[notice]Special report by Lauren Jonas on a fruiful Easter mission to Peddie.[/notice]
How often do we say: “I want to be used by God” and sometimes exuberantly sing: “Send me, I will go Lord”; or “Where you go, I go, Lord”. Yet, to GO is often the elusive commission because we have become creatures of comfort within the four walls of our church. Has the zeal in our hearts for the lost (unconverted) faded? As God’s children, have we forgotten the Great Commission?
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“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” — Mark 16:15.
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Early on Easter Monday morning, while most of us were probably snug and warm at home with family, a group of Port Elizabeth believers set out on a five day mission to Peddie, a small town about 190km away. Their mission was simple – to GO….To take the Gospel to the people.
This mission wasn’t easy as they had to forego home comforts and endure cold showers, sleeping in tents and no social media entertainment. The mission trip was organised by Every Tribe Missions, a ministry which coordinates local and international missions into Africa.
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“Our hope is to take the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people, to meet them where they are”, says Pastor Sean Seise founder of Every Tribe Missions (ETM).
80 000 commitments to Jesus
Since their launch in January 2012, ETM has achieved 80 000 commitments to Jesus. They have not only taken the Gospel to the people of South Africa, but also to neighbouring states, namely Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The ETM team has undertaken 42 missions and have seen many thousands of salvations, healings, miracles, signs and wonders.
“When you are led by the Spirit these are daily experiences. However, we still rejoice and give all the glory and honour to God as if it was our first time seeing God move’, says Seise.
Each time they set out to new territory with even greater expectations than the time before. “Door to door, street by street, person to person we go and share the Good News of Jesus to every creature”, says Zama Gumede, a staffer of Every Tribe Missions.
In Peddie alone the group saw the oppressed being set free, sight being restored to blind people, the deaf thrilled with the joy of hearing and a cripple who could walk again.
Amazing testimonies
“The best part of our day is when we hear all the amazing testimonies from the various squads”, shares Paul and Patricia Lindenburg, Camp Operations Coordinators, ETM staff.
Another missionary added that people have come back the next day to share their experiences of being set free from alcohol and smoking addictions after receiving Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. One of the squads sent out reports that after going about and sharing the Gospel, a shebeen owner in Peddie was saved and closed the shebeen a few days later. Is this not the revival we hope for?
Interestingly enough the word GO is mentioned in the Bible 1 492 times. I think God is saying something to us!
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise” – Proverbs 11: 30
ETM offers open and customiSed trips to the public, churches and youth groups. Even if you aren’t called to full time ministry, as a child of God, we all have a responsibility to win the lost to Jesus. St Paul writes in Corinthians that, because Christ has reconciled us to God, we all have a ministry of reconciliation.
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” – 2 Corinthians 5: 18
Brendon Slabbert, a PE participant in the Peddie mission’s outreach in April stated with enthusiasm: “Matthew 9:37 has become alive within me after my first mission trip experience”.
“He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few’ ” — Matthew 9: 37.
Every day across the world people are dying physically and spiritually without knowing that Jesus loves them and He has a wonderful plan for each of them. His promise of eternal life through fellowship is our hope. We salute Pastor Seise and his team for their obedience to God and taking the Gospel to the people.
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things” – Romans 10: 15
Throughout the year the ETM team is earmarking new areas to preach the Gospel. They also run a Missions School which is designed to challenge prospective students spiritually, mentally, and physically with the purpose of ultimately building and refining their character as followers of Jesus.
To get involved or to see and hear more about what the Every Tribes Missions team is up to, follow them on Facebook or contact Pastor Sean Seise at info@everytribemissions.com.
