This is Church

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Written by Mike Verkaik:

I have recently returned from traveling with another group of high school students to Oceans Retreat Center (ORC) in Fish Hoek, SA. As Tim mentioned last week, we are excited about an upstart Christian school moving on to the campus. Part of this Kingdom Encounter was preparing the campus for the transfer to happen smoothly. As change comes to ORC, one place I hope stays in tact is the front room overlooking Recreation Ave. This weekend, I asked people to describe it with words and phrases. The responses were sanctuary, open window to God’s creation, safe haven, a place of peace, holy ground and where God has anointed and dwells.

For team members and staff it rivals what the upper room must have meant to the disciples. A living room filled with memories of the Father’s love and forgiveness, the Holy Spirit’s filling and presence and the Words and peace of Jesus. A place where testimonies are shared, healing received, surrender given and fervent prayers cried out.

Our favorite time of each encounter to South Africa is our last night in this front room sharing takeaways. After two weeks of being immersed in God’s kingdom together, a family unit has been formed, and this is our last Spiritual meal together. As we prepare to come and receive communion at Christ’s table, each participant is given a time to share a testimony, a conviction, or a revelation that was unveiled to them from their Abba Father through His Holy Spirit over the past two weeks.

It is normal to have some awkward pauses materialize as the Holy Spirit prompts students to wrestle with their emotions and share. Being honest, and sometimes vulnerable, in sharing what God revealed to them is a new concept for many. However, this time the pauses were exceptionally long as faces stared into space, tears began to trickle, and deep breaths were exhaled.

Society teaches us to be superficial and shallow in our conversations, saying mindlessly, “I’m good”. However as the followers of Christ we are called to the following:

Look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:4

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.– Galatians 6:10

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.– Psalm 107:2

As the pauses continued students gained courage while being prompted by the Holy Spirit to be countercultural, and share the brokenness, darkness, and struggles we all battle with against our flesh. For others, they had testimonies that normally go unmentioned because as many students tell me, “we don’t talk about God with our friends”.

The Spirit began to break through the lapses of silence with these normal, but hidden convictions and struggles:

  • I was in a dark place before this trip. I am struggling with an addiction. I’ve been hearing that I need to tell someone, and here I am telling the whole group.
  • Father’s day was really difficult for me.
  • I struggle with my flesh, trying to do everything in my own strength.
  • I long to feel the Holy Spirit in my life but I don’t
  • I’m looking for a reboot, I’m not happy anymore

Others broke through the enemy’s wall of fear and testified to presence of God in their lives:

  • When I was worshipping tonight, I felt such an amazing presence of the Holy Spirit. I have been longing for that.
  • For the first time, I’m opening up to God, and He has been faithful and I have found Him here.
  • God has taught me the importance of obedience and prayer. I can’t control Him.

Sitting there listening, praying I wrote these three words in my journal notes, “This is Church”. It is what we read about in the lives of David, Peter, and Paul to mention a few. Lives which were messy and repentant, and their praises and thanksgivings were recorded. Sharing in our failures and sufferings, as well as receiving encouragement from the testimonies of His presence in us and working through us, are both so valuable for the body of Christ to be healthy and relevant. It is what we read in the book of Acts. This is the essence of Jesus’ final message to His disciples.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.– John 13:34

The Bible is one giant story of God’s faithfulness to His children, whether they are denying Jesus, or pouring perfume over Him. May you have, or find a front room to be in community with others where there are “no stones” and you can live into the freedom of the cross.

Gathering to Dedicate the High School

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It is overwhelming to consider how the Sovereign Streams of God have flown together to begin the first Christian High School in Fish Hoek, South Africa starting on the Oceans campus in July. Someday I will explain the story in greater detail but it is truly a work only God could have brought about.

As we gathered together to worship, pray, and dedicate this new work to the LORD we were all in awe of how our Father moved to unite hearts in a supernatural way to make this a reality. For the last nine months many travailing prayers along with hours of intense work have birthed a vision to encourage young lives for generations to come.

We believe only God’s amazing sovereign hand could have brought this together we are placing all the needs, students that will come, staff, teachers, principal, yes all the details back in His firm grip knowing it will be by His grace and strength alone. Please join us in praying that a mighty move of His Spirit will continue to flow, lives will be changed, and His Kingdom will expand for His glorious name.

We want to thank so many of you for being a part of this new birth for Oceans Retreat Center, and this new season of ministry. We continue to hold on tightly in faith to the promise given in Hab. 2:14:

“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea!!

 

Reminiscing About God’s Faithfulness to Oceans Ministries – Part 2

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We encounter the Kingdom of our Father when we give His love away!  We want to share a few stories with you of the blessings of letting Christ’s love flow through us.

John 13:34,35

“So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.”

Click on the image below to watch the video, or click here!

 

 

 

Reminiscing About God’s Faithfulness to Oceans Ministries – Part 1

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“Give thanks to God, our King over all gods! His tender love for us continues on forever! Psalm 136:2

For the next few weeks Mike and I wanted to share some thoughts about God’s amazing faithfulness demonstrated over the 10 years of Oceans Ministries.

Thanks for listening, we hope it encourages you to trust in the Father’s great love and faithfulness to you!

Click on the image below to watch the video, or click here!

The River

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Growing up in Colorado some of my best memories were by the river. Hiking, rafting, fishing-even though rarely ever catching any-or just sitting by a river listening to the water crashing against the rocks. Idyllic. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I love how The River represents a powerful move of God’s children in a supernatural way.

This past Sunday my wife and I were invited to be a part of a building dedication in the township of Jim se Bos. There are no natural rivers in the impoverished settlement, expect when it rains. Then water seeps through the dirt floors and floods the tin shacks.

The building we were worshiping in on Sunday used to be the community dump. We have a picture on our refrigerator of one of the teams Mike brought out from Michigan where we fed around 700 people with mounds of glass, bags, chicken bones and all sorts of trash surrounding the table from which we served.

Since that day a few years back a River of transformation has been taking place and it has become an unstoppable force bringing healing and life where ever it flows.

I couldn’t help but think how that River found its way into Jim se Bos, as place where most people in South Africa have never even heard of. Yet, on this particular Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, there we were singing, dancing, praising, and celebrating Christ the King in one of the most unlikely places.

Sunday I shared from John 7:37-39. These words of Jesus explain it all:

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘ If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink, Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams (literally Rivers) of living water will flow from within him. By this He meant the Spirit…”

In Jim se Bos the “thirst” is great. Poverty, fires, gangs, sexual abuse, all forms of addiction, the needs are endless. In the midst of the pain and heartache a small River started to flow out of hearts of love through Pastor Raymond, Pamela and the Love in Action team.

As homes were rebuilt after devastating fires-95 homes so far- weekly feedings started, children were clothed, a people who thought no one cared about them were seen, heard and loved. The River kept growing; people saw something they had never seen before. Hearts were opened and got a glimpse of a Savior. People started to jump into the River.

Being part of the River is not easy; it truly takes sacrificial love flowing from the Kingdom of heaven into weak hearts. But this past Sunday the River was flowing and the source of the River. The name of Jesus was exalted and praised with passion.

This River in Jim se Bos has made its way to other parts of the world; the US, Canada, Germany, New Zeeland, and other parts of Africa. Supernatural is the only way you can explain it.

At the end of the service there was an invitation for anyone who was thirsty to jump into The River, and guess what? The River widened as the front of the new building was filled with people looking to jump in the current of His love and forgiveness.

The challenge we walked away with from our experience Sunday is the reminder that our calling to BE The River, to be Jesus to a thirsty world. One act of kindness, a hug, a listening ear, a text of encouragement, a prayer of blessing for an enemy, forgiveness given to one who hurt you, any act of love can start The River flowing.

If you have been praying for, supporting Oceans or traveled to Fish Hoek you already are apart of The River in Jim se Bos. The world is in need of The River. Will you allow the love of Christ to flow in you and through where you live? Yes each one of us can be The River and point others to Jesus as the source of their hope and healing (Ez. 47 and Rev. 22).