Hebrews 11, a very well-known chapter of the Bible, paints a powerful picture of men and women who lived not by what they could see, but by what they believed. These heroes of faith looked beyond their present circumstances and embraced promises that had not yet been fulfilled. Even though they didn’t see with their eyes what they believed in their hearts, they were fully convinced that what they had faith for was real.
Verse 13 says, “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles in the earth.”
I’m convinced that one of the reasons these “Heroes of Faith” managed to persevere is that they received God’s promises as reality in their hearts.
Church Planting
In 1992, when we began planting churches, we had no idea at first the scope of the assignment God was birthing in our hearts. Initially, we thought we might plant a few churches and settle into pastoring them in the long term. However, as time passed, it became clear that God’s vision was far greater than we had imagined.
Today, many years later, as I write this, we have seen 23 churches planted with a vision to see at least 1,000 planted in Africa alone. Who knows? We may go beyond the continent someday.
Our primary focus is to establish healthy, self-sustaining local churches that reach out to their surrounding communities through faith-based activities.
Update: Balaka, Malawi
One of our churches in Malawi is in a small village called “Balaka.” Balaka, like most of Malawi, is a region of poverty. However, poverty has not deterred the congregation from transitioning from meeting in a temporary shelter to building their brick building.
When we heard that the local congregation had raised the church walls on their own, we knew we had to get involved. We came alongside them and provided metal roofing sheets. Otherwise, they would have had to rely on grass for roofing the building. The primary issue with grass roofs is that they provide minimal protection, particularly in comparison to the durability and security offered by metal roofs.
| Another testimony of the precious Balaka church is that both the land and the building have been sourced locally. |
| Pictured above: Balaka church roofing project. |
Churches are Planted Twice
| Before the Balaka church was physically planted, it was spiritually planted in our hearts and then in the hearts of the church leaders in Malawi. There are many more churches yet to come, but they are already real in our hearts. |
We currently have several churches at various stages of development. For those who own land and are building, we do our best to come alongside and provide the necessary materials and support to help complete the project. Pray with us that we may continue to have the means to do so.
Grateful
As always, we thank God for His provision in all things. Though our beginnings are small, we are undeterred. Thank you for your partnership and prayers.
| Jamie, Lea & Andreya |
Connect with us:
Email: JLPeters@africa-and-beyond.com
Online: www.africa-and-beyond.com
Lea’s blog: www.aculturalshift.com
