Category: News

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Tribute to Dallas Willard (1935-2013)

Personal Tribute to Dallas Willard (1935-2013)
By Alexander Venter, Ascension Day 2013

A great man of God – in the truest sense of the words – has passed into the kingdom of the heavens. After a protracted struggle with cancer Dallas Albert Willard entered the fullness of God’s presence yesterday, 8 May. He is now at home in the arms of the Father, Son and Spirit – and that of his extended family and friends, in the communion of saints. Our prayers are with his wife, Jane, and their children, John and Becky (and her husband Bill and child Karissa).

Like many others, I was honored to have Dallas as a most influential mentor and friend. I first met him through a colleague Trevor Hudson, at a pastor’s retreat in South Africa in 1987 (if I remember correctly Dallas came to South Africa on five ministry visits, leaving a rich legacy of spiritual formation in our nation). He taught on the “The Spirit of the Disciplines”, and then gave me a copy of his typed manuscript of the yet unpublished book. It was just before my marriage to Gill, so the manuscript became our reading on honeymoon – not as in appropriate as you may think! I mention this story to say that it was the new start of an intentional journey of spiritual formation toward Christlikeness – because we were so inspired by Dallas’ soft heart, gentle character, profoundly insightful mind, and diligent apprenticeship to Jesus. Continue reading Tribute to Dallas Willard (1935-2013)

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Pastoral Letter: Novena & Pentecost

Hi Family and Friends,

I am soooo thrilled at what’s happening in our church. God is working among us. Faith and energy is rising. Father, pour out your Holy Spirit with great power!

What is a Novena? It’s nine days of prayer for the outpouring of God’s Spirit. Continue reading Pastoral Letter: Novena & Pentecost

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Exploring Membership – Session 6 (with Notes)

SESSION 6:  COMMITTING TO MEMBERSHIP WITH FOLLOWING JESUS

Listen to the audio of the Sermon for Session 6

We have looked at:

    1. Jesus and his first community – to follow Jesus was to join his local group;
    2. The Early Church – initiation into Christian faith (in baptism) meant belonging in the local church;
    3. Three Sociological models of ‘doing church’ and their underlying values – we do ‘centered set’ church;
    4. Our Ministry Framework – our mission, vision, values, priorities and practices (the circled triangle); and its structured implementation via HELP (Holistic Equipping Life Process) and the People’s Flow chart.

    Also attached is some accompanying notes about Home Groups: 20130317 – Exploring Membership 6 Notes Continue reading Exploring Membership – Session 6 (with Notes)

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    Business People’s Breakfast

    The audio is available to listen online or download with notes.

    1. Welcome….  Thanks to the caters… take an offering to help cover expenses
    2. Purpose of the breakfast: To talk about Kingdom economy – work and money – in relation to the scriptures, personal financial health and our church belonging.
    3. My basic assumptions in calling this meeting and giving this input: 
      1. Pastoral responsibility: I’m giving leadership in regard to finances because I’m your pastor and will account to God one day for you (Heb 13:17) Continue reading Business People’s Breakfast
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    Invitation to a Key Vineyard Leadership Institute Teaching Course

    Please bare with me in a little foolish boasting (as Paul said and did!)

    In God’s sovereign design I was privileged to work with John Wimber in 1982 for 8 months as a pastoral and research assistant. I researched and wrote the healing courses that John taught – now summarized in my book Doing Healing, and in the 2 Healing courses that I teach at VBI and VLI.

    Continue reading Invitation to a Key Vineyard Leadership Institute Teaching Course

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    A Call for a Week of Fasting & Prayer

    We’re calling our church to a week of fasting and prayer in preparation for the launch of Following Jesus on Sunday 20 January @ 09h00 at the Vineyard Community Center.  We begin today Sunday 13th Jan and will end Saturday night 19th Jan.  Keep this page in your Bible to motivate and guide you this week in your personal prayer, in the two’s and three’s who pray together, and in our corporate praying (see below – try to make it!)

    Why pray? 

    To bathe the beginning of our journey as Following Jesus in prayer, in God’s presence. Without him we can do nothing. As Moses prayed, “If your presence is not with us, among us, leading us, then we will not go anywhere! What else distinguishes us from all other people except your Presence?” (Ex 33:15-16). This church is HIS church, we follow HIM – as revealed in Jesus of Nazareth, in his life and teachings, death and resurrection. Prayer is following God in Jesus – we pray in Jesus’ name. Prayer is invoking God’s Presence. Prayer is total dependence on God. Prayer is partnering God, waiting for his initiative in all things. Prayer is working with God in what HE is doing in our church and in the world around us. God calls us to become “A House of Prayer for ALL nations” (Is 56:7). This is where reconciliation and discipleship begins. We pray because it’s our only and ultimate means of entering and participating in the Trinity, in their conversing and working, by the indwelling interceding Holy Spirit (Rom 8:26-27 cf. Heb 7:25).   

    Why fast?

    By abstaining from (certain kinds of) foods, and even (certain kinds of) liquids, we “amplify” our groaning to God. Every time we feel hungry and weak, we’re reminded to cry out to God and pray for the issues listed below. By denying ourselves food we discipline our bodily appetites and turn them to God; e.g. take the time you’d use to prepare the meal and eat it, and give it to God in focused prayer. Fasting humbles us to live not by bread alone but by every word that comes from God (Deut 8:1-5). More so, fasting empowers prayer by confronting and defeating evil opposition (Lk 4:1-14). So decide before God what foods or meals or treats (even TV!) you can fast this week. Continue reading A Call for a Week of Fasting & Prayer

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    End of the Year Update

    It’s the last day of 2012 and we are all still here. The world has not ended. Despite all its publicity and hype, the Mayan prophecy was a hoax, a false doomsday deception. We have the privilege of yet another year of living and sharing in God’s truth, telling the world that Messiah Jesus is God’s answer to the human crisis: the One who came to save the planet, who daily changes and transforms people – in anticipation of his soon coming Kingdom on earth.  We participate in its coming to the extent we daily follow Jesus, and live and pray and act as he did, “as it is in heaven”.

    Continue reading End of the Year Update

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    Following Jesus @ VLI in Columbus, Ohio (USA)

    Gill and I had a wonderful but intense weekend in Amsterdam and Brussels, teaching 25 ardent students at Vineyard Leadership Institute (VLI) from the Vineyard churches in the Benelux countries (and a few that flew in from Lithuania). It was Friday night and all day Saturday ending at 2100 and then driving home to Amsterdam!! We had wonderful ministry times with God touching a number of students, some quite significantly!

    Continue reading Following Jesus @ VLI in Columbus, Ohio (USA)

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    Prayer Request: Following Jesus to Netherlands & USA

    Today, Wednesday 5 Sept, Gill and I fly to the Netherlands and the US to teach at the Vineyard Leadership Institute. VLI operates in both Europe and the US. I will be lecturing a few courses: Healing 1 (Equipping to Minister Healing in the Power of the Spirit) and Healing 2 (Receiving Healing in Six Dimensions), and Doing Reconciliation (The Gospel Mandate of Reconciliation in regard to social transformation, and specifically in regard to racism, classism and sexism). This will be besides ministering at the weekend services in Amsterdam Vineyard, and in Columbus Vineyard in Ohio, USA.

    I want to share our itinerary and preaching/lecturing times (below) as a request for prayer – and this schedule includes our trip to do a weekend conference at Newton Park Methodist Church and to speak at the Vineyard National Conference in Port Elizabeth at the end of September. I will be stretched to the outside limit of my stamina in taking on this intense teaching and traveling schedule (Gill has berated me for accepting so my commitments!! But she is traveling with me as a support and especially to keep me in check!! Help me Jesus!!)

    So we covet your prayers for God’s protection and supernatural strength, stamina and good health. And of course pray that God may anoint me to teach his Word with great boldness and authority, and that he will stretch out his hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders in the name of his holy servant Jesus (Acts 4:29-30). Thank you! We are very grateful for prayer – we can do nothing without Jesus! Continue reading Prayer Request: Following Jesus to Netherlands & USA

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    Feedback from Teaching at Global School of Supernatural Ministry

    In late July I went to Umhlanga Rocks in Durban at the invitation of the Global School of Supernatural Ministry. There were about 15 students who are doing a one year program. I was invited to lecture one day on “Doing Reconciliation” (racial, economic and gender reconciliation) and then three days teaching on “Doing Healing” – as in what I call The Six Dimensions of Healing:

    Continue reading Feedback from Teaching at Global School of Supernatural Ministry