Baptism & July Update
After we returned from the States we had our first baptism service!
The woman that was baptized had come to know the Lord Jesus and after taking the Alpha course (which introduces people to Christianity) and really wanted to be baptised.
We organised a barbecue by the lake and had a time of praise and worship and a time of sharing the Word. The lady who was baptized had invited a bunch of friends and relatives. After she was baptized she started sharing about the Alpha course and right there 3 girls said that they wanted to join the course that will start in september. Praise the Lord for this testimony of this baptism!
Grace
Lately, the Lord has really been teaching us about the concept of grace. Many people think that they need to have their life totally in order before they accept the Lord in their lives or even in order to accept the Lord. This is such misconception. We take non-believers or ‘new-believers’ through stories like the story of Zaccheus and explain to them that all that the Lord Jesus wants is to ‘come into their home and eat with them’. He wants to have a relationship with them just the way they are. When they have a personal encounter with Jesus and realize that He loves them, then the change will come. Not as a result of their efforts but as a result of His love and grace. God loves us just as we are, yet he loves us to much to change the way we are.
This challenges us too. So often we as humans are inclined to look at the outward sin in peoples lives and (if we are not careful) tell them they need to change. But we need to always be aware that people don’t learn to change outward behavior without being changed by the Holy Spirit from the inside out.
Our Team
We really feel that our team is moving to the next level. We are excited to see them long for more of God’s Spirit and power. They long to see spiritually and physically sick people healed and the gifts of the spirit active in our midst. We are also excited about the opportunities for some of our team members to start taking and teaching the “Celebrate Recovery” course’ (dealing with addictions) and the “Marriage Course” for (pre) marital counseling.
Please pray specifically that these courses will be effective tools to serve our community. We long to see people set free from patterns of addiction and serve the Lord Jesus!
Kids
Hannah and Judah are enjoying the summer. Judah has spent the weekend with his opa and oma (his Dutch grandparents) and caught his first fish. How excited he was! He is a true boy. Hannah is starting to talk more and more and still talks about ‘grandpa and the car’ very often. She is such joy!
Matt and Femke Helland
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