heading back to Lesotho from Clarence, SA - photo by Sharon!

I was able to give PJ all of the solar audio players generously donated by Grace Community Church that will be used to load the Bible and messages to take to villages where there is low literacy and for use in outreach.

Thursday March 20^th

Today we started out by rehearsing our drimes and then made our way out to minister with LXP in the Nkoeng village.  On the way, guess what, another random police check and this time we were busted again.  We needed to have ‘triangle’ reflectors in the vehicle in case of emergency!  Again, I am scrambling to find them and in the course of the conversation they ask us what we are doing.  We share that we are off to do a Bible study and that peaked their curiosity.  The officer asked for a Bible because he said that he was a bachelor and needed to read it every night to keep his life on track.  So, Brynley offered her Bible and we were off the hook.  At the village, Godfrey split us into two groups and we ministered to seniors there.  In our group we looked at Matthew 5:1-12 and talked about hunger and appetite for spiritual things.  We then walked to Godfrey and Elizabeth’s home where we had sandwiches with them.  Godfrey shared how he and Elizabeth met and we looked at their wedding pictures.  Afterwards we made our way back to one of the senior’s home where we took part in the rebuilding of one of the walls of his home that had washed away in a recent storm.  We had to find the right shaped rocks from the hill around his place and took part in mixing the mud with donkey dung for the perfect ‘cement’!  Addi and Rylan played with the children who returned from school….just another day in Lesotho!

The wall is almost complete!

Friday March 21^st

The piggery is completed at the Lerobane Foster Home!

I dropped off the team today in the Nkoeng Village as they participated in a preschool program with LXP and then PJ and I crossed the border to return Matt’s Toyota and get my updated ‘disc’ license.  Following that, PJ and I visited a gov’t High School about the opportunity to perform our ‘drimes’ (drama to music)

there next week and were given the green light for that next week which was really exciting.  We then visited the Lerobane foster home to see the completed work on the piggery and it looks superb.  After a quiet afternoon, I became the taxi service for the youth and children attending the High Power Soccer Camp at the AFM church.  I ended up taking two loads of children and it was a blast.  They just pile in as much as possible.  I pumped up a ball for them at the church and they were set . They watched a soccer movie in the evening on the Ultimate Goal as it used testimonies of athletes along  with the presentation of the gospel.  After some ice breakers, we performed drimes and then Selena gave a message to the kids.  At 11pm, I took our crew home before the soccer tournament starts tomorrow!

on the trail in Nkoeng Village!

House visits and Bible studies in the village!

Adventures In Lesotho - Week 1 with Bracelet of Hope in Hlotse

Triple Flight!

Tuesday was our first full day in Lesotho after an eventful series of flights that had us on three continents in three days.  Bryn battled nausea, Jord dealt with sleeplessness and Rylan was battling a fever but they all persevered!  On Sunday, we spent a fun afternoon checking out historic Frankfurt, Germany and took in the great architecture.  We crossed the ‘lock’ bridge where thousands of pad locks are attached to the bridge professing love forever by couples for all to see.  It then was time to take care of our appetite with bratwursts at Hanz and Franz!

We arrived in Jo’Burg mid-morning on Monday, travelled out of the airport in our 9 passenger van rental and a late lane change by myself within the first 5 minutes led us to being pulled over the police.  I had panicked on choosing between two major highways.  After that fiasco, I finally was able to lock in Butha Buthe on the GPS and we had our directions to get us on our way.

Normal Christianity!

We began our first morning together watching a torrential downpour of rain hit our area in Hlotse.  We took time being challenged by John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  We talked about the difference between ‘average’ Christians and ‘normal’ Christians as described in the book, Normal Christianity by J Welton.  Average are like a thermometer, ones who can describe the spiritual climate.  Normal are themostats, they change the atmosphere!  It is only because of the very living presence of God in us that we can say, ‘we are revival’!  Our world needs to see a Christianity that is living and active.  We are called to pray for healing for example and believe that it will happen.  So, following that , we took time to all pray over Rylan for his full healing as he was still quite fevered and sick at that point.

Breaking Bread!

In the afternoon, Andy took us to Sweet Dreams bakery to scope out the work that was ahead of us. Gladys wanted it painted pink in the front and cream in the back.  We followed that by doing our first grocery run at ShopRite where our biggest adventure was choosing a laundry hamper in the right colour!  There were all on top of the shelves so many came down and were inspected.  We landed on a red one.  Back at Anne Marie’s bungalow, we made lunch along with our own café mochas.  We then took a walk back around the town in the late afternoon.  Brynley wanted to capture some mountain shots from a field which led to being surrounded by children wanting their picture.  Before long a group of 40 youth and children gathered around us and we laughed, played, danced and sang together.  It was a moment that began in pure spontaneity and Bryn led the way as she was very entertaining with the kids.  As dusk hit, some of them were getting hungry and so I ran to the nearest store and picked up 4 loaves of bread and we broke bread together.  We then finished off our time with them by handing out sweets for the night.  We said our goodbyes well after dusk and headed to the Leribe Hotel for pizza and pop.  We closed our night by praying and giving thanks for the amazing night.

Sweet Dreams Makeover!

We were off to an early start on Wednesday as we woke up at 6:30am to head to the bakery first thing.  At the bakery at 7:45am, Jordan was teamed up with Deka, Bryn and Carla with M’e Mekutco and Rylan with Ellen.  They walked all over the town selling scones and muffins to people on the street, at the post office, gov’t offices and Rylan went to a local prison.  Sharon had the opportunity to do the same later in the morning and they all came back having a real appreciation for the hard work these ladies put in every weekday!  Addi and Sharon painted the store front of the bakery in bubble gum pink.  Around 2pm we finished the 2^nd coat and took a late lunch.  At  3:30pm we were back at it, except this time Jordan joined me to paint the back work area with oil based paint.  Gladys was quick to ask me if I was ‘born again’ and we talked about faith and church.  I learned that the church she attends is called, ‘Fill The Gap!”.

The rest of the team rejoined the children who we became friends with from the night before and brought out a soccer ball to play with. The group grew to 50 children and so 6 loaves of bread were needed.  Sharon also gave a group of young men a soccer ball as they were so eager to receive one as well and they played soccer well into the night.

We arrived back to our place at 6pm and we were treated to an authentic African meal prepared by M’e Joyce.  She served us fried chicken, rice with a spicy sauce, beet salad, squash and a fruit jello pudding!  We were loving every part of it.  After supper we just sat around, laughed about our experiences and realized how much joy we were filled with to experience these amazing moments.

Listen to the Holy Spirit!

Thursday morning began as we took time to reacquaint ourselves with the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15.  We talked about the difference of our relationship with the Lord being built on confidence and not shame.  Sharon challenged everyone to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice and both Addi and Brynley heard ‘guide’ and understanding that we are to guide people to the love of Jesus.  Carla sensed that we were not to forget the men who need God’s love.  Rylan had a verse that the HS led him to and opened the Bible to John 10:4 and read that ‘sheep follow him because they know His voice’! God led me to 2 Corinthians 5:7 where we are called to live by faith and not by sight which really sums up a spiritual exercise like this.

We then made our way back to the bakery to continue painting the ceiling, touch ups and those who weren’t working were playing with the children out front.  Rylan was attacked by the ‘ninja wannabes’!

In the afternoon we made our way towards Butha Buthe and met up with the LXP Lesotho leaders, Elizabeth, Godfrey and Piet. LXP teaches youth to be leaders in their faith and purity.  It was so cool for me to see Lackey who I met in the fall and give him a ride for part of the way.  The LXP leaders showed us their future home and ministry site and then we took off down the trail to do house visits with the parents of youth that attend LXP. 

It was on the way to the house visits that Elizabeth shared with us what a typical day looks like for a HS student.  They get up at 3am, get ready for school by doing chores etc.  They are on the road walking by 5am and in class for 6:30am.  After school is done mid-afternoon, they take a long trip home and don’t arrive until 6:30pm.  They eat, do laundry, homework and are off to bed by 9pm!!

We were split into two groups and one group visited a grandmother and her granddaughter, a family devastated by death. 

My group visited two older men, one a father to one of the youth and his brother.  We walked into a very rustic home,  music was played through a makeshift speaker made out of a milk jug, flies were swarming and we sat around a table that was burnt out in the middle.   They spoke to Godfrey and asked questions in Sesotho for us.  The one man shared how his ancestors told him in a dream to sacrifice a cow, take the skin off and cover himself in it for empowerment.  They had mixed beliefs from their animistic worship and Christianity and so we were able to talk about why they shouldn’t listen to those voices even if they think it is their very family members.  We talked about how Satan comes as an angel of light and his biggest tactic is deception.  We also shared about Jesus’ final sacrifice.  After 90min we were back on the trail.  We arrived back where we left the van only to see children playing soccer.  It led to an impromptu visit where by the end, Jordan took the shirt he was wearing and gave it to one of the kids who had a very worn out one. We arrived home to another amazing home cooked meal by M’e’ Joyce with curry chicken, carrot raisin salad, potatoes and more rice of course!  We then finished off our night by hitting the Leribe Hotel only to see that we unfortunately missed another snow storm back home.  The weather here is 22C during the day and about 17C at night…we have adjusted well! J

King’s Kids!

We were off to an early start Friday morning as we made our way back to the bakery to finish decorating and painting in time to show it off for a big reveal.  It was really satisfying to see it come together.  We made our way to ‘Golden Monster’ for pizza and had Deka join us.  We were hoping to catch up with the owner who was part of Sharon’s business network last fall when we were here in Lesotho.  However, he was away so we connected with the workers there and one of them performed his rap for us as he is hoping to be an artist.  We danced with some of the locals and had lots of laughs there. 

Afterwards we made our way to the Makhoaroana foster home also known as King’s Kids.  It was over an hour to get there with roads that were full of potholes.  We followed Andy out there as he was making a delivery of laying hens and feed.  Our kids had the opportunity to carry the hens and it was quite the experience for them.  Carla was a pro at it.  Jordan and I carried the 50kg bags of feed into the home.  We then heard the stories of all the children and blessed them with soccer jerseys and shorts from Guelph youth soccer along with some High Power soccer balls.  We then played with the children for the rest of our visit.  Jordan asked about praying for one of the girls who had issues with her leg and so our visit concluded as we laid hands on her as well as the other children and prayed for healing, provision and blessing for this home.  Anna, the house mom, is an amazing lady, full of joy and Sharon had a great opportunity to connect with her.  We then drove back at dusk and made our way back to Hlotse.  Tomorrow we are excited about the opportunity to climb a local mountain and connect with the LXP youth outreach in the afternoon.  Another full day awaits!!

Church at the Manor...it's official!

The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations; the mansions will be splendid again. Thanksgiving will pour out of the windows; laughter will spill through the doors…Jeremiah 30:19    (the Message)

We are excited to share with you about an opportunity that God has given to us here in Guelph. We are starting “Church at the Manor”. The Manor is a strip club and bar with a motel attached called, ‘Sue’s Inn’. The motel houses people that are trying to stay clean and sober.

It started with the desire to give gift certificates to those living at the Inn which in turn led into a conversation about the possibility of renting the bar area to do church. After hearing our vision, permission was granted within minutes! Roger Cohen, the owner, has stated “So let me get this right, you want to bring light into a very dark place”. Yes! We have been very forthcoming with him regarding our intent and purpose. He thinks we’re crazy, BUT has been amazingly open and receptive to the point of making sure that everyone knows when our services are going to start.

Church at the Manor will be a missional church focused on being the hands and feet of Jesus and seeing people come to experience the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. We know that it is God’s desire to see people saved and set free from their addictions and their past. We really have sensed that God has placed before us an open door that no one can shut.

April 20th, Resurrection Sunday is our start date to bring life to the Manor! We will be starting at 12:30 p.m. with a free lunch for all those who are interested or curious. Lunch will be followed by a time of worship music, testimonies, the Gospel shared in creative ways and prayer ministry.

If you would like to know more about this ministry or how you can be involved please contact Jack and Sharon Ninaber at 519-780-3854 or email jackninaber@gmail.com


There are a number of ways to be a part of this:


1. Financial support for this ministry.  Make a donation


2. Prayer covering for those serving in this ministry


3. Preparing and providing lunch for those attending


Thanks in advance,

Jack and Sharon

Love Your Neighbour...easier said than done!

Matthew 22:36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

These are very familiar verses to me and I have to admit I’m glad that Jesus kept it really simple when he laid out the commands for our life in loving God and loving others or that’s how we sum it up.  Jesus essentially took 613 Old Testament laws and said this is the most important!  Loving God with all my heart, soul and mind involves everything from my complete and total surrender and my heart’s longing to being always aware of His presence.  However, I want to focus this post more on the second command, love your neighbor as yourself.

When studying this passage we like to expand on who that ‘neighbour’ is and really talk about the people who live in our communities and our world.  We talk about the people that we rub shoulders with everyday.  So, what about our specific neighbours, you know, the ones that live directly beside you??

Sharon and I have lived in a number of different places and have had all kinds of neighbors that we have been able to get to know well.  When we moved to Guelph, we quickly discovered that the person living next door to us was the self-proclaimed, ‘street witch’ also used interchangeably with words that rhyme with witch.   It was an older couple who apparently had moved here hoping to find a peace and quiet.  Well, our street just happens to be full of kids.  There are as many as 30 on our end of the street.  We live on a cul-de-sac and we started playing road hockey like we did in any neighbourhood that we had been a part of.  She proceeded to take pictures of our kids and called the city to complain and sure enough the police would arrive and tell us that it is a by-law issue and so, no hockey.  We also had a self-standing basketball net and we played at the end of our driveway.  Again, more pictures and more visits from the by-law officer with a sticker placed on our net with the request to move it so now it sits at the front of our garage.  A street party was arranged annually and approval was sought only to be told if a ball landed near their vehicle, more calls from the police.  Rylan would play soccer in the backyard but if the ball crossed over to their yard, it would be gone.  She had someone there ready to confiscate the ball into her house.  It was quite a scene.

We also have a dog, Josie, who likes to bark to get back in the house and a visit came shortly after we got her from the humane society checking out her credentials and a payment needed for an updated license.  In the summer a fence was erected and it stands 9ft. tall The city by-law is actually less than that so you can imagine how tempting it has been to make a few calls myself!

They really wanted nothing to do with anyone and the more private, the better! So, needless to say, loving my neighbor hasn’t come easily here in Guelph.  I still tried to make small talk now and then when in the driveway, but not much took place beyond that.  Then, Sharon, had this crazy idea before Christmas to bless them with homemade cookies.  She would make them and I was assigned with Rylan and Addi to deliver them.  We knocked and you can imagine the shock when they opened the door… on both sides of the door.  We were shocked that they opened it and the husband happened to be in a wheelchair because he broke his ankle.  We didn’t even know that.  So, he graciously accepted them and that was the end of that. 

That was until Saturday’s latest dump of snow and I was outside shoveling our driveway.  I was almost done when I saw the ‘witch’ come out with one crutch attempting to shovel her driveway.  The snow banks were really high so there was no acknowledgment of each other and I completed my task and went inside. I then went to check in on Sharon who was resting from eye surgery and then peeked out the window to see the lady still attempting to shovel.  I knew I had to go outside and help her but everything inside of me wanted to just ignore her.  However, that is when I knew that I couldn't. The Holy Spirit was working on my heart and outside I went again and asked if I could help.  She was surprised but was so thankful and I was able to get it cleared.  At one point, she tells me that yelling at the kids on the street is one way of ‘keeping alive’.  Then she shares, ‘I just had chemo two days ago….the cancer is starting to grow back.” She proceeds to pull her hat back and I see that she has very little hair. So, I ask what type and she tells me it is breast cancer.  At the moment I asked if I could pray for her healing.  She responded yes and there in her driveway, I put my arm around her and she held me and I prayed for her like I would pray for my own family with the firm conviction that God could do a miracle.  She was encouraged and I was blessed and it was a huge reminder to me that Jesus’ commands were just meant to be memorized, that were meant to be lived out!

So, here is some simple truths that I learned as a result of all of this.

·         Seek out your neighbor - Don’t wait for them to come to you.  Take the time to get to know their story.

·         Be real – It is so important that people get to see the real ‘you’.  It doesn't hurt for them to know that you don’t have it all together or have all the answers especially if they know you are a Christian.

·         Bless those who persecute you.  We are never off the hook no matter how much we think we have been offended or our rights have been denied.

·         Sacrifice – It always costs us to reach out to others and those in need.

·         Respect boundaries – We can’t force the issue.  If they do not want our help, we have to respect that and not keep pressing the issue, the advice etc…

·         Be a good listener – listen to the Holy Spirit at every moment that you are in conversation with someone because He is the best prompter and He will give you the words to share.

I just caught up with her husband yesterday.  He had the biggest smile on his face as we talked and he shared that his cast is coming off today!

New Beginnings! Living With Renewed Hope in the midst of 'kairos' moments!

Psalm 39:7  But now, Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in you.

There is no better place than being together with God’s people to start the New Year and anticipate the new thing that He is doing among us.  To live with renewed hope means that we allow ourselves to dream again, to believe that God wants to do amazing things.  He has truly been faithful in the past to us and we will reflect on His goodness today, but what about tomorrow.  My desire is to paint a picture of what could be, of what could happen if we truly become more aware of the time God has given us.  There are two Greek words for time, chronos which literally denotes a space or time or succession of times and ‘kairos’ which is primarily due proportion, a signified or fixed period, an opportunity that presents itself for a specific moment or season.  In order for us to be passionate about following Jesus, we need to discover the ‘kairos’ events that He gives us and enter the learning circle.  Chronos is linear thinking but kairos is circular thinking.  My prayer is that we can discover the kairos moment God has placed before us!

Most learning in Jesus’ day was based on oral tradition.  Literacy rates were low as written material was restricted to the elite.  People learned through storytelling and verbal teaching rather than reading texts.  Their minds were trained to store information and knowledge with accuracy.  When he commanded them to “teach everything I have commanded you,” it was expected that they could repeat it.

Mark 1

¹⁴After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

The time has come!

The word for time here is kairos.  Kairos happens when the circumstances of your life are brought together in the bottleneck of time.  Often there is a definite sense of pressure being created to experience something of this significance.

Kairos events can be positive or negative – Think about the birth of your first child, a special vacation, the death of a parent, a sickness, the loss of a job!

Kairos moments can also be recognized by the impact they leave on you.  A performance review can produce positive emotions or negative ones depending on the way it goes for you.  It is often the negative events and emotions that produce the greatest opportunity for growth in our lives.

Kairos events signal opportunities to grow.  A new job opportunity arises and you are forced to move...take the opportunity to start afresh.  Heller Kellar said it best, life is a daring adventure or nothing at all. 

God has placed Sharon and I and our family for that matter into a ‘kairos’ moment in our lives.  It really started when Sharon felt strongly that we needed to start an extended worship gathering in our home prior to leaving for Africa last fall.  Many people had shared with her that we needed to do this.  So, key people gathered together and took the fivefold gift test.  It turned all the giftings were represented from apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist, pastor!  So, Sharon was really impressed by the Spirit that it needed to do something with food and it was about being hungry for more!  So it was appropriately named ‘Friday Feast’!  At a meeting with the leadership team, Wendy S. had a vision.  I had to leave early for another meeting so I didn’t hear the following… She shared how she saw us all in pioneer clothes and we were in one of those covered wagons, but it wasn’t covered!  We were heading out on a paved road that was full of turns but on each side of the road were large green trees.  She also shared with the group that the pastors from my church were waving goodbye at us! 

So, fast forward to a week after we return from Lesotho and I am released from Grace, the church I was serving at.  However, I was at peace with it and had a real sense from God earlier in the day that this was going to happen.  In my exit meeting, among other things the leaders shared with me that they thought of ways how they could enable me to lead a church plant, but it wasn’t possible.  They spoke of my ability to be able to make something out of nothing as the one leader testified to during our time in Lesotho with our ministry there.  He then said how he saw a ‘pioneering spirit’ in me!  I came home and shared this with Sharon which triggered her memory back to Wendy’s vision which she had not shared with me until that point.  It was a real confirmation to us that God was in control of all these events.

We began Friday Feast in November and had as many as 25 people out on one night and when we put the list together we realized that if everyone came on the same night we could have as many as 40+ people out.  I then started looking at places to rent and then Sharon said one day as we were driving the Hanlon, ‘what about renting the Manor?’  I laughed, but then it caught the attention of some of the ladies in our group and they looked at its history.  One thing that was noteable to all of them were the stained glass songbirds that were in some of the windows and it prompted Sharon’s spirit to be reminded that all creation will sing His praises.

So, a few days later Sharon and I were getting her a new cell phone which came with 4 $25- grocery gift cards.  It would be a few days later that she sensed that God was telling her to take those gift cards to Sue’s Inn which is attached to the Manor.  Sue’s Inn is a halfway house for those struggling with addiction etc..We went with the purpose to give the cards away, but when we arrived, the manager said they would just sell them and use it for beer money.  Sharon then asked them about renting the bar.  They asked for what?  Sharon replied ‘a church’.  They asked what kind of church? Sharon shared, ‘a radical one!’  The manager then said, ‘like one with snakes?’  Sharon replied, ‘no, we just love Jesus!’  He replied, “I think we could make that happen on Sundays…but not too early!’  He gave me his cell number and told me to text when we were ready.  I texted him last week and he said, ‘I left it with the owner, best of luck’.  I replied, ‘Is the owner open to the idea?’  He didn’t know and the week went on and I started to doubt.  I went with Addi to the end of www.ercf.ca week of prayer and there I was surrounded by a group of people and prayed for.  In the evening Sharon and I went to Wendy S for a time of prayer and sharing along with a showing of the documentary on the Manor.  In the middle of watching it, my phone buzzes.  It is the son of the owner of the Manor and we talk.  He arranges a meeting with his father, Roger, the owner.

Sharon and I meet with the owner and we spend 90 minutes in his office.  Keep praying for the potential of the opportunity for us to serve in this place.

The Kingdom of God is near

Was it only the fact that Jesus was in the flesh that made the kingdom closer or was it also the revelation that we would be called to build His church. 

The kingdom of God is near is the realization that we have been given the opportunity to see what God wants us to see, as we reach our hand in the right direction and have as it were our hand go through the curtain of time and reappear in the reality of His world, His time, His eternal perspective. 

The kingdom of God is near to those who truly seek it as we see in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5

Amplified Bible

³Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
    ⁴Blessed and enviably happy with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!
    ⁵Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!
    ⁶Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God^]enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be ^[completely satisfied!
    ⁷Blessed (happy,to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
    ⁸Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and^]spiritually prosperous--possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
    ⁹Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and ^[s]maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
    ¹⁰Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
The question now remains, how bad do we want it, because based on these verses, we can see a whole lot, we can experience the most amazing revelation.  How much do you want of God?  How much do you want to see Him?  Do you truly desire to see His kingdom come, His will be done?
Let me talk to you about the life circle – a new approach to learning, a new lifestyle of learning.  It happens in recognizing the opportunities that God presents to us, both good and bad, as opportunities for growth and going through the circle will help us process the events of our lives.
For the most part, we tend to be linear thinkers,

Point A – Point B
Salvation – Heaven
Wide Road – Narrow Road

But our relationship with God is more dynamic than that. 
When we walk down life’s path with purpose in mind and a kairos moment takes place, we have some choices to make-
We can choose to stop, choose to ignore it, choose to go backward or we can determine to enter into the moment and see what God has in store for us!

The process for entering is found in the next part of the verse…. Repent and believe the good news.

Repent!    Unfortunately not a popular word in sharing the gospel, but a very necessary word before belief can happen.

Repent is the greek word - metanoia – a change of mind that ultimately reveals itself in a change in lifestyle.  That change of mind has to go straight to the heart, the heart is in no way removed.  We have to feel differently, there has to be a change of heart for us to admit that we need to do a 180 degree turn.

Believe the Good News!

Who doesn’t need the good news?  It’s good news for the poor.  Good news for the broken-hearted. It’s Good news for the alcoholic.  It’s Good news for the fearful, It’s Good news the depressed, It’s Good news for those who have failed. It’s Good news for the skeptic. It’s Good news for the lonely. It’s Good news for ‘sinners’!
Because of Christ, your sins and failures don’t define you.  Shame off you!  Yet it is so often perceived (and proclaimed) as the exact opposite: ‘Because of your sins and failures, shame on you.”  Alan D. Wright


Part of the vision for the ministry that we want to lead is that we show up and we share Good news!  There is hope, incredible hope in Jesus Christ and we believe that transformation can take place through the power of worship.  The atmosphere in a place can change and strongholds can come down!

How do you get people to change?

How do you get people to change? 

We have all asked that question and often the answer begins by changing the focus and saying, “what do I need to do to be the change?” and other clichés like that. However, that all changed for me today as I was reading, “Free Yourself To Be Yourself” by Alan D. Wright.  I think we have all resisted the kind of change that feels like you are being manipulated, coerced, ‘guilted’, ‘voluntold’…you name it!  

The fact of the matter is that we are all in the people-change business whether you are a parent, a salesperson, a pastor.  Let’s be honest!  Of course we want people to change, but what do we hear so often from the voice inside our head to the word on the street, “It’s not my job!”  I think we want everybody around us to change whether that is our daughter to worry less about whether she is amazing and beautiful…’without make-up’ to seeing our friends come to know Jesus!  

Moses wanted the children of Israel to change.  He wanted them to stop worshipping the golden calf and be more patient in waiting for God to show up.  He wanted them to stop complaining sooo much and realize just how amazingly blessed they were.  The prophets wanted people to change from worshipping foreign gods and Paul, the apostle wanted the church in Rome to be transformed by the renewing of their mind!  Jesus wanted people to change and that is why He touched lepers, lifted up prostitutes and poured so much time into the disciples.  Of course we want people to change.  That is why teachers teach, parents parent and salesmen sell. There is no sin in wanting people to change; however it is a sin if our approach to change uses the tactics of the enemy and the world such as guilt, shame, condemnation etc… We have to motivate the right way!

The most important thing we can do is pray and intercede for the people that we definitely want to see discover real change.  We should stand in the gap, envision God’s best for them, declare the promises of God over them ask God to put godly influences in their lives!

In addition to this, here are three great biblical strategies that Alan D. Wright shares in his book.

1    1.   We change a negative spirit by sowing the opposite spirit.

There is always a law at work called sowing and reaping and it’s undeniable.  If we sow jalapeno peppers they will not turn into green peppers!  The same is true with weeds.  We will never get green grass by sowing more weeds or letting weeds like dandelions continue to pollinate the yard.  The principle here is found in Romans 12:21, ‘do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’.  In order for Jesus to make people more forgiving, He forgave them.  We can’t heal by shaming someone.  Perfect love casts out fear. 

The orphan spirit cannot be yanked out of a person, it must be displaced in a person.  If a person is going to quit acting so insecurely, their insecurity must be displaced by continued acceptance.

Alan D Wright

A simple example, a husband will not stop overworking if a wife keeps telling him how disgusted and disappointed she is with him.  It needs to come from a spirit of grace by conveying how much she does love being with him and how much the children enjoy time with him.

2            2. We enable positive change through the power of blessing.

Other than the Spirit of God, the most powerful force for change is recognizing how important a blessing is.  It is more important than positive reinforcement or even affirmation.  It has the prophetic power to bring incredible change in a person.  We only have to look at Issac’s blessing of Jacob to know how significant blessing is.  One of the things that I am so diligent about is praying over my children before they ‘hit the hay’!  Now, Jordan and I will have more conversations, but the other day he was driving to Pickering and I took the opportunity to pray a prayer of blessing over him and pray for 4 angels posted on every corner of that Neon!  I will pray into my children’s destiny, purpose  and God given gifts to enable them to be bright and shining lights for Him!  I have discovered that our blessing especially as father’s can be so empowering.  We are often a ‘man of few words’ so when we speak blessing, our wife and kids will be listening.  It will also directly empower them to love each other more as well.  It is contagious.  Discipline can also come in the form of a blessing if we look for the right opportunity.  Remember that it takes seeds to grow, so be patient and don’t look for immediate results although that can certainly happen.

3      3. Learn to help people embrace responsibility by treating them as if they’re owners, not slaves.

Alan writes, “slaves are valued for their productivity, whereas sons are valued for their position.”  Though I may ask my son to do some simple chores, the fact is that I give him more than he could ever give me.  Slaves also primarily motivated by rules and not by a relationship.  Sometimes a child is more motivated by consequences of the lack of obedience, but they are more motivated by reminding me of the promises I’ve made to them like, “ We will go for a timmies run when you are done…” However, what motivates us to work hard in life?  How can we encourage others without shaming them?  So, often even preaching becomes in essence, “try harder, do more, keep working at it”.  Something is missing though and Alan speaks of it as a revelation that he received.  He shares the story about a time he found one of the elders at his church working on a Saturday afternoon.  Alan shared with him, “you know that isn’t your job” to which he responded, “well, it needs to be done”.  He went on to say, “I guess it is just a matter of ownership.” 

Sharon is co-owner of Ninabrook and she works hard at her job.  She doesn’t watch the clock or even track her hours.  When you are a slave to your job it is all about putting in hours and usually doing the bare minimum.  However, when you are an owner, you deeply care about what you are doing.  It has your name attached to it and you are invested in it.  So, when Sharon has to pull a number of late night to switch over 400 items to their new website, she could begrudge it or know that it will take her business to the next level.

“And that is the moment the veil lifted.  Only free people own things.“ That is the difference between slaves and heirs.  If we look at what we are doing from the perspective of an owner, everything changes.  The key to inner motivation for others and ourselves is to be liberated.  When we look at the perspective of an owner, everything becomes an investment.  If we choose to go the other route and shame people, we will just produce slaves who watch the clock and do just what they are asked. If we threaten with our love and acceptance, we will never set them free.

The children of Israel’s focus to possess the Promised Land was the fuel for them to move forward and make it worth the fight.  We will fight for what we believe in and we need to fight right thought patterns and belief systems that God has given us.  

Romans 8:14-17 

14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

So if as a husband, I am frustrated with the sex life with my wife, I can choose to act in two ways.  I can either choose to get upset with her and tell her she is not a good wife or I can choose vulnerability, connect on a deeper level with her, choose to affirm her beauty and focus on genuine attraction.

Here is another example from being a father.  My children are my heirs, but until they take ownership of their lives, it is really no different than a master /slave relationship.  When I tell my kids to eat their ‘greens’ and they ask how many, it is still a slave/master situation.  When I tell my kids to clean up their room and they come back every few minutes and say, ‘Is thisgood enough?’ I know we are still stuck.  However, one day, I trust my kids will choose to eat fruits and vegetables as a result of their own desire to stay healthy and take charge of their own body.  I hope one day my kids will clean their room not because they have to but because they see how amazing it is when they can actually find everything they are looking for!  We are getting there, well, most of the time.

“As a parent, I have the responsibility to tell my kids what they must do. But I have a bigger goal in mind- helping them to grow up into an inheritance.  My short –term need is to give them rules, but my long-term goal is for them to live, not under the fear of the law, but under the joy of ownership”

Alan D Wright

I want to lead my children from a place of self-control through establishing principles to the place of Spirit-control where they act based on the prompting of the Holy Spirit in love.

I am a freedom fighter.  Therefore I want to treat people in a liberating way.  I want to escort them into freedom.  I want to treat others like owners.  We are co-heirs with Christ in the new kingdom. 

Some great final thoughts from Alan D Wright:

Who have I been trying to change?  Am I doing it God’s way or the enemy’s way?

We need to quit trying to convince ourselves that it’s wrong to want other people to change and start focusing on how we can help others change in a biblical way.  We need to start asking: What is the right way to motivate, empower, and spur people toward the changes that we know would be good for them and those that they touch.

Choose today to abandon the unhealthy ways that you try to change others with shaming tactics.  After  an honest evaluation of how I want people I love to change, I will apply biblical strategies and patiently await God’s work in them.