Showing posts with label Gospel meeting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel meeting. Show all posts
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Mirrors and "The Body"
I wrote about how I had a motor bike hit the truck yesterday and
the driver’s side mirror was broken. While driving to the study yesterday I realised how much I use my mirrors. Without it there it seemed like a black hole on my right and I felt decidedly unsafe. As a result I gave myself the task of getting the mirror fixed today.
I had some wonderful help by one of the workers here at the Karibuni Centre, Joel. He took me to several places, all of which were not able to help. We eventually found a second hand mirror with the all the fixtures. The price they were asking was ridiculous - especially when all I wanted was the mirror, everything else was fine. We ended up going to a glass place and having a mirror cut and glued into place. Maybe not the best practice, but hey... it works. Driving this afternoon was much nicer!
We headed out to our study again this afternoon. It is the end of the rainy season here and both days we had a lot of rain as we drove. We go over some steep sections of roads, so CAREFUL is the way!
It was another excellent study today. The crowd was much bigger - a lot of children with many sitting on the floor. I taught on The Body what what we can learn about the church through studying the body. I also looked at the Lord's Supper and how we partake of one bread because we are one body. I was very pleased with the response of the brethren.
Tomorrow we go back again for another study. I am really looking forward to it.
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| The great crowd we had yesterday |
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| Outside the building |
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Hitting the road and Motor Bikes
Well, I have not kept up like I had planned, but I am back on the job now.
Let me catch you up with the rest of the trip to Mbeya.
We left Mikumi in good time and immediately started to climb. The region we were driving through is called the Southern Highlands and the scenery is outstanding. It was hard to appreciate though as the road was quite rough - the tar dug out into rivets by the large trucks heading to Zambia. Also the truck drivers are MAD. We lost count of the number of truck wreaks we saw that day - most of them VERY bad. I think there are a lot of fatalities on that section of road.
We went though a section called the Valley of Baobabs. There are literally thousands of these majestic trees - probably hundreds of thousands. The valley is very steep with a raging river at the bottom, but the sides of the valley look very dry - thus these baobabs.
We also went up a very steep section as the road climbs the western side of the Great Rift Valley. Once again the scenery was fantastic, and the trucks driving was atrocious!
We made it into Mbeya about 5 o'clock and were able to get booked into the Karibuni Centre (Karibuni means "Welcome" in Swahili). Both of us were exhausted, but thanked the Lord for the safe journey.
Yesterday morning I had to go the the ATM and the supermarket and as I was just turning off the highway to the Karibuni Centre and piki-piki crashed into the side of the truck. Even though I had stopped, had my indicator on, this man still did not see me. I think he was going very fast. After he hit me he skidded off the other side of the road into the ditch, as I rushed up to him, I was thankful that he seemed not too badly hurt. It turned out to be just bruises and cuts - he was VERY lucky! The truck gained another battle scar on the driver's door and we lost the driver's mirror. Small things when you think about the alternative.
Yesterday - Wednesday, was the first day of our gospel meeting out of town. Brother Samuel Mwakasungula and brother Felix came to the Centre to head off to the village at about 2 pm, so I was able to have a relaxing morning. It took nearly 2 hours to drive there, about half the way on the highway to Zambia, the rest of the way on dirt roads.
The brethren were waiting for us when we arrived and after 2 songs we went straight into the meeting. I taught on the identifying marks of the Lord's church, focusing on entrance into the church and worship. All the brethren were very attentive to the teaching and told me they were looking forward to me coming back. The plan is to go back today and Friday. This is a little congregation that has recently come out of digression - it is in Felix's home village. He told me that most of the members are related to him!
Let me catch you up with the rest of the trip to Mbeya.
We left Mikumi in good time and immediately started to climb. The region we were driving through is called the Southern Highlands and the scenery is outstanding. It was hard to appreciate though as the road was quite rough - the tar dug out into rivets by the large trucks heading to Zambia. Also the truck drivers are MAD. We lost count of the number of truck wreaks we saw that day - most of them VERY bad. I think there are a lot of fatalities on that section of road.
We went though a section called the Valley of Baobabs. There are literally thousands of these majestic trees - probably hundreds of thousands. The valley is very steep with a raging river at the bottom, but the sides of the valley look very dry - thus these baobabs.
We also went up a very steep section as the road climbs the western side of the Great Rift Valley. Once again the scenery was fantastic, and the trucks driving was atrocious!
We made it into Mbeya about 5 o'clock and were able to get booked into the Karibuni Centre (Karibuni means "Welcome" in Swahili). Both of us were exhausted, but thanked the Lord for the safe journey.
Yesterday morning I had to go the the ATM and the supermarket and as I was just turning off the highway to the Karibuni Centre and piki-piki crashed into the side of the truck. Even though I had stopped, had my indicator on, this man still did not see me. I think he was going very fast. After he hit me he skidded off the other side of the road into the ditch, as I rushed up to him, I was thankful that he seemed not too badly hurt. It turned out to be just bruises and cuts - he was VERY lucky! The truck gained another battle scar on the driver's door and we lost the driver's mirror. Small things when you think about the alternative.
Yesterday - Wednesday, was the first day of our gospel meeting out of town. Brother Samuel Mwakasungula and brother Felix came to the Centre to head off to the village at about 2 pm, so I was able to have a relaxing morning. It took nearly 2 hours to drive there, about half the way on the highway to Zambia, the rest of the way on dirt roads.
The brethren were waiting for us when we arrived and after 2 songs we went straight into the meeting. I taught on the identifying marks of the Lord's church, focusing on entrance into the church and worship. All the brethren were very attentive to the teaching and told me they were looking forward to me coming back. The plan is to go back today and Friday. This is a little congregation that has recently come out of digression - it is in Felix's home village. He told me that most of the members are related to him!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Highlights from Ephesians.
Yesterday we had a full day seminar (meeting) at Nkoaranga, which was the last of the meetings that had been organised for Glen Osburn on this trip.
The preacher there, Aminieli Mbise, had told Glen that he wanted Glen to preach on, "Ephesians, Ephesians, Ephesians". So that was what Glen did!
In his first session, Glen taught on Ephesians the 3rd Chapter and did a great job. The way it works here, we have a translator for all our teaching - as we cannot speak Swahili. Mbise did a wonderful job keeping up with Glen and the brethren were appreciative of his work.
After Glen had finished his first talk there followed a lively Q&A session, where the brothers asked Glen some great questions.
For his second session, Glen preached on Ephesians Chapter four - dealing firstly with the 7 "ones". He ten moved on to the structure of the church starting with the apostles, prophets, then the evangelist, pastors and teaches. Again this was warmly received.
We then stopped for a short lunch break. The brethren supplied us with a bottle of soda and a bread roll. Previously they had the women cook for these meetings, but they found that the woman missed out on the teaching, so this is their solution - it works really well.
After lunch it was my turn and I taught on the Bible being the word of God, using Hebrews 1:1-2 as a basis. I was told to keep it short, so they received a "whistle stop" lesson.
It was a great day and the brethren there really showed their appreciation for our coming up the mountain. They are very good people and they LOVE Glen and Reba.
The preacher there, Aminieli Mbise, had told Glen that he wanted Glen to preach on, "Ephesians, Ephesians, Ephesians". So that was what Glen did!
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| Glen and Mbise at work! |
After Glen had finished his first talk there followed a lively Q&A session, where the brothers asked Glen some great questions.
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| Glen preaching |
We then stopped for a short lunch break. The brethren supplied us with a bottle of soda and a bread roll. Previously they had the women cook for these meetings, but they found that the woman missed out on the teaching, so this is their solution - it works really well.
After lunch it was my turn and I taught on the Bible being the word of God, using Hebrews 1:1-2 as a basis. I was told to keep it short, so they received a "whistle stop" lesson.
It was a great day and the brethren there really showed their appreciation for our coming up the mountain. They are very good people and they LOVE Glen and Reba.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Tent Meeting
The Philips church of Christ in Arusha was happy to host a tent meeting with brother Glen Osburn
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Glen and Reba
We are blessed to have two of the most beloved and respected people we know with us at the moment - Glen and Reba Osburn. We have know them since 1988 - Anne was baptised by Glen and I would not have become an Evangelist without the encouragement of Glen and being able to sit at his feet and learn. Reba is a constant encouragement and a wonderful example of a faithful Christian - we love them to bits.
Since they came last Wednesday night (11.30 pm) we have been busy with studies and seminars, as well as taking a little time for ourselves.
We have visited brethren's homes and had some wonderful studies with small and large groups.
Glen taught at Nkoaranga church on Sunday and everyone was up lifted.
We have been to Arusha National Park and seen some wonderful sites.
Today we had our first seminar - this one at the Makamira church building. Glen taught on Ephesians His wonderful lessons were followed by some great questions by the men gathered.
On Friday we start a 3 day meeting here in Arusha town. We have hired a tent, so it's going to be a "Tent Meeting". Come back here and see the updates.
Since they came last Wednesday night (11.30 pm) we have been busy with studies and seminars, as well as taking a little time for ourselves.
We have visited brethren's homes and had some wonderful studies with small and large groups.
Glen taught at Nkoaranga church on Sunday and everyone was up lifted.
We have been to Arusha National Park and seen some wonderful sites.
Today we had our first seminar - this one at the Makamira church building. Glen taught on Ephesians His wonderful lessons were followed by some great questions by the men gathered.
On Friday we start a 3 day meeting here in Arusha town. We have hired a tent, so it's going to be a "Tent Meeting". Come back here and see the updates.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Gospel Meeting
Last Friday we had a wonderful meeting at the Nkoaranga church of Christ. The brethren there invited me to speak for them at an all day meeting. Of course I was very happy to do that and I arranged to speak for them on the topic of Spiritual Gifts.
There are a great number of Pentecostal churches in that area so the brethren were very interested to study on what the Bible teaches on this topic.
I started by teaching on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Most people here think that Spiritual Gifts are all there is about the Holy Spirit. I then went on to teach about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, speakingy in tongues and how spiritual gifts have passed.
After each of the four sessions we had a Q&A time. The brothers came up with some very good questions and through these questions I was able to deal with a numbers of issues I had not had time to deal with in the lessons.
Half way through the day, after the second session, the sisters fed us a good lunch. Previously, at other times, they had cooked up a big lunch for these days. But this time they got some sodas for everyone and some bread buns for us to eat. These were totally sufficient and most importantly of all, it meant that the sisters were able to be in each session, rather then being away cooking.
We finished the day off in a wonderful way. After we had finished and the closing pray said, brother Mbise, the preacher there, asked a young man to stand up and speak. This young man, Bernard said he loved the Lord and wanted to be a Christian and wanted to be baptized, but later. One of the brothers asked him why later. The answer was so sweet. Bernard said that the preacher (me) was too tired. So it could be done later so I could get straight home. I assured him and everyone I was NOT too tired to assist a new soul into the kingdom. So we when right out to the truck to go down to the river. Once there Brother Mbise baptized him.
What a wonderful way to finish the day.
There are a great number of Pentecostal churches in that area so the brethren were very interested to study on what the Bible teaches on this topic.
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| Harold was translating for the day |
I started by teaching on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Most people here think that Spiritual Gifts are all there is about the Holy Spirit. I then went on to teach about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, speakingy in tongues and how spiritual gifts have passed.
After each of the four sessions we had a Q&A time. The brothers came up with some very good questions and through these questions I was able to deal with a numbers of issues I had not had time to deal with in the lessons.
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| Some of the brethren gathered |
Half way through the day, after the second session, the sisters fed us a good lunch. Previously, at other times, they had cooked up a big lunch for these days. But this time they got some sodas for everyone and some bread buns for us to eat. These were totally sufficient and most importantly of all, it meant that the sisters were able to be in each session, rather then being away cooking.
We finished the day off in a wonderful way. After we had finished and the closing pray said, brother Mbise, the preacher there, asked a young man to stand up and speak. This young man, Bernard said he loved the Lord and wanted to be a Christian and wanted to be baptized, but later. One of the brothers asked him why later. The answer was so sweet. Bernard said that the preacher (me) was too tired. So it could be done later so I could get straight home. I assured him and everyone I was NOT too tired to assist a new soul into the kingdom. So we when right out to the truck to go down to the river. Once there Brother Mbise baptized him.
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| Mbise baptising brother Bernard |
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| Bernard is in the stripes |
What a wonderful way to finish the day.
Location:Nkoaranga Tanzania
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Seminar (Gospel Meeting)
The brethren there had asked me to teach a whole day meeting on the subject of "The Church". I therefore organised the lessons and the brethren organised the rest of the day. The end result was very successful. I was extremely pleased with the preparation that they had been made and how the day played out.
I was extremely pleased how well the lessons were received. As I have already stated the theme was "The Church". I taught on the church not being a denomination, true worship in the church, the church being the body and the last lesson was on how to enter the church.
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| Mbise leading the singing |
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While the majority of people there were members, we had some visitors. One of these was a young man Mbise and I had studied with a few weeks before. Mbise studied with him several times since then as well. At the close of services Mbise told us all that this young man, Jerimiah Urio, wanted to be baptised that evening.
As Anne was up at Nkoaranga in her car as well, we were able to take 13 other people down to the baptism spot. We had a wonderful time watching this young man being baptised into the body of Christ.
I cannot think of a more wonderful way of ending a great day. To God be the glory.
Location:Nkoaranga, Tanzania
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